Apparatus and method of separating and concentrating organic and/or non-organic material

An apparatus for segregating particulate by density and/or size including:

• (a) a fluidizing bed having a particulate receiving inlet for receiving particulate to be fluidized, an opening for receiving a first fluidizing stream, an exit for fluidized particulate and an exit for non-fluidized particulate;
• (b) a conveyor for conveying the non-fluidized particulate in the fluidizing bed to the non-fluidized particulate exit;
• (c) a collector box positioned to receive the non-fluidized particulate exiting the fluidizing bed, said collector bed including means for directing a second fluidizing stream through the non-fluidized particulate as it is extracted from the collector box to separate fluidizable particulate therefrom;
• and
• (d) a source of fluidizing streams operatively connected to the fluidizing bed and collector.

A method of segregating particulate by weight or size including:

• (a) providing a fluidizing bed having a particulate receiving inlet for receiving particulate to be fluidized, an opening for receiving a first fluidizing stream, an exit for fluidized particulate and an exit for non-fluidized particulate;
• (b) providing a conveyor for conveying the non-fluidized particulate in the fluidizing bed to the non-fluidized particulate exit;
• (c) providing a collector box positioned to receive the non-fluidized particulate exiting the fluidizing bed, said collector box including means for directing a second fluidizing stream through the non-fluidized particulate as it is exits through the collector box to separate fluidizable particulate there from;
• (d) providing a source of fluidizing streams operatively connected to the fluidizing bed and collector box;
• and
• (e) delivering particulate through the particulate receiving inlet of the fluidizing bed for processing.

An apparatus for segregating particulate material by density and/or size to concentrate a contaminant for separation from the particulate material feed stream, comprising:

• (a) a fluidizing bed having a receiving inlet for receiving the particulate material feed, an inlet opening for receiving a fluidizing stream, a discharge outlet for discharging a fluidized particulate material product stream, and a discharge outlet for discharging a non-fluidized particulate material stream;
• (b) a source of fluidizing stream operatively connected to the inlet opening for introducing the fluidizing stream into the fluidizing bed to achieve separation of the fluidized particulate material product stream from the non-fluidized particulate material stream;
• (c) a conveyor means for transporting the non-fluidized particulate material inside the fluidized bed through the discharge outlet to a reception means;
• and
• (d) wherein the fluidized particulate material product stream contains a reduction in the contaminant relative to the particulate material feed stream, and the non-fluidized particulate material stream contains an increase in the contaminant relative to the particulate material feed stream.