Device for recycling mixed plastic waste, a blade system for said device and a method for recycling mixed plastic waste

• US 9,815,225 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolan Investment OÜ
• Original Assignee: Rolan Unvestment Ou
• Inventors: Valdmaa, Andrus, Ksnar, Aivo, Saarevli, Aarne
• Primary Examiner(s): Francis, Faye
• Application Number:
  US14/299,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20150258713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 2411012, 2412821, 2412921, 366343
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/0084 specially adapted for disintegrating garbage, waste or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/086 specially adapted for disintegrating plastics, e.g. cinematographic films for plastic bottles B02C19/0093, disintegrating plastics B29B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/18 Knives; Mountings thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/0026 by agglomeration or compacting
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/0036 of large particles, e.g. beads, granules, pellets, flakes, slices
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/04 Disintegrating plastics, e.g. by millingB29B9/02, B29B11/02, B29B13/10, B29B17/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/0412 to large particles, e.g. beads, granules, flakes, slices
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/044 Knives
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/048 Cutter-compactors, e.g. of the EREMA type
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 9/02 by dividing preformed material
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 9/12 characterised by structure or composition
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/26 Scrap or recycled material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling

Abstract

A blade system for device for recycling mixed plastic is disclosed. Furthermore, a device and a method for recycling unidentified, unclean, and unsorted mixed plastic into reusable plastic mixture is disclose. The present solution allows the recycling of mixed plastic waste outdoors, both in warm and cold climate conditions. In the course recycling mixed plastic waste the mixed plastic waste is taken to a melting temperature, at which the mixed plastic waste is mixed in a molten state, and the organic and bacterial material is destroyed during the thermal processing. After the melting, mixing and thermal processing of the mixed plastic waste, the compaction process of the molten mixed plastic waste is performed. Volume compacting is performed, and the mass of mixed plastic waste in a molten state is rapidly cooled down, crushed, after-cooled and homogenized.

Claims

1. A device for recycling mixed plastic, said device comprising:

an agglomeration chamber base;

an agglomeration chamber attached to the agglomeration chamber base, wherein the agglomeration chamber comprises a bottom and a double wall;

an observation and service opening in the double wall of the agglomeration chamber;

an outlet port in the double wall of the agglomeration chamber;

a loading chamber attached to the agglomeration chamber, wherein the loading chamber is equipped with a loading port, an upper observation opening, and an exhaust fan for water vapor;

a collar attached to the bottom of the agglomeration chamber;

a blade system at the bottom of the agglomeration chamber, wherein the blade system comprises a blade holder, two material exit guides, two inner blades, two outer blades, two blade mounting plates with fastening holes, and fasteners;

a motor, capable of rotating the blade system, wherein the motor is connected to the blade system through a shaft;

a cooling system equipped with a cooling inlet, and a cooling outlet;

a transmission and lubricating chamber with a preheater equipped lubricating pump; and

a switchboard capable of operating the device;

wherein;

the shaft comprises a bearing pedestal with closed bearings and pressure seals, and cutting angle α

of the blade mounting plates and cutting angle β

of the inner and outer blades are approximately 28°

to 32°

, and angle γ

between cutting edge of the inner blades, and edge on side of the material exit guides is approximately 50°

.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the double wall of the agglomeration chamber comprises at least three replaceable parts with their height greater than thickness of belt of mixed plastic waste being recycled in the agglomeration chamber, and height to which mixed plastic waste particles can be thrown in course of crushing process.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the blade system is capable of rotating at approximately 1200 rpm, the motor is capable of operating at amperage approximately 600 A, and temperature in the agglomeration chamber being approximately 140 to 160°

C. during recycling process.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein distance between the outer blades of the blade system and the double wall of the agglomeration chamber is approximately equal to thickness of the blades.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein:

the blades are attached to the blade holder with cutting surface of the blades towards the bottom of the agglomeration chamber, and bottom surface of the blades upwards, and wherein the blades and the blade mounting plates of the blade system form an even surface, with the fasteners tightened.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein cutting surface of the blades has been hardfaced, and cutting edge of the blades has been blunted by hardfacing.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein cutting surface of the blade mounting plates of the blade system has been hardfaced, and hardfacing has been provided in front of the fastening holes of the blade mounting plates in rotating direction.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the material exit guides have been hardfaced.

9. A method for recycling mixed plastic waste comprising the steps of:

obtaining pre-processed mixed plastic waste by preliminary processing of the mixed plastic waste;

routing 60-150 kg of the pre-processed mixed plastic waste to the agglomeration chamber of the device according to claim 1;

utilizing the device to;

achieve amperage of approximately 400 A for the motor of the device;

rotate the blade system of the device at an approximate speed of 1200 rpm;

crush and simultaneously mix the pre-processed mixed plastic waste by rotating blade system;

allow temperature of the agglomeration chamber to rise to 140-150°

C., wherein the temperature rises due to mechanical friction while crushing of the pre-processed mixed plastic waste;

heat and melt the pre-processed mixed plastic waste to obtain molten plastic mass;

increase amperage of the motor to approximately 600 A;

allow temperature of the agglomeration chamber to rise to 150-160°

C.;

harden the molten plastic mass by rapid cooling to obtain a hardened mass;

crush the hardened mass by rotating blade system to obtain crushed mixed plastic;

allow temperature of the agglomeration chamber to rise again to 100-110°

C.;

open the outlet port of the device; and

routing the crushed mixed plastic from the agglomeration chamber to an after-cooler chamber, wherein the after-cooler chamber is designed to preserve plastic properties and fraction of the crushed mixed plastic;

routing the crushed mixed plastic from the after-cooler chamber to a homogenizing device; and

homogenizing the crushed mixed plastic to obtain recycled mixed plastic.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the rapid cooling is achieved through spraying water at temperature of 4°

C.-10°

C., and in quantity of 2 to 3 liters decreasing temperature of the agglomeration chamber instantly to approximately 80°

C.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the recycled mixed plastic has uniform size between 3-10 mm, and moisture content below 1%.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein a cycle from preliminary processing to obtaining recycled mixed plastic lasts for 5-15 minutes.