High capacity separation of metals from auto shredder residue

A separator system comprising a fluidic separator comprising:

• a container having a top mouth and a lower outlet and having a paddle therein adapted to rotate about a central axis of the container for stirring automobile shredder residue (ASR) pieces and a fluid so that heavier pieces of specific gravity greater than that of the fluid tend to sink and lighter pieces of specific gravity less than that of the fluid tend to float, the lower outlet being adapted for egress of ASR pieces which are primarily the heavier pieces and the container having an upper outlet for egress of ASR pieces which are primarily the lighter pieces;
• an inlet channel for delivering a stream of the ASR pieces directly into the fluid in the container at the top mouth that is directed toward a point closer to the central axis than an outer edge of container;
• a first fluid inlet in a side wall of the container which injects the fluid to induce a rotational flow within the container around the central axis in the same direction as rotation of the paddle and facilitates separation of the heavier and lighter pieces;
• a lower outlet in the container for receiving the pieces which have sunk to the lower outlet to thereby form a lower output stream of pieces;
• and
• an upper outlet in the container for receiving the pieces which have risen to the upper outlet to thereby form an upper output stream of pieces.

A method for separating automobile shredder residue (ASR) pieces in a fluid, the method comprising:

• introducing an input stream of ASR pieces of varying specific gravity directly into an upper end of a fluidic separator, the separator comprising a fluid-filled container in which the ASR pieces and the fluid are mixed, the input stream comprising a first type of piece which is primarily metal and having a higher specific gravity than the fluid, a second type of piece which is primarily non-metallic and having lower specific gravity than the first type but higher than the fluid, and a third type of piece which is primarily non-metallic and having a lower specific gravity than the fluid;
• the fluidic separator separating the pieces into primarily metals and primarily non-metals, wherein the first type of piece and the second type of piece tend to sink and the third type of piece tend to rise;
• forming a lower output stream of pieces which reach a lower outlet of the container;
• forming an upper output stream of pieces which reach an upper outlet of the container;
• forming an up well of fluid in the container which causes at least a majority of the second type of piece to rise to the upper outlet and without preventing at least a majority of the first type of piece from sinking to the lower outlet;
• adding a first fluid stream into the container through the lower outlet of the container which causes an upwelling of fluid in the container, and injecting a second fluid stream into the container through at least one inlet in a side wall of the container so that the injected fluid induces a rotational flow within the container about a central axis thereof, the two fluid streams causing at least a majority of the second type of piece to rise to the upper outlet without preventing at least a majority of the first type of piece from sinking to the lower outlet;
• removing a majority of the first type of piece from the container through the lower outlet;
• and
• removing a majority of the second type of piece through the upper outlet.