Abstract: A method and apparatus for obtaining carbon fiber from carbon fiber waste (e.g., pre-preg and CFP waste). The method and apparatus selects, or is controlled to select, between using an oxygen free pyrolytic process to volatilize the epoxy resin or other matrix in which the fibers are held to liberate the fibers therefrom and, depending upon the type of pre-preg waste, using a reactor environment where the reactor atmosphere has about 1% to about 2% oxygen by volume. The reactor has a counterflow such that the carbon fibers are moved in one direction and the off gasses are moved in the opposite direction. A combination of steam at the reactor outlet and vacuum pressure at the reactor inlet create the counter flow.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method, apparatus and system that are configured to process asphalt roofing shingles so that solid constituent components of such asphalt roofing shingles may be used in asphalt mixtures. The present invention may include pyrolysis of asphalt binder present in the asphalt roofing shingles in order to develop a layer of coke on the solid constituent components, so that the solid constituent components may be suitable for use in the asphalt mixtures in quantities of 5 to 30% by weight of the total weight of the asphalt mixtures. The present invention is also directed to the asphalt mixtures that include 5 to 30% by weight of the solid constituent components of the asphalt roofing shingles that have been processed in accordance with the method, apparatus and/or system of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to processing feedstock materials for recovery, recycling and/or reuse of the constituent components of the feedstock materials, and includes adding feedstock materials at a constant temperature to a thermal reactor, heating the feedstock materials at a temperature of 1,100° F. or higher in an anaerobic environment within the thermal reactor to produce cracked and gasified hydrocarbons and residual material, removing cracked and gasified hydrocarbons released from the feedstock materials from the thermal reactor, further processing the residual material to recover one or more constituent component of the feedstock materials, and oxidizing the cracked and gasified hydrocarbons removed from the thermal reactor having five or less carbon atoms in their molecular structure in order to produce heat to obtain the temperature of 1,100° F. or higher for the thermal reactor.