Thermal treatment techniques for recycling are generally very clean but their byproducts include a fine ash that may become entrained in the exhaust air plume as smoke. We therefore disclose a materials recycling apparatus comprising a heat treatment chamber for processing the material at an elevated temperature, the chamber having a vent leading via a heat exchanger to a scrubber comprising a disrupted flow path, at least one spray nozzle directed towards the disrupted flow path, and a supply of liquid (ideally water with a little detergent) to the or each spray nozzle. In this way, the entrained ash can be efficiently removed from the air flow, allowing it to be vented, and the captured ash disposed of via a waste water outlet together with the ash washed from the chamber. The flow path can be disrupted by at least one baffle plate, ideally with the spray nozzle located ahead of the baffle plate(s). Thermal treatment techniques for recycling are generally very clean but their byproducts include a fine ash that may become entrained in the exhaust air plume as smoke. We therefore disclose a materials recycling apparatus comprising a heat treatment chamber for processing the material at an elevated temperature, the chamber having a vent leading via a heat exchanger to a scrubber comprising a disrupted flow path, at least one spray nozzle directed towards the disrupted flow path, and a supply of liquid (ideally water with a little detergent) to the or each spray nozzle. In this way, the entrained ash can be efficiently removed from the air flow, allowing it to be vented, and the captured ash disposed of via a waste water outlet together with the ash washed from the chamber. The flow path can be disrupted by at least one baffle plate, ideally with the spray nozzle located ahead of the baffle plate(s).

A baghouse apparatus for removing particulates from a 100% recycled asphalt pavement dryer exhaust air stream includes a drop out zone section having a water spray operable to initially drench an incoming air exhaust stream with water droplets while increasing air stream velocity, then slow the air stream velocity to cause drop out of particulates >1000 m from the slowed waste air stream, and collect the particulates dropped out of the waste air exhaust stream. The apparatus also includes a cyclonic scrubber section for further cooling the waste air exhaust stream while subjected the stream to a further water spray to condense aerosol vapor into droplets, a prefilter filtration section operable to collect and remove condensed aerosol droplets from the waste air stream; and a coalescing filtration section operable to remove 99% of remaining particulates from the waste air stream before discharge of the air stream to atmosphere.

A baghouse apparatus for removing particulates from a 100% recycled asphalt pavement dryer exhaust air stream includes a drop out zone section having a water spray operable to initially drench an incoming air exhaust stream with water droplets while increasing air stream velocity, then slow the air stream velocity to cause drop out of particulates >1000 m from the slowed waste air stream, and collect the particulates dropped out of the waste air exhaust stream. The apparatus also includes a cyclonic scrubber section for further cooling the waste air exhaust stream while subjected the stream to a further water spray to condense aerosol vapor into droplets, a prefilter filtration section operable to collect and remove condensed aerosol droplets from the waste air stream; and a coalescing filtration section operable to remove 99% of remaining particulates from the waste air stream before discharge of the air stream to atmosphere.

A particle separator is provided with a passage with a plurality of baffles arranged extending from a top plate through a bottom surface; the baffles spaced to define a sinuous flow path therebetween from an inlet side to an outlet side. Each of the baffles provided with a cavity area open to the inlet side, the cavity area extending longitudinally along the baffles and through the bottom surface; the baffles provided in rows, successive rows offset horizontally to align an interval between the baffles in each of the rows with the cavity of the baffles of the next row. The baffles retractable out of the passage, through the top plate.

A particle separator is provided with a passage with a plurality of baffles arranged extending from a top plate through a bottom surface; the baffles spaced to define a sinuous flow path therebetween from an inlet side to an outlet side. Each of the baffles provided with a cavity area open to the inlet side, the cavity area extending longitudinally along the baffles and through the bottom surface; the baffles provided in rows, successive rows offset horizontally to align an interval between the baffles in each of the rows with the cavity of the baffles of the next row. The baffles retractable out of the passage, through the top plate.

A gas-liquid separator includes a housing being supplied with water-containing gas, a gas-liquid separation portion being provided inside the housing and separating water from water-containing gas, a water storage portion being arranged on a bottom portion of the housing and storing water separated by the gas-liquid separation portion, and a valve mechanism enabling discharge of and stop of the discharge of water in the water storage portion via a discharge flow path communicating with the water storage portion. An inner wall of the housing has a guide surface flowing water toward the water storage portion and is provided with a regulating portion regulating staying of water in a vicinity of a flow-in port of the discharge flow path.

A gas-liquid separator includes a housing being supplied with water-containing gas, a gas-liquid separation portion being provided inside the housing and separating water from water-containing gas, a water storage portion being arranged on a bottom portion of the housing and storing water separated by the gas-liquid separation portion, and a valve mechanism enabling discharge of and stop of the discharge of water in the water storage portion via a discharge flow path communicating with the water storage portion. An inner wall of the housing has a guide surface flowing water toward the water storage portion and is provided with a regulating portion regulating staying of water in a vicinity of a flow-in port of the discharge flow path.

A liquid film dust arrester is installed to face a gas flow containing dust and flowing out from a gas discharge pipe. The arrester includes a gas flow blocking unit arranged vis--vis the gas flow, a liquid dispersion unit having a dispersion section arranged at a position near the center of the gas flow blocking unit and upstream relative to the gas flow blocking unit as viewed in the flowing direction of the gas flow so as to face the gas flow blocking unit, a liquid ejection unit having an ejection port disposed vis--vis the dispersion section and configured to eject liquid from the ejection port, and a liquid film forming unit. The dispersion section comprises a smooth surface that causes the ejected liquid to flow and disperse on the smooth surface, and the liquid film is formed to face the gas flow flowing through the flow path.

A liquid film dust arrester is installed to face a gas flow containing dust and flowing out from a gas discharge pipe. The arrester includes a gas flow blocking unit arranged vis--vis the gas flow, a liquid dispersion unit having a dispersion section arranged at a position near the center of the gas flow blocking unit and upstream relative to the gas flow blocking unit as viewed in the flowing direction of the gas flow so as to face the gas flow blocking unit, a liquid ejection unit having an ejection port disposed vis--vis the dispersion section and configured to eject liquid from the ejection port, and a liquid film forming unit. The dispersion section comprises a smooth surface that causes the ejected liquid to flow and disperse on the smooth surface, and the liquid film is formed to face the gas flow flowing through the flow path.

Designs are provided to reduce the possibility of contaminant particles with a large range of sizes, materials, travel speeds and angles of incidence reaching a particle-sensitive environment. According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an object stage comprising first and second chambers, a first structure having a first surface, and a second structure. The second structure is configured to support an object in the second chamber, movable relative to the first structure. The second structure comprises a second surface opposing the first surface of the first structure thereby defining a gap between the first structure and the second structure that extends between the first chamber and the second chamber. The second structure further comprises a third surface within the first chamber. The object stage further comprises a trap disposed on at least a portion of the third surface, the trap comprising a plurality of baffles.