Process for disaggregating waste materials which contain at least partially reusable elements

• US 6,216,967 B1
• Filed: 06/01/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: "DER Gruene Punkt" Duales System Deutschland AG
• Original Assignee: "DER Gruene Punkt" Duales System Deutschland AG
• Inventors: Christiani, Joachim, Langen, Michael, Bender, Martin, Hoberg, Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/284,944
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 241/21, 241/29, 241/24.13, 241/24.14, 241/24.15, 241/24.18, 241/24.19, 241/46.17
• US Class Current: 241/21
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/02 Separating plastics from other materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0224 Screens, sieves
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0231 Centrifugating, cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0244 in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0251 Hydropulping for converting the material under the influence of water into a slurry, e.g. for separating laminated plastic from paper
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0265 Electrostatic separation
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0268 Separation of metals
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0289 Washing the materials in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0476 Cutting or tearing members, e.g. spiked or toothed cylinders or intermeshing rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/00 Use of polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/00 Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/02 Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/08 Transition metals
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/12 Iron
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2711/12 Paper, e.g. cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 Layered products
• 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

Abstract

A process is disclosed for disaggregating waste materials which contain at least partially reusable elements, mainly metals, plastics and cardboard. The waste materials are stirred in water by mechanical forces, large pieces, in particular plastic pieces, are coarsely crushed and soluble elements, in particular cardboard, are dissolved. The metallic elements are separated from the suspension as heavy materials, the remaining coarse solids, in particular plastics, are mechanically separated from the suspension, and the suspended fine solids are separated from the suspension by dewatering.

Claims

1. Process for the treatment of waste matter which contains components which are at least partially reusable, which components comprise mainly metals, plastics materials and board, which process comprises

(1) agitating the waste matter to be treated in water in a container containing an agitator, with the application of mechanical force, whereby parts of the components comprising mainly plastics material, are coarsely reduced in size, and components, comprising mainly cardboard and paper board, form a suspension in the water, wherein the suspension contains fine solids and coarse solid matter of said components comprising mainly plastics material, cardboard and paper board,

(2) mechanically separating metal components, as heavy matter, and remaining solids, from the suspension,

(3) withdrawing the suspension containing said components comprising mainly plastics material, cardboard and paper board from said container,

(4) separating the suspended fine solids from the suspension by draining, and

(5) separating the coarse solid matter from the suspension.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein after separation from the suspension, the coarse solid matter is rinsed with clean water.

3. Process according to claim 2, wherein the coarse solid matter is separated into at least two fractions according to their density in at least one gravimetric flotation separation process.

4. Process according to claim 3, wherein the gravimetric flotation separation process is adjusted such that polyolefin plastics materials are withdrawn as the floating matter.

5. Process according to claim 4, wherein the gravimetric flotation separation process is carried out in a centrifugal field.

6. Process according to claim 5, wherein the coarse solids are subjected to at least one further reduction in size prior to their admission to the gravimetric flotation separation process.

7. Process according to claim 6, wherein the fraction remaining after said gravimetric flotation separation process and metal components are exposed to an eddy current field, and, in doing so, nonmagnetic metal components mainly comprising aluminum, are separated off, leaving metal-free deposited matter of plastics materials.

8. Process according to claim 1, wherein the metal-free deposited matter is loosened up in a fluidized bed and, subsequently, PVC-components of said plastics materials are substantially separated off in an electrostatic free-fall separator leaving PVC-less deposited matter.

9. Process according to claim 8, wherein the PVC-less deposited matter is divided into at least two fractions in at least one density-based separation step.

10. Process according to claim 1, wherein the heavy matter separated out of the suspension is exposed to an eddy current field and, in doing so, non-magnetic metal components mainly comprising aluminium, are separated off.

11. Process according to claim 2, wherein after the separation of the coarse solids, a fibrous material component derived from said cardboard and paperboard is separated out of the suspension and is drained.

12. Process according to claim 1, wherein breakdown of the matter to be treated is carried out in batches by agitation in a water bath, the degree of breakdown being determined according to the duration of the agitation.

13. Process according to claim 12, wherein breakdown of the matter to be treated is carried out in batches by agitation in at least two successive water baths.

14. Process according to claim 1, wherein breakdown of the matter to be treated is carried out continuously in through-flow by agitation in water.

15. Process according claim 1, wherein prior to and/or after breaking down by the water, ferromagnetic components are removed from the matter to be treated by magnetic separation.

16. Process according to claim 1, wherein the matter to be treated is subjected to a dry preliminary processing step prior to its admission for breaking down by water.

17. Process according to claim 1, wherein the separation is carried out in at least one stage by screening and/or air separation and in that essentially only those parts which are to be broken down by water of the fractions obtained from the separation are introduced into the water.