Apparatus and method for preparation for separation, recovery, and recycling of municipal solid waste and the like
OwnerClifford C. Hollowayinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method for separation, recovery, and recycling municipal solid waste and the like by introducing solid waste materials into a pressure vessel having a rotatable section. The vessel is disposed for subjecting the waste material to heat and pressure while simultaneously applying an extruding action to the solid waste material. The extruding action is achieved by a rotatable extruder mechanism carried in the pressure vessel and rotated in response to the rotating section thereof. The rotation forces the processed solid waste material through a pair of constricted areas before the waste material is expelled from the pressure vessel by rotation of the extruder mechanism.
Claims18
A method of processing waste materials for recycling thereof comprising:
- introducing a predetermined quantity of waste materials into a process vessel;
- pressurizing and heating said waste materials to a predetermined pressure and temperature for a processing period lasting a predetermined period of time, said waste materials being continuously fed into said heated and pressurized process vessel for processing thereof;
- applying a first extruding action to said waste materials while subjecting said waste material to said predetermined pressure and temperature, said extruding action applying a shearing force to said waste materials, applying a second extruding action to said waste materials while subjecting said waste materials to said predetermined pressure and temperature, said extruding action and simultaneously applying a second shearing force to said waste materials;
- recovering said mixed waste materials from said process vessel for classification;
- and
- separating and recovering the recyclable materials from classified materials.
Apparatus for separation and recovery of recyclable materials from solid waste materials comprising:
- a rotatable pressure vessel having a first open end and a second closed end;
- means for pressurization and heating of said solid waste materials in said pressure vessel;
- extruder means carried in said vessel for applying first and second extruding actions to said solid waste materials while said vessel is in a heated and pressurized state, said extruder means being further disposed for expelling the processed solid waste materials from said vessel responsive to exposing said solid waste materials to heat, pressurization and said first and second extrusion actions for a predetermined time period;
- said extruder means including a hollow shaft having a first extruder means mounted on its outer surface and a second exturder means mounted on its internal surface, said first extruder means disposed for rotating in a first direction, said first extruder means disposed for directing said waste materials in a first direction while applying a shearing force thereto and second extruder means disposed for directing said waste materials in a second direction and out of said pressure vessel while simultaneously applying a second further extruding action to said waste materials.
A method of processing waste materials for recycling thereof comprising:
- introducing a quantity of waste materials into a process vessel;
- pressurizing and heating said waste materials to a predetermined pressure and temperature for a processing period lasting a predetermined period of time;
- applying a first extruding action to said waste materials while directing said waste materials in a first direction in said process vessel and subjecting said waste materials to said predetermined pressure and temperature, said first extruding action disposed for application of a first shearing force to said waste materials responsive to movement of said waste materials in said first direction, applying a second extruding action to said waste materials while subjecting said waste materials to said predetermined pressure and temperature, said second extruding action disposed for directing said waste materials in a second direction and out of said pressure vessel while simultaneously applying a second shearing force to said waste materials;
- recovering said waste materials from said process vessel for classification;
- and
- separating and recovering the recyclable materials from classified materials.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.