Abstract:
A pre-sorter forwards items from solid waste to designated processing paths in response to their size. Large items are manually processed to remove non-recyclables, to fuel a generator, to be returned to the pre-sorter after removal from a container, or forwarded to processing streams. The smallest items are forwarded to a first chain of machines that remove metal and glass from the items. Intermediate sized items are forwarded to an assembly that separates small, relatively dense, items from larger lightweight items. The former items are mixed and processed by a first chain of machines. The latter items are forwarded to a second chain of machines that separate and remove paper and other containers from recyclable metal and plastic. Multiple paper types are identified and removed by a third chain of machines. A remediator receives residual items from each of the first, second and third chains of machines.
Abstract:
Solid combustible waste materials are converted into highly efficient fuel by subjecting such materials to size reduction in suitable size-reducing equipment. The last piece of the equipment is a mill which pulverizes the waste materials into fine particles having a high surface to mass ratio and forming a highly efficient fuel when these particles are directly injected into a combustion reactor operating at high temperature.
Abstract:
In a waste wire harness including electric wires each coated with a resin comprised of an olefin-based resin and magnesium hydroxide as a fire retardant, and including accompanied members having at least one of terminals, connectors, various kind of boxes such as junction boxes and fuse boxes, tapes, tubes, grommets, wiring clips, and protectors, a method for recycling the waste wire harness includes a step of removing the accompanied members from the waste wire harness, a step of crushing the waste wire harness after removing the accompanied members to obtain crushed particles, a step of incinerating the crushed particles to produce incinerated ash, a step of converting a magnesium compound contained in the incinerated ash into magnesium hydroxide, and a step of collecting the magnesium hydroxide.
Abstract:
A slow speed, high torque shear technology is disclosed having optional configurations and attachments for its construction and methods for reconfiguring existing shears to improve performance, and maintenance economics. A method is provided for the readily replacement of individual cutters and tooth modules, reconfiguration of cutter and tooth assemblies in a mix and match manner, in combination with matching anvils having replacement cutting elements with multiple cutting faces. Alternative embodiments are provided illustrating methods of configuration of various types of cutting elements and material feed systems. Methods for converting a rough cut shear to a fine particle shear and then to a granulator as well as a method for rejecting unprocessable material is also disclosed.
Abstract:
A facility for reclaiming useful products from solid municipal and hazardous waste uses a rotary kiln to convert the material into a stream of inorganic ash and a stream of gaseous combustion products. The stream of combustion products passes in heat exchange relation to unburned waste and produces a stream of volatile carbon compounds which are deficient in oxygen. The streams of combustion products and volatile carbon compounds are converted in a plasma arc generator into a stream of hot, disassociated atoms. The stream of hot gas is cooled by passage through one or more heat exchangers that reclaim process heat. The stable compounds that are produced are hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The process is controlled by monitoring carbon dioxide in the carbon monoxide stream. The carbon monoxide and hydrogen may be used separately or combined, as in a methanol synthesis plant.
Abstract:
An in-line grinder has been developed which can be configured to perform in a variety of applications through the use of an adjustable rotor/stator assembly, removable shear bar, and a variety of interchangeable stator-rotor configurations. A unique drive system utilizing a mechanical seal cartridge provides maximum sealing with a minimum of shaft deflection and run-out thereby improving performance. These improvements collectively allow the grinder to be configured for optimum sizing of solids to a predetermined particle size for a broad range of materials. It has been demonstrated that a class of in-line grinders such as that described herein is applicable for sizing drill cuttings for injection into a subsurface formation by way of an annular space formed in a wellbore. The cuttings are removed from the drilling fluid, conveyed to a shearing and grinding system that converts the cuttings into a viscous slurry with the addition of water and viscosity enhancing polymers. The system in its simplest form comprises a slurry tank, a pump, and the instant in-line grinder. The pump circulates the mixture of cuttings and water (sea water) between the slurry tank and the in-line grinder. The ground mixture leaving the in-line grinder is then routed to an injection pump for high pressure injection into the formation.
Abstract:
There are provided a pretreatment facility (1) and a incineration/melting facility (2). In the incineration/melting facility, an incineration chamber (3) and a melting chamber (5) are integrally formed through a partition wall (7) so that incineration residue can be continuously transferred. Fine crushed material finely crushed by the pretreatment facility (1) is supplied as fuel to a burner (4). This enables it to obtain melting heat source from waste, and to efficiently treat the waste at a low cost by directly superheating and melting non-cooled incineration residue from the incineration chamber (3).
Abstract:
A process for enhancing the fuel form, raising the energy content, and lowering the level of impurities of low rank coals and/or carbonaceous wastes, like Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), and sewage sludge, by providing the low rank fuel, carbonaceous waste, or mixtures thereof as a slurry in water of processable viscosity. This feed slurry is heated under pressure, usually in the presence of an alkali, to a temperature at which a significant physical and molecular rearrangement occurs, characterized by the splitting off of a substantial proportion of the oxygen bound in the low rank coal or carbonaceous waste as carbon dioxide. At these conditions, solid particles in the feed slurry lose much of their fibrous and hydrophilic character, and are broken up into smaller particles of char, resulting in a slurry of dramatically improved rheology, i.e., capable of a much higher solids concentration (or energy density) at processable viscosity. Simultaneously, cation and anion impurities, like sodium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur, nitrogen, toxic metals, and others, are significantly reduced in the resulting product char slurry fuel.
Abstract:
Liquid wastes and solid wastes, which can be put into slurry form, have combustible constituents burned from them at supercritical temperature and subcritical pressure, with respect to water, resulting in purified water and, with the more concentrated wastes, recovery of valuable energy. Pressure makes possible the recovery of latent heat so that the dry heating value of the waste is made available. Consequently, relatively dilute wastes can be "incinerated" without the consumption of auxiliary fuel.
Abstract:
A method for disposing of waste materials including wastes generated by residential neighborhoods and business districts of a municipal area, by collecting waste materials centrally, sorting out and removing non-combustible materials from the collected wastes, and shredding the combustible materials coarsely. The coarsely shredded materials are then transported, if necessary, to the location of an incinerator or other furnace into which the materials are fed as fuel at a rate controlled in accordance with the requirements of the burner for complete and clean combustion, by feeding the coarsely shredded materials into a further shredder, shredding the materials to a final size, and immediately conveying the reshredded materials into the burner. Transportation and measurement of the coarsely shredded materials is thus accomplished with the waste materials at an optimum density for convenient handling and transportation at an economical cost.