A separation system is presented that partitions a slurry containing a plurality of particles that are influenced by a fluidization flow (which comprises teeter water and gas bubbles) and a fluidized bed. The separation system comprises a separation tank, a slurry feed distributor, a fluidization flow manifold and a gas introduction system. All of these components are arranged to create the fluidized bed in the separation tank by introducing the slurry through the slurry feed distributor and allowing the slurry to interact with the fluidization flow that enters the separation tank from the fluidization flow manifold. The gas introduction system is configured to optimize the gas bubble size distribution in the fluidization flow. The gas introduction system comprises a gas introduction conduit and a bypass conduit. The gas introduction system can be adjusted by modulating the flow of teeter water through the gas introduction conduit.

Devices, systems, and methods for separating waste stream with high glass concentrations to recover desired materials are described. The devices, systems, and methods may include a wet separator, a multi-stage screen(s), shredder(s), rising velocity separator(s)/jig(s), magnetic pulley(s), eddy current separator(s), and/or optical sorters.

The present invention provides an apparatus for feeding a feed slurry into a particle separator having a fluidisation source. The feed apparatus comprises a chamber having at least one baffle for dividing the chamber into a first zone and a second zone. A feed inlet feeds the slurry into the first zone (20) and the baffle deflects the slurry away from the second zone and direct fluidisation fluid from the fluidisation source through the second zone to combine with the slurry from the first zone. A particle separator incorporating the feed apparatus and a method of particle separation is also provided.

A granular litter cleaning apparatus comprises a separation system having a separation tank adapted to receive a mixture of granules and plastic litter, and water therein, the separation tank having a top opening, and a closeable bottom outlet, and at least one water inlet for feeding water to the separation tank. A collect subsystem is for conveying a mixture of granules and plastic litter to the separation tank. A pump system is in fluid communication with the water inlet. The pump system is operated to raise a level of water in the separation tank to skim water with plastic litter out through the top opening of the separation tank. The closeable bottom outlet is openable to empty the separation tank from granules decanted in a bottom of the separation tank. A process for separating plastic litter from granules is also provided.

The separator according to the invention comprises: a tank (1) for receiving waste material and containing fluid to separate waste material by density into floating and settled material; automatic feed means (18, 37), for example, a double screen (18) to feed waste material to the tank (1); motorised conveyor belts (3, 4) divided into a floating waste material conveyor (3) and a settled waste material conveyor (4) to extract floating or settled waste material from the tank (1): and a blower-type sorting device (21) comprising: a turbine (22) that provides an airflow; and a branched duct (23) divided into: a riser duct (26) to transport part of the airflow to a diffuser (39) beneath the automatic feed means (18, 37) to raise light-weight waste material; and a discharge duct (27) to transport and horizontally expel another part of the airflow in order to remove previously raised waste material. The separator according to the invention may incorporate bubble-making means, with injectors (2) to facilitate floatability and remove floating waste material.

Devices, systems, and methods for separating incinerator combined ash are described. The devices, systems, and methods include a fines process that utilizes water or other liquid in the separation of portions of the incinerator combined ash.

Described is a process for the refinement of a quartz powder, comprising the step of separating microparticles of refractory minerals, in particular minerals containing rare earth metal compounds, from the quartz powder by an elutriation step.

The separator according to the invention comprises: a tank (1) for receiving waste material and containing fluid to separate waste material by density into floating and settled material; automatic feed means (18, 37), for example, a double screen (18) to feed waste material to the tank (1); motorised conveyor belts (3, 4) divided into a floating waste material conveyor (3) and a settled waste material conveyor (4) to extract floating or settled waste material from the tank (1): and a blower-type sorting device (21) comprising: a turbine (22) that provides an airflow; and a branched duct (23) divided into: a riser duct (26) to transport part of the airflow to a diffuser (39) beneath the automatic feed means (18, 37) to raise light-weight waste material; and a discharge duct (27) to transport and horizontally expel another part of the airflow in order to remove previously raised waste material. The separator according to the invention may incorporate bubble-making means, with injectors (2) to facilitate floatability and remove floating waste material.

A cyclonic separation and materials processing method and system is presented in which materials entry at one end and which is arranged so that the materials that enter will be given a tangential velocity component as they enter. Specific embodiments include a three-dimensional sorting system with the use of an outward centrifugal motion and up/down (or vertical) motion flow of water or other media, which can be thought of as a three-dimensional separation.

A system multiple having units in a linear arrangement employs density separation processes. In one arrangement, the system provides more control over the agitation and forces separating the material. One system has a paddlewheel 115, 215 in some or all of the units to create movement to optimize the residence time (faster or slower) to optimize separation.