Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Sorting special items – and certain methods and apparatus for... – Condition responsive means controls separating means
Patent
1993-06-04
1997-04-01
Dayoan, D. Glenn
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Sorting special items, and certain methods and apparatus for...
Condition responsive means controls separating means
209587, 209939, 209590, B07C 500
Patent
active
056157789
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for sorting mixtures of discarded, unsorted waste objects such as films, cups, bottles, and foams made of plastic, carton packaging made of composites for liquid food products, aluminum foil packages, and other unsorted waste objects. An aspect of this process relates to identification of various types of objects, followed by a sorting step. Another aspect of this process relates to the use of a form of radiation to aid in the identification step. Still another aspect of this invention relates to an apparatus for sorting out mixtures of waste objects. An aspect of this device relates to the use of a radiation source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The recovery of re-usable materials from waste is becoming increasingly important in industry as well as in households. In this context, special mention should be made of the German Dual System, according to which packaging materials and packaging products are collected separately in special bins in households; participating businesses guarantee that they will accept all of the material collected and that they will re-use this material.
This collection results in a mixture of materials such as films, cups, bottles and foams made of plastic, carton packaging made of composites for liquid food products and metal packaging materials made, for example, of tinfoil or aluminum.
When it comes to recycling, the more completely sorted the recovered material, the higher the quality of the products made of such materials. Therefore, further development of the sorting technology is a decisive factor for the successful implementation of the Dual System.
Even though intensive development work is under way in the realm of sorting technology, it is not yet possible to sort out, for example, the individual components from a mixture of chemically related plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene. Another problem involves the fillers and additives contained in the plastics, since they cause substantial changes in the properties of the pure plastic.
A known example from the state of the art is the AKW process, according to which heavy plastics such as polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride are separated in hydrocyclones from the light-weight fraction consisting of polyethylene and polypropylene (AKW-Apparate+Verfahren GmbH, address: Georg-Schiffer-Strasse 70, 8452 Hirschau, Germany).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Surprisingly, this invention is better able to provide reliable and economic separation of individual waste components or waste objects in a waste mixture comprising a multiplicity of waste objects or components by means of a process comprising:
detecting characteristic features of the waste objects by irradiating the objects (exposing these waste objects to electromagnetic and/or acoustic waves), then
identifying the waste objects by processing the waves emanating from each waste object by means of an electronic signal processor, and then
via the electronic signal processor, transmitting signals to a separator that sorts out the identified waste object from the mixture.
To carry out the process described above, this invention utilizes an apparatus for sorting out waste mixtures into individual waste objects or components, which apparatus comprises:
a radiation source for electromagnetic and/or acoustic waves housed within the apparatus and, optionally, a wave pickup device (receiver) to pick up the waves emanating from the waste object,
an electronic signal processor for identifying the waste objects, and
a separator for sorting out the thus-identified objects which separator is controlled by outgoing signals from the signal processor.
In the case where the objects are identified by radiation from the visible light portion of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum, the apparatus is similar to that described above in that it has the signal processor to identify the objects by processing the waves emanating from the waste objects, as well as a separator controlled by the signals emitt
REFERENCES:
patent: 2898801 (1959-08-01), Rockafellow
patent: 2999587 (1961-09-01), Campbell
patent: 3028960 (1962-04-01), Currie et al.
patent: 3179247 (1965-04-01), Hutter et al.
patent: 3327850 (1967-06-01), Simmons
patent: 3356211 (1967-12-01), Mathews
patent: 3650400 (1972-03-01), Warren et al.
patent: 3661258 (1972-05-01), Madalo et al.
patent: 4352431 (1982-10-01), Artiano
patent: 4360539 (1982-11-01), Sachtleben et al.
patent: 4493420 (1985-01-01), Dennis
patent: 4576286 (1986-03-01), Buckley et al.
patent: 4872024 (1989-10-01), Nagai et al.
patent: 4924088 (1990-05-01), Carman et al.
patent: 4976356 (1990-12-01), Mizuno et al.
patent: 5013905 (1991-05-01), Neri
patent: 5020675 (1991-06-01), Cowlin et al.
patent: 5085325 (1992-02-01), Jones et al.
patent: 5125514 (1992-06-01), Oehler et al.
patent: 5134291 (1992-07-01), Rhul, Jr. et al.
patent: 5135113 (1992-08-01), Mayer et al.
patent: 5141110 (1992-08-01), Trischan et al.
Kaiser Dieter
Wintrich Franz
Dayoan D. Glenn
RWE Entsorgung Aktiengesellschaft
LandOfFree
Process to sort waste mixtures does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Process to sort waste mixtures, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Process to sort waste mixtures will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-532980