Devices, systems, and methods for processing heterogeneous materials

Abstract

A system for processing a heterogeneous material includes a conduit for a pressurized fluid and a nozzle assembly in fluid communication with the conduit. The nozzle assembly includes a plurality of adjustable nozzles configured such that streams of heterogeneous material passing through each nozzle intersect after passing through the adjustable nozzles. Another system includes a conduit for a pressurized fluid, a nozzle assembly, and a separation system configured to separate particles of a heterogeneous material into a first fraction and a second fraction. The nozzle assembly includes an adjustable nozzle configured such that a stream of the heterogeneous material passing through the nozzle contacts a surface after passing through the nozzle. A method of processing a heterogeneous material includes entraining heterogeneous particles into a fluid stream, passing the fluid stream through at least one adjustable nozzle, impacting the fluid stream to ablate the heterogeneous particles, and classifying the heterogeneous particles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.