Superabsorbent fiber (SAF) in a feed stream is converted into soluble polymers in an extensional flow device. The total energy used to degrade the SAF into soluble polymers is less than about 50 MJ/kg SAF.

Superabsorbent fiber (SAF) in a feed stream is converted into soluble polymers in an extensional flow device. The total energy used to degrade the SAF into soluble polymers is less than about 50 MJ/kg SAF.

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.

Methods for recovering metals from metal-containing materials are provided. The metal-containing material comprises either Co and Li (e.g., an electrode material from a spent lithium ion battery) or Fe and Al (e.g., bauxite). The metal-containing material is exposed to a leaching solution comprising ammonium hydrogen oxalate, oxalic acid, or both, to provide a solid composed of either cobalt oxalate or iron oxalate, and a solution of either lithium oxalate or aluminum oxalate. The solid is processed to provide either cobalt oxide or iron oxide; the solution is processed to provide either a lithium precipitate or an aluminum precipitate, and a filtrate comprising an oxalate; and the filtrate comprising the oxalate is processed to recover ammonium hydrogen oxalate, oxalic acid, or both. The method further comprises repeating the digestion step with the recovered ammonium hydrogen oxalate, the recovered oxalic acid, or both.

System and methods for recycling a material comprising a polymer in an expanded state is disclosed. The system can include a shredder, a heating chamber operatively connected to the shredder, a condenser operatively connected to the heating chamber, a solvent tank operatively connected to the condenser, and a circulation unit operatively connected to the solvent tank and the heating chamber.

A method for separating composite materials and mixtures, in particular solid-material mixtures and slags, and to a device for carrying out said method. The method for separating composite materials and mixtures comprises the step of transporting the composite material or the mixture through a separating device. The composite material to be separated or the mixture to be separated is excited by mechanical impulses as it passes through the separating device and is thereby separated. The device (1) for carrying out the method comprises a drive unit (21) for driving a rotor element (32), which is connected to a bearing/shaft unit (22) and which is part of a rotor unit (31). The rotor element itself has at least one rotor tool (33) and each rotor tool has at least one rotor tool component (34) and is surrounded by a stator element (42), which is part of a stator unit (41). The stator element itself has at least one stator tool (43) and each stator tool has at least one stator tool component (44). The rotor element and the stator element are substantially cylindrical.

This invention relates to the field of plastic waste decomposition. More specifically, the invention comprises products obtained from the decomposition of plastic waste.

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.

A methods and systems for desalination and decontamination for solid waste are disclosed, including a method comprising decontaminating a volume of contaminated, desalinated drill cuttings by removing at least a portion of contaminants associated with the contaminated, desalinated drill cuttings, the desalinated drill cuttings being drill cuttings that have been desalinated by a desalination unit.

A method for recovering a resource from a CIGS thin-film solar cell to be recycled includes a) providing the CIGS thin-film solar cell, and b) subjecting the CIGS thin-film solar cell to a cooling treatment at a predetermined temperature, such that a light absorbing unit of the CIGS thin-film solar cell can be recovered due to thermal strain difference of materials of the CIGS thin-film solar cell.