Hydraulic classifiers are provided for sorting material using injected water. Some embodiments include upper and lower housings having different cross-sectional shapes. In some embodiments, certain improvements are provided for cleanout and/or removal or replacement of teeter bars.

Systems and methods for separating materials and recovery of valuable materials such as from end-of-life vehicles and appliances are disclosed. Vehicles are shredded and resulting pieces are dropped into a fluidic separator that separates the shredded vehicle scrap into heavier pieces and lighter pieces. The fluidic separator separates the bulk of the more valuable metals of the non-metals. The fluidic separator, which may be used for separating many kinds of mixtures of pieces of varying specific gravity, comprises a fluid-filled container in which the pieces and the fluid are stirred so that pieces of specific gravity greater than that of the fluid tend to sink and pieces of specific gravity less than that of the fluid tend to float.

An innovative compact high efficiency hydraulic particle separator is disclosed. Featured embodiments of the innovative separator comprise a cylindrical main body having an upper chamber and a lower chamber separated by a partition. A liquid fluid flow upwelling through the partition from the lower chamber is caused to mix with tangential jet of fluid flowing introduced above the partition in the upper chamber produces a spiral flow within the upper chamber and flows upward to the top of the apparatus. Particle mixtures containing low density and high specific gravity particles and other solids are introduced into the upper chamber are immediately contacted by the upward spiral flow, where low-density particles are immediately entrained in the spiral flow and separated from the high-density particles, swept upward and exit the apparatus. High-density particles may be forced outward and collect along the wall of the apparatus, falling through the partition to the lower chamber and settle in a collection vessel.

A method of recycling a filler included in artificial turf by sorting the filler into two or more materials, including: a first sorting operation of sorting the two or more materials based on a grain size; and a second sorting operation of sorting the materials, which are sorted by the first sorting operation and have grain sizes belonging to a predetermined range, based on specific gravity.

Systems and methods for separating materials and recovery of valuable materials such as from end-of-life vehicles and appliances are disclosed. Vehicles are shredded and resulting pieces are dropped into a fluidic separator that separates the shredded vehicle scrap into heavier pieces and lighter pieces. The fluidic separator separates the bulk of the more valuable metals of the non-metals. The fluidic separator, which may be used for separating many kinds of mixtures of pieces of varying specific gravity, comprises a fluid-filled container in which the pieces and the fluid are stirred so that pieces of specific gravity greater than that of the fluid tend to sink and pieces of specific gravity less than that of the fluid tend to float.

Systems and methods for separating materials and recovery of valuable materials such as from end-of-life vehicles and appliances are disclosed. Vehicles are shredded and resulting pieces are dropped into a fluidic separator that separates the shredded vehicle scrap into heavier pieces and lighter pieces. The fluidic separator separates the bulk of the more valuable metals of the non-metals. The fluidic separator, which may be used for separating many kinds of mixtures of pieces of varying specific gravity, comprises a fluid-filled container in which the pieces and the fluid are stirred so that pieces of specific gravity greater than that of the fluid tend to sink and pieces of specific gravity less than that of the fluid tend to float.

Devices, systems, and methods for recovering metal constituents from a waste stream containing metals (e.g., incinerator ash) are described. The waste stream may include incinerator bottom ash, fly ash, or a combination thereof. A falling velocity separator is employed in combination with a centrifuge to separate and collect metals from the waste stream. The falling velocity separator uses a liquid to separate particles within incinerator ash according to the particles settling velocities. The centrifuge further separates particles from the incinerator ash according to density of the particles.

The present invention includes a mining system adapted to change underwater mining by selecting and harvesting only the target ore or gem. It eliminates costly displacement in mass of ore or material to the surface or shore, reduces pollution of the water column, and minimizes disturbance of the environment. The system includes a trommel fluidly coupled to separators, wherein each separator uses a vortex-like flow pattern to separate high-density sediment from lower density sediment based on flow rate. The present invention is the capable of separating and collecting various sized of desired ore in one pass. Additionally, the system is adapted to be coupled with a ROV dredge to reduce or eliminate diving time and risk of human life.

An apparatus for classifying particulate material includes at least one tank for receiving a feed slurry, a device for introducing water into a lower region of the at least one tank whereby water is caused to flow upwardly and through the feed slurry contained therein, whereby hydraulic separation takes place within the at least one tank with particles of lower settling velocity progressing upwardly and into a device for effecting discharge of an overflow fraction from the at least one tank, and particles of greater settling velocity progressing downwardly to a lower region of at least one tank, wherein the feed slurry is introduced into the at least one tank in an upwards direction.

A method of recycling a filler included in artificial turf by sorting the filler into two or more materials, including: a first sorting operation of sorting the two or more materials based on a grain size; and a second sorting operation of sorting the materials, which are sorted by the first sorting operation and have grain sizes belonging to a predetermined range, based on specific gravity.