Waste management system

Abstract

A waste management system for plastic or other material floating on the surface and in the subsurface of a body of water. A shredding device will reduce the size of the particles of waste. Ocean water is removed by a drying device. The dried waste material is frozen to a temperature at or below minus fifty degrees Fahrenheit, using liquid nitrogen or other suitable means. The frozen waste material is then pulverized and ground into a powder. The powder may then be sprayed into a gas-filled chamber and heated. Temperature, pressure and humidity are maintained within the chamber for more than one minute. Microwave or other radiation and catalysts may be used to enhance the process of extraction. The processed material is then removed from the chamber. Carbon may be recycled or used as fuel by the ship. Water may be used by the ship or returned to the ocean.

Claims

1. An apparatus for waste management, cornprising: a boat equipped with nets to collect material from a surface and subsurface of a body of water, a material shredder: a material dryer; a freezer that cools the material to a temperature at or below minus fifty degrees Fahrenheit in one or more chambers; a pulverizer that pulverizes the material to maximize the ratio of the surface area to volume, and the ratio of surface area to mass, of particles of the material; and a reactor, in which the material reacts with carbon oxide gas at a temperature at or above four hundred degrees Fahrenheit; wherein the boat has one or more nets that are sunk to a depth of no more than five meters, and are capable of being closed and raised slowly to allow fish to escape, while capturing floating plastic; and wherein a largest mesh size is five centimeters and a smallest mesh size is twenty micrometers.

2. An apparatus for waste management comprising: a boat equipped with nets to collect material from a surface and subsurface of a body of water, a material shredder; a material dryer; a freezer that cools the material to a temperature at or below minus fifty degrees Fahrenheit in one or more chambers; a pulverizer that pulverizes the material to maximize the ratio of the surface area to volume, and the ratio of surface area to mass, of particles of the material; and a reactor, in which the material reacts with carbon oxide gas at a temperature at or above four hundred degrees Fahrenheit; wherein the pulverizer has knife-edged screens that pulverizes the waste material; and wherein the pulverizer has multiple horizontal knife edges, and multiple vertical knife edges, at right angles.

3. An apparatus for waste management, comprising: a boat having one or more nets with a largest mesh size of five centimeters and a smallest mesh size of twenty micrometers; and a pulverizer having knife edge screens with multiple horizontal knife edges, and multiple vertical knife edges, at right angles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a vessel in the preferred embodiment of the invention, having its bow in a closed position.

(3) FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a vessel in the preferred embodiment of the invention, having its bow in an expanded open position.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pump in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a paddle in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of a rake in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a right-side elevation view of a net or dragline in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bucket in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(9) FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of a shovel in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(10) FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of a fork in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(11) FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of a spoon in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(12) FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of a conveyor belt in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(13) FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a drone in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(14) FIG. 14 is a side elevation view of a vessel with cameras in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(15) FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of a vessel with a laboratory in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(16) FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of a chamber in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(17) FIG. 17 is a top plan view of a plurality of the chambers on a rotating table in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(18) FIG. 18 is perspective view of a dryer removing moisture from waste material in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(19) FIG. 19 is a side elevation view of a robotically controlled surface waste collection vessel in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(20) FIG. 20 is a side elevation view of a robotically controlled subsurface waste collection vessel in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(21) FIG. 21 is a side elevation view of a collecting mechanism with a screen that may be extended in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(22) FIG. 22 is a front elevational view of the net of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(23) FIG. 23 is a front elevational view illustrating the vertical vacuum of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(24) FIG. 24 is a front elevational view illustrating the interacting screws of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(25) FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the knife-edged screen of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(26) FIG. 26 is a front elevational view illustrating the sound pulverization of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(27) FIG. 27 is a front elevational view illustrating the magnetic separation of metal of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(28) FIG. 28 is a front elevational view of the freezer in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(29) FIG. 29 is a front elevational view of the reactor in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(30) FIG. 30 is a front elevational view of the plurality of vertically arranged nets, spaced horizontally in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(31) Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(32) The present invention is a waste management system.

(33) FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the preferred embodiment of the invention, showing a method of waste management, comprising the steps of:

(34) collecting waste material 10;

(35) shredding the waste material 12;

(36) drying the waste material 14;

(37) freezing the waste material 16 to a temperature at or below minus fifty degrees Fahrenheit;

(38) pulverizing the waste material, to maximize the ratio of the surface area to volume, and maximize the ration of surface area to mass, of particles of the waste material 18;

(39) recovering useful material from the waste material 20;

(40) recycling the recovered useful material 22; and

(41) storing the recovered useful material 24.

(42) The waste material should be frozen to a temperature, preferably at or below minus fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Liquid nitrogen, a solution of dry ice and ethanol, or other suitable means of cryogenic freezing may be used. Material that is cryogenically frozen tends to crystallize and become brittle, and therefore easier to pulverize into small particles. (Cryogenic means very cold, e.g., below minus fifty degrees Fahrenheit.) The ratio of the surface area to volume (and mass) increases as particles become small, due to the square-cube law, which states: When an object undergoes a proportional increase (or decrease) in size, its new surface area is proportional to the square of the multiplier, and its new volume is proportional to the cube of the multiplier. (In the case of a decrease, the multiplier will be a fraction.) As smaller particles have a relatively larger surface area on which chemical reactions can take place, they may be more easily converted by chemical reactions into a useful form.

(43) A gas is used in the recovery of the useful material that reacts with the waste material. The gas is preferably a carbon oxide gas, such as carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. A catalyst such as ceric sulphate, or platinum group metals, coated or uncoated, may be used, in the presence of steam, at a pressure of one atmosphere for a time greater than ten minutes. The waste material may include plastic or any carbon containing material. The waste material may be collected from land or from water. It may be collected from the surface or the subsurface of a body of water, such as an ocean, sea, lake or river.

(44) The waste material may be collected using a ship, boat or other vessel. The vessel may have a bow that can open up to a greater width than the vessel's beam. FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the vessel 26 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, having its bow 28 in a closed position. FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the vessel 26 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, having its bow 28 in an expanded open position. The waste material may also be collected and moved into the vessel using the movement of the vessel, or the current flow in the body of water.

(45) The waste material may be collected using pumps 30 in FIG. 4, paddles or paddlewheels 32 in FIG. 5, rakes 34 in FIG. 6, nets 36 or draglines 38 in FIG. 7, buckets 40 in FIG. 8, shovels 42 in FIG. 9, forks 44 in FIG. 10, spoons 46 in FIG. 11, or any other suitable devices, and moved into the vessel or other suitable container.

(46) FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of a conveyor belt 48 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is used to collect waste material from the water or land, into a vessel or other suitable container. The conveyer belt is capable of movements including extension, retraction, raising, lowering, and titling at an angle, to help collect and move the waste material.

(47) FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a drone 50 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, which can be used to monitor the waste material.

(48) FIG. 14 is a side elevation view of a vessel with cameras 52 in the preferred embodiment of the invention. The cameras can be used to monitor the waste material.

(49) FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of a vessel with a laboratory 54 in the preferred embodiment of the invention. The laboratory is used to analyze the waste material, to determine its type, chemical and physical makeup, identity, and origin.

(50) FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of a chamber 56 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the waste material M being processed inside the chamber.

(51) FIG. 17 is a top plan view of a plurality of the chambers 56 on a rotating table 58 in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(52) FIG. 18 is perspective view of a dryer 60 removing moisture from waste material M in the preferred embodiment of the invention. Dryers may use fan blades, air, heated air, blowers, vibration, radiation, chemicals, gases, or any other suitable means.

(53) Where metal may be present in the waste material, it should be removed before the waste material is shredded or further processed. First, the waste material is passed under a series of magnets, preferably electromagnets. The magnets gather and release magnetic material (metal that can be magnetically attracted) into a size reducer. The size reducer includes grinders and/or shredders. The magnetic material is reduced in size, preferably to an average diameter of one centimeter or less. It is then stored and recycled.

(54) Particles of the waste material are shredded to a size of no more than one meter at their longest dimension. Pulverization then reduces the average diameter of particles of the waste material to one centimeter or less, preferably one millimeter or less, most preferably one-tenth of a millimeter or less. After it is pulverized, the waste material is placed in a chamber at a temperature greater than thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit, preferably between 212 and 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

(55) The pressure in the chamber is between 0.25 and 500 times the average pressure of air at sea level. The humidity in the chamber is kept greater than one percent but less than one hundred percent. Radiation and/or catalysts are used in the chamber to enhance the process of discovery. Carbon and water are collected from the chamber and recycled. The carbon may be used as fuel by the vessel or elsewhere. The water is purified, and may be used for drinking, washing, irrigating crops, industrial processes, etc. Where toxic substances are present in the waste material, after it has been processed the first time, it is processed again one or more times, to remove the toxic substances. Chemicals that neutralize or remove the toxic substances may be added to the waste material. After the waste material in a chamber has been completely processed, the chamber is purged (by washing, vacuuming, sweeping, air pressure, agitation, or other suitable means) of all remnants of the waste material, before more waste material is placed in the chamber.

(56) Besides a method for waste management, the invention also includes apparatus for carrying out the method, including:

(57) one or more chambers, within which waste material is:

(58) frozen to a temperature at or below minus fifty degrees Fahrenheit;

(59) pulverized to maximize the ratio of the surface area to volume (and mass) of particles of the waste material; and

(60) processed to recover useful material.

(61) The waste material is frozen using freezers, which may be inside or outside of the chambers. The waste material is pulverized using pulverizers, which may be inside or outside of the chambers. The waste material is processed using processors, which may be inside or outside of the chambers. The freezing, pulverization, and processing of the waste material may take place in separate chambers or other spaces.

(62) There can be a plurality of the chambers, that are rotated to enable continuous processing of the waste material. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the apparatus can include a vessel 26 to collect the waste material, having a bow 28 that can open up to a greater width than the vessel's beam, to enable more waste material to be brought into the vessel. The vessel preferably has an inner bow 62 that prevents water from entering the vessel. As shown in FIG. 3, there are openings 64 in the vessel through which water can be removed from the waste material after it is brought into the vessel. Vessel or other waste collecting vehicles in the invention may be guided by a global positioning system.

(63) FIG. 19 is a side elevation view of a robotically controlled surface waste collection vessel 66 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, having robotic controller 68.

(64) FIG. 20 is a side elevation view of a robotically controlled subsurface waste collection vessel 70 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, having robotic controller 72.

(65) Robotically controlled collection systems may control ships, boats, barges, submarines, jet skis, trains, trucks, cars, etc.

(66) FIG. 21 is a side elevation view of a collecting mechanism 74 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, attached to a vessel 26, with a screen 76, which may be extended at least six meters by telescoping arm 78 or other suitable means. The screen should have apertures with areas no greater than one square millimeters, preferably no greater than 160 square micrometers.

(67) FIG. 22 is a front elevational view of a net 80 used in the preferred embodiment of the invention. The top 82 of the net has a larger mesh. The bottom 84 of the net has a smaller mesh. Floatation devices 81 keep edges of the nets at the surface of the body of water, with gaps 83 between the floatation devices through which fish can swim. One or more of the nets may be used to collect waste material from the surface of a body of water. The net is sunk to a depth of no more than five meters, and is raised slowly to allow fish to escape, while capturing floating plastic. The net may be closed as it is being raised from the water. It should be slowly closed and slowly raised. Small particles of plastic are most abundant in four meters from the ocean's surface (or three meters from the surface of inland bodies of water). Bodies of water include oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, swamps, etc., or even artificial bodies of water such as in pools, tanks, vats, etc.

(68) There may be a plurality of the nets, having varying mesh sizes, arranged vertically in order of mesh size, with the net having the largest mesh size at the top, and the net having the smallest net size at the bottom. The nets are closed and then raised. The largest mesh size may be five centimeters and the smallest net size may be twenty micrometers. Nets having larger mesh sizes are closed faster than nets having smaller mesh sizes. The edges of the nets have an angle of inclination from the top to the bottom of the nets of not more than twenty-five degrees before they are closed, whereby allowing fish and other marine life to exit from the nets through the larger mesh at the top, while retaining plastic or other material in the smaller mesh at the bottom. There may be a plurality of sets of vertically arranged nets spaced horizontally.

(69) Each of the one or more nets may have larger net sizes at its top, and smaller net sizes at its bottom. As the nets are closed, the top of each net may close faster than its bottom, because of the difference in mesh sizes. The nets are then raised.

(70) After the waste material is pulverized, but before it is reacted with carbon oxide gas, it may be mixed with one or more fluids to form a slurry or other mixture. The fluid may be water or one or more chemicals. The slurry may be mixed using mechanical mixing, screw turning, vibration, centrifuging, or sound waves. Carbonates may be added to the mixture to produce carbon dioxide. Formates may be added to the mixture to produce carbon monoxide. Catalysts, such as ceric sulfate and/or a gas reactor, may be added to the mixture. One or more metallic elements from the platinum group (which includes platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium) may be added to the mixture as catalysts. The catalysts may be coated or uncoated.

(71) FIG. 23 is a front elevational view of a chamber 86 in which a pump 88 separates plastic P from heavier waste material W by creating a vertical vacuum, i.e., the pump pulls air upward in a vertical direction, thus creating a partial vacuum at the top of the chamber, into which the lighter plastic is pulled, while the heavier material remains at the bottom. The plastic can then be removed from the top of the chamber.

(72) FIG. 24 is a front elevational view of a chamber 90 in which interacting screws 92 pulverize waste material W. The screws are turned by motors 94. The screws may pulverize the waste material by turning in opposite directions. The screws may extend, retract and rotate.

(73) FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a knife-edged screen 96. The screen is formed of multiple horizontal and vertical knife edges 98 at right angles. Waste material is pulverized either by forcing it through the screen, or by forcing the screen through the waste material.

(74) FIG. 26 is a front elevational view of a chamber 100 in which waste material W is pulverized by intense sound wave from loud speakers or other sound generators 102. The frequency of the sound waves may be within, above or below the normal range of human hearing.

(75) FIG. 27 is a front elevational view of a chamber 104 in which metal M is removed from waste material W by magnets 106. The magnets may be permanent magnets, temporary magnets, or electromagnets. Waste material may be pulverized using metal balls or other objects moved by electromagnets that are turned on and off.

(76) FIG. 28 is a front elevational view of the freezer 110 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, containing the waste material M being frozen.

(77) FIG. 29 is a front elevational view of the reactor 112 in the preferred embodiment of the invention, containing the waste material M being reacted on.

(78) FIG. 30 is a front elevational view of the plurality of vertically arranged nets, spaced horizontally 114 in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(79) It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.