Abstract: Apparatus for classifying carrier gas borne particulates including a chamber having a classifying rotor suspended therewithin fed by a jet pump induced transport path of carrier gas in the periphery of said chamber.

Abstract: A method for separating particulate material into coarse and fine fractions is disclosed by suspending the material in a conveying gas flow having a radially symmetrical flow pattern, radially surrounding the gas suspension with a band of clean gas containing substantially no particulate and directing the concentric gas flow past a vaned rotating rotor having an axis of rotation axially aligned with the concentric axis of the gases. The rotor vanes fling the coarse fraction in a radially outwardly direction while the remaining fine fraction remains in the conveying gas flow for subsequent separation from the gas. An apparatus in the form of a separator is disclosed for sorting particulate material suspended within a conveying gas into coarse and fine fractions is also disclosed.

Abstract: A tobacco leaf mixture containing lighter and heavier fractions is fed into one side of a housing while an airstream flow is introduced at the other side of the housing and in an upwardly directed flow course so as to cause it to entrain the lighter fraction of the mixture therein, with the heavier fraction falling to the bottom of the housing. A suction lift is maintained at the top of the housing to increase the velocity of the lighter fraction containing air flow outwardly from the housing. The lighter fraction containing air flow is then delivered to a separator unit to recover the lighter fraction. The lighter fraction can, for example, be the laminae material from which shredded cigarette tobacco filler is made.

Abstract: A high efficiency tobacco separator for separating lighter particles such as leaf or lamina from heavier particles such as stem in a tobacco mixture have a primary and a secondary air separation chamber. Two winnowers are provided in the primary chamber for tossing tobacco mixture back and forth across the chamber. A generally upward air flow is established in both the primary chamber and the secondary chamber, and the air flow, combined with inertial and gravitational effects, functions to separate lighter particles from heavier particles by entraining the lighter particles in the upward air flow. A conveyor assembly is positioned across the bottom of a primary chamber and extending into and projecting into the secondary chamber. The conveyor arrangement accumulates heavier particles which fall to the bottom of the primary chamber and projects them into the secondary chamber where additional air flow separation occurs.

Abstract: An apparatus for withdrawing agglomerated solids, e.g. ash, from a fluidized bed of finely divided solid hydrocarbonaceous material, e.g. coal, is described. Agglomeration is effected by a high temperature reaction between the inorganic constituents of the hydrocarbonaceous material in the fluidized bed environment. A venturi is utilized to serve as a passage for withdrawing the agglomerated solids from the fluidized bed. Spiral or other descending ridges are positioned on the interior surface of the constricted cylindrical opening of the venturi to permit variable and increased rates of agglomerate discharge with improved separation and classification of the solid materials.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a desired, relatively light fibrous fraction from admixture with foreign bodies, such as sheaths, metal parts, plastic parts and the like and having parts, such as stems, rind remnants, leaf parts and the like. The apparatus comprises structure which causes separation by gravity and which conveys the mixture past a separation location and floats the relatively light fibrous fraction from the mixture in an upwardly directed air stream.

Abstract: An apparatus for withdrawing agglomerated solids, e.g. ash, from a fluidized bed of finely divided solid hydrocarbonaceous material, e.g. coal, is described. Agglomeration is effected by a high temperature reaction between the inorganic constituents of the hydrocarbonaceous material in the fluidized bed environment. A venturi is utilized to serve as a passage for withdrawing the agglomerated solids from the fluidized bed. Spiral or other descending ridges are positioned on the interior surface of the constricted cylindrical opening of the venturi. A tube, through which reaction gases pass, is centrally disposed within the constricted cylindrical opening to permit variable and increased rates of agglomerate discharge with improved separation and classification of the solid materials.

Abstract: In an upward gas stream sifter for separating sheet-like pieces of paper and plastic in a wetted mixture, the gas is heated to at least 60.degree. C. in order to dry surface moisture on the plastic. The temperature of the gas is not so high that the plastic shrivels. This increases the difference in density between the pieces of plastic and wet paper, thus assisting the separation.Optionally some gas may enter the mixture feed duct through a gas permeable part of its wall, to prevent accumulation of mixture on the wall.If the mixture is derived from household rubbish and the plastic is mostly polyethylene the gas may enter the sifter at 120.degree. C. and leave it at about 70.degree. C.

Abstract: In the pyrolysis of crushed mined hydrocarbonaceous mineral solids with hot heat carrying solids, the heat carrying solids are recovered from the pyrolyzed mineral matter, heated and recycled back to a primary pyrolysis zone. At an appropriate point in the process, a mixture of heat carriers and pyrolyzed mineral matter is fed into a chamber through which an elutriating gas is flowed. Prior to entry into the chamber, the mixture is separated into two streams having different relative concentrations of spent mineral matter. The stream with the least amount of spent mineral matter is fed into the chamber at a point below the point where the stream with the larger amount of spent mineral matter is fed. This prevents surging of the elutriation system.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for separating a pellet-like product from fines mixed therewith. The apparatus includes a housing having a fines outlet and a product outlet disposed at a lower portion of the housing. An inlet conduit extends into the housing and terminates in a nozzle. The inlet conduit receives quantities of the product and fines entrained in a propellant fluid such as pressurized air. An imperforate baffle having an impact surface is disposed within the housing so that the impact surface faces the nozzle to intercept the product issuing from the nozzle. Apparatus is provided for generating an electric charge neutralizing magnetic field to envelop the entrained product and fines before the product impinges upon the impact surface of the baffle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating light and heavy materials from one another. Materials to be separated are transported on a conveyer belt past a set of overhead rollers. Air is sucked through gaps between the rollers with covers surrounding groups of rollers which are coupled to a suction pump. Air is jetted through apertures in the conveyer belt to loosen adherence between lighter materials and larger articles. A high voltage is impressed upon the rollers to provide electrostatic attraction for light dry materials. The rollers may be provided with opposing protrusions which are used to pinch off certain materials.

Abstract: Disclosed is an installation for the treatment and handling of metallurgical slag which includes means for the disintegration of a flow of pyroplastic slag by mechanical impacts and cooling means for the cooling of the particles of slag formed by the disintegration. The installation comprises at least one perforated endless band positioned in the path of fall of the particles of slag projected by the disintegration means and cooled by the said cooling means. The installation also comprises an insulating enclosure positioned immediately above the perforated band and which contains the disintegration and cooling means, and means for trapping the ascending gaseous and/or solid by-products.

Abstract: A filter system and method for extracting entrained lint particles from an effluent air stream prior to discharge into the atmosphere. The system and method are intended for use in combination with a cyclonic separator of the type having a vertical settling chamber for separating relatively dense fiber product from airborne lint entrained in a product stream. The filter system includes a housing forming an air stream inlet, a lint discharge outlet and a clean air outlet. A rotatable screen is interposed between the air stream inlet and the clean air outlet whereby the entrained lint is accumulated on the screen as the effluent air stream flows through the screen for discharge into the atmosphere. The accumulated lint deposit is presented to the lint discharge outlet as the screen turns. A first fan blower is coupled to the separator for inducing an upwardly moving inner vortex for entraining the airborne lint, and coupled to the filter inlet for discharging the entrained lint onto the rotatable screen.

Abstract: A material handling apparatus comprising an air classifier system which includes a material receiving chamber having at its lower end a discharge conveyor which removes material from the chamber to another area, and conveyor means within the lower end portion of the chamber for moving material which has been deposited in the chamber and discharging it onto the discharge conveyor without clogging, together with suitable air locks and controls for regulating material flow through the apparatus.

Abstract: A fume extraction assembly comprises an elevated canopy adapted to collect fume; and elongated outlet means offset from an apex of the canopy and having gas flow characteristics compensating for a tendency to uncontrolled extraction rates along said outlet means.

Abstract: The plastic discarded in municipal solid waste is recovered by a process wherein the waste is reduced to a particulate mass having a liquid content of 20% or more such that the paper and other absorbent constituents retain sufficient liquid to be substantially heavier than the sheet plastic pieces of comparable size. The mass is then subjected to an air separation treatment wherein the plastic pieces are blown free of the paper and other constituents of the mass. In one form, the solid waste is first pulped in water to slurry form, some of the fiber is recovered from the slurry by screening, and the reject flow from the screen is dewatered and subjected to the air separation treatment. In another form, the solid waste is dry shredded and the high specific gravity materials removed prior to pulping. In still another form, the dry material is wetted sufficiently for effective air separation of the plastic.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for separating a pellet-like product from fines (e.g., dust) mixed therewith. The apparatus includes a vertically disposed housing having an upper fines outlet and a lower product outlet. An inlet conduit passes through the housing intermediate the fines outlet and the product outlet and terminates in an upwardly facing inlet nozzle. The inlet conduit receives quantities of product and fines along with a propellant fluid (e.g., pressurized air). An impact baffle is supported within the housing having a concave impact surface that faces the inlet nozzle and that is positioned to intercept the product pellets issuing from the inlet nozzle. The impact baffle is sized and supported to provide an annular flow oriface for the propellant fluid (and fines mixed therewith) between the impact baffle and the housing.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for sifting particulate material in a cross current, the method and apparatus being of the type wherein all particles of the same size are propelled transversely at the same velocity of at least approximately 5 m/sec and with the same direction in a thin layer into a high velocity sifting gas current so as to preclude a determinative influence of gravity, the particles spread out into the current and after a time of flight of the order of magnitude of 1/100 second separated into two or more fractions by one or more knife edges disposed in a direction opposite to the material trajectories without previously rebounding from any wall, and the incoming sifting gas flow subdivided into at least two parts which are led off separately, improved separation characteristics are obtained by establishing an additional partial flow which is led off in a direction different from the influx direction of the sifting gas current, the partial flow having a momentum component in a direction opposite to

Abstract: Trash removal apparatus in a sugar cane harvester comprises an axial flow extractor fan to draw trash out of harvested cane and to discharge it through a duct on the pressure side of the fan. The duct is in the form of a helical trash guide member which collects the trash out of the air flow and discharges the trash laterally. The trash guide member is mounted for pivotal movement about the duct axis and a mechanism is provided for turning it to discharge trash in a desired direction.

Abstract: A process and system for the segregation and separation of mixed office-paper-waste material which comprises: shredding the waste material to a uniform size; forming a fluidized bed of the shredded waste material in a vertical column by an upwardly flowing, high-volume, low-pressure air stream, to divide the material into distinct layers in the column; and separating and removing the layers from the column with lateral airflow.

Abstract: A high capacity materials separation apparatus including a conductive metals segregator in the form of a magnetic ramp for receiving commingled materials from an air classifier, the air classifier comprising means for separating materials into heavy and light fractions, and means for maintaining positive air pressure within the classifier for propelling the nonmagnetic heavy fractions at accelerated velocity from the classifier so as to achieve high capacity separation of conductive materials at the ramp.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for separating heavier particulate material from a mixture of light particulate material, heavy particulate material and gas. The apparatus includes a vessel having an outlet at a lower portion thereof wherein particulate material flows toward the outlet and is contacted by countercurrent flow of gas for uplifting of lighter particles of particulate material. Heavy particulate material and some light particulate material is then collected in a chamber of a valve wherein sequential injections of gas in a lower portion of the chamber further separates light particulate material from the heavy particulate material with the remaining particulate material in the chamber being discharged by sequential operation of the valve.

Abstract: A metering surge bin airlock feed device having a conveyor which extends from a surge bin to the interior of a pneumatic materials separator is disclosed. Airlock inlet and outlet means are provided at the points where the conveyor passes through a wall of the separator so that gas cannot pass through the wall at those points.

Abstract: A vessel is provided for stripping oil from char particles of different density recovered from a pyrolysis of organic solid waste. The lower end of the vessel is of reduced diameter with a plurality of gas jets which direct gas inwardly and upwardly to direct stripping gas through the particles. A standpipe extends upwardly from the bottom of the vessel and terminates above the gas inlet jets. A gas outlet is provided at the top of the vessel. The particles are introduced at an intermediate level in the vessel. The top of the standpipe is covered with a screen mesh for limiting the size of particles which can enter the standpipe. The gas fluidizes the particles of different density which tend to concentrate at different levels in the fluidized bed because of their density differences. The standpipe terminates at a selected level within the fluidized particle bed which results in a desired mixture of the particles of different density being withdrawn from the fluidized bed through the standpipe.

Abstract: A method and system for cracking hydrocarbons with distinct fluid catalyst particles differing in activity, selectivity and physical characteristics is described wherein a common catalyst regeneration system is employed which will measurably contribute to the heat requirements of the operation as well as the activity/selectivity characteristics of the catalyst employed. Except for size, the catalysts upon make-up may have different or identical catalytic characteristics. However, upon contact with a particular hydrocarbon stream, such as vacuum resid, the selectivity and coke producing characteristics of the catalysts may be altered.

Abstract: Process for the production of pressed bodies from municipal refuse or waste, especially refuse having a content of wood-based materials, plaster and animal and vegetable substances, in which the refuse is subjected to a treatment for reducing particle size as well as for the separation of metals and similar hard, inorganic fractions. After collection, the refuse is divided up without the addition of fluid and is thereafter dried in a hot gas to reduce the water content. The particles of refuse material are screened in an air stream to separate heavy fractions and thereafter are pressed to pressed bodies during the addition of an adhesive and/or binding agent.

Abstract: A method for the separation of components of solid waste which has been treated by thermal explosive decompression followed by biodegradation (also hereinafter referred to as composting) is presented. The explosive decompression and composting pretreatment before separation presents a granular and inoffensive finely-divided product mixed with less-fragmented non-biodegradable materials such as plastic, metals and other substances. The method first separates the finely-divided product from the waste to leave a first residue, then magnetically separates any magnetic components from the first residue to leave a second residue, and then separates by gravity flotation any plastic components from the second residue, each step being carried out successively without interruption for further treatment of the waste.A system is described which separates the biodegradable and fine residues first, followed by the separation of other, more valuable components from each other at later stages of separation.

Abstract: A separator for the particles of a particle-air stream is provided which is capable of varying the composition of the particles obtained from the stream by providing typical swirling-air type separators with a by-pass whereby a portion of the original particle-air stream can be passed by the separation zone without being acted on by the swirling air.

Abstract: A source of fluid and entrained particles including fines is connected to the entrance of a cyclone particle separator lying above a particle storage vessel that has an outlet near its bottom. The particle separator has a particle exit connected to the storage vessel and a fluid exit. The separator imparts angular motion to the fluid received at its entrance such that the fluid with a first percentage of the fines entrained therein flows out the fluid exit, and the particles minus such first percentage passes through the particle exit to the storage vessel. The particles in the storage vessel are fluidized to a particular level above the outlet. Fluidized particles with a second percentage of the fines entrained therein are removed from the process by withdrawal from the storage vessel at a point between the particular level and the outlet. Fluidized particles minus the first and second percentages of the fines flow from the outlet of the storage vessel to a receiver for processing.

Abstract: Apparatus for the aerodynamic separation of a heterogeneous mixture of materials of different weights into component parts thereof is provided which comprises a vertical separation column, means for feeding the waste material to be separated in an air suspended state into the separation column, additional air means for blowing air upwardly into the treating column from its lower end thereof to aid in the passage of waste material upwardly through the treating column, and a plurality of air jet means provided in spaced arrangement in the upper portion of the treating column for imparting jet streams of air into the column for creating and maintaining a plurality of zones of turbulence in the upper portion of the column thereby facilitating the separation of the waste material into its component parts. The present invention includes the method of separating the heterogeneous mixture of material utilizing the jets of air in a controlled manner.

Abstract: A harvester pick-up particularly for retrieving fallen nuts and fruits, such as almonds, oranges and the like, from the ground includes a mobile frame preferably self-propelled or tractor drawn and having a primary rotary brush generally in contact with the ground and mounted on the frame for rotation transversely at the leading end thereof. Also disposed on the frame is a power driven secondary brush parallel to and behind the primary brush and arranged so that the tines on the brushes interdigitate or interrelate and operate in such a direction that they pick up materials from the ground between them and toss the picked-up materials onto a reflecting panel from which the materials are deposited onto a primary conveyor belt leading rearwardly. A stream of air is impelled to flow along the primary conveyor and assists in lifting lighter waste materials therefrom.

Abstract: In a fluidized bed process for the gasification of coal or similar carbonaceous solids wherein char particles are withdrawn from a fluidized bed reaction vessel, transported to a second vessel, and later returned to the initial vessel, char particles of high ash content are separated from particles to be returned to the fluidized bed reaction vessel by injecting a dense phase stream of char particles including particles of both high and low ash content into a vertically moving gas stream having a velocity sufficient to transport relatively light particles of low ash content upwardly into the fluidized bed reaction vessel but insufficient to suspend relatively dense particles of high ash content, collecting the high ash content particles which are not entrained by the gas stream, and periodically withdrawing the collected particles from the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing oversized, unentrained char particles from a two-stage coal gasification process so as to prevent clogging or plugging of the communicating passage between the two gasification stages. In the first stage of the process, recycled process char passes upwardly while reacting with steam and oxygen to yield a first stage synthesis gas containing hydrogen and oxides of carbon. In the second stage, the synthesis gas passes upwardly with coal and steam which react to yield partially gasified char entrained in a second stage product gas containing methane, hydrogen, and oxides of carbon. Agglomerated char particles, which result from caking coal particles in the second stage and are too heavy to be entrained in the second stage product gas, are removed through an outlet in the bottom of the second stage, the particles being separated from smaller char particles by a counter-current of steam injected into the outlet.