Method and System for Removing Polychlorinated Biphenyls from Plastics
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for removing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from plastic material comprising the steps of:
- receiving a waste stream comprising plastic material contaminated with PCBs;
adding the waste stream to a reactor, wherein the pressure within the reactor is maintained at or below 100 millibars;
establishing a temperature of the reactor above the melting point of the plastic material and the boiling point of the PCBs at the pressure within the reactor to create a molten plastic material;
agitating the molten plastic material; and
extruding the molten plastic material following volatilization of at least a fraction of the PCBs from the plastic material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Removing PCBs from recycled plastic materials. A reactor can volatilize the PCBs from interior portions of the plastic materials under pressure conditions below atmospheric pressure and temperatures sufficient to melt the plastic material. The reactor typically includes agitation that exposes the plastic material to the atmosphere within the reactor to promote the volatilization of the PCBs.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for removing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from plastic material comprising the steps of:
-
receiving a waste stream comprising plastic material contaminated with PCBs; adding the waste stream to a reactor, wherein the pressure within the reactor is maintained at or below 100 millibars; establishing a temperature of the reactor above the melting point of the plastic material and the boiling point of the PCBs at the pressure within the reactor to create a molten plastic material; agitating the molten plastic material; and extruding the molten plastic material following volatilization of at least a fraction of the PCBs from the plastic material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for removing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from plastic material comprising the steps of:
-
receiving a waste stream comprising a volume of plastic material contaminated with PCBs; cleaning the volume of plastic material; adding the plastic material to a kneader reactor, wherein the pressure within the kneader reactor is maintained at or below 10 millibars; establishing a temperature of the kneader reactor above the melting point of the volume of plastic material and the boiling point of the PCBs at the pressure within the kneader reactor to form a molten plastic material; agitating the molten plastic material to expose the volume of plastic material to the atmosphere in the kneader reactor; and extruding the molten plastic material following volatilization of at least a fraction of the PCBs from the plastic material. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification