Abstract: This disclosure concerns a process and apparatus for reclamation of waste polystyrene-type materials for reuse within the specification ranges of the input polystyrene-type material. The disclosed process and apparatus include dissolution of the waste polystyrene-type materials in a dissolve section utilizing a reusable solvent having a low boiling point and high vaporization rate, removal of solid contaminants in one or more filter sections, devolatilization of the dissolved polystyrene and recovery of the polystyrene-type material in a solid form in a recovery section. Preferably the process and apparatus provide a closed system and include recycling and reuse in the process of the vaporized solvent. The maximum temperature in the recovery section is 190° C. The reusable solvent is preferably environmentally safe and has a low boiling point and high vaporization rate. n-Propyl bromide, or environmentally safe mixtures thereof, including mixtures with isopropyl alcohol, is the preferred reusable solvent.

Abstract: A process and apparatus to reclaim solid polystyrene-type polymer material in solid form comprising a dissolving section to dissolve the solid polystyrene-type polymer material in a solvent including a dissolving tank to receive solvent from a solvent reservoir and the polystyrene-type polymer material from an external source to form a solution thereof and a recovery section including a recovery tank to receive the solution from the dissolving section, a separator unit to separate the dissolved polystyrene-type polymer material in solid form from the solvent, a solid material processing unit to remove the reclaimed polystyrene-type polymer material from the separator unit and a fluid separator/recovery unit to remove moisture from the separator unit and separate and recover the solvent from the water.