Patent Application
20220193957
The embodiments generally relate to apparatuses and methods for forming articles made of thermoplastics whereby the thermoplastics serve as the binding agent.
Large volumes of waste inundate both the developed and undeveloped communities throughout the world. In the developed world, many governments have organized waste mitigation solutions to collect, process, and manage large volumes of waste produced by members of the community. In particular, efforts to recycle plastics and paper waste have focused on processes wherein recyclable materials are sorted into various types, and controlled proportions are utilized to produce recycled products.
Developing nations and communities thereof may have no organized means for collecting recyclable materials and transforming the recyclable materials into a usable item. Lack of waste management infrastructure and specifically collection and sorting materials capabilities may compound the proliferation of plastic waste in the environment overall.
In the current arts, there are seven types of plastic including:
Of these seven types of plastics, generally only Code 1: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE) and Code 2: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) are sorted and recycled and the remaining types, referred to in the arts as mixed plastics, are landfilled or incinerated. This sorting system is generally accepted in the industry. However, tightly controlled sorting is expensive and is a significant cost component in current recycling processes. The current arts do not provide a convenient system for utilizing mixed plastics to produce a usable item therefrom.
This summary is provided to introduce a variety of concepts in a simplified form that is further disclosed in the detailed description of the embodiments. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Embodiments described herein provide an apparatus for forming a plastic article, comprising at least one intake conveyor to receive a plurality of plastic material and transfer the plurality of plastic material to at least one shredder to shred the plurality of plastic material. At least one stage conveyor transfers plastic from the at least one shredder to at least one load conveyor to transfer shredded plastic to at least one weigh hopper system. The system material handling and weigh station configuration/placement may vary to support the constraint of the user's operation. At least one boiler system provides pressure and heat to a customizable and interchangeable compression chamber of at least one blocker cell to process the shredded plastic to a block. At least one offtake conveyor receives and expels the block or similar article.
The system permits the repurposing and reusing of various types of plastic using a steam-based compression process. The system is operable to form an article using various types of discarded plastics. The system is constructed to be modular, customizable, and mobile to permit the easy transportation and deployment of the system in various locations. Further, the system may be modular to allow for expansion and compression of size based on the volume of plastic which is processed through the system. The system also allows for the production of various articles which may be developed or are currently available. Monitoring control software is provided in operable communication with a controller of the system to permit an operator to monitor operating conditions, control operational settings, and the like.
In one aspect, a plurality of sensors are positioned to monitor the blocker cell, wherein each of the plurality of sensors are in operable communication with the controller.
In one aspect, the shredder is configured to shred plastic to a size of about 10-15 mm.
In one aspect, the shredder is configured to handle variable processing speeds to address variations in plastic volume requirements.
In one aspect, the load conveyors link system components to move materials between programmed distribution points.
In one aspect, the weigh hopper system weighs the shredded plastic to a programmed mass density.
In one aspect, a wastewater trough is positioned under the blocker cell to collect wastewater therefrom.
In one aspect, a robotic palletizer is used to position and arrange the blocks on a pallet.
In one aspect, a dry rack permits drying of the blocks.
A complete understanding of the present embodiments and the advantages and features thereof will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The specific details of the single embodiment or variety of embodiments described herein are to the described apparatus. Any specific details of the embodiments are used for demonstration purposes only, and no unnecessary limitations or inferences are to be understood therefrom.
Before describing in detail exemplary embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of components and procedures related to the apparatus. Accordingly, the apparatus components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
The specific details of the single embodiment or variety of embodiments described herein are set forth in this application. Any specific details of the embodiments are used for demonstration purposes only, and no unnecessary limitation or inferences are to be understood therefrom. Furthermore, as used herein, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,” “top” and “bottom,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entity or element from another entity or element without necessarily requiring or implying any physical or logical relationship, or order between such entities or elements.
In general, the system provided herein relates to a system for repurposing and/or reusing various types of plastic using a steam-based compression process. The system is operable to form an article using the repurposed plastics without resulting in degradation of the polymers. The system is constructed to be modular, customizable, and mobile to permit the easy transportation and deployment of the system in various locations. Further, the system may be modular to allow for expansion and compression of size based on the volume of plastic, which is processed through the system. The system also allows for the production of various articles which may be developed or are currently available. For example, a large town may require a large configuration compared to a single business, which may produce or create a limited amount of plastic waste. Monitoring control software is provided in operable communication with the system to permit an operator to monitor operating conditions, control operational settings, and the like.
In some embodiments, the shredder 108 operates to handle variable processing speeds to address variations in plastic volume requirements. The shredder 108 may be in operable communication with a controller to allow an operator to vary the speed of the shredder 108 and ensure a steady flow of plastic into and out of the shredder 108.
In some embodiments, the load conveyor 116 is configured in an inclined position and uses a cleated belt to facilitate the movement of the material to the designated blocker cell 124.
In some embodiments, the system permits wastewater recapture. In such, the wastewater is captured and filtered for reuse. In another embodiment, the system recaptures steam for future use.
The system is configurable based on the energy resources available at the location of the system. For example, the system may operate using propane, natural gas, or electric power.
In some embodiments, the wastewater trough 304 is configured to resist corrosion under constant moisture. At least one drainage point is provided to drain wastewater from the trough 304. The number of drainage points is dependent on the number of blocker cells from which the trough 304 gathers wastewater.
In some embodiments, the steam supply lines feed the needles and the compression chamber. Return steam supply lines are provided to collect and return reclaimed water to a retention tank for reuse in future cycles. Each steam supply line includes separate valves with individual control by the controller.
In some embodiments, the steam supply to the needles do not include return steam supply lines.
In some embodiments, the compression chamber 416 is detachable to permit the modification of the blocker cell to produce multiple articles with the same system. In such, the system may be provided with accessory components to produce the various articles.
As described hereinabove and illustrated in
While the blocker cell is illustrated herein in a vertical configuration, the blocker cell 124 may be installed horizontally with minor component adjustments as illustrated in
In some embodiments, the system is modular to account for water and energy availability in the region within which it is deployed.
In some embodiments, the system may be provided in two or more configurations including a small configuration (also referred to herein as “community blocker” and “first configuration”) and a large configuration (also referred to herein as “industrial blocker” and “second configuration”) system. The small configuration is designed for small recycling operations, small community projects, disaster relief and clean-up, and to allow for the system to be mobile and deployable in various environments. For example, the small configuration of the system may be packaged in two ISO standard shipping containers (20 ft to 40 ft in length) to facilitate easy transport and safety, wherein the first of the two shipping containers includes the operational components described herein and the second shipping container houses the boiler system. The large configurations are intended to be floor mounted in a desired position and are not mobile. The large configuration is modular and scalable to accept larger output requirements.
In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a robotic palletizer to aggregate and organize the blocks onto a pallet.
In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a drying rack constructed of a wire mesh to allow drying of the blocks once they are formed.
Many different embodiments have been disclosed herein, in connection with the above description and the drawings. It will be understood that it would be unduly repetitious and obfuscating to describe and illustrate every combination and subcombination of these embodiments. Accordingly, all embodiments can be combined in any way and/or combination, and the present specification, including the drawings, shall be construed to constitute a complete written description of all combinations and subcombinations of the embodiments described herein, and of the manner and process of making and using them, and shall support claims to any such combination or subcombination.
An equivalent substitution of two or more elements can be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element can be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements can be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination can be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present embodiment is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the following claims.
