A process for trichome separation from plant matter deploys water slurry agitation and/or dry sieving to produce a mixture of solid trichomes and similar sized plant debris. The plant debris in each separate fraction is then removed by gravity filtration in a dense inert liquid, which is preferably a salt or brine solution. The desirable trichomes or trichome glands float on the dense liquid, while the undesirable vegetative matter sinks to the bottom of the brine containing vessel. The trichomes are readily removed and washed before further processing.

A multi-phase system includes a phase-separated solution comprising at least two phases, each phase having a phase component selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a surfactant and combinations thereof, wherein at least one phase comprises a polymer, wherein the phases, taken together, represent a density gradient. Novel two-phase, three-phase, four-phase, five-phase, or six-phase systems are disclosed. Using the disclosed multi-phase polymer systems, particles, or other analyte of interest can be separated based on their different densities or affinities.

Herein is disclosed a process for recycling electrode material from lithium-ion batteries, comprising harvesting a mixture of anode and cathode electrode materials from waste lithium-ion batteries, and separating the anode electrode material from the cathode electrode material by means of dense liquid separation. The mixed anode and cathode material is suspended in a liquid that has a density between those of the anode material and cathode material, such that the anode material rises to the top of the dense liquid and the cathode material sinks to the bottom of the dense liquid. The thus separated materials can easily be collected and further purified and regenerated for reuse in new lithium-ion batteries, providing an efficient and low-cost method for recycling electrode active materials from waste lithium-ion batteries.

A centrifuge for separating minerals by specific gravity is disclosed. The centrifuge rotates to circulate slurry across a collection region and to subject slurry in the collection region to centripetal forces that facilitate stratification within the collection region by the specific gravity of the constituent minerals of the slurry. Energy, such as acoustic energy, is coupled with the collection region and enhances the stratification by specific gravity within the collection region.

This application discloses a separator for separating and recovering materials from a waste stream. The separator has a cyclone having a top section and a bottom section, an impeller within the cyclone, a media inlet for accepting a flow of media or a pulsating flow of the media operatively connected to the impeller in which media or fluid flows through the impeller into the separator; a first discharge passage for a collecting a light fraction, and a second discharge passage for collecting a heavy fraction.

The present disclosure provides a cascading density separator for facilitating density-based classification of particulate material. Further, the cascading density separator may include a basin defining an interior channel and comprising a first lateral wall and a second lateral wall, the second lateral wall including an outwardly angled deflection portion at a 45 angle relative of a spiral classifier disposed in the interior channel, the basin. Further, the cascading density separator may include a spiral classifier positioned within the basin and interposed between the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall, the spiral classifier. Further, the cascading density separator may include a spray nozzle mounted, the spray nozzle configured for spraying water into the interior channel and washing a lighter material from the particulate material downward for discharge while enabling the denser material to be retained and lifted by the spiral classifier.

The present disclosure provides a cascading density separator for facilitating density-based classification of particulate material. Further, the cascading density separator may include a basin defining an interior channel and comprising a first lateral wall and a second lateral wall, the second lateral wall including an outwardly angled deflection portion at a 45 angle relative of a spiral classifier disposed in the interior channel, the basin. Further, the cascading density separator may include a spiral classifier positioned within the basin and interposed between the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall, the spiral classifier. Further, the cascading density separator may include a spray nozzle mounted, the spray nozzle configured for spraying water into the interior channel and washing a lighter material from the particulate material downward for discharge while enabling the denser material to be retained and lifted by the spiral classifier.