Method and apparatus for separating waste products from cellulose fibres in a paper recycling process

Use of a separation apparatus for separating contaminants from cellulose fibres in a waste stream slurry comprising at least about 90% water, the apparatus comprising

• a reservoir for receiving a volume of said slurry therein, said reservoir including a sidewall extending from a lower edge portion to an upper edge portion,
• a slurry infeed opening proving fluid communication between a slurry supply and a lower region of said reservoir,
• a waste outlet spaced toward said upper edge portion and in fluid communication with said reservoir,
• at least one baffle member disposed in said reservoir and positioned intermediate said infeed opening and said waste outlet,
• at least one fibre discharge passage providing fluid communication between a passage inlet opening proximate to an underside of a portion of a selected said baffle member and a discharge outlet spaced vertically above said inlet opening, and
• a gas nozzle including a diffuser selectively operable to supply a gas flow to said lower region of said reservoir,
• and wherein said waste stream slurry is fed into said reservoir through said infeed opening at a rate selected at between about 0.2 and 5 cubic meters per minute, and
• introducing said gas into said reservoir through said diffuser at a gas flow rate selected at between about 0.1 and 1.0 cubic meters per minute.

An apparatus for separating plastic and adhesive materials from paper fibres in a recycled paper waste slurry, the apparatus including,

• a reservoir for receiving said slurry therein, said reservoir including a generally cylindrical sidewall extending along an axis from a lower edge portion to an upper edge portion,
• an infeed opening through said sidewall and providing fluid communication between a slurry supply and a lower region of said reservoir,
• a contaminant waste outlet spaced toward said upper edge portion and providing fluid communication between said reservoir and a waste discharge,
• a baffle member disposed in said reservoir and projecting radially about said sidewall part way towards said axis, said baffle member being positioned intermediate said infeed opening and said waste outlet,
• a plurality of fibre discharge passages, said discharge passages being radially spaced about said axis and providing fluid communication between a respective passage inlet opening proximate to an underside of said baffle member and a discharge channel spaced vertically a distance above the passage inlet opening,
• a gas nozzle selectively operable to supply a gas flow to said lower region of said reservoir.