Liquid-driven separation system and method for separating organic materials from drenched mixed solid waste

A method of separating hydrated organic materials from drenched mixed solid waste and water using a liquid-driven separation system, comprising:

• delivering a mixture of drenched mixed solid waste and water to an upper end of a vertically-oriented funnel-shaped housing, the housing comprising a tapering sidewall defining a funnel-shaped interior;
• rotating one or more impellers extending into the housing along a vertical axis of the housing to cause the one or more impellers to generate a centrifugal force such that the mixture spins within the housing and the mixed solid waste separates into a plurality of fractions at least based on a density of components in the mixed solid waste, and
• wherein, during rotation of the one or more impellers, an extraction device extracts one or more of the fractions of the mixed solid waste from the housing, at least one of the one or more fractions extracted containing the hydrated organic materials.

A method of reclaiming liquid from a liquid-driven separation system comprising:

• processing municipal solid waste in system including at least one of a bag splitter, a rotatable drum, conveyor, or a vertically oriented funnel-shaped housing using a liquid;
• recovering a plurality of portions of the liquid from the system;
• returning the plurality of portions of liquid to the system.