Method and apparatus for separating resource materials from solid waste

摘要

A method of separating solid waste materials, in the form of dried particles of substantially uniform size, into constituent materials on the basis of density, with primary stage processing utilizing one or more fluidized bed and cyclonic separator assemblies to separate materials on the basis of density, is provided by the invention. Secondary stage processing utilizing combinations of vibratory conveyors and melt separation assemblies, is also provided. As the waste materials move through the separator assemblies the initial stream is further refined into a plurality of streams of increasingly specific densities as a result of air flow separation of lighter particles from heavier particles in each assembly. Further refined separation may be achieved through the use of vibratory conveyors and melt separation. Air flow separator assembly apparatus and melt separator apparatus, including a plurality of belts each heated to a selected temperature for temporary adhesion of plastic particles thereto, is also provided by the invention.