TOWER EXTRACTOR FOR MUNICIPAL WASTES

• US 3,836,085 A
• Filed: 04/16/1973
• Issued: 09/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Victor Brown
• Original Assignee: Victor Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Lutter, Frank W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hill, Ralph J.
• Application Number:
  US05/351,434
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 209/133T,139R,134-138,147,154,20,3,4,477,483,19,471,479 131/146 241/68,79.1,19,24
• US Class Current: 241/19
• CPC Class Codes: B03B 9/06 specially adapted for refuse
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 4/02 while the mixtures fall
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/52 Mechanical processing of waste for the recovery of materials, e.g. crushing, shredding, separation or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 241/38 Solid waste disposal

Abstract

A tower extractor and method to continuously and coarsely or roughly separate paper, film plastic products and like, lighter materials from the heavier materials in a relatively large volume conglomerate of mixed solid municipal wastes or refuse. The separation occurs as the result of an airstream being directed into the conglomerate of mixed solid wastes as the mixed solid wastes begin to slide down a chute at least 30 feet long disposed at an angle of about 60* to 80* from vertical in a separation chamber. The volume and pressure of the airstream are selected so as to cause an initial separation and suspension of at least a portion of the lighter materials from the heavier materials as the waste descends down the chute. While a portion of the lighter materials is air suspended, the heavy materials and the remaining portions of the waste mixture flow down the chute and the mixture is further separated into a light fraction and a heavy fraction. The separation occurs because the components in the light fraction move at a slower rate than the components in the heavy fraction. As a result, the light components stratify above the heavy component and are drawn out of the separation chamber as a light fraction, preferably by suction. The heavier materials remain in contact with the chute and are separately discharged out of the separation chamber.

Claims

2. The tower extractor described in claim 1, wherein said first path is disposed at a first angle with respect to the vertical and said airstream is directed from below said first path whereby all materials become momentarily air suspended.

3. The tower extractor described in claim 1, wherein the means for removing the suspended paper, plastic film products and like, lighter materials includes suction means connected with the light materials discharge opening and which removes the paper, plastic film products and like, lighter materials from the air separation chamber means.

4. The tower extractor described in claim 1, wherein the means for moving the conglomerate of mixed municipal solid wastes into the separation chamber is a first conveyer which has its discharge end located within the air separation chamber means adjacent to the inlet opening thereof;

and wherein said airstream intersects said first path adjacent to the discharge end of the first conveyer.

5. The tower extractor described in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axis of the first conveyer is inclined with respect to the vertical;

wherein the means for providing said airstream is positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor;

wherein the means for directing said airstream is arranged so that said airstream is inclined with respect to the vertical and with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first conveyer and so that said airstream intersects said first path at point downstream, but adjacent to, the discharge end of the conveyer.

6. The tower extractor described in claim 5 wherein the means for removing the heavier materials includes a second conveyer positioned adjacent to the lower end of the chute portion and extending out of the separation chamber through the heavy material discharge opening in the separation chamber.

7. The tower extractor described in claim 6 wherein the means for removing the suspended paper, plastic film products and like, lighter materials includes suction means which is connected with the light materials discharge opening in the separation chamber and which removes the paper, plastic film products and like, lighter materials from the separation chamber.

8. The tower extractor described in claim 7 wherein the means for directing said airstream is adjustable to permit said axis of said airstream to intersect said first path at various angles.

9. The tower extractor of claim 1 which includes means for shredding the solid wastes prior to its introduction into the separation chamber.

10. The tower extractor of claim 1 which includes an inwardly extending wall positioned between the light material discharge opening and the heavy material discharge opening to intercept the light fraction in said chamber.

11. The tower extractor of claim 1 which includes riffles on the surface of said chute.

12. A method for continuously coarsely separating paper filM plastic products and like lighter materials from the heavier components in a conglomerate of mixed municipal solid wastes which comprises the steps of:

i. passing a mixed municipal solid waste down a chute inclined at an angle of about 60* to about 80* and of sufficient length to permit the components in the waste to reach their terminal velocity and to stratify said wastes into a slower moving upper light fraction and a faster moving heavy fraction;

ii. contacting said waste stream with a high velocity air stream as the waste is about to descend down said chute to enhance said stratification; and

iii. separating said light fraction from said heavy fraction.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein said light fraction is separated by drawing said fraction into a suction.

14. A method as in claim 12 which includes grinding said waste prior to passage down said chute.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein the waste is ground to provide a light fraction wherein the light waste is one to twelve inches in cross-section.

16. A method as in claim 12 wherein said air stream suspends at least a portion of said waste in air before passage down said chute.

17. A method as in claim 12 wherein said chute is at least 30 feet long.