Automatic debris separation system
AssigneeWellman, Inc.
InventorsJames A. Lindsey, Daniel A. Allen, Jr., Jonathan W. Skelley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is an automatic debris separation system for effecting air separation of fragmented materials, such as size-reduced fiber feedstocks derived from textile wastes. The system uses high-velocity air within an elutriation assembly to efficiently remove ferrous and non-ferrous metal debris from recyclable polymer fibers. In particular, the system may employ automatic process control strategies to vary airflow within the elutriation assembly in process-controlled response to measured metal contamination, thereby ensuring that post-separation metal contamination is maintained at or below an upper contamination limit.
Claims55
An air classifier system, comprising:
- a substantially vertical separation chamber having a material inlet, a light-fraction material outlet, and a heavy-fraction material outlet;
- air conveyance means for transporting material into and through said separation chamber;
- air regulator means for manipulating air velocity within said separation chamber;
- a first contamination detector for assessing post-separation contamination, said first contamination detector in automatic process control communication with said air regulator means;
- and
- a second contamination detector for assessing pre-separation contamination, said second contamination detector in automatic process control communication with said air regulator means.
An air classifier system, comprising:
- a separation chamber comprising a material inlet, a light-fraction material outlet, and a heavy-fraction material outlet;
- one or more fans for transporting material into and through said separation chamber;
- air regulator means for manipulating air velocity within said separation chamber;
- and
- a metal detector for assessing metal contamination, said metal detector in communication with said air regulator means via an automatic process control scheme.
An air classifier system, comprising:
- a separation chamber having a material inlet, a light-fraction material outlet, and a heavy-fraction material outlet;
- a feed fan;
- a feedstock conduit connecting said feed fan and said material inlet of said separation chamber;
- a separation fan;
- a light-fraction conduit connecting said separation fan and said light-fraction material outlet of said separation chamber;
- a controllable bleed valve positioned at said light-fraction conduit;
- a metal detector;
- and
- a controller that receives input signals from said metal detector and sends control signals to said controllable bleed valve.
An air classifier system, comprising:
- an elutriation assembly comprising a substantially vertical separation chamber having a material inlet, a light-fraction material outlet, and a heavy-fraction material outlet;
- a feed fan;
- a feedstock conduit connecting said feed fan and said material inlet of said separation chamber;
- a separation fan;
- a light-fraction conduit connecting said separation fan and said light-fraction material outlet of said separation chamber;
- and
- wherein the maximum cross-sectional area of said separation chamber (i) is less than fifteen times the average cross-sectional area of said feedstock conduit and (ii) is less than fifteen times the average cross-sectional area of said light-fraction conduit;
- and
- wherein together said feed fan and said separation fan produce average air velocities of more than 500 feet per minute within said separation chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.