WO2023242678A1

WO2023242678A1 - Material separation plant

Info

Publication number: WO2023242678A1
Application number: PCT/IB2023/055801
Authority: WO
Inventors: Maurizio Poggiali
Original assignee: Next Technology Tecnotessile Societa' Nazionale Di Ricerca R.L.
Priority date: 2022-06-16
Filing date: 2023-06-06
Publication date: 2023-12-21

Abstract

Described is a plant for separating materials, comprising a rotary drum (3) for containing material to be separated, a tank (4) for containing a solvent to be introduced into the rotary drum (3), a tank (5) for collecting solvent discharged from the rotary drum (3), an element (7) for filtering the solvent discharged from the rotary drum (3).

Description

MATERIAL SEPARATION PLANT

DESCRIPTION

Technical field

This invention relates to a plant for separating materials .

In particular, the invention relates to a plant for separating materials wherein valuable materials such as polymers or the like are recovered by separating from product s in which they are present .

Background art

The recovery or recycling of waste materials in the textile sector often comprises an undif ferentiated use of these materials , especially in the case of mixed materials , for example for making soundproofing or heat insulating materials or even simply as a wadding filling, thereby also not wasting precious polymeric materials in an indistinct manner together with fibres of reduced value .

There are prior art recycling procedures aimed at mechanically dividing the various element s which make up a product , but these procedures have been found to be particularly complex and not so ef fective as to guarantee a valid economic return, as well as providing a quality/purity of the product obtained which is often unsatis factory .

Recycling plant s have therefore been developed, for the recovery of textile waste , by means of solubilisation using solvent s which, however, imply the production of particularly complex plant s which are not very compatible with the increasingly strict regulations regarding the environment and pollution .

Aim of the invention

The aim of the invention is to provide a plant for separating materials which is able to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art and which is at the same time practical to use and simple and inexpensive to make .

A further aim of the invention is to provide a plant for separating materials which is limited in size and easily transportable .

According to the invention, these aims and others are achieved by a material separating plant comprising the technical features described in the accompanying claims .

Brief description of the drawings

The technical features of the invention, with reference to the above-mentioned aims , are clearly described in the appended claims and it s advantages are apparent from the detailed description which follows , with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a nonlimiting example embodiment of the invention and in which :

- Figure 1 is a schematic view, in a first configuration of use , of a preferred embodiment of the material separating plant according to the invention ;

- Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the plant of Figure 1 .

Detailed description

As illustrated in Figure 1 , the numeral 1 denotes in it s entirety a preferred embodiment of the material separating plant made according to the invention . With reference to Figure 2 , the separating plant 1 comprises a metal supporting frame 2 .

The frame 2 is advantageously made by means of metal structural work, has rectangular dimensions in plan view and allows the engagement with the forks of a lift truck to be easily lifted and moved by it .

The plant 1 comprises , supported by the frame 2 , a rotary drum 3 for containing the material to be separated, a tank 4 for containing a solvent to be introduced into the rotary drum 3 , a tank 5 for collecting the solvent discharged from the rotary drum 3 , a tank 6 for accumulating washing water to be introduced into the rotary drum 3 .

The rotary drum 3 rotates about an axis , not illust rated, perpendicular to the plane of Figure 1 .

The plant 1 comprises a brushles s electric motor de signed to rotate the drum 3 , the brushles s electric motor being configured to oscillate the drum 3 about the above- mentioned and not illustrated axis within a predetermined angle .

Advantageously, in ef fect , the drum 3 is designed to oscillate about the above-mentioned axis , that is to say, to rotate by a predetermined angle in one direction, to reverse the direction of rotation and to rotate by another predetermined angle in the opposite direction and so on .

Inside the rotary drum 3 the plant 1 comprises one or more sonotrodes for generating ultrasounds designed to facilitate the breakdown of the treated materials immersed in the relative solvent . The above-mentioned and not illustrated sonotrodes define , for the plant 1 , respective means for generating ultrasounds arranged inside the rotary drum 3 .

The plant 1 also comprises an element 7 for filtering the solvent discharged from the rotary drum 3 .

As illustrated in Figure 1 , the filtering element 7 is interposed between the rotary drum 3 and the tank 5 for collecting the discharged solvent , and in fluid communication with both .

A first hydraulic conduit 8 fluidly connect s the water mains out side the tank 6 for accumulating washing water and also to the rotary drum 3 .

A second hydraulic conduit 9 fluidly connect s the tank 6 for accumulating washing water to the rotary drum 3 . A third hydraulic conduit 10 fluidly connect s the tank

4 for containing solvent to the rotary drum 3 .

A fourth hydraulic conduit 11 fluidly connect s the rotary drum 3 to the tank 5 for collecting discharged solvent . The above-mentioned filtering element 7 is positioned along the fourth hydraulic conduit 11 , downstream of the rotary drum 3 and upstream of the tank 5 for collecting discharged solvent , in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1 .

A fifth hydraulic conduit 12 fluidly connect s the tank

5 for collecting discharged solvent to the tank 4 for containing solvent .

As illustrated in Figure 1 , the plant 1 comprises a first pump 13 for feeding the solvent to the rotary drum 3 . The plant 1 comprises a second pump 14 for feeding solvent discharged from the rotary drum 3 to the filtering element 7 and from the latter to the next collection tank 5 .

The plant 1 comprises a third pump 15 for feeding, to the containment tank 4 , solvent accumulated in the collection tank 5 .

The plant 1 also comprises a fourth pump 1 6 for feeding washing water present in the accumulation tank 6 to the rotary drum 3 .

Advantageously, the above-mentioned pumps 13 , 14 , 15 , 1 6 are of the ATEX membrane type , that is to say, with functions protecting against the risks of explosion, since the solvent s used in the plant 1 may also be of the flammable or highly flammable type .

Advantageously, the above-mentioned pumps 13 , 14 , 15 , 1 6 are pneumatically operated . It is in fact pos sible by means of the pneumatic operation to eliminate pos sible sources of risk, in terms of explosion, such as the electricity supply of the common electric pumps .

As illustrated in Figure 1 , the plant 1 comprises first means 17 for heating solvent contained in the containment tank 4 .

As illustrated in Figure 1 , the plant 1 comprises second means 18 for heating washing water contained in the accumulation tank 6 .

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings , the plant 1 for separating materials comprises a plurality of pneumatically operated valves V positioned along the above-mentioned conduit s 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 and 12 by means of which, through pneumatic conduit s not illustrated, it is pos sible to control the flow of solvent and water through the conduit s 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 and 12 , as required in the various operating steps of the plant 1 .

In use , the material to be separated, for example textile waste comprising polymeric materials , is inserted inside the rotary drum 3 which is filled with an appropriate solvent coming from the containment tank 4 .

The choice of the solvent to be used is clearly made on the basis of the characteristics of the material to be extracted .

The rotary drum 3 defines a reactor inside of which the solvent act s on the composite material for extracting the desired material ( s ) , for example thermoplastics .

The rotary drum 3 is oscillated by means of the brushles s electric motor mentioned above and not illustrated .

In the case of polymers , they separate inside the rotating drum 3 , causing them to precipitate , after which they are recovered by making new granules ready for subsequent uses , such as , for example , new fusions . Advantageously, the oscillation with a variation of the direction of rotation is preferred to the continuous rotation of the rotary drum 3 due to the fact that the dis solved materials , if they cool , tend to precipitate ; therefore the les s the material leaves the air, the more it remains in temperature and the deeper and more incisive the separation action is .

The presence of the above-mentioned and not illustrated sonotrodes inside the rotary drum 3 and immersed in the solvent favours the detachment and separation of the materials proces sed thanks to the action of the mechanical waves produced by them . Any fibres , previously mixed with the polymers , are also recovered from the rotary drum 3 ; even if they are not new, they can still be reused in many pos sible uses .

As illustrated in Figure 1 , by means of the first hydraulic conduit 8 which fluidly connect s the external water mains also to the rotary drum 3 it is pos sible for cold water to reach the inside of the drum 3 if a fast cooling is neces sary in order to quickly precipitate the separated material ( s ) .

Once the step of precipitation of the separated materials has been completed, the solvent is discharged from the rotary drum 3 through the fourth hydraulic conduit 11 , and directed to the filtering element 7 . Inside the filtering element 7 the solvent is then purified of any impurities and introduced in the tank 5 for collect ing solvent , available to be reintroduced in the containment tank 4 through the fifth hydraulic conduit 12 .

According to an embodiment of the plant 1 according to this invention, the filtering element 7 is of the active carbon type .

The separating plant 1 according to the invention achieves the preset aims and brings important advantages .

A first advantage linked to the invention is due to the fact that it provides a compact plant compris ing a limited number of component s .

Another advantage linked to the invention is due to the fact that the plant according to the invention is easily movable even to dif ferent places of use also by means of a simple lift truck .

Claims

CLAIMS A plant for separating materials, comprising:

- a rotary drum (3) for containing the material to be separated,

- a tank (4) for containing a solvent to be introduced into said rotary drum (3) ,

- a tank (5) for collecting solvent discharged by said rotary drum (3) ;

- an element (7) for filtering solvent discharged by said rotary drum (3) ;

- a tank (6) for accumulating washing water to be introduced into said rotary drum (3) . The plant according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a brushless motor designed to rotate said rotary drum (3) , said brushless motor being configured to oscillate said drum (3) within a predetermined angle. The plant according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it comprises ultrasound generating means located inside said rotary drum (3) . The plant according to claim 3, characterised in that said ultrasound generating means comprise at least one sonotrode. The plant according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a first pump (13) for feeding said solvent to said rotary drum (3) . The plant according to claim 5, characterised in that it comprises a second pump (14) for feeding to said filtering element (7) solvent discharged by said rotary drum (3) . The plant according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that it comprises a third pump (15) for feeding, to said containment tank (4) , solvent accumulated in said collection tank (5) . The plant according to any of the claims 5 to 7, characterised in that it comprises a fourth pump (16) for feeding washing water present in said accumulation tank (6) to the rotary drum (3) . The plant according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that said pumps 13, 14, 15, 16 are at least partly of the ATEX membrane type. The plant according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterised in that said pumps (13, 14, 15, 16) are pneumatically operated. The plant according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises first means (17) for heating solvent contained in said containment tank (4) . The plant according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises second means (18) for heating washing water contained in said accumulation tank (6) . The plant according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a metal frame (2) supporting said rotary drum (3) , containment tank (4) , collection tank (5) and accumulation tank (6) , said frame (2) being configured to be able to be lifted by a lift truck.