Method and device for recovering pure PVC from plastic waste containing PVC

A method for recovering pure polyvinylchloride (PVC) from substance mixtures containing previously disintegrated PVC and at least one of further plastic waste, impurities, particles of sand, metal, paper and textiles, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) soaking the substance mixture in a swelling agent for PVC;
• b) mechanically disintegrating the swelled PVC;
• c) feeding the soaked substance mixture under pressure into a first hydrocyclone;
• d) separating heavy impurities in a sink flow of said first hydrocyclone;
• e) separating a light fraction of swelled PVC particles, light impurities and plastic particles in a rising flow of said first hydrocyclone;
• f) sorting said separated light fraction according to particle size;
• g) feeding a smaller particle fraction, separated in step f) and containing swelled PVC particles and smaller plastic particles, into a second hydrocyclone;
• and
• h) separating PVC particles in a sink flow of said second hydrocyclone, wherein all method steps are carried out in a closed system.