Aluminum can reclamation method

• US 4,387,019 A
• Filed: 01/05/1982
• Issued: 06/07/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reynolds Metals Company (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Reynolds Metals Company (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ludwig, Walter G., Dale, Kenneth H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nozick, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US06/337,109
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 209/12, 209/19, 209/683, 209/687, 209/38-40, 209/629, 209/631, 209/634, 209/44, 209/930, 209/44.3, 209/44.1, 209/44.2, 110/220
• US Class Current: 44/605
• CPC Class Codes: B03B 9/061 the refuse being industrial
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 9/00 Combinations of apparatus for screening or sifting or for separating solids from solids using gas currents; General arrangement of plant, e.g. flow sheets
• 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: Y10S 209/93 Municipal solid waste sorting

Abstract

A method for reclaiming aluminum cans from municipal refuse is disclosed. The method includes a first screening operation to remove materials substantially larger than the cans, a second screening operation to remove material substantially smaller than the cans, a magnetic separation to remove ferrous metals, a friction-gravity separation to remove lightweight materials, an air separation to remove heavy materials and a final reclamation of aluminum cans.

Claims

1. A method of reclaiming cans from waste material comprising screening said waste material to produce a large material fraction and a first remainder fraction, screening said first remainder fraction to produce a small material fraction and a second remainder fraction, magnetically classifying said second remainder fraction to produce a magnetic fraction and a third remainder fraction, gravitationally and frictionally classifying said third remainder fraction to produce a light material fraction and a fourth remainder fraction, air classifying said fourth remainder fraction to produce a heavy material fraction and a fifth remainder fraction and finally classifying said fifth remainder fraction to produce an aluminum can fraction and a final remainder fraction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said finally classifying comprises hand picking.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said finally classifying comprises eddy current separating.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising employing at least one of said large material fraction, said light material fraction, said heavy material fraction and/or said final remainder fraction as fuel for a facility employing said method.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said screenings are each accomplished in a trommel.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said magnetic classifying is accomplished by means of an overhead magnetic belt.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said gravitational and frictional classifying is accomplished by means of a friction slide.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said air classifying is accomplished by means of an air knife.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising classifying said small material fraction to recover glass, coins and/or magnetics.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said small material friction classifying is accomplished in a water cyclone.