Abstract: A pulper for reclaiming cellulosic fiber from scrap paper includes a high-speed pressure-wave-generator impeller with individually hinged arms and a movable foraminous filter in the form of a wire screen that is flexibly mounted. A plurality of impellers and filters are used in a multistage pulper. The pulping energy is directed through the movable filter to isolate the energy source from contact with the fibers. In multistage fibering, filtering is performed between each stage and with successively finer filtering.

Abstract: A method of hydrolyzing cellulose to monosaccharides, especially glucose, by subjecting cellulose, under controlled temperature and pressure, to an aqueous mixture of calcium chloride and an acid, preferably hydrochloric acid, providing a low concentration of H.sup.+. When the starting material is pure alpha cellulose, glucose is produced in very high yields. When the starting material is a mixture of hemi and alpha cellulose, the resultant product is a mixture of pentose (xylose) and hexose (glucose) sugars. Refluxing the reaction mixture containing pure alpha cellulose, about 55% calcium chloride and only about 0.01% hydrochloric acid, based on the total reaction mass, will produce in a relatively short time relatively high yields of glucose.

Abstract: Fertilizers with controlled nutrient release produced from the treatment of solid waste with a phosphate to derive paper pulp and precipitated inks, coatings and waxes removed from the paper fibers.

Abstract: Municipal solid waste is treated by a method in which pollution of air, water and soil is minimized. Light, long fiber paper pulp which is in great demand and fertilizer which controllably releases its nutrients are recovered which render the treatment efficient and economical. The solid waste after removal of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, glass and other aggregates, is sonically pulped to prevent shearing of fibers using such chemicals that when subsequently phosphated, and xanthated if desired, will cause salts to precipitate with inks, coatings and waxes removed from the fibers to provide fertilizers with controlled nutrient release on the one hand and high quality paper pulp on the other.