Turf infill separation device and method for separating dry or desiccated infill from artificial turf products and the like

Abstract

A separation system (100) suitable for separating a dry or dried fill, preferably comprising rubber and / or sand, into a plurality of fractions, the separation system (100) comprising a first sieving means (110) configured to receive a set of first separating screens (111) configured to separate the fill (201) into a first plurality of fractions (201a), the separation system (100) further comprising a pre-analysis unit (101), a database (180), and a processing unit (102) configured to calculate a correlation coefficient and / or a deviation value between the first set of compositional values ​​(301) and a plurality of second sets of compositional values ​​in the database (180). And a method for separating a dry or dried fill having a material composition, preferably comprising rubber and sand, into a plurality of fractions.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved separation apparatus and separation method for separating dry or dehydrated filler from artificial turf products, that is, for separating artificial turf products into multiple high-purity fractions. In the present invention, the result is achieved by pre-analyzing the filler material before the separation step in order to separate the filler material on a selected separation screen. [Background technology]

[0002] Artificial turf has long been used as the ground surface for football, baseball, and soccer fields. In recent years, artificial turf has also been used in other applications where there is a demand for a replacement for natural grass. These applications include, at a minimum, playgrounds, residential and commercial lawns, other landscaping, pathways, paintball fields, tennis courts, putting greens, and dog runs.

[0003] Typically, artificial turf contains a grass-like fabric with a backing and several upright ribbons, also called face fibers, that resemble grass. Many artificial turf products also include a filler dispersed between the upright ribbons, which may consist of sand, tire rubber scraps, or other particles. The filler material mimics the soil of natural grass, acts as ballast, and / or contributes to the physical properties of the turf, such as resilience, making the turf suitable for a particular application.

[0004] The lifespan of artificial turf depends on the structure of the grass, its intended use, weathering, and how the grass is maintained. For example, a typical artificial turf used for sports fields can have a lifespan of approximately 8 to 15 years. Currently, a large quantity of artificial turf is used in hundreds of sports fields and other applications.

[0005] Disposing of artificial turf is very expensive due to its material composition, which ranges from recycled rubber and sand to plastic. To avoid sending artificial turf to landfills at considerable cost, recycling and reusing all or part of the turf has been considered as a cost-saving option in recent years. Now, however, it has become possible to upcycle and reuse all or part of the artificial turf, further expanding the range of individual components.

[0006] Methods for recycling interior carpets and for providing carpet backing using recycled carpet scraps are known. Some of these known methods involve, for example, cutting and separating the carpet yarn or fringes from the backing, and processing only the yarn.

[0007] However, artificial turf has a different chemical composition than carpet, and these differences in composition make conventional carpet recycling processes unsuitable for recycling artificial turf. Many artificial turf products contain components not found in carpet, which are incompatible with or at least undesirable for conventional carpet recycling methods. For example, conventional carpet does not contain any filler.

[0008] Common infill materials used in installing artificial turf include sand, coconut shells, tire rubber scraps, and / or other particles, either alone or in combination. Therefore, recycling artificial turf presents unique challenges not present in carpet recycling. Separating the infill from the rest of the artificial turf requires the use of specialized equipment, and the disposal of the separated infill may lead to environmental problems. Furthermore, additional issues in the recycling process include the impact of residual infill particles on the size reduction process and the properties of the final product.

[0009] For this reason, attempts have been made to recycle and reuse existing artificial turf, or at least a portion of it, to avoid sending the entire discarded artificial turf to landfills. Such a process is described in International Publication No. 2010 / 075098. In this process, the infill is separated from the backing and grass imitation fibers, then downsized, the infill is further removed, and then agglomeration occurs. The agglomerated granules of grass fragments are placed into an extruder. The granules are extruded, for example, in the form of strands or ribbons, to form an extruded product. Another process described in U.S. Publication No. 20150209830 uses a vibrating screen to separate the artificial turf infill material by specific gravity.

[0010] Most conventional, publicly known processes recycle the components of carpet or artificial turf into a new product of mixed components, rather than being reverse-engineered, which breaks down the product into its individual starting components and mimics them.

[0011] U.S. Patent Publication 2016 / 186387 describes an apparatus and method for regenerating rubber infill commonly used in combination with artificial turf. U.S. Patent Publication 2016 / 183387 uses an aspirator to remove sand from rubber pellets. The rubber can also be processed during this process to remove debris. The rubber can then be reused during the reconstruction of the artificial turf.

[0012] U.S. Patent Publication 2013 / 017023 describes an on-site system and method for recycling infill. The infill is extracted from artificial turf and separated primarily into rubber, sand, and debris in a screen separator, after which the rubber and sand fractions are further separated in a destorer and silo screen.

[0013] European Patent No. 2862688 of the same applicant similarly describes a process for separating sand and rubber filler derived from a dry or dried turf product into clean sand and rubber in a series of cleaning steps.

[0014] Furthermore, known processes do not offer a flexible process that can efficiently separate artificial turf fillers with various components in high yield and high purity within the same recycling site.

[0015] Thus, while conventional processes are an improvement over landfill disposal of materials, in order to provide improved grades of products and to offer a flexible process that can accommodate various compositions of different artificial turf products, it is still necessary to separate individual components into fractions containing substantially one component, preferably within a predetermined particle size range.

[0016] Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a process in which the result is individual components that have been cleaned to a height sufficient for reuse as turf or in other industries. Ultimately, it is desirable to provide efficient processes that do not rely heavily on natural resources such as water.

[0017] The object of the present invention is to provide a process and apparatus for separating components of various filler products, and a process that results in high purity of each separated component, thereby solving one or more of the above problems. [Overview of the project]

[0018] In view of the foregoing, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for separating dry or dehydrated filler from artificial turf products and the like into multiple fractions. The concept of the present invention presents a solution to the difficult problem of efficiently separating filler containing various compositions into at least one of graded sand, granular styrene-butadiene rubber, granular cork, granular organic filler, granular thermoplastic elastomer, or granular ethylene propylene diene monomer. At the same time, the concept of the present invention is beneficial to the environment because the efficient separation of filler from artificial turf and the like is an important technique in the recycling process of filler from artificial turf and other products.

[0019] The fraction obtained according to the present invention is characterized by having a purity of at least 95% (w / w) or more of the component in question.

[0020] A method for separating a dry or dehydrated filler having a material composition, preferably a material composition including rubber and sand, into multiple fractions, (a) supply the dry or dehydrated filler, (b) Take a sample of the dry or dehydrated filler, (c) To obtain a first set of composition values ​​corresponding to the composition of the dry or dried filler and / or the first artificial turf product, the composition of the filler, for example, taken from the first artificial turf product, the preliminary analysis comprising (i) separating the filler into several analytical fractions based on particle size and / or specific gravity using a preliminary analysis unit, and (ii) determining the relative content of each of the separated analytical fractions with respect to the total content of the analyzed filler. (d) Prepare at least a first sieving means configured to receive at least a set of at least a first separation screen configured to separate the packing into a plurality of fractions, (e) Where each of a plurality of second sets of composition values ​​corresponds to the composition of a material and a predetermined set of second separation screens, the first set of composition values ​​of the dry or dried filler is compared with each of the plurality of second sets of composition values ​​from the database in order to obtain a correlation coefficient and / or deviation value between the first set of composition values ​​and each of the plurality of second sets of composition values ​​from the database. (f) When comparing the set of separation screens, if the set of separation screens corresponds to the set of second composition values ​​and has a correlation coefficient exceeding a predetermined threshold and / or has a relatively low deviation value, preferably the smallest available deviation value, then the set of separation screens to be received by the at least first sieving means is selected. (g) Attach the selected set of the first separation screens to the first sieving means, (h) Separate the filler into a plurality of fractions.

[0021] The compositions of various different filler products such as artificial turf products are very non-uniform. For example, depending on the climate in which the turf is used or the type of sport being played on the turf, the composition is adjusted to meet specific needs. Also, depending on the manufacturer and age, the materials used in the filler and artificial turf may vary. By using a database and pre-analyzing the turf and / or filler before separating according to the concepts of the present invention, the separation process can separate such fillers containing various compositions in a shortened, less cumbersome, and more predictable manner without compromising the homogeneity or purity of the separated fractions.

[0022] The term "dry or dried filler" in the context of the present invention means a filler that substantially does not contain excess water or other liquids, such as a filler dried by appropriate storage conditions in a dry environment or a filler dried by a device such as a fluidized bed dryer. Such dry or dried fillers can be appropriately obtained from artificial turf products. In particular, the separation of very fine sand is affected by the moisture content.

[0023] The term "separate" in the context of the present invention means separating a non-uniform composition into less non-uniform fractions, preferably uniform fractions. This non-uniformity is defined, for example, by particle size, density, specific gravity, and / or material.

[0024] In the context of this invention, the term “artificial turf product” encompasses all components of the starting materials used in the process of this invention. Synthetic and artificial can be used interchangeably and have the same meaning, i.e., grass-like imitations made primarily from non-biological materials. The starting materials for the process of this invention, i.e., dry or dehydrated fillers, are appropriately derived from turf products from sports facilities, playgrounds, landscaping areas, etc. The origin of the starting materials should not be limited. It is also taken into consideration that the starting materials may contain contaminants.

[0025] In the context of this invention, the term “multiple fractions” means two or more fractions obtained by separation. Each fraction is mainly composed of substantially the same material, preferably having substantially the same specific gravity and particle sizes within a specific range of particle sizes.

[0026] In the context of this invention, the term "first dry or dried filler" means a dry or dried filler that is separated into multiple fractions. Prior to being separated into multiple fractions, the first dry or dried filler also provides material for preliminary analysis.

[0027] The terms "fine sand" and "coarse sand" describe the range of sand particle size in comparison to other terms. If there are two fractions of sand particles, one with a size range of 0.5 to 0.6 mm and the other with a size range of <0.2 to 0.5 mm, the fraction containing the 0.5 to 0.6 mm particles is considered coarse sand, while the fraction containing the 0.2 to 0.5 mm particles is considered fine sand. Alternatively, if there are two fractions of sand particles, one with a size range of 0.2 to 0.5 mm and the other with a particle size of less than 0.2 mm, the fraction containing the 0.2 to 0.5 mm particles is considered coarse sand, while the fraction containing the less than 0.2 mm particles is considered fine sand. Preferably, when two fractions exist, one containing sand particles with a size range of 0.2 to 0.6 mm and the other containing sand particles with a particle size of less than 0.2 mm, the fraction containing sand particles with a size range of 0.2 to 0.6 mm is considered coarse sand, while the fraction containing sand particles with a particle size of less than 0.2 mm is considered fine sand. Furthermore, when two fractions exist, one containing sand particles with a particle size in the range of <0.2 to 0.6 mm and the other containing sand particles with a particle size greater than 0.6 mm, the fraction containing sand particles with a size range of less than 0.2 to 0.6 mm is considered fine sand, while the fraction containing sand particles with a particle size greater than 0.6 mm is considered coarse sand.

[0028] In the context of this invention, the term “preliminary analysis” refers to a small-scale analytical step prior to the separation of bulk packing by large-scale sieving means. During preliminary analysis, the packing sample is separated into multiple analytical fractions based on specific gravity and / or particle size using a preliminary analysis unit such as a vibrating sieve shaker with progressively finer mesh sizes. This allows for obtaining an overview of the composition of the packing before separation. The inventors have found that from information regarding the material composition of the sample, it is possible to select a separation screen with properties (e.g., mesh size) that enhance separation efficiency even on a large scale. Preferably, the preliminary analysis is performed one or more times additionally or alternatively to obtain multiple composition results and / or composition average values ​​in order to reduce potential measurement errors.

[0029] In the context of this invention, the term “set of compositional values” means values ​​obtained by preliminary analysis characterizing the composition of the analyzed material after it has been separated into small analytical fractions. A set of compositional values ​​consists of one or more values, each of which may represent, for example, the weight of the analytical fraction and / or the relative weight of the analytical fraction to the total weight of the analytical sample. The resulting set of compositional values ​​can be considered a “footprint” of each infill and / or first artificial turf product to distinguish it from other infills and / or artificial turf products. The resulting first set of compositional values ​​can further be compared with a second set of compositional values ​​from second artificial turf products and / or infills previously analyzed and separated. This makes it possible to identify one or more second dry or dried infills previously analyzed and separated that have a second set of compositional values ​​that are in the same family as the first set of compositional values ​​of the first dry or dried infill. This matching allows those skilled in the art to identify the set of separation screens used in the sieving means to separate the second dry or dried infills. The set of separation screens described above demonstrates excellent separation efficiency for separating the second dry or dehydrated packing and provides good separation efficiency for the matching first dry or dehydrated packing in most cases. The first set of compositional values ​​is obtained by separating the packing from the first packing into analytical fractions and determining the relative proportion of each fraction in %(w / w) for each analytical fraction. Each analytical fraction is characterized by having a specific range of particle size and / or containing one or more materials. The first set of compositional values ​​consists of one or more values. Preferably, a matched set of separation screens for separating a first dry or dehydrated packing in the first sieving means is used additionally or substitutively for a limited time before being replaced with another set of separation screens. The overall separation efficiency can be further improved by replacing one or more separation screens in the set of separation screens with other separation screens. The replacement of separation screens is performed during the operation of the sieving means or during a short pause in the operation of the sieving means. After replacing at least one separation screen in the sieving means, the packing is passed to the other set of separation screens with improved packing separation efficiency.

[0030] In the context of this invention, the term "composition" means the characteristics of the components or constituents of an artificial turf product or infill. Composition can be understood as the presence of one or more materials such as graded sand, granular styrene-butadiene rubber, granular coconut shell, granular cork, granular organic filler, granular thermoplastic elastomer, or granular ethylene propylene diene monomer, and / or the presence of one or more materials such as the specific gravity, proportional content (e.g., by mass), and / or particle size of said materials.

[0031] In the context of this invention, the term "analytical fraction" means the fraction obtained by the separation of the first dry or dried packing during preliminary analysis.

[0032] In the context of this invention, the term “sieving means” means any device configured to separate bulk material of different particles or particle sizes into a plurality of fractions having a predetermined particle or particle size. The separation of the material is carried out through a perforated separation screen of a defined mesh size and / or vibrating horizontally. The sieving means has an external screen outlet that provides high flexibility, as it allows for very good access and the screen can be easily replaced with a screen of a different mesh size and / or perforated screen.

[0033] In the context of this invention, the term “set of separation screens” means two or more separation screens for separating dry or dehydrated fillers. Within a set of separation screens, individual separation screens may have similar, identical, or substantially different mesh sizes and / or perforations.

[0034] In the context of this invention, the term “database” means a list of compositional values ​​for previously analyzed and separated dry or dried packings and a corresponding set of separation screens. This list includes information on their mesh size and / or porosity used for separating the aforementioned previously separated dry or dried packings. The database enables a good overview of a second dry or dried packing previously analyzed and separated and provides a basis for matching a set of compositional values ​​from a first dry or dried packing with a second set of compositional values ​​from a second dry or dried packing. Preferably, the database, with its organized collection of data, is stored and accessed electronically from a computer system. The database may also be a spreadsheet program that stores compositional values ​​arranged in rows and columns that can be mathematically manipulated using both basic and complex arithmetic operations and functions.

[0035] In the context of the present invention, the terms “purity” or “high purity” mean that the particles in the analyzed fraction have substantially the same particle size, and / or that the particles in the analyzed fraction are made of the same material, preferably one or more of the following: coconut shells, fine sand, coarse sand, graded sand, granular styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), granular rubber scraps, granular cork, granular organic fillers, granular thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), granular thermoplastic olefins (TFO), granular neoprene rubber, granular fiberglass, granular polyethylene, granular polypropylene, granular nylon, or granular ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). Alternatively, the particles in the analyzed fraction have a particle size within a predetermined range, and the particles in the analyzed fraction are made of the same material, preferably one or more of the following: coconut shells, fine sand, coarse sand, graded sand, granular styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), granular rubber scraps, granular cork, granular organic filler, granular thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), granular thermoplastic olefin (TFO), granular neoprene rubber, granular fiberglass, granular polyethylene, granular polypropylene, granular nylon, or granular ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). Alternatively, the terms purity or high purity refer to material purity of the separated fractions exceeding 95%(w / w), 96%(w / w), 97%(w / w), 98%(w / w), 99%(w / w), or approximately 100%(w / w). High purity is essential for the reuse of materials. The purity of rubber, sand, and / or other filler fractions can be determined by standard tests well known to those skilled in the art, such as ASTM International's D5603 for testing the purity of rubber.

[0036] In the context of this invention, the term "correlation coefficient" means a numerical measure of a certain type of correlation that represents a statistical relationship between two variables. The variables can be two or more columns of a particular dataset of composition values. Thus, the correlation coefficient represents the correlational and / or statistical relationship between a first set of composition values ​​and a second set of composition values, and / or between the values ​​of the first set of composition values ​​and the values ​​of the second set of composition values, and enables the identification of a second set of composition values ​​that has a high correlational and / or statistical relationship with the first set of composition values. Preferably, the correlation coefficient can also be determined between any suitable data point in one set of composition values ​​and any suitable data point in another set of composition values.

[0037] In the context of this invention, the term “deviation score” means a measure of the difference between a first set of composition values ​​and a second set of composition values ​​from a database, and / or the values ​​of the first set of composition values ​​and the values ​​of the second set of composition values ​​from the database. Determining the deviation score is a quick and easy method for identifying a second set of composition values ​​that has a small deviation from the first set of composition values. Preferably, the deviation score can also be determined between any suitable data point in a set of composition values ​​and any suitable data point in another set of composition values.

[0038] The standard score can be determined, for example, as a weight percentage (%(w / w)) using the relative proportion of the fractions of the first, second, or subsequent fillers within the total sample. Preferably, a low or relatively low standard score means a relative fractional proportional standard score of 0.5%(w / w) or less, 2%(w / w) or less, 5%(w / w) or less, or 15%(w / w) or less for fractions with a particle size of 1.6 cm or larger. Preferably, a low or relatively low standard score means a relative fractional proportional standard score of 0.05%(w / w) or less, 0.1%(w / w) or less, 0.5%(w / w) or less, 1%(w / w) or less, 2%(w / w) or less, or 10%(w / w) or less for fractions with a particle size in the range of 1.0 to 1.4 cm. Preferably, a low or relatively low standard deviation means a relative fractional proportional standard deviation of 0.5%(w / w) or less, 2%(w / w) or less, 5%(w / w) or less, 10%(w / w) or less, 15%(w / w) or less, or 25%(w / w) or less for fractions with particle sizes in the range of 0.2 to 0.8 cm. Preferably, a low or relatively low standard deviation means a relative fractional proportional standard deviation of 0.005%(w / w) or less, 0.01%(w / w) or less, 0.05%(w / w) or less, 0.1%(w / w) or less, 0.5%(w / w) or less, 1%(w / w) or less, 2%(w / w) or less, 3%(w / w) or less, 4%(w / w) or less, or 5%(w / w) or less for fractions with particle sizes of 0.2 cm or less.

[0039] In the context of this invention, the term "threshold" means a set value or magnitude that the correlation coefficient must exceed in order to match a first set of compositional values ​​with at least one second set of compositional values. The threshold ensures that the matching between the first set of compositional values ​​and the second set of compositional values ​​has a predetermined correlational and / or statistical relationship with respect to each other. This enables the identification and selection of a set of separation screens with good separation efficiency for the corresponding first dry or dehydrated packing.

[0040] According to a second aspect of the concept of the present invention, a separation apparatus suitable for separating a dry or arid filler, preferably a filler from an artificial turf product comprising rubber and / or sand, into a plurality of fractions, wherein the separation apparatus has a first sieving means configured to receive a set of first separation screens configured to separate the filler into a plurality of first fractions, the separation apparatus further comprises: a preliminary analysis unit configured to determine the composition of the dry or arid filler by particle size and / or specific gravity in order to obtain a first set of composition values ​​corresponding to the relative content of each separated analysis fraction to the total content of the analyzed filler; a database including a plurality of sets of second composition values, preferably each set of composition values ​​corresponding to the composition of the dry or arid filler from a plurality of different artificial turf products and / or a second dry or arid filler, and a first predetermined set of separation screens for separating the filler; and a processing unit configured to calculate correlation coefficients and / or deviation values ​​between the set of first composition values ​​and each of the plurality of sets of second composition values ​​in the database.

[0041] By providing a database and processing unit, a rapid and convenient comparison of packing compositions from a first dry or dehydrated packing with various packing compositions from a second dry or dehydrated packing previously analyzed and separated becomes possible. The processing unit then accurately calculates the correlation coefficient and / or identifies the deviation between the first and second composition values ​​to select, for example, a set of separation screens for efficiently separating the packing from the first dry or dehydrated packing. The easy identification and selection of a set of separation screens for efficiently separating pre-analyzed packings reduces the need for tedious trial and error involving various sets of separation screens until efficient separation is minimized.

[0042] In the context of this invention, the term "preliminary analysis unit" means any analysis unit capable of determining the composition of a packing by separating a sample into several fractions of a predetermined specific gravity and / or particle size. The preliminary analysis unit may be a vibrating screen shaker, such as a commercially available screen shaker "AS200 Basic" (a registered trademark of Lechner) or other suitable screen shaker, which has a gradually decreasing mesh size.

[0043] In the context of this invention, the term “processing unit” means any unit known to those skilled in the art that is configured to perform data processing, use numerical and logical operations, execute instructions, and / or receive data. The processing unit provides automated and user-friendly data processing to calculate correlation coefficients and / or identify deviation values ​​between first and second compositions in a database to select a set of separation screens for efficient separation of fillers. Preferably, the processing unit is a computing unit that includes software for data processing, statistical calculations, mathematical operations, and / or database management.

[0044] The term "NSL" is an abbreviation of Nasenloch and refers to a perforated separation screen that is slightly raised compared to the non-perforated portion of the separation screen. These elevated perforations (NSLs) further improve the separation efficiency of packings compared to a completely flat separation screen. Within a set of separation screens, preferably one or more separation screens may be NSL screens with elevated perforations.

[0045] Other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed disclosure, the appended claims, and the appended drawings.

[0046] In general, all terms used in the claims should be interpreted according to their ordinary meanings in the art unless otherwise specified herein. All references to “a / an / the [element, device, component, means, step, etc.]” ​​should be interpreted straightforwardly as referring to at least one example of such element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless otherwise specified. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0047] The above, as well as additional objectives, features, and advantages of the concept of the present invention, will be better understood through the following exemplary and non-limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments of the concept of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where the same reference numerals are used for similar elements.

[0048] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a flowchart of a method for separating packing material using a single sieving device.

[0049] [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for separating the packing material using two sieving methods.

[0050] [Figure 3a] Figure 3a is a flowchart of a method for separating the packing material using three or four sieving means.

[0051] [Figure 3b] Figure 3b is a flowchart of a method for separating the packing using three or four sieving means.

[0052] [Figure 3c] Figure 3c is a flowchart of a method for separating the packing using three or four sieving means.

[0053] [Figure 3d] Figure 3d is a flowchart of a method for separating the packing using three or four sieving means.

[0054] [Figure 3e] none [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method for separating packing material using a sieving mechanism with separation screen replacement.

[0055] [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart of the database creation process using the packing separation method.

[0056] [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a turf filler separation device equipped with one sieving mechanism.

[0057] [Figure 7a] Figure 7a is a schematic diagram of the sieving mechanism within the packing separation device.

[0058] [Figure 7b] Figure 7b is a schematic diagram of the sieving mechanism within the packing separation device.

[0059] [Figure 7c] Figure 7c is a schematic diagram of the sieving mechanism within the packing separation device.

[0060] [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a packing separation device equipped with four sieving means.

[0061] [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a packing separation apparatus equipped with an in-line analysis unit. Detailed explanation

[0062] Hereinafter, embodiments of apparatus and methods for separating dry or dehydrated packing materials will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9.

[0063] Referring to Figure 1, a flowchart is shown of a method for separating a dry or dehydrated filler having a material composition preferably comprising rubber and sand into multiple fractions, according to a first aspect of the present invention. The method of the present invention comprises at least one of the following steps:

[0064] (a) supplying dry or dehydrated fillers, (b) Taking a sample of the dry or dried filler, (c) Preliminarily analyzing the composition of the sampled filler in order to obtain a first set of composition values ​​corresponding to the composition of the dry or dehydrated filler, the preliminary analysis comprising the following steps: (i) Separating the packing into multiple analytical fractions based on particle size and / or specific gravity using a preliminary analysis unit, (ii) Determine the relative content of each separated analytical fraction in relation to the total content of the analyzed filler, (d) Provide at least a first sieving means configured to receive at least a first set of separation screens, wherein the at least first set of separation screens is configured to separate the packing into a plurality of fractions. (e) In order to obtain a correlation coefficient and / or deviation score between a first set of composition values ​​in the database and each of a plurality of second sets of composition values, the first set of composition values ​​of the dry or dried filler is compared with the plurality of second sets of composition values ​​in the database, each of the second sets of composition values ​​corresponds to the composition of the material and a predetermined set of second separation screens, (f) Selecting at least a first set of separation screens to be received by at least a first sieving means by selecting a set of separation screens that, when compared with the first set of composition values, corresponds to the second set of composition values ​​and has a correlation coefficient exceeding a predetermined threshold, and / or has a relative fraction ratio with a deviation value of less than 20%(w / w), less than 15%(w / w), preferably less than 10%(w / w), more preferably less than 5%(w / w), more preferably less than 2%(w / w), most preferably less than 1%(w / w), preferably the lowest available deviation value. (g) Installing the selected set of first separation screens into the first sieving means, (h) Separating the packing material into multiple fractions.

[0065] Preferably, the dry or dehydrated filler contains rubber and sand. The rubber material can be selected from, but is not limited to, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), thermoplastic elastomer rubber (TPE), thermoplastic olefin rubber (TPO), or a combination thereof. Because the material composition of the dry or dehydrated filler can vary, it is also possible to separate fillers containing rubber combined with other materials excluding sand, and / or fillers containing sand combined with other materials excluding rubber. Alternatively, the material composition of the dry or dehydrated filler may be essentially free of rubber and sand.

[0066] Step (a) includes providing a dry or dehydrated filler. Preferably, the dry or dehydrated filler is from an artificial turf product.

[0067] Before step (a), the filler supplied from any source is appropriately subjected to a drying process in which the relative moisture content of the filler is significantly reduced. Usually, the relative moisture content of the filler before the drying process is 3 to 7% (w / w). During the drying process, the moisture content preferably decreases to 1 to 5% (w / w), 0.5 to 2% (w / w), 0.1 to 1% (w / w), 0.01 to 0.5% (w / w), or 0.0001 to 0.05% (w / w). Exemplarily, the moisture content of the sand separated from the dry or dried filler is preferably 0.0005% (w / w) or less.

[0068] In step (b), a sample of the dry or dried filler is taken. Preferably, the sample represents the overall material composition of the filler. The total number of samples taken for preliminary analysis may be two, three, four, or more than four. Preferably, the total area of the artificial turf product is 100 m 2 , 200 m 2 , 500 m 2 , 1,000 m 2 , 2,000 m 2 , 4,000 m 2 , 6,000 m 2 , 8,000 m 2 , or 10,000 m 2If the size exceeds a certain limit, or if the total weight of the infill exceeds a certain limit, such as 20 kg, 50 kg, 100 kg, 500 kg, and / or 1000 kg, two, three, or more than three samples are taken from different parts of the infill. Preferably, the total number of samples taken for preliminary analysis increases with the total area / size or total weight of the artificial turf product and / or the dry or dried infill. Alternatively, the total number of samples does not change regardless of the total area / size or total weight of the artificial turf product and / or the dry or dried infill (e.g., three samples). If the infill samples are taken from the artificial turf product, for example, the infill samples are taken directly from the intact artificial turf product before it is rolled up for transport from the site to the recycling site and before it arrives for processing. Alternatively, after the majority of the infill has been separated from the rest of the artificial turf product, infill samples can be taken before, during, and / or after the infill has dried. When performing a separation process by combining fillers from two or more artificial turf products, preferably, samples are taken from the fillers of each of the different artificial turf products. Sampling can be carried out at random locations on the artificial turf product and / or infill, or in a systematic manner. Preferably, samples are taken in a systematic manner, for example, if the artificial turf product is transported from the site to the recycling site by multiple transport vehicles, samples are taken from all single transport vehicles or several different transport vehicles.

[0069] In step (c), a preliminary analysis of the composition of the collected dry or dehydrated filler is performed. The results of the preliminary analysis yield a first set of compositional values ​​corresponding to, for example, the composition of the filler from the first artificial turf product. During the preliminary analysis, the filler is separated into several analytical fractions based on particle size and / or specific gravity. Preferably, preliminary analysis is performed using an analytical sieve shaker such as the AS200 Basic (registered trademark) from Lechner. Typically, such analytical sieve shakers have a particle size range of 20 μm to 25 mm.

[0070] Before or during preliminary analysis, the weight of the packing sample is determined, for example, using a scale, or via the preliminary analysis unit if it has an integrated scale. During or after preliminary analysis, the weight of each analytical fraction is determined via a scale, or via the preliminary analysis unit if it has an integrated scale. Based on the determined sample weight and fraction weight, the relative content of each analytical fraction to the whole sample is calculated, preferably in %(w / w), to obtain a data point for a first set of compositional values. Preferably, each analytical fraction differs from other analytical parts with respect to the range of particle size and / or specific gravity. Each data point for the first set of compositional values ​​is then added to the database. In addition to the first set of compositional values, the database entries may also appropriately include information on rubber size, rubber material, rubber color, sand particle size, backing material, turf material, operator name, and / or any additional comments.

[0071] In step (d), at least a first sieving means is provided, configured to receive at least a first set of separation screens. The at least first set of separation screens is configured to separate the packing into multiple fractions. A variable screen design allows the sieving means to separate packing of different particle sizes and densities. Preferably, two or more sieving means are provided, all of which are configured to receive sets of separation screens.

[0072] In step (e), the compositional values ​​of the first set of dry or dehydrated filler obtained in step (c) are compared with the compositional values ​​of several second sets of the database / data source. Each of the second sets of compositional values ​​corresponds to the composition of the material and a previously determined second set of separation screens, respectively. By comparing the first set of compositional values ​​with the second sets of compositional values, correlation coefficients and / or deviations are obtained between the first set of compositional values ​​and each of the several second sets of compositional values ​​in the database.

[0073] Alternatively, the level of similarity between a first set of compositional values ​​and a second set of compositional values ​​can be determined by performing other appropriate types of calculations or analyses, such as using artificial intelligence and / or image recognition to determine the similarity between the filler materials of various products. For example, artificial intelligence can match a first set of compositional values ​​with a second set of compositional values ​​that has the most similar particle size distribution pattern among all the second sets of compositional values. The correlation coefficient and / or deviation score is preferably determined by a processing unit, which may have access to a database and / or be an integrated part of the database, or vice versa.

[0074] In step (f), at least a first set of separation screens is selected to be received by at least a first sieving means. Within step (f), it is also possible to select two or more sets of separation screens for a total of two or more sieving means. The processing unit identifies separation screens corresponding to a second set of composition values ​​in the database that have a correlation coefficient above a predetermined threshold and / or have appropriately low deviations, such as the lowest available deviation, where the ratio of relative proportions is less than 20%(w / w), less than 15%(w / w), preferably less than 10%(w / w), more preferably less than 5%(w / w), more preferably less than 2%(w / w), and most preferably less than 1%(w / w), compared to the first set of composition values. Preferably, the processing unit identifies separation screens corresponding to a second set of composition values ​​that have the lowest deviation and / or the highest correlation coefficient when compared to the first set of composition values.

[0075] Each value in the first set of compositional values ​​can be matched to the value corresponding to the set of second compositional values ​​that has the smallest deviation and / or the largest correlation among several sets of second compositional values. This ensures that for every value in the first set of compositional values, a value from the set of second compositional values ​​that matches the value in the first set of compositional values ​​is obtained. Preferably, a set of separation screens in the sieving means is selected using a second packing or packing batch associated with a second set of second compositional values ​​that is listed more frequently than other sets of second compositional values. In other words, the same set of separation screens used for separating the most matching second packing or packing batch is selected for separating the first dry or dehydrated packing. Preferably, each database entry in the second set of compositional values ​​of the previously separated filler material includes the set of separation screens, rubber size, rubber material, rubber color, sand particle size, backing material, turf material, operator name, batch number, additional comments, precise information regarding the relative content of each fraction with respect to the total of the analyzed and / or separated materials, and / or information regarding the particle size and / or specific gravity of each fraction.

[0076] The set of separation screens associated with the second set of compositional values ​​is stored in a database and has been previously confirmed to be highly efficient in separating fillers, such as those from artificial turf products. The information about the set of separation screens in the database consists of the mesh size of each separation screen.

[0077] In step (g), the selected first set of separation screens is placed in the first sieving means. Preferably, the number of separation screens in the set of separation screens is the same as the mesh size and number of separation screens in the set of separation screens, and has been used for a long time to efficiently separate packings having composition values ​​set with a high correlation coefficient and / or a low deviation value into a first set of composition values ​​of the pre-analyzed packings.

[0078] In step (h), the packing material is separated into multiple fractions by a first sieving means. Separation is achieved via a separation screen that vibrates horizontally by an electric motor or other suitable type of motor. Inside the sieving means means that the separation screen is set on the top surface of the other screens at a suitable horizontal gradient. The distance between the separation screens is selected to allow for horizontal and some vertical movement of the packing material. For separation, the packing material is applied to the sieving means on the uppermost separation screen. The horizontal vibration transports the packing material along the separation screen. Separation screens with a mesh size larger than the particle size of the packing material allow the packing material to pass through the separation screen toward the next separation screen or toward the bottom of the sieving means. On the other hand, packing material with a particle size larger than the mesh size of the separation screen does not pass through the separation screen but is transported horizontally to the edge of the separation screen. The separation process accumulates multiple fractions, namely the fraction below the bottommost separation screen, the fraction above the topmost separation screen, and the fractions between each separation screen. Each fraction of the multiple fractions is captured during and / or at the end of the separation process. Preferably, one or more fractions of the multiple fractions are sent directly to other sieving means for further separation.

[0079] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the packing separation method. Referring to Figure 1, the embodiment of Figure 2 further includes step (h') of separating one or more fractions of the fractions separated from the packing in step (h) in a second sieving means including a second set of separation screens. The second set of separation screens differs from the first set of separation screens in the first sieving means in that it is set based on a set of separation screens selected from a database in step (f). Both the first set of separation screens and the second set of separation screens are selected based on the same preliminary analysis performed in step (c). Preferably, all of the selected fraction, multiple selected fractions, and / or fractions of multiple fractions separated in step (h) are further separated in step (h') by a second and further sieving means. Preferably, the separation in the second and further sieving means in step (h') is carried out sequentially in the same sieving means or in parallel with other means in multiple sieving means. Each of the multiple sieving means includes a set of separation screens selected based on the same preliminary analysis performed in step (c).

[0080] Figures 3a to 3e show various embodiments and flowcharts illustrating a method for separating a packing by two or more sieving means. In addition to the first step (h) of separation in the first sieving means, additional separation steps are provided for a second sieving means, a third sieving means, and optionally a fourth sieving means. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth sieving means includes a different set of separation screens selected based on a set of separations selected from a database in step (f). For each separation step, the sets of separation screens of each of the first, second, third, and fourth sieving means preferably differ with respect to the mesh size of at least one separation screen within the set of separation screens. The selected combination of sieving means and sets of separation screens further improves the purity of the separated fractions.

[0081] Figure 3a shows a flowchart of a packing separation method in which a total of three separation steps (h), (h'), and (h'') successively separate the packing into multiple fractions. Each of the separation steps is performed by a sieving means. All fractions, one selected fraction, or multiple selected fractions of the fraction separated in step (h) or (h') can be further separated in step (h') or (h''), respectively. Preferably, the mesh size of the separation screen of the sieving means in step (h') is smaller than the mesh size of the separation screen of the sieving means in step (h), and / or preferably, the mesh size of the separation screen of the sieving means in step (h'') is smaller than the mesh size of the separation screen of the sieving means in step (h'). A smaller mesh size means that at least one of the separation screens of the sieving means of step (h') or (h'') has a smaller mesh size than at least one of the separation screens of the sieving means of step (h) or (h').

[0082] Figure 3b shows a flowchart of a method for separating a packing material, in which a total of four separation steps (h), (h'), (h'´'), and (h'´´) using four sieving means separate the packing material into multiple fractions. Here, not only are three of the four separation steps (h), (h'), and (h'´') performed consecutively, but three of the four separation steps (h), (h'), and (h'´´) are performed consecutively. In the embodiment shown, at least one selected fraction obtained in step (h') is further separated in step (h'´) and / or step (h'´´). Preferably, at least one fraction selected for separation in step (h'´) is different from at least one selected fraction for separation in step (h'´´). Preferably, the mesh size of at least one separation screen differs for each set of separation screens in the four sieving means of the four separation steps (h), (h'), (h''), and (h'''').

[0083] Figure 3c shows a flowchart of a packing separation method in which a total of four separation steps (h), (h'), (h'´), and (h'´´) within four sieving means separate the packing into multiple fractions. Here, three of the four separation steps (h), (h'), and (h'´) are performed consecutively. Separation steps (h) and (h'´´) are also performed consecutively. In the embodiment shown, at least one selected fraction obtained in step (h) is then further separated in step (h') and / or step (h'´´). Preferably, at least one fraction selected for separation in step (h) differs from at least one fraction selected for separation in step (h'') by either particle size and / or specific gravity. Preferably, at least one fraction selected for separation in step (h'') may have a larger particle size and / or specific gravity than at least one fraction selected for separation in step (h'). Preferably, the mesh size of at least one separation screen differs for at least one of the separation screens in each of the sets of separation screens in the four sieving means of the four separation steps (h), (h''), (h'') and (h'').

[0084] Figure 3d) shows a schematic diagram of the method for separating the packing, in which a total of four separation steps (h), (h'), (h''), and (h''') separate the packing into multiple fractions using four sieving means.

[0085] Here, two of the four separation steps, (h) and (h'), (h) and (h''), and (h) and (h'''), are performed sequentially. In the embodiment shown, at least one selected fraction obtained in step (h) is then further separated in step (h'), and / or step (h''), and / or step (h'''). Preferably, at least one fraction selected for separation in steps (h'), (h''), and (h''') differs from another fraction by particle size and / or specific gravity. Preferably, the mesh size of at least one separation screen differs for each set of separation screens in the four sieving means of the four separation steps (h), (h'), (h''), and (h''').

[0086] Figure 3e shows a schematic diagram of a method for separating the packing, in which a total of four separation steps 2×(h), 1×(h'), and 1×(h'') separate the packing into multiple fractions using four sieving means. Among these, the two sieving means used in step 2×(h) have the same set of separation screens and are configured to separate the packing into multiple fractions. Preferably, the separation is carried out in parallel. In the embodiment shown, at least one selected fraction obtained from each of the two sieving means in step (h) is then further separated in step (h') and / or step (h''). Preferably, at least one fraction selected for separation in steps (h') and (h'') differs from another fraction by particle size and / or specific gravity, for example, the proportion of sand obtained in step (h) is used for further separation in the sieving means in step (h'), and the rubber fraction obtained in step (h) is used for further separation in the sieving means in step (h''), or vice versa. The mesh size of at least one separation screen in the sieving means differs for each set of separation screens in the two sieving means of separation steps (h') and (h''). Preferably, the mesh size of the separation screen in (h') is configured to separate sand, and the mesh size of the separation screen in (h'') is configured to separate rubber, or vice versa.

[0087] A set of separation screens comprises two separation screens, preferably three, more preferably four, and each of the separation screens has a mesh size that is not limited to but is substantially selected from 5.0 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.3 mm, 2.0 mm, 1.8 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.0 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, and / or 0.2 mm. Preferably, the set of separation screens has progressively finer mesh sizes. Alternatively, at least two of the separation screens in a set of separation screens have substantially the same mesh size, while other separation screens in the same set have substantially different mesh sizes. The sieving means comprises two, three, or four separation screens, but the number of fractions obtained after separation in each sieving machine can vary between two, three, four, or five fractions, respectively.

[0088] The step of separating the dry or dehydrated packing into multiple fractions can be carried out using four sieving means, each sieving means including four separation screens selected based on a set of separation screens selected from a database in step (f). At least one of the four sieving means is configured to separate the packing fraction with a composition different from that of the unseparated packing (e.g., defined by particle size and / or specific gravity). This makes it possible to further separate the packing fraction obtained by one or more of the first sieving means, meaning that it will transition to a fraction having an inherently higher purity through further separation in a second or further sieving means. The second or further sieving means means having a set of separation means different from the set of separation screens in the first sieving means.

[0089] Within the set of four separation screens of the four sieving means, at least one set of separation screens differs from the remaining sets of separation screens in terms of the mesh size of the separation screens within the set of separation screens. Within the total number of fractions obtained by the four separation steps in the four sieving means, at least one of the fractions differs from the remaining fractions in terms of their fraction particle size and / or fraction specific gravity. Although all sieving means of the four sieving means have four separation screens, the number of fractions obtained after separation of each sieving means can vary between five, four, three, and / or two fractions. Preferably, the separation step is performed using a first sieving means including a set of separation screens having a mesh size in the range of 5.0 to 0.6 mm, a second sieving means including a set of separation screens having a mesh size in the range of 2.5 to 0.5 mm, a third sieving means including a set of separation screens having a mesh size in the range of 0.6 to 0.2 mm, and a fourth sieving means including a set of separation screens having a mesh size in the range of 0.8 to 0.3 mm. Preferably, the mesh size range of each set of separation screens overlaps with the mesh size range of other sets of separation screens.

[0090] Alternatively, the range of mesh sizes may be such that only two or three of the four sets of separated screens overlap with the range of the other mesh sizes. Preferably, the preliminary analysis step includes separating the packing sample into two or more analytical fractions, preferably four or more analytical fractions, more preferably six or more analytical fractions, and most preferably eight or more analytical fractions. The analytical fractions are obtained by classifying the sample through several sieves of a preliminary analysis unit with a mesh size of 0.2 mm to 2.5 cm. The number of analytical fractions obtained depends on the number of sieves attached to the preliminary analysis unit. Each obtained analytical fraction has a particle size and / or specific gravity within a predetermined range. Preferably, the particle size range can be selected from any range within 0-0.2 mm, 0.2-0.5 mm, 0.5-0.63 mm, 0.63-0.8 mm, 0.8 mm-1.0 cm, 1.0-1.18 cm, 1.18-1.4 cm, 1.4-1.6 cm, 1.6-2.0 cm, 2.0-2.5 cm, or 0-2.5 cm.

[0091] Preliminary analysis (c) and / or separation steps (h), (h'), (h'') and (h'''') may result in fractions containing one or more of the following: coconut shells, fine sand, coarse sand, graded sand, granular styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), granular rubber scraps, granular cork, granular organic fillers, granular thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), granular thermoplastic olefins (TFO), granular neoprene rubber, granular fiberglass, granular polyethylene, granular polypropylene, granular nylon, or granular ethylenepropyl enediene monomer (EPDM).

[0092] Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of the concept of the present invention, showing a schematic diagram of a packing separation method that includes the replacement of at least one separation screen. In addition to the steps of the embodiments described above, the following steps are provided. (i) Analyze at least one sample from the fractions obtained by separation, and the analysis is carried out according to step (c). (j) Replace at least one of the set of separation screens of the sieving means with a replacement separation screen, wherein the mesh size of the replaced separation screen is different from the mesh size of the replacement separation screen. (k) The packing material analyzed in step (i) is separated into multiple fractions. Preferably, the analysis in step (i) is carried out in the same analytical unit as the preliminary analysis in step (c). However, the number and / or type of sieves (such as mesh size) used in the analysis in step (i) may differ from the number and type of sieves used in the analysis in step (c). To reduce analysis time, two or more analytical units can perform analysis step (i) of two or more separated fractions in parallel. For example, a total of three to four samples for inline analysis are taken every six hours, and each sample is taken from (a) a fraction substantially containing rubber, (b) a fraction substantially containing coarse sand, (c) a fraction substantially containing fine sand, and (d) a fraction substantially containing turf, if turf is present. Preferably, the purity of the separated fractions is analyzed in a preliminary analysis unit or other suitable analysis unit. Preferably, the replacement of at least one separation screen in step (j) is performed only if at least one of the analyzed fractions is not considered to be of high purity and / or does not match the analytical results of the preliminary analysis of the corresponding sample.

[0093] The threshold for the correlation coefficient is preferably 0.4 or higher, 0.5 or higher, 0.6 or higher, more preferably 0.7 or higher, more preferably 0.8 or higher, and most preferably 0.9 or higher. If multiple correlation coefficients exceed a predetermined threshold, it is preferable that the correlation coefficient with the highest value is selected for the set of separation screens for the sieving means. Preferably, if two or more correlation coefficients are substantially similar to others and / or fall within a specific range of the statistical relationship, such as when there is a difference of about 0.1 or less, 0.05 or less, 0.02 or less, or 0.01 or less, the correlation coefficient within the group of substantially similar correlation coefficients, preferably within the top 10 correlation coefficients, can be selected by a human operator or the like. This may also be a time-saving advantage if the set of separation screens already attached to one or more sieving means can provide sufficiently efficient separation.

[0094] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a method for storing sets of composition values ​​in a database. Each set of composition values ​​in the database corresponds to a previously analyzed and separated filling composition, preferably a second or further artificial turf product and / or filling. The database can be adequately constructed using analysis of the filling before separation, but it can also be constructed without using analysis of the filling before separation. In this modification, if no pre-separation analysis is performed to form the composition value set, the packing is first separated in a sieving device using a separation screen, and then the resulting separated fraction is analyzed in a preliminary analysis unit. In this modification, the dry or dehydrated packing provided in step (a) is the fraction thus obtained, and the initial separation is a step prior to step (a).

[0095] Fraction analysis can be performed during the separation process. To improve the purity of the fraction, one or more separation screens can be replaced with separation screens of different mesh sizes. After replacing at least one separation screen, the resulting fraction is analyzed again. Preferably, the separation screen replacement step and the fraction analysis step can be repeated until efficient separation and / or high purity of the fraction is achieved. Subsequently, information about the separation screens and the set of compositional values ​​for efficient separation and high purity is entered into a database. If pre-separation analysis is performed, a sample from the packing is first analyzed in a preliminary analysis unit to obtain a set of compositional values, and then the packing is separated into multiple fractions using a sieving means having multiple separation screens. Subsequently, the separated fractions are analyzed to form a set of compositional values. Fraction analysis can be performed during the separation process. To improve the purity of the fraction, one or more separation screens can be replaced with separation screens of different mesh sizes. After replacing at least one separation screen, the resulting separated fraction is analyzed again. Preferably, the separation screen replacement step and the fraction analysis step can be repeated until efficient separation and high purity of the fraction is achieved. Subsequently, information regarding the separation screen, the composition value set for efficient separation, and the high purity information are entered into the database. Table 1 shows examples of database entries for sample compositions after analysis of various packing batches. Tables 2-5 show examples of database entries for sets of separation screens for separating various packing batches.

[0096] The database may include sets of compositional values ​​for infills analyzed and / or separated from artificial turf products, and / or sets of compositional values ​​for infills from other types of products where infill analysis and / or separation can be applied. Preferably, after separating the dry or dehydrated packing into multiple fractions, one or more sets of first compositional values ​​obtained in step (c), information about the sets of separation screens selected in step (f) and / or (j), and information about the sets of compositional values ​​from the analysis in step (i) are added to the database. By adding one or more of the listed values ​​and / or information to the database, the total number of sets of compositional values ​​increases. As the database develops and expands, the comparison of compositional values ​​in step (e) and the selection of separation screens in step (f) can be matched with stronger mathematical correlations or statistical relationships. In other words, each time more past separation results are entered into the database, the efficiency of future separation processes improves, and the process can be applied to the separation of all types of packing, as long as the deviations remain within an acceptable range.

[0097] [Table 1]

[0098] [Table 2]

[0099] [Table 3]

[0100] [Table 4]

[0101] [Table 5]

[0102] Referring to Figure 6, a schematic diagram of a separation device 100 suitable for separating dry or dried filler from an artificial turf product, preferably containing rubber and / or sand, into multiple fractions is shown. The separation device 100 comprises the following: A first sieving means 110 configured to receive a first separation screen set 111, wherein the first separation screen set is preferably configured to separate the filler 201 from a first artificial turf product into a first plurality of fractions 201a, The separation apparatus 100 includes a preliminary analysis unit 101 configured to determine the composition of the analysis of dry or dehydrated packing 201 by particle size and / or specific gravity in order to obtain a first set of composition values ​​301 corresponding to the relative content of each separated analysis fraction to the total content of the analyzed packing 201, A database 180 including a set of multiple second composition values, preferably each set of composition values ​​corresponding to the dry or dried filler composition from multiple different artificial turf products and / or second fillers, and a predetermined set of first separation screens, The system further includes a processing unit 102 configured to calculate correlation coefficients and / or deviation values ​​between the first set of composition values ​​301 and each of a plurality of second sets of composition values ​​in the database 180.

[0103] The sieving means 110 is configured to separate bulk material, such as a packing material 201 with different particles or particle sizes, into a plurality of fractions 201a having predetermined particles or particle sizes. The separation of the packing material 201 is performed via a horizontally vibrating separation screen having a defined mesh size and / or pores. The sieving means 110 is appropriately provided with an external screen outlet that allows for very good accessibility and high flexibility, so that the separation screen can be easily replaced with screens of other mesh sizes and / or pores. The plurality of separation screens are defined as a first set 111 of separation screens. The first set 111 of separation screens includes two, three, four, or more than four separation screens, and in the example shown in Figure 6, it consists of four separation screens. Preferably, each separation screen in the set 111 of separation screens has a different mesh size than the other separation screens in the same set 111 of separation screens.

[0104] For example, the packing 201 from the first dried or dried packing contains particles of different materials and particle sizes in the range of <0.1-2.5 cm, <0.1-3 cm, <0.1-4 cm, or <0.1-5 cm. During the separation process, the packing 201 is separated into a first plurality of fractions 201a by a set of separation screens 111. Preferably, each fraction of the first plurality of fractions 201a has a uniform specific gravity and / or a narrower range of particle sizes than the range in the packing 201 before separation, e.g., 0-5 mm, 0-2 mm, 0-6 mm, 2-5 mm, 2-6 mm, 2-10 mm, 5-10 mm, 2-15 mm, 5-10 mm, 5-7 mm, 7-10 mm, 8-10 mm, 5-8 mm, 6-8 mm, 7-15 mm, 20-40 mm, 40-5 Includes particles with particle sizes of 0mm, 30-40mm, 30-50mm, 18-30mm, 18-40mm, 18-50mm, 12-18mm, 12-20mm, 12-23mm, 12-30mm, 12-40mm, 12-50mm, 10-15mm, 15-20mm, 15-30mm, 8-15mm, 8-12mm, 12-15mm, 0-8mm, or other appropriate particle size ranges.

[0105] The preliminary analysis unit 101 is configured to separate, for example, the first dry or dehydrated packing 201, by comprising more than two, more than four, preferably more than six, and most preferably more than eight fractions.

[0106] Each analytical fraction has a predetermined particle size, particle size range, and / or specific gravity and consists of one or more of the following: grass, fine sand, coarse sand, graded sand, granular styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), granular rubber scraps, granular cork, granular organic filler, granular thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), granular thermoplastic olefin (TFO), granular neoprene rubber, granular fiberglass, granular polyethylene, granular polypropylene, granular nylon, or granular ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). Before or during analysis, for example, by using a scale, or via the preliminary analysis unit 101 if the preliminary analysis unit 101 has an integrated scale, the weight of each analytical fraction is determined via the scale, or via the preliminary analysis unit 101 if the preliminary analysis unit 101 has an integrated scale. Based on the determined sample and fraction weights, the relative content of each analyte fraction to the whole sample is calculated as a set composition value 301 (%(w / w)). The set of composition values ​​301 includes data points or values ​​relating to the relative content of each analyte fraction, and, appropriately, information such as sand type and / or rubber type and / or rubber color fractions and / or material information for the filler 201. The set of composition values ​​301 is entered into the database 180 and then compared with a set of composition values ​​stored in the database 180. The comparison is performed by the processing unit 102. Preferably, the preliminary analysis unit 101 is a vibrating sieve shaker containing a set of progressively finer mesh screens, the mesh screens in the preliminary analysis unit 101 preferably have mesh sizes of substantially 25 mm, 20 mm, 16 mm, 15 mm, 14 mm, 12 mm, 11.8 mm, 10 mm, 8 mm, 6 mm, 6.3 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, substantially 0 mm, or other suitable mesh sizes. Preferably, the preliminary analysis unit 101 is an analytical sieve shaker such as the AS200 Basic® from Lechner. Typically, such analytical sieve shakers have a particle measurement range of 20 μm to 25 mm in size. In other words, particles within the size range of 20 μm to 25 mm are given a predetermined size range for each fraction, for example, 0 to 20 μm, 0 to 5 mm, 0 μm to 2 mm, 0 μm to 6 mm, 20 μm to 5 mm, 20 μm to 2 mm, 20 μm to 6 mm, 2 to 5 mm, 2 to 6 mm, 2 to 10 mm, 5 to 6 mm, 5 to 10 mm, 8 to 10 mm, 6 to 8 mm, 10 to 12 mm, 2 to 15 mm, 5 to 10 mm, 5 to 7 mm, 7 to 10 mm, 8 to 10 mm, 5 to 8 mm, 6 to 8 mm, 7 to 15 mm, 12 to The particles have a range of sizes including 14mm, 14-1mm, 20-40mm, 40-50mm, 30-40mm, 30-50mm, 18-30mm, 18-40mm, 18-50mm, 12-18mm, 16-20mm, 12-20mm, 12-23mm, 20-25mm, 12-30mm, 12-40mm, 12-50mm, 10-15mm, 15-20mm, 15-30mm, 8-15mm, 8-12mm, 12-15mm, 0-8mm, or other suitable particle size ranges.

[0107] Database 180 has multiple sets of second composition values, each set of second composition values ​​corresponding to the dry or dehydrated filler composition from the second filler product and / or the second artificial turf product, and corresponding to a first predetermined set of separation screens for separating the filler from the second product. In previous separation processes of fillers from the second product with different filler compositions within the sieving means 110, separation efficiency and / or fraction purity were improved by swapping separation screens with different mesh sizes until the separation efficiency and / or fraction purity was sufficiently high. Subsequently, sets of separation screens that achieve high separation efficiency and / or fraction purity are entered and stored in database 180 in relation to multiple sets of second composition values. The sets of second composition values ​​represent the filler composition of the second filler as determined by fractional analysis in the preliminary analysis unit 101 or any other analysis unit configured to separate the filler into fractions having various particle sizes and / or specific gravities.

[0108] The second artificial turf product and / or second filler is a product containing a filler, and the filler of each second artificial turf product and / or second filler product contains a variety of materials and / or compositions. Table 1 above shows examples of the second artificial turf product and / or second filler. The second artificial turf product and / or second filler appropriately contains one or more materials as typical compositions of filler materials, including turf, coconut shells, fine sand, coarse sand, graded sand, granular styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), granular rubber scraps, granular cork, granular organic filler, granular thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), granular thermoplastic olefin (TFO), granular neoprene rubber, granular fiberglass, granular polyethylene, granular polypropylene, granular nylon, and granular ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

[0109] The processing unit 102 is configured to calculate correlation coefficients and / or deviation scores between a first set of composition values ​​301 and each of several second sets of composition values ​​in the database 180. The processing unit 102 is communicatively connected to and / or integrated with the database 180, or vice versa. An exemplary processing unit 102 is a computing unit containing mathematical or statistical software configured to store the database 180 and process entries in the database 180, such as performing calculations on statistical relationships between the second sets of composition values ​​in the database 180 and the first sets, e.g., correlation coefficients and / or deviation scores. Software products that function as the database 180 and are compatible with the processing unit 102 are well known to those skilled in the art, such as Microsoft Excel®, ScoroKPI®, Apache OpenOffice®, LibreOffice®, Spotfire®, MATLAB® software, R statistical software, or other known software.

[0110] Figures 7a and 7c show embodiments of a separation system 100 with a schematic diagram of a sieving means 110 suitable for separating dry or dehydrated packings, the set of separation screens 111 within the sieving means 110, including two separation screens 190a and 190b in Figure 7a, three separation screens 190a, 190b, and 190c in Figure 7b, and / or four separation screens 190a, 190b, 190c, and 190d in Figure 7c. Each separation screen has a mesh size selected from one or more mesh sizes of 5.0 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.3 mm, 2.0 mm, 1.8 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.0 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, or 0.2 mm, but is not limited to these. Preferably, the set of separation screens comprises mesh screens that become progressively finer. Alternatively, at least two of the separation screens in the set of separation screens 111 have substantially the same mesh size.

[0111] A sieving means 110 equipped with separation screens 111 separates the packing material 201 into a first plurality of fractions 201a. The number of fractions, the range of particle sizes, and / or the specific gravity of the fractions from which the packing material 201 is separated depends on the number of separation screens installed in the sieving means 110 and their mesh size.

[0112] Figure 7a shows a sieving means 110 equipped with two separation screens 190a and 190b for separating the packing material 201, resulting in a total of up to three fractions from the first dry or dehydrated packing material.

[0113] Figure 7b shows a sieving means 110 with three separation screens 190a, 190b, and 190c for separating the packing material 201, resulting in a total of up to four fractions from the initial dry or dried packing material.

[0114] Figure 7c shows a sieving means 110 equipped with four separation screens 190a, 190b, 190c and 190d for separating the packing material 201, resulting in a total of up to five fractions from the first dry or dehydrated packing material.

[0115] Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of a separation system 100 having four sieving means 110, 120, 130, and 140 suitable for separating dry or dehydrated filler from an artificial turf product, preferably containing rubber and / or sand, into multiple fractions 201a.

[0116] Here, the first sieving means 110 includes a first set of separation screens 111, each of which is located within the first set of separation screens 111 having a mesh size in the range of 5.0 to 0.6 mm.

[0117] The second sieving means 120 includes a second set of separation screens 121, each of which is contained within the first set of separation screens 121 having a mesh size in the range of 2.5 to 0.5 mm.

[0118] The third sieving means 130 includes a third set of separation screens 311, each of which is located within the third set of separation screens 131 having a mesh size in the range of 0.6 to 0.2 mm.

[0119] The fourth sieving means 140 includes a fourth set of separation screens 141, each of which has a mesh size in the range of 0.8 to 0.3 mm. Preferably, the set of separation screens within the sieving means 110, 120, 130, and 140 consists of one, two, three, or four separation screens. Preferably, the mesh size ranges of the sets of separation screens 111, 121, 131, and 141 within the sieving means 110, 120, 130, and 140 are independent of each other. The number of fractions obtained by the sieving means with four separation screens can vary, ranging from two fractions, three fractions, four fractions, and / or five fractions. Preferably, at least one of the sets of separation screens 111, 121, 131, and 141 is selected by comparing a first set of compositional values ​​301 of the packing material 201 with a second set of compositional values ​​in the database 180.

[0120] After obtaining a first plurality of fractions 201a from the first sieving means 110, at least one fraction of the first plurality of fractions 201a can be appropriately separated sequentially by the second sieving means 120, the third sieving means 130, and / or the fourth sieving means 140. Preferably, any fraction within the plurality of fractions obtained by any of the sieving means 110, 120, 130, and 140 can be further separated by any of the sieving means 110, 120, 130, and 140 to further improve the separation of the packing material with high purity obtained in the plurality of separated fractions. Preferably, fractions considered to be of lower purity, such as those with high material heterogeneity, non-uniform specific gravity, and / or non-uniform particle size, are further separated by at least one of the sieving means 110, 120, 130, and / or 140. Preferably, the purity of the separated fractions is analyzed using the preliminary analysis unit 101 or other suitable analysis unit such as a vibrating screen shaker.

[0121] Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of a separation device 100 suitable for separating dry or dehydrated filler from an artificial turf product, preferably containing rubber and / or sand, into multiple fractions, the separation device 100 further includes an in-line analysis unit 103 configured to determine the composition of the separated fraction 201b of the dry or dehydrated filler 201 by particle size and / or specific gravity in order to obtain a third set of compositional values ​​corresponding to the composition of the separated fraction 201b of the dry or dehydrated filler 201.

[0122] An inline analysis unit 103 analyzes the purity of the separated fractions. Preferably, the inline analysis unit 103 is a vibrating screen shaker operating in the analytical laboratory or other suitable location, in close proximity to the sieving means. The composition values ​​obtained by the inline analysis unit 103 are defined as a third set of composition values ​​303. The third set of composition values ​​303 is entered into and stored in the database 180 for each analyzed fraction 201b from the separated packing 201. The third set of composition values ​​303 serves as a basis for determining whether further separation of the analyzed fraction 201b is necessary. Preferably, fractions with a purity of less than 95% (w / w), fractions containing visible impurities, and / or fractions that do not match the pre-analysis results are further separated in a sieving means 110 with a set of separation screens 111 selected by comparing the third set of composition values ​​303 with a second set of composition values ​​in the database 180.

[0123] As an example, a total of four samples for inline analysis are taken every six hours, where each sample is taken from (i) a fraction substantially containing rubber, (ii) a fraction substantially containing coarse sand, (iii) a fraction substantially containing fine sand, and (iv) a fraction substantially containing grass. Preferably, in-line analysis of the separated fractions in the in-line analysis unit 103 is performed at predetermined time intervals while the packing 201 is being separated in progress in the sieving means 110. Preferably, fraction samples for in-line analysis are taken every 12 hours, 10 hours, 8 hours, 6 hours, 4 hours, or 2 hours. Alternatively, fraction samples for in-line analysis are taken only once, twice, three times, or four times during any separation process, either at predetermined or random points in time. Preferably, the preliminary analysis unit 101 and / or the inline analysis unit 103 are vibrating sieve shakers containing a set of progressively finer mesh screens. The mesh screens in the preliminary analysis unit preferably have substantially sizes of 2.5 mm, 2 mm, 1.6 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.18 mm, 1 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.63 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.2 mm, and / or 0 mm. Preferably, the preliminary analysis unit 101 and the inline analysis unit 103 are the same vibrating screen shaker.

Claims

1. 1. A method for separating a dry or dry fill having a material composition, preferably a material composition comprising rubber and sand, into a plurality of fractions, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a dry or dried filling; (b) taking a sample of said dry or dried filling; (c) pre-analyzing the composition of the sampled dry or desiccated packing to obtain a first set of compositional values ​​corresponding to the composition of the packing; wherein the preliminary analysis is (i) separating the charge into a plurality of analytical fractions based on particle size and / or specific gravity by a pre-analysis unit; (ii) determining for each of the separated analytical fractions a relative content relative to the total content of the analyzed charge; (d) providing at least a first sieve means configured to receive at least a first set of separating screens; wherein said at least a first set of separation screens is configured to separate said charge into a plurality of fractions; (e) comparing the first set of compositional values ​​of the dry or dried filling with the plurality of second sets of compositional values ​​of the database to obtain a correlation coefficient and / or a standard deviation value between the first set of compositional values ​​and each of the plurality of second sets of compositional values ​​from the database; wherein each of the set of second composition values ​​corresponds to a composition of the material and a set of predetermined second separation screens; (f) selecting said at least a first set of separating screens to be received by said at least a first sieving means by selecting a set of separating screens which correspond to a second set of composition values ​​and which, when compared to said first set of composition values, have a correlation coefficient exceeding a predetermined threshold and / or have a relatively low deviation value, preferably the smallest deviation value available; (g) attaching the selected first set of separating screens to the first sieve means; and (h) separating said charge into said plurality of fractions; The method comprises the steps of:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dry or arid infill is from an artificial turf product.

3. The method includes the additional step (h') of separating one or more of the fractions separated from the charge of step (h) in a second sieving means comprising a second set of separating screens different from the first set of separating screens in the first sieving means; 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of separation screens is selected based on the set of separation screens selected from the database in step (f).

4. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein three or more sieving means separate the dry or dried fill into a plurality of fractions, each of said sieving means including a different set of separating screens based on the set of separating screens selected from said database in step (f).

5. 5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the set of separating screens comprises two separating screens, preferably three separating screens, more preferably four separating screens, each of said separating screens having a mesh size substantially selected from, but not limited to, the following mesh sizes: 5.0 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.3 mm, 2.0 mm, 1.8 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.0 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm and / or 0.2 mm.

6. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the dry or dried filler into a plurality of fractions is performed with four sieve means, each of the sieve means including four separation screens based on the set of separation screens selected from the database in step (f).

7. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the separating step is carried out with a first sieve means comprising a set of separating screens with a mesh size in the range of 5.0 to 0.6 mm, a second sieve means comprising a set of separating screens with a mesh size in the range of 2.5 to 0.5 mm, a third sieve means comprising a set of separating screens with a mesh size in the range of 0.6 to 0.2 mm, and a fourth sieve means comprising a set of separating screens with a mesh size in the range of 0.8 to 0.3 mm.

8. said pre-analysis step (c) comprising separating the load sample into more than two analytical fractions, preferably more than four analytical fractions, more preferably more than six analytical fractions, and most preferably more than eight analytical fractions; 8. The method of claim 1, wherein each analytical fraction has a predetermined range of particle size and / or specific gravity.

9. 9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the preliminary analysis step (c) and / or the separation steps (h), (h'), (h") and (h'") result in a fraction comprising one or more of coconut shells, fine sand, coarse sand, graded sand, granular styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), granular crumb rubber, granular cork, granular organic fillers, granular thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), granular thermoplastic olefins (TFO), granular neoprene rubber, granular glass fiber, granular polyethylene, granular polypropylene, granular nylon, or granular ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising the additional steps of: (i) analyzing at least one sample from the fractions obtained by said separation; wherein said analysis is performed according to said step (c); (j) replacing at least one separator screen in said set of separator screens in said sieve means with a replacement separator screen; wherein the mesh size of the replaced separator screen is different from the mesh size of the replacement separator screen; and (k) separating the charge analyzed in step (i) into said plurality of fractions; A method comprising the steps of:

11. 11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined threshold value of the correlation coefficient is >= 0.4, >= 0.5, >= 0.6, preferably >= 0.7, more preferably >= 0.8, most preferably >= 0.

9.

12. 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein each set of composition values ​​in the plurality of sets of composition values ​​in the database corresponds to a previously analysed and separated infill composition, preferably a second artificial turf product or a further artificial turf product, and / or a previously analysed and separated infill composition of a second infill product.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the first set of composition values ​​obtained in step (c); information regarding the set of separation screens selected in steps (f) and / or (j); and a set of compositional values ​​from the analysis of step (i); one or more of the following are added to the database:

14. A separation system (100) suitable for separating dry or dried infill, preferably rubber and / or sand-containing artificial turf products, into a plurality of fractions, comprising: The separation system (100) comprises: a first sieve means (110) configured to receive a first set of separating screens (111) configured to separate the charge (201) into a first plurality of fractions (201a); The separation system (100) comprises: a pre-analysis unit (101) configured to determine the composition of said dry or desiccated charge (201) by particle size and / or specific gravity to obtain a first set of composition values ​​(301) corresponding to the relative content of each separated analysis fraction with respect to the total content of the analyzed charge (201); a database (180) including a plurality of second sets of composition values; wherein each set of composition values ​​preferably corresponds to a dry or dried infill composition from a plurality of different artificial turf products and / or a second dry or dried infill composition and corresponds to a predetermined set of first separation screens for separating said infills (201); and a processing unit (102) configured to calculate a correlation coefficient and / or a deviation value between said first set of composition values ​​(301) and each of said plurality of second sets of composition values ​​of said database (180); The separation system (100) further comprises:

15. 15. A separating system (100) suitable for separating dry or desiccated fillings according to claim 14, wherein the set of separating screens (111) in the sieving means (110) comprises two separating screens (190a, 190b), preferably three separating screens (190a, 190b, 190c), more preferably four separating screens (190a, 190b, 190c, 190d), each of said separating screens having one or more mesh sizes selected from, but not limited to, 5.0 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.3 mm, 2.0 mm, 1.8 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.0 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.3 mm, or 0.2 mm.

16. A separation system (100) suitable for separating dry or dried fillers according to any one of claims 14 or 15, comprising four sieving means (110), (120), (130) and (140), said first sieve means (110) having a first set of separating screens (111) having a mesh size in the range of 5.0 to 0.6 mm; the second sieving means (120) having a second set of separating screens (121) having a mesh size in the range of 2.5 to 0.5 mm; the third sieve means (130) having a third set of separating screens (131) having a mesh size in the range of 0.6 to 0.2 mm; the fourth sieve means (140) having a fourth set of separating screens (141) having a mesh size in the range of 0.8 to 0.3 mm; A separation system (100).

17. A separation system (100) suitable for separating a dry or desiccated packing (201) according to any one of claims 14 to 16, further comprising an in-line analysis unit (103) configured to determine the composition of the separated fraction (201b) of the dry or desiccated packing (201) by particle size and / or specific gravity to obtain a third set of composition values ​​(303) corresponding to the composition of the separated fraction (201b) of the dry or desiccated packing (201).

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