Abstract: A system and method for separating fiber and plastics in a municipal solid waste stream. The municipal solid waste stream is size reduced in one or more hammer mills. The municipal solid waste stream is pneumatically conveyed to a separator unit whereby the municipal solid waste stream is separated into a medium weight material substantially comprising fibers and a light weight material substantially comprising plastics.

Abstract: A method for processing a supply of post consumer scrap linear low density or low density polyethylene film into near-virgin quality blown film product. The method includes tearing the supply of film in a shredder, wherein the surface area of the film is exposed, including delaminating the film. The torn supply of film is washed in a water bath including a surfactant. The film is agitated in the bath containing the surfactant wherein contaminants on the film are removed from the film. The washed film is ground into smaller pieces and additional washing of the ground film in a rotating friction washer occurs wherein additional contaminants are removed from the film. The ground film is then dried and compacted without addition of water into granulated objects of near-virgin quality blown film product.

Abstract: A composite part separating device for separating a composite product consisting of a plastic part and a metal part is provided. The composite part separating device includes a base; a workpiece support mounted on the base. The metal part of the composite product is hung on the workpiece support to retain the composite product on the workpiece support; a vibrating motor drives the base and the workpiece support to shake, causing the plastic part to separate from the metal part.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for grinding mill material and to a roller mill and is suited in particular to a finest grinding of relatively hard and dry materials, for example cement clinker and granulated blast furnace slag and also for relatively large roller mills. In order to avoid mill vibrations due to over-grinding of the mill material and to reduce the specific work requirement as well as increasing the throughput a fine material nozzle is arranged after each grinding roller, from which fine material nozzle an air jet with defined impulse is directed from above onto a fine material concentration zone. The fine material concentration zone is formed directly after the grinding zone of each grinding roller and is virtually free of supplied material to be ground and accumulated on a retention rim region. The fine material blown outwards and upwards is fed to a rising conveying air flow and subsequent classifying process.

Abstract: A bran finishing process in grain milling employs a milling machine in which bran that contains some endosperm, including aleurone, is fed into an annular milling chamber defined on an inner side by an eccentric cylindrical rotor and on an outer side by a frame assembly that includes perforated screens and abrasive surfaces. Longitudinal lobes protrude radially from the rotor. The lobes compress the bran as they rotate, while the lesser diameter of the rotor between lobes allows the bran to decompress, causing bran particles to rub together for detaching endosperm from the bran by friction forces. Bran particles also rub against the abrasive surfaces for scraping endosperm off the bran. Air flows through the milling chamber and carries the endosperm through the perforated screens, while the bran particles are discharged without passing through the screens.

Abstract: A system and method for processing objects having chemical contaminates includes a shredding module arranged to shred the objects to form a plurality of shredded fragments, each having the chemical contaminates, and a separating module arranged to separate the chemical contaminates from the shredded fragments.

Abstract: Processing waste materials to recover valuable metals, such as copper, from the materials. The disclosed systems and methods employ processes that further refine the waste materials to concentrate the metallic material after the waste materials are initially processed. Processes include employing air separation and screening. Processes also include employing a dynamic sensor and a vacuum pressure separator to separate metals from other materials. A central processing facility may process metal concentrate from multiple concentration facilities.

Abstract: A system for processing slag material from a steelmaking process includes reducing the average particle size of slag from a steelmaking process into finer particle size material by directing the slag against a surface at a velocity sufficient to cause the slag to break into smaller pieces, and separating the finer particle size material into at least an iron rich product and a silicate rich product based on the differences between these products in at least one or more properties including magnetic susceptibility, particle size, weight or specific gravity. Directing the slag against a surface to reduce the average slag particle size can better separate the dissimilar materials in the slag from each other, and result in less dust generation and less energy consumption compared to grinding the slag material.

Abstract: Materials in battery and electrochemical cells are separated in a form suitable for recycling by employing froth flotation techniques. Bulk materials, such as casings, are removed from converted battery scrap and the resultant pulp is subjected to froth flotation. Froth flotation agents, including frothers, collectors and/or depressants, are used to manipulate the hydrophilic and hydrophobic nature of the materials in the scrap. Hydrophobic materials are entrained in the air bubbles of the froth and float out of the froth flotation vessel while those that are hydrophilic remain in the vessel, thereby separating battery grid materials without resort to pyrometallurgical, energy intensive or other environmentally undesirable processes.

Abstract: Hot-melt pressure-sensitive adhesive (HMPSA) composition is disclosed comprising: a) 25 to 50% of a blend of SBS and SB styrene block copolymers; b) 45 to 75% of compatible tackifying resins having a softening temperature of between 80 to 150° C.; and c) 0.5 to 5.5% of fatty acids, the hydrocarbon chain of which comprises 10 to 22 carbon atoms. Also disclosed are a multilayer system comprising an HMPSA layer, a printable support layer and an adjacent protective layer. A self-adhesive label and process for recycling a labeled article with debonding of said label by immersing the article in a hot basic aqueous solution are also disclosed.

Abstract: Processing waste materials to recover valuable metals, such as copper, from the materials. The disclosed systems and methods employ processes that further refine the waste materials to concentrate the metallic material after the waste materials are initially processed. Processes include employing air separation and screening. Processes also include employing a dynamic sensor and a vacuum pressure separator to separate metals from other materials.

Abstract: A coffee grinder includes a machine base, in which a crushing unit, a separating unit, and a grinding unit are provided. The machine base has an inlet and an outlet, and the crushing unit is under the inlet to crush coffee beans into parchments and beans. The separating unit has a rotary member and a collection container that the rotary member provides an air flow to send the parchments to the collection container. The grinding unit is between the crushing unit and the outlet to grind the beans from the separating unit and send the ground beans to the outlet. The present invention crush the coffee beans to separate the parchments and the beans, and the parchments are removed by the separating unit. Next, the beans will be ground.

Abstract: The method and systems efficiently extract recyclable materials from a mixed solid waste stream. The methods and systems use sizing, density and dimensional separation to produce intermediate waste streams that are enriched in particular recyclable materials. The recyclable materials can then be efficiently sorted from the individual intermediate streams using mechanized sorting equipment.

Abstract: Solid waste that includes a mixture of wet organic material and dry organic material can be are separated using mechanical separation to produce a wet organic stream enriched in wet organics and a dry organic stream enriched in dry organics. The separated wet organic stream and dry organic stream are separately converted to renewable or recyclable products using different conversion techniques particularly suited for the separated wet and dry organic streams.

Abstract: In a method and to an arrangement for treating a light fraction produced during the treatment of plastic-rich waste that is low in metal, at least the following steps are carried out consecutively: the light fraction is stressed by percussion and/or bashing, the light fraction is classified into at least two light fraction classes, at least one light fraction class is separated into at least one dust fraction and at least one other fraction, the separation of the dust fraction taking place over a substantially controlled residence time of the light fraction class in at least one device involved in the separation.

Abstract: An apparatus wherein the gas enters from an opening 4 located in a part of a compaction chamber 3 and is dragged through a granulator 5, a fractioning device 12, a special cyclone 11 and a filter system 8A to a suction fan, which creates a gas stream. In such apparatus the bulk to be compacted 1, the fine particles to be compacted again and the compacted bulk have the same flow direction than the carrier gas. Due to its complete or partial impermeability, the structure of the apparatus makes also possible the use of a gas different from normal air. This is important when the bulk is sensible to oxygen.

Abstract: A method for processing a supply of post consumer scrap linear low density or low density polyethylene film into near-virgin quality blown film product. The method includes tearing the supply of film in a shredder, wherein the surface area of the film is exposed, including delaminating the film. The torn supply of film is washed in a water bath including a surfactant. The film is agitated in the bath containing the surfactant wherein contaminants on the film are removed from the film. The washed film is ground into smaller pieces and additional washing of the ground film in a rotating friction washer occurs wherein additional contaminants are removed from the film. The ground film is then dried and compacted without addition of water into granulated objects of near-virgin quality blown film product.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel device (10) for separating composite materials, comprising a cylindrical rotor (17), which has a shaft driven by a motor and strip-shaped first impacting tools (30), which are evenly distributed over the circumference and which protrude from the rotor parallel to the shaft, and comprising a cylindrical stator (12) that surrounds the rotor, wherein an annular space (32) is formed between the rotor and the stator. An air supply channel (15) opens into the upper region of the annular space (32) and an air removal channel (38) leads away from the lower region of the annular space. Furthermore, the cylindrical wall of the stator (12) has strip-shaped second impacting tools (31), which are evenly distributed over the circumference and which protrude radially inward.

Abstract: A method for producing powder including supplying a powder material to a fluidized bed container, jetting fluid from each of a plurality of fluid jetting nozzles provided in the fluidized bed container to collide against each other, thereby fluidizing and pulverizing the powder material in the fluidized bed container to form powder, classifying the powder using a centrifugal classification rotor provided at the upper part of the fluidized bed container and discharging the classified powder from an outlet by being guided by the centrifugal classification rotor, wherein the centrifugal classification rotor is rotated at a first rotating speed for a predetermined time from the beginning of the flow of the powder material in the fluidized bed container, and at a second rotating speed after the predetermined time has passed, and the centrifugal classification rotor is controlled so that the first rotating speed is higher than the second rotating speed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing and sorting a municipal solid waste stream are described herein. A system can include a processing sub-system configured to receive a municipal solid waste stream and to remove the non-processable waste, a processing apparatus configured and disposed to receive constituents of the municipal solid waste stream from the processing sub-system and reduce the size of the constituents of the waste stream to an average particle size of less than about ¾ inch, and separators configured to sort the waste stream into constituents based on density.

Abstract: A particle reduction system and method is disclosed having an air stream accelerator, a feeder assembly, a variable speed wheel lock operably associated with the feeder assembly for releasing raw material into a conveying air stream created by the positive displacement pump, and a particle conditioning assembly. The raw material is carried by the conveying air stream through the particle conditioning assembly, where particle of the material are collided with each other for the purpose of reducing the size of the particles. In some embodiments, a non-thermal drying system can be used to extract moisture from the raw material. The moisture/solids separation occurs, in large part, due to a head-on collision of two conveying air streams. The collision creates a large squeezing force, much higher than a centrifuge or filter. This impact squeezing acts to squeeze the moisture out of the raw material.

Abstract: A process and installation for the milling-drying and storage of brown coal. Brown coal is milled to form brown coal dust in a low-oxygen atmosphere at temperatures which are higher compared to the prior art. Then, the brown coal dust is washed with low-oxygen, dry second conveying gas and stored in a silo in a low-oxygen, dry atmosphere at a temperature of above 60° C. The installation is designed to carry out this process and comprises, for the process steps mentioned above, a mill, a dust washing installation and a silo.

Abstract: A separation arrangement is provided for separating between particles of different materials having different densities and comprised in a mixture of fine particles. The arrangement comprises: a solid particles feed ingress means, a solid particles pushing/pulling means and at least one mesh adapted to stop particles of the lighter material. The particles comprised in the mixture are allowed to free fall within the separation arrangement, and particles of the lighter material are being extracted away from the free falling particles by the solid particles pushing/pulling means and conveyed towards the at least one mesh. The particles of the heavier material are allowed to complete their free fall and to reach the lower part of the separation arrangement.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for treating stock formed of recycled fibre. The method comprises treating the stock in screen means and a flotation cell means, and screening the stock into accept and reject. Reject from the screening is directed to a mechanical dispergator and a dispersed reject is formed of it.

Abstract: Methods and systems for separating a mixed waste into a wet organic fraction, a dry organic fraction, and an inorganic fraction are achieved by (i) comminuting the mixed solid waste, (ii) fractionating the comminuted stream by size to produce two or more particle-sized waste streams, and (iii) processing one or more of the particle-sized waste streams using density separation to produce an intermediate wastes stream, and (iv) recovering a homogenous product (e.g., a recyclable material or an organic fuel) from the intermediate waste stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a submicron polymer powder from solid polymer bodies or coarse particles, preferably of polytetrafluoroethylene powder, wherein powder is ground into fibrous particles in the first stage and is disintegrated into submicron particles by aerodynamic treatment in the second stage, where a gas-particle mixture is subject to the effect of centrifugal forces and suction forces acting in the direction opposite to the centrifugal forces, a pulsating sign-alternating temperature field generated by a pulsed supply of liquid nitrogen, turbulent forces of vortexes, and aerodynamic forces that cause alternating compression and expansion of the gas-particle mixture.

Abstract: Plastic sheet elements (19) having a size and deformation suitable for use as a filling material in pillows, duvets and the like are manufactured by feeding one or more plastic sheets to a shredding apparatus (6) which has a rotating drum (9). Loosely hanging knives (12) are mounted (11) near an outermost edge of the drum (9), and are pivoted outwards during rotation to thereby cut, deform and twist the sheet to form “curly” elements (19), which are sucked out through openings (14) in a screen (8) located below the drum (9). By adjusting the feeding of the sheet (4), the rotation of the drum (9) and the magnitude of the negative pressure, various sizes and configurations of cut individual sheet elements (19) are produced.

Abstract: The invention provides low-cost, non-thermal methods to transform and beneficiate bulk materials, including low rank coals such as peat, lignite, brown coal, subbituminous coal, other carbonaceous solids or derived feedstock. High pressure compaction and comminution processes are linked to transform the solid materials by eliminating interstitial, capillary, pores, or other voids that are present in the materials and that may contain liquid, air or gases that are detrimental to the quality and performance of the bulk materials, thereby beneficiating the bulk products to provide premium feedstock for industrial or commercial uses, such as electric power generation, gasification, liquefaction, and carbon activation. The handling characteristics, dust mitigation aspects and combustion emissions of the products may also be improved.

Abstract: A method of grinding a mineral material (10) containing at least calcium impurities implemented in a plant (1) including a grinder (2) and a granulometric selection device, referred to as a selector device (3), able to separate the materials into two fractions. The method includes the following steps: grinding the mineral material by material bed compression with the grinder to obtain a ground material, separating the ground material into a fine fraction and a coarse fraction with the selector device, returning the coarse fraction (13) to the grinder (2) for a further grinding step. At least part of the ground material is subjected to sorting intended to separate the metal impurities from the mineral materials. A plant as it stands, and the method and installation will find a particular use for producing hydraulic binders such as cement.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for separating carpet fibers from a backing material to which said fibers are secured. The apparatus includes a belt for driving a carpet strip having one or more backings and one or more fibers secured on a face of said backing into the operative part of the device. There are a pair of rollers that are adapted to receive the carpet strip from said belt, and pass the carpet strip to a dish plate. The dish plate has an edge extending upwardly from the dish plate. The face of the carpet having the fibers contacts the edge after the carpet passes through the rollers. The edge of the blade holds the carpet presenting it to the main drum. The main drum rotates downwards and has a plurality of pins that shred the carpet backing and tear apart and free the face carpet fibers from the backing fibers. The face fibers pass to a receptacle for recycling.

Abstract: The method and systems efficiently extract recyclable materials from a mixed solid waste stream. The methods and systems use sizing, density and dimensional separation to produce intermediate waste streams that are enriched in particular recyclable materials. The recyclable materials can then be efficiently sorted from the individual intermediate streams using mechanized sorting equipment.

Abstract: Methods and systems for separating a mixed waste into a wet organic fraction, a dry organic fraction, and an inorganic fraction are achieved by (i) comminuting the mixed solid waste, (ii) fractionating the comminuted stream by size to produce two or more particle-sized waste streams, and (iii) processing one or more of the particle-sized waste streams using density separation to produce an intermediate wastes stream, and (iv) recovering a homogenous product (e.g., a recyclable material or an organic fuel) from the intermediate waste stream.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing fine mineral powders using systems that include one or more air classifiers, dust separators like cyclones and/or filters, at least one ventilator and instruments connecting tubes or pipes for the transport of air. The relative humidity of air in the air classifier is kept in a range between 15% to 35%.

Abstract: Processing waste materials to recover valuable metals, such as copper, from the materials. The disclosed systems and methods employ processes that further refine the waste materials to concentrate the metallic material after the waste materials are initially processed. Processes include employing air separation and screening. Processes also include employing a dynamic sensor and a vacuum pressure separator to separate metals from other materials.

Abstract: An asphalt roofing material recycling system and method is used to recycle new and used asphalt materials. The asphalt material is broken up and separated. Dry ice may be added to the recycler and/or a jacket coolant used to cool the recycling vessel. The recycle vessel includes a number of high speed choppers having a blunt end as well as a horizontal mixer element with paddles. The recycled asphalt material is provided to a screener that may feature a plurality of sloping levels, each level including a tray below a screen and balls located within the tray that bounce due to vibration to prevent clogging of the screener. A second processing trip involving gravity feeding the material to be further recycled into a cutter with knife edges to further break down the size of the asphalt material is used for large particles that do not pass through the screener.

Abstract: In a method of reclaiming constituent components of sealed batteries, the batteries are initially ground to form a ground feedstock. The ground feedstock is heated to form a dried feedstock. The dried feedstock is screen separated into a coarse fraction and a powder fraction, the coarse fraction including a magnetic fraction and a non-magnetic fraction. The coarse fraction and the powder fraction are further vibratorily segregated. The magnetic fraction may be magnetically extracted from the coarse fraction, while the powder fraction is outputted.

Abstract: The method and systems efficiently extract recyclable materials from a mixed solid waste stream. The methods and systems use sizing, density and dimensional separation to produce intermediate waste streams that are enriched in particular recyclable materials. The recyclable materials can then be efficiently sorted from the individual intermediate streams using mechanized sorting equipment.

Abstract: A pulveriser mill having a rotatable grinding ring and a rotatable port ring around the circumference of the grinding ring co-rotatable therewith, the port ring defining around its 360 degree extent a plurality of openings separated by lands, the openings permitting air to flow from beneath the grinding ring to above the grinding ring, and the lands serving as obstructions to the flow of air from beneath the grinding ring to above the grinding ring, wherein the aspect ratio of the openings is in the range from 1:1 to 3:1.

Abstract: A method for reducing the content of a heavy metal in a mixture of solid plastic materials, wherein the mixture includes plastic flakes and there are at least two different colors of plastic flakes in the mixture. A percentage of each of two or more colors of flakes in the mixture is determined. A heavy metal content in the mixture based on the determined percentages is predicted. Whether the predicted content of the heavy metal in the mixture exceeds a pre-determined threshold is determined. If the predicted content exceeds the pre-determined threshold, a color sorting step is performed to obtain a subset of the mixture of plastic flakes, wherein the subset of the mixture of plastic flakes has a lower heavy metal content than the mixture prior to the color sorting step.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention generally provide processes for recovering and/or using one or more constituent components of carpeting. More specifically, various embodiments provide processes for reclaiming a filler material from carpet as well as processes for using the recovered filler material in subsequent carpet manufacturing processes. The present filler recovery processes can provide recycled filler material, which can be extracted at various stages of processing, and in different purities, depending on the subsequent need or use for the recovered filler material. In some instances, the filler recovery processes described herein can be implemented as sub-processes for recycling other carpet components.

Abstract: Processing waste materials to recover valuable metals, such as copper, from the materials. The disclosed methods employ processes that further refine the waste materials to concentrate the metallic material after the waste materials are initially processed. Processes include employing mechanical separation, air separation, sizing, and density separation.

Abstract: A device and method to provide a simplified wash process and controlled disintegration of a soft substance, such as a gel, are disclosed. In use, a block of, e.g., gel matrix is placed in the device and washed with a series of appropriate solutions to remove interfering contaminants. The washing liquid is removed through a deformable narrow opening in the bottom of the device, and, subsequently, the gel block is extruded through the deformable narrow opening, by a physical force, such as centrifugal force, a vacuum or positive pressure from a gas or liquid, etc., resulting in fragmentation of the gel block into a series of particles of similar size. The fragmentation of the gel results from shear forces exerted onto the gel block traveling through the deformable narrow opening in the device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing recyclable material recovery from automobile shredder residue. Embodiments include substantially isotropic quantization separation of automobile shredder residue such as a wind tunnel system and even substantially horizontal laminar air flow and can be used with or without out other traditional automobile shredder residue sorting systems perhaps creating additional recyclable quantities and even better separated results such as with zorba and zurik and the like.

Abstract: In a facility and a method for separating glass residues from PVB-film, comminuted material is passed through several process steps, where treating with beaters (12) in a chamber (2) is effected in one of the first steps. At the discharge end (18) of the chamber there is arranged a separation, as heavy particular material can be discharged through a perforated bottom section (19) in the chamber (2). Through an air inlet (22) at the side (15) of the chamber, air is drawn in induced by a ventilator-like impeller rotor (28) drawing air in through a central opening (26) spaced apart from the bottom section (19). Thereby, light film-like materials are carried away from the heavy particles.

Abstract: In a method of recycling sealed batteries, the batteries are shredded to form a shredded feedstock. The shredded feedstock is heated above ambient temperature and rolled to form a dried material. The dried material is screen separated into a coarse fraction and a powder fraction and the powder fraction is output. A system for recycling sealed cell batteries comprises an oven with a first conveyor extending into the oven. A rotatable tunnel extends within the oven from an output of the first conveyor. The tunnel has a spiral vane depending from its inner surface which extends along a length of the tunnel. A second conveyor is positioned below an output of the rotatable tunnel.

Abstract: The recycling method according to the invention involves, when manufacturing the objects (12), a preliminary phase of selectively labelling the objects (12), the parts of the objects and/or the components of the objects that include the materials to be recycled, and a phase of concentrating the recyclable materials involving grinding the objects (12) down into particles (15), remotely detecting the labels that may be borne by each of the particles, extracting those parts (26) in which a label has been detected and directing them to a storage area (27) specific to said label.

Abstract: Overmolded containers and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed, which may provide enhanced visual and tactile characteristics, enabling innovative packaging designs, improved grippability and thermal insulation. The containers can be made cost effectively manner, with minimal impact on polymer recycling streams. The methods of making the container include the steps of providing a container preform which comprises a thermoplastic polymer, such as a PET copolymer; overmolding an elastomeric material over at least a portion of the preform to form an overmolded preform; and blow-molding the overmolded preform to form an overmolded container. In one embodiment, the overmolded container is a beverage container.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing dispersed mineral products by grinding the mineral raw material, sizing the same in a flow classifier, sorting the same in dispersion in air, and climinating the dispersion air. Also disclosed are devices and installations for carrying out said method. In prior art, mineral raw materials cannot be purified or are purified very inefficiently such that only very pure and high-quality starting raw materials, which are available in limited quantifies only, can be used for manufacturing high-quality dispersed mineral products, especially fillers. The aim of the invention is therefore to create a method for manufacturing dispersed mineral products, particularly fillers, in a dry process as well as devices for carrying out said method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing very fine particles by means of a jet mill (1). The relative distance a/dDüse between at least approximately concentric milling jet inlets (5) whose center lines intersect at least approximately in one point is adjusted in accordance with the pressure of the working medium, a representing the jet length and dDüse representing the nozzle diameter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a feed system for a gasifier including a grinding mechanism capable of grinding a feedstock into particles of desired particle sizes. The particle sizes include solids particles larger than a first threshold size and raw fines particles smaller than a second threshold size. At least one solids separation device is capable of separating the solids particles from the fines particles and at least one solids conduit conveys the solids particles to a gasification plant while the fines particles are also conveyed to the gasification plant. Further disclosed is a method for feeding stock into a gasifier including conveying a feedstock into a grinding mechanism and grinding the feedstock into particles of desired sizes. Solids particles larger than a first threshold size are separated from fines particles smaller than a second threshold size and the solids particles and the fines particles are conveyed toward the gasification plant.