A recycling method is applied to a solar cell module which includes a cover glass, an electric cell layer, and a sealing material which closely adheres the cover glass and the electric cell layer. The recycling method includes heating an interface between the cover glass and the sealing material to a prescribed temperature range; and applying a force from a side surface of the solar cell module to the sealing material with the interface maintained at the prescribed temperature range, to peel off the sealing material and the electric cell layer from the interface thereof.

There is provided a method for solubilizing cross-linked EVA which can dissolve cross-linked EVA within a short time such as about 60 minutes. Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a recovering method which uses such a solubilization method to solubilize, within a short time, the cross-linked EVA of a solar battery module containing metal and silicon and recovers valuable resources such as metal and silicon, and the recovering method includes treating the cross-linked EVA with a treatment solution at a temperature within a range from 100 to 300 C. consisting essentially of a solvent selected from an alkyl-based alcohol having 5 to 12 carbon atoms and a phenol and an additive selected from an alkali, an oxoacid, and an oxoacid salt, to recover resources such as metal and silicon.

A waste heat recovery apparatus includes a waste processing module and a heat recovery module. The waste processing module includes a heat exchange unit and a drive unit. The heat exchange unit includes a hollow tubular structure having at least one material inlet, at least one material outlet and a screw mounted axially thereinside. The drive unit rotates the screw to extrude the waste material. The heat recovery module includes a heat storage unit, at least one conveying pipeline and a compression unit. The heat storage unit contains a heat-storing medium for storing thermal energy. The conveying pipeline connected to the heat exchange unit and the heat storage unit allows a working medium to flow through the heat exchange unit and the heat storage unit. The compression unit coupled to the conveying pipeline circulates the working medium to flow in the conveying pipeline.

The method and systems efficiently extract recyclable materials from a mixed solid waste stream. The methods and systems use sizing, density and dimensional separation to produce intermediate waste streams that are enriched in particular recyclable materials. The recyclable materials can then be efficiently sorted from the individual intermediate streams using mechanized sorting equipment.

Waste or organic material is compressed at a pressure sufficient to burst cells, for example 50 bar or more, and separated into a dry fraction and a wet fraction. The wet fraction is treated in an anaerobic digester to produce biogas after removing grit. The wet fraction is diluted, preferably with sludge, before it is degritted. Optionally, floatables are removed from the fraction before it is added to the digester.

Some embodiments are directed to a process for the treatment of organic waste which couples in situ biostimulation to produce hydrolytic enzymes and hydrolysis of the refractory organic matter from waste using these enzymes with a view to energy recovery.

An apparatus for sampling landfill gas from a landfill flowing through a pipe. The apparatus may comprise: an enclosure configured to receive a section of the pipe; a gas sampling port in the section of the pipe; at least one sensor device disposed in a region of the enclosure, the at least one sensor being coupled to the section of the pipe through the gas sampling port; and thermal insulation positioned to retain heat from the section of the pipe in the region of the enclosure. A method of operating a landfill gas recovery system. The method may comprise: flowing gas from a well riser pipe through a sampling subsystem to a collection system; and heating a portion of the sampling subsystem with the gas flowing from the well riser pipe to the collection system.

Solid waste that includes a mixture of wet organic material and dry organic material can be are separated using mechanical separation to produce a wet organic stream enriched in wet organics and a dry organic stream enriched in dry organics. The separated wet organic stream and dry organic stream are separately converted to renewable or recyclable products using different conversion techniques particularly suited for the separated wet and dry organic streams.

Systems and methods are provided for processing metal sulfate compounds and sequestering CO.sub.2. These systems and processes involve one or more electrochemical cells for producing an alkali-containing catholyte and involve a CO.sub.2 absorption reactor operatively connected to the electrochemical cell and to a CO.sub.2 source. The CO.sub.2 absorption reactor receives the alkali-containing catholyte and CO.sub.2 gas for forming an alkaline carbonate solution. The alkaline carbonate solution is directed to a vessel where it reacts with an acidic sulfate solution comprising metal ions resulting in precipitation of solid metal carbonate compounds. The acidic sulfate solution may comprise sulfide leachates from acid mine drainage, sulfide mine tailings and/or reacted pyrite concentrate. The acidic sulfate solution may be circulated through an optional SO.sub.2 reduction reactor prior to reaction in the vessel. The SO.sub.2 reduction reactor reduces trivalent metal compounds present in the acidic sulfate solution to divalent metal compounds.

A method for treatment of ash from incineration plants includes: collecting ash from an incinerator; feeding the collected ash and additional feed material to a gasification/vitrification reactor; vitrifying the ash and additional feed material in the gasification/vitrification reactor, to form a slag of molten material; allowing the slag to flow from the gasification/vitrification reactor and solidify outside the gasification/vitrification reactor; gasifying volatile components in the ash and the additional feed material; combusting syngas generated in the gasification/vitrification reactor in a secondary combustion zone in the gasification/vitrification reactor; and supplying products of the syngas combustion to the incinerator to augment the thermal environments of the incinerator. An apparatus used to practice the method is also provided.