A method of separating waste material to a plurality of separated materials is disclosed herein. The method is effected by subjecting the waste material to a separation according to specific gravity, to thereby obtain two or more fractions, and optionally subjecting one or more of said fractions to additional separation procedures, to thereby obtain two or more of a low-density polymeric material, a high-density polymeric material, a metal, a glass, an oil, and lignocelluloses. The disclosed method can further be effected by processing one or more of the separated materials to thereby obtain one or more processed materials of a beneficial use. Further disclose herein are separated and/or processed materials obtainable by the method, articles-of-manufacturing comprising same, and systems for separating and/or processing the waste material.

A method of separating waste material to a plurality of separated materials is disclosed herein. The method is effected by subjecting the waste material to a separation according to specific gravity, to thereby obtain two or more fractions, and optionally subjecting one or more of said fractions to additional separation procedures, to thereby obtain two or more of a low-density polymeric material, a high-density polymeric material, a metal, a glass, an oil, and lignocelluloses. The disclosed method can further be effected by processing one or more of the separated materials to thereby obtain one or more processed materials of a beneficial use. Further disclose herein are separated and/or processed materials obtainable by the method, articles-of-manufacturing comprising same, and systems for separating and/or processing the waste material.

Apparatus is provided featuring a first and second cells. The first cell receives an ore slurry having mineral particles of interest, receives unexpanded polymer microspheres comprising a surface having mineral collector chemistry attached thereto with molecules for attaching the mineral particles of interest, causes the unexpanded polymer microspheres to expand substantially in volume into expanded polymer microspheres having a substantially increased sphere surface area, and provides an expanded polymer microsphere foam layer comprising the expanded polymer microspheres with attached mineral particles of interest. The second cell receives the expanded polymer microsphere foam layer, and causes the expanded polymer microspheres to collapse substantially in volume into collapsed polymer microspheres having a substantially reduced sphere surface area that results in a mechanical shearing off of the attached mineral particles of interest. The second cell may also provide a mineral concentrate output having the mineral particles of interest.

Apparatus is provided featuring a first and second cells. The first cell receives an ore slurry having mineral particles of interest, receives unexpanded polymer microspheres comprising a surface having mineral collector chemistry attached thereto with molecules for attaching the mineral particles of interest, causes the unexpanded polymer microspheres to expand substantially in volume into expanded polymer microspheres having a substantially increased sphere surface area, and provides an expanded polymer microsphere foam layer comprising the expanded polymer microspheres with attached mineral particles of interest. The second cell receives the expanded polymer microsphere foam layer, and causes the expanded polymer microspheres to collapse substantially in volume into collapsed polymer microspheres having a substantially reduced sphere surface area that results in a mechanical shearing off of the attached mineral particles of interest. The second cell may also provide a mineral concentrate output having the mineral particles of interest.

Systems and methods for separating heavier from lighter materials in mixed auto shredder residue (ASR) from end-of-life vehicles. Vehicles are shredded and the resulting mixed ASR is fed into a system that efficiently segregates heavier (typically metal) from lighter (typically plastic) pieces. The system has an inlet feed chute angled downward to a lower end over a separator tank filled with water. One or more nozzles configured to introduce water at a velocity into the separator tank create a flow of water across the tank to push smaller and lighter particles over an exit weir. Heavier particles sink toward a heavy matter removal conveyor having a lower end positioned within the separator tank so that the heavier particles are transported upward out of the separator tank. The heavy matter removal conveyor may be one or more Archimedes screws, a flat, ribbed or cleated conveyor, or a drag chain.

Systems and methods for separating heavier from lighter materials in mixed auto shredder residue (ASR) from end-of-life vehicles. Vehicles are shredded and the resulting mixed ASR is fed into a system that efficiently segregates heavier (typically metal) from lighter (typically plastic) pieces. The system has an inlet feed chute angled downward to a lower end over a separator tank filled with water. One or more nozzles configured to introduce water at a velocity into the separator tank create a flow of water across the tank to push smaller and lighter particles over an exit weir. Heavier particles sink toward a heavy matter removal conveyor having a lower end positioned within the separator tank so that the heavier particles are transported upward out of the separator tank. The heavy matter removal conveyor may be one or more Archimedes screws, a flat, ribbed or cleated conveyor, or a drag chain.

The present invention relates to an intelligent closed type domestic waste sorting bus, including a bus body, a main collection device, a pickup device, a wind separation device, a water separation device, an arrangement device and a control system. The rotary shafts on the pickup device are all distributed with single-row pickup nails. The main collection device is provided with a sliding sleeve, and a distal end of the sliding sleeve is provided with a cutting-stripping machine. The wind separation device is provided with a blowing apparatus. The arrangement device includes a first collection mechanism, a second collection mechanism, a sediment collection mechanism, a floater arrangement mechanism and a main arrangement mechanism; the present invention can achieve primary sorting of municipal domestic waste in early days, which provides the possibility and convenience for the subsequent professional disposal, and will change the current disposal mode of municipal domestic waste.

The present invention relates to an intelligent closed type domestic waste sorting bus, including a bus body, a main collection device, a pickup device, a wind separation device, a water separation device, an arrangement device and a control system. The rotary shafts on the pickup device are all distributed with single-row pickup nails. The main collection device is provided with a sliding sleeve, and a distal end of the sliding sleeve is provided with a cutting-stripping machine. The wind separation device is provided with a blowing apparatus. The arrangement device includes a first collection mechanism, a second collection mechanism, a sediment collection mechanism, a floater arrangement mechanism and a main arrangement mechanism; the present invention can achieve primary sorting of municipal domestic waste in early days, which provides the possibility and convenience for the subsequent professional disposal, and will change the current disposal mode of municipal domestic waste.

The present invention relates to a system for melting aluminum and recycling black dross, including an aluminum melting furnace responsible for melting aluminum scraps in molten aluminum and a black dross recycling device responsible for recycling black dross generated when the aluminum scraps are melted in the molten aluminum.

The aluminum melting furnace includes a heating chamber provided with heating units responsible for heating the molten aluminum; and a melting chamber provided with an eddy unit responsible for generating an eddy descending in a spiral in the molten aluminum, a flux supply unit responsible for adding a flux to the eddy, and a raw material supply unit responsible for adding the aluminum scraps to the eddy, wherein, in the eddy unit, black dross formed when inclusions contained in the molten aluminum are captured by the flux is repeatedly descended and floated in the molten aluminum through the eddy, so that the black dross is collected into a spherical shape to form spherical black dross, and the black dross recycling device is responsible for recycling the spherical black dross.

A process for separating a mixture of materials using a segregation media within a vessel having a central baffle structure which shuggles the mixture by oscillating the baffle structure at a frequency and amplitude. The mixture of materials may have overlapping densities with the segregation media having a density within the overlapping region. Polymers PE and PP may be separated in flake form. For a mixture of materials of differing densities, water may be the segregation media. Shuggling is combined with controlling the flow of water through the vessel at a set velocity. Embodiments are described for separating plastics and mineral ore.