A method and system for pretreating waste plastics and a method and system for producing an automotive fuel from waste plastics are provided. The method for pretreating waste plastics includes the steps of: 1) contacting a waste plastic with a pretreating agent and a solvent oil for impurity removal; and 2) subjecting the effluent from step 1) to solid-liquid separation to obtain an insoluble material and an impurity-removed plastic-containing solution. The impurity-removed plastic-containing solution obtained by the method and system for pretreating waste plastics has very low metal content, chlorine content and silicon content.

A method and apparatus to reclaim metals from scrap material such as automobile shredder residue (ASR) that, after separating out light density components, separates out friable material such as rock and glass by crushing and screening operations to generate a high metal content product.

Systems and methods for separating materials and recovery of valuable copper from shredded end-of-life vehicles and appliances are disclosed. Shredded matter, or ASR, is sent through a series of sorters before reaching a system that separates out copper bits. The system utilizes a pair of conveyor belts; one for de-watering and removing most of the plastic and glass particles and a second below the first for separating the copper bits. The second conveyor belt has a belt with a particular tooth pattern and material softness, and is set at a slight uphill incline angle. Water is delivered from the top down the slope and the belt successfully transports mostly just copper up and over a top edge to a collection bin. A cascading series of pairs of conveyors may be used to ensure nearly complete recovery of the copper.

A reusable, fiber containing pulp product is described that is highly suited for use in the manufacture of paper products. The reusable, fiber containing pulp product provides a mixture of fibers and small, dense polymer/particle fragments. The polymer/particle fragments within the reusable, fiber containing pulp product have a size range and density that facilitates efficient removal of the polymer/particle fragments using pressure screens.

A specific gravity-specific waste air sorter separates impurities using a vortex for sorting waste into high-specific gravity materials, low-specific gravity materials, and impurities when the impurities are shaken off and removed by means of the hitting of a rotating drum and vanes while the waste fed therein is turned over by a vortex. A main drum has radial vanes, an upper auxiliary drum, and a lower auxiliary drum. The main drum is provided at one side of an input hole, the upper auxiliary drum is provided at the other side of the input hole, and the lower auxiliary drum is provided below the upper auxiliary drum. The main drum and the lower auxiliary drum rotate in the same direction, whereas the upper auxiliary drum rotates in the opposite direction. A vortex is formed between the main drum, the upper auxiliary drum, and the lower auxiliary drum.

Unexpectedly unique and environmentally friendly composite material structures, storage articles fabricated therefrom, and related methods. The composite structure includes at least one or more fiber-containing layers, such as fiberboard or other layers having fibers from natural and/or synthetic sources, and one or more mineral-containing layers. The mineral-containing layer(s) comprises a thermoplastic bonding agent fixing the mineral particles in place. The fiber-containing layer(s) and mineral-containing layer(s) can be shaped, sized, and manufactured such that the composite structure formed therefrom is capable of being machined to form the storage article. The composite structure can be repulped and recycled without the use of dispersions, emulsions, or aqueous solutions. Further, the composite reduces layer mass requirements for heat seal, barrier, and fiber adhesion compared to polymer layers. The composite structure further has tensile strength and other structural characteristics that allow it to be readily machined into desired storage article forms.

Methods and equipment for the recycling of carpet are disclosed that produce a clean fiber product suitable for industrial use. The methods allow the recovery of face fiber material, for example a polyester, polyolefin, or a polyamide, from carpets that includes a face fiber material, a polypropylene backing material, and an adhesive, and include the steps of mechanically impacting the carpet to break the bonds between the adhesive and the fibrous components, treating the fibrous components to remove adhesive granules from the fibrous components, and optionally separating the polypropylene backing from the face fiber. A clean adhesive/calcium carbonate product can also be produced from this process.

The present invention discloses a process of disposal of tailings in piles stemming from the iron ore processing method, replacing dams, and comprising the steps of thickening the ultra-fine tailings, thickening the sandy tailings, mixing the tailings in the proportion of 80 to 90% by weight of sandy tailings and 10 to 20% by weight of ultra-fine tailings, addition of coagulant, addition of flocculant, filtering the mixture and piling the filtered tailings. Unlike traditional processes, this invention promotes an economically and technically feasible tailing disposal process that can be added to any conventional iron ore concentration plant without the need for any change in the process flowchart.

The invention provides a apparatus for reworking of non-vulcanised rubber or de-vulcanized rubber from a rubber component, preferably a rubber tire, to produce recycled rubber. The apparatus comprises a gear pump configured to receive and filter the rubber to produce filtered rubber and a mixer-extruder configured to homogenize and extrude the filtered rubber to produce recycled rubber.

A system for processing solid and liquid waste includes a first shale shaker, a second shale shaker, a submersible pump, a centrifugal pump, a first collection tank, a second collection tank, a mud cleaner assembly, a variable frequency drive (VFD) centrifugal solid-liquid separator, and a water clarifying assembly. The first shale shaker is in fluid communication with the second shale shaker through the submersible pump. The second shale shaker is in fluid communication with the centrifugal pump through the first collection tank. The centrifugal pump is in fluid communication with the mud cleaner assembly. The mud cleaner assembly is in fluid communication with the VFD centrifugal solid-liquid separator through the water clarifying assembly. Resultantly, the system discharges a flow of usable water through the VFD centrifugal solid-liquid separator as an initial load of solid and liquid waste is inputted into the first shale shaker.