US 5,160,441 AGranted

Method of continuous centrifugal removal of residual liquid waste from recyclable container material

OwnerLynn C. Lundquistinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present invention is a method for using a horizontal, continuous process auger centrifuge to separate the granulated material of a container from whatever liquid residue remains within the container. Though this technology is suitable for many diverse applications, a primary objective is the continuous separation of the recyclable plastic of a motor oil container from the remaining reusable motor oil within the container after the container has ostensibly been emptied. It is an objective of the method to accomplish this separation in an economically advantageous manner which uses neither a solvent nor a wash process, and which reclaims the oil in a suitable state for reprocessing. In a second method, a rinsing mechanism is employed by which a residual liquid waste, such as soap, may be concentrated and separated in a first rinse stage without introducing the residual liquid waste in dilute form into the waste water treatment process.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method of continuous centrifugal removal of residual liquid waste from recyclable granulated container material wherein a continuous centrifugal apparatus separates said recyclable granulated container material from said residual liquid waste, said method comprising:

a) filling a perforated centrifugal auger cylinder assembly with said recyclable granulated container material which is co-mingled with said residual liquid waste;
b) rotating said perforated centrifugal auger cylinder assembly at sufficient angular velocity to strip said residual liquid waste from said recyclable granulated container material;
c) rotatably driving a conveying auger located within said perforated centrifugal auger cylinder assembly independently of said perforated centrifugal auger cylinder assembly so that the rate of travel of said recyclable granulated container material through said perforated centrifugal auger cylinder assembly proceeds at a predetermined rate;
and,
d) radially arranging a series of bleed holes on the exterior portion of said perforated centrifugal auger cylinder assembly whereby said residual liquid waste is transported from a conveying portion of said continuous centrifugal apparatus to a liquid waste containment housing.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.