This specification discloses a method of disposing of solid refuse and converting it into usable end products. Two basic groups of method steps are involved. One is the sorting of the refuse to segregate metals, cardboard, cartons and papers; bottles and glass; cloth and rags; and plastics, together with attending steps of treating the sorted components to reclaim them for usage. The second group of steps is the processing of the organic materials which remain after the above solids have been removed to convert it into usable organic fertilizer.
A process for recovering organics and inorganics from waste material with a specific object of preparing the separated organic fraction for the production of ethanol wherein rigid organic matter becomes soft when subjected to heat and pressure. The process is carried out by first, feeding the waste material into a perforated container mounted within a closed chamber. Next, the waste material is agitated and subjected to heat and pressure which sterilizes it and softens the organics contained therein. After heating under pressure, the pressure is suddenly released from the chamber which forces the softened organics outwardly of the container, thus separating them from the inorganics for further processing to recover fuels and animal feed supplements.
Disclosed is a method of treating waste material wherein after comminution, the relatively hard material such as glass, brick, and ceramic in finely divided condition together with finely divided soft material is separated and removed to a recirculating composter. Disclosed is a composter having a plurality of upright perforated pipes for discharge of the gaseous products of decomposition.
Food contents are separated from ferrous metal cans for conversion into useful byproducts by lacerating the can bodies into strips of metal to expose their contents, advancing along a vibrating conveyor section through a liquid spray, followed by magnetic separation to remove the metal strips and separately collect the food contents and metal strips for recycling. In order to convert the food contents into animal feed, the contents are first dried to reduce their moisture level either by mechanical dehydration or by the addition of bulking agents and then advanced through an extruder section to convert the food contents into dry particle form.
Food contents are separated from ferrous metal cans for conversion into useful byproducts by lacerating the can bodies into strips of metal to expose their contents, advancing along a vibrating conveyor section through a liquid spray, followed by magnetic separation to remove the metal strips and separately collect the food contents and metal strips for recycling. In order to convert the food contents into animal feed, the contents are first dried to reduce their moisture level either by mechanical dehydration or by the addition of bulking agents and then advanced through an extruder section to convert the food contents into dry particle form.
A process for converting municipal refuse into useable products such as building blocks, wall board, and building bricks which consists of the steps of reducing the size of the refuse to a chip size by shredding; decomposing the refuse in the presence of nitrogen, water and air; drying the chemically processed material in a gas fired dryer to render it biologically inert; grinding the dried material to a fine powder; mixing the powder with fillers and binders such as hydraulic setting cements and glues; adding water and other chemicals as required; forming the blocks or other building materials by pressing; and curing the product until a specified strength has been achieved.
