Device for comminuting and / or processing material, assembly, method, fibre material and use of the fibre material

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for comminuting and / or processing material, in particular composite material, comprising: a housing in which a working space is provided for comminuting / processing material, wherein the working space is bounded by a base region and a peripheral side wall; a feed assembly for feeding material into the working space, the feed assembly being located on an upper side of the housing; a working shaft which extends in the vertical direction in the working space and is mounted on the housing such that it can rotate about its longitudinal axis, wherein impact elements are provided on the working shaft in order to act on the material introduced into the working space; and, drive means for driving the working shaft. The invention further relates to an assembly and a method.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Device for comminuting and / or processing material, arrangement, method, fiber material and use of the fiber material

[0003] The present invention relates to a device for comminuting and / or processing material, in particular composite material.

[0004] Furthermore, the present invention relates to an arrangement for comminuting and / or processing material, in particular composite material. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for comminuting and / or processing material, in particular composite material. Furthermore, the invention relates to a fiber material and the use of a fiber material.

[0005] Devices for shredding and / or processing material, such as cross-flow shredders, are used to shred a variety of objects so that the different materials contained within the objects can subsequently be separated. A key application is the shredding of household electrical appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and the like.

[0006] For shredding, the materials are introduced into a work chamber where impact elements, such as chains, rotate around a vertical axis, impacting the material. The longer the equipment or materials remain in the work chamber, the longer the impact elements act on them, and the smaller the remaining pieces are.

[0007] It has been found that cross-flow shredders are not only suitable for shredding electrical appliances, but also for processing and extracting fibers for paper production or the manufacture of insulation materials. One such process is already known from EP 2 788 544 B1. Waste paper is fed into a cross-flow shredder and shredded there using impact elements, in particular chains. Shredding occurs not only through the direct action of the chains on the waste paper, but also through secondary impact processes between shreds of waste paper. The advantage of this process for shredding and processing waste paper is that the processing can be carried out essentially dry, i.e. with only a low moisture content. The fibers are not as severely damaged as with other processing processes in which the waste paper is dissolved in liquid. This allows a higher recycling rate to be achieved.

[0008] Such devices and processes have generally proven effective for processing and shredding waste paper. However, there is also a need to process materials that do not consist predominantly of waste paper, but also contain other materials, such as metal foils or plastic components. An example of such composite materials is packaging used under the Tetrapak brand for beverage containers. Such composite material can also be referred to as food or beverage composite material or packaging material or packaging. Such packaging is usually multi-layered and contains not only paper layers but also plastic and aluminum layers. It has proven difficult to reuse such packaging materials after use.Such materials are often sent to a waste incineration plant, which is associated with significant pollutant emissions and precludes reuse.

[0009] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an alternative device, an arrangement and a method for comminuting and / or processing materials, which are particularly suitable for composite materials, preferably for recycling composite materials, and thus allow the recovery of materials, preferably fiber material with a favorable property profile, for further use.

[0010] This object is achieved according to a first aspect of the present invention by a device of the type mentioned at the outset, comprising a housing in which a working space is provided for comminuting / processing material, wherein the working space is preferably delimited by a floor area and a circumferential side wall, a feed arrangement for feeding material into the working space, which feed arrangement is provided on an upper side of the housing, a working shaft extending vertically in the working space and being mounted on the housing so as to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis, wherein impact elements are provided on the working shaft for acting on the material introduced into the working space, and drive means for driving the working shaft, wherein floor-side outlet openings are formed in the floor area of ​​the working space and / or lateral outlet openings are formed in the side wall of the working space.

[0011] This design is based on the fundamental idea of ​​providing outlet openings at the bottom and / or lateral outlet openings in the side wall of the working chamber through which the shredded material can exit the working chamber. This means that shredded material can exit the working chamber primarily due to gravity through the outlet openings at the bottom and / or due to centrifugal force through lateral outlet openings.

[0012] The comminution device according to the invention can have both bottom and side outlet openings. Embodiments in which only bottom outlet openings or side outlet openings are provided are also conceivable. The following description of the outlet openings applies both to embodiments in which bottom and side outlet openings are provided, as well as to embodiments in which only bottom outlet openings or only side outlet openings are provided.

[0013] If the comminution device has both bottom and side outlet openings, the device preferably has a discharge chamber into which the bottom outlet openings open, and a discharge chamber separate from this into which the side outlet openings open, so that crushed / processed material leaving the working chamber through the side outlet openings can be discharged from the device separately from the crushed / processed material leaving the working chamber through the bottom outlet openings.

[0014] The idea behind this design is to already separate material that leaves the working chamber at the bottom due to gravity during the shredding process from material that leaves the working chamber sideways due to centrifugal force. Such a separation is suitable, for example, for used beverage containers in order to separate closures, e.g. made of plastic, from the rest of the container. During the shredding process by the action of the impact elements after introduction into the working chamber, parts of the plastic closure move downwards due to gravity, whereas other areas of the beverage carton are whirled up by the rotating impact elements and leave the working chamber preferably sideways through the lateral outlet openings.

[0015] Alternatively, both side and bottom outlet openings can lead into a common discharge chamber.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the bottom and / or side outlet openings are designed as sieve openings. In other words, a large number of relatively small sieve openings are provided in the bottom region or on the side walls, through which the shredded material can leave the working chamber. The individual bottom sieve openings preferably have a larger open cross-section than the side sieve openings. The open cross-section of the bottom sieve openings can be at least 1.5 times as large as the open cross-section of the side sieve openings, in particular at least 2 times as large. According to a preferred embodiment, the open cross-section of the individual bottom sieve openings is at most 5 times as large as the open cross-section of the individual side sieve openings, in particular at most 4 times as large.Particularly preferably, the open cross-section of the individual bottom-side sieve openings is 3 times as large as the open cross-section of the individual lateral sieve openings.

[0017] The bottom outlet openings and / or the side outlet openings can be formed at least partially, in particular completely, by expanded metal, particularly with diamond-shaped openings. Expanded metals are grid-shaped structures with openings. These are preferably produced by offset cuts without material loss, while simultaneously stretching or deforming a sheet metal material. Welded versions of expanded metal are also conceivable. This creates a mesh-like structure with a large number of openings. The individual meshes of the mesh-like material made from sheets or strips are preferably neither braided nor welded. The expanded metals preferably do not have a flat surface, but rather protrude upwards or downwards in the area of ​​the contact points or mesh points, so that sharp material edges may be present. The expanded metals preferably have essentially diamond-shaped openings.It has been found that, particularly when recirculating already shredded material containing metal-containing components, further shredding in a shredding device, especially a cross-flow shredder, occurs less through the direct action of impact elements such as chains, but rather practically through shearing off the individual shreds against the expanded metal mesh, which, due to its manufacturing process, has sharp edges that protrude into the working area of ​​the shredding device. This allows for efficient further shredding, particularly of recirculated material.

[0018] It has been found that, in particular, components of composite materials can be cleanly separated into individual components through contact with expanded metal mesh. For example, plastic films, such as PE films, are effectively separated, practically torn off, or sheared off from paper or aluminum layers through contact with expanded metal mesh. In other words, the various components of the composite material, which preferably form different layers, are efficiently separated from one another through contact with expanded metal mesh. This allows for a high degree of purity of different fractions in individual pieces or shreds to be achieved during separation. The expanded metal mesh can have essentially diamond-shaped openings.The diamond-shaped openings preferably have a length of at least 20 mm, in particular of at least 30 mm, preferably of at least 45 mm, and / or of at most 100 mm, in particular of at most 80 mm, preferably of at most 70 mm, particularly preferably a height of 62 mm. The diamond-shaped openings can have a width of at least 10 mm, in particular of at least 15 mm, preferably of at least 20 mm and / or of at most 40 mm, in particular of at most 35 mm, preferably of at most 30 mm, particularly preferably a width of about 25 mm. The expanded metals can also have square openings. The length or width of the square openings can be at least 20 mm, in particular at least 25 mm, preferably at least 30 mm, and / or at most 60 mm, in particular of at most 55 mm, preferably of at most 50 mm, particularly preferably about 40 mm or 42 mm.Alternatively, the expanded metal mesh can also have openings with a circular cross-section. The diameter of the circular openings is preferably at least 15 mm, in particular at least 25 mm, preferably at least 30 mm, and / or at most 60 mm, in particular at most 52 mm, preferably at most 45 mm, particularly preferably about 40 mm. The expanded metal mesh forming the bottom openings can be identical to the expanded metal mesh forming the lateral outlet openings. Embodiments are also possible in which the bottom outlet openings are formed by different expanded metal mesh than the lateral outlet openings. It is also conceivable to provide different expanded metal mesh in sections for the bottom outlet openings. Likewise, different expanded metal mesh can also be provided in sections for the lateral outlet openings.In a further embodiment, the open cross-section of the individual bottom-side sieve or outlet openings can be at least 60 mm. 2 and / or a maximum of 2400 mm 2 The open cross-section of the individual side sieve or outlet openings can be at least 20 mm 2 and / or a maximum of 800 mm 2 The size of the individual screen or outlet openings determines how long parts of the material remain in the working chamber and to what size they are reduced. The smaller the screen or outlet openings, the smaller the parts that leave the working chamber through them.

[0019] The lateral outlet openings are preferably arranged in a ring-shaped, circumferential manner. They preferably extend over substantially the entire height of the working chamber. It is also conceivable for them to extend only over part of the height of the working chamber, in particular over at least 40% of the height of the working chamber, preferably at least 60% of the height of the working chamber. A ring-shaped, circumferential design of the lateral sieve openings achieves a high discharge rate and thus enables a high material throughput. The lateral outlet openings preferably extend in an upper section of the working chamber, so that they are spaced from the floor area. This allows for favorable separation of material particles.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the floor-side outlet openings extend across the entire floor area of ​​the work chamber. This also leads to a high material throughput.

[0021] Furthermore, the bottom outlet openings can lead downwards into an outlet hopper. This can be connected to a discharge pipe through which the shredded material that has left the work chamber through the bottom outlet openings can be transported further.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a screen basket which is inserted into the housing and forms the working chamber, wherein an annular chamber for discharging the crushed / processed material is formed between the screen basket and the housing. The lateral outlet openings preferably open into this annular chamber. In other words, the impact elements move in a screen basket into which the material to be crushed / processed is introduced by the feed arrangement. Thus, when the crushed / processed material falls below a certain size, it can leave the screen basket downwards into a bottom-side discharge chamber or outwards into the annular chamber formed between the screen basket and the housing and be discharged. The annular chamber can thus form the discharge chamber into which the lateral outlet openings open.

[0023] The strainer basket can have a polygonal or circular cross-section.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the screen basket comprises a base region, preferably designed as a base plate, in which, in particular, the base-side outlet openings are located, and a circumferential side wall projecting upwards from the base region, in which the lateral outlet openings are preferably formed. In other words, the screen basket forms the base region and the circumferential side wall. The side wall preferably extends over the entire height of the housing, so that the working space is delimited on all sides and no uncomminuted or processed material can penetrate into the discharge chambers. Specifically, the base-side outlet openings can extend over the entire base plate of the screen basket.

[0025] To simplify maintenance activities, the side wall of the screen basket can comprise several side wall segments that can be moved between an operating position, in which the screen basket is closed around its perimeter, and a maintenance position, in which the working space is accessible from the outside. Specifically, two adjacent side wall segments can be pivoted about a common, particularly vertically extending pivot axis between the operating position and the maintenance position. Appropriate locking means can be provided to fix the side wall segments in their operating position, in which the working space is completely closed around its perimeter.

[0026] To optimize the comminution or processing of the introduced material, impact bars can be arranged on the screen basket, particularly on the side wall or in the bottom area, preferably on a base plate, which extend into the working chamber. This design is based on the idea of ​​creating defined impact surfaces with which the moving particles, shreds, or similar can exert impacts to optimize comminution / processing. Adjustment means can also be provided to move the impact bars into or out of the working chamber.

[0027] Impact bars can also be mounted outside the screen basket and feature tooth-shaped projections that protrude into the screen basket through the openings in the bottom and / or side wall. The tooth-shaped projections improve the comminution / breakdown of the material inside the screen basket. Mounting the impact bars outside the screen basket allows for easy replacement of the impact bars without having to open the screen basket. The design of the tooth-shaped projections can vary depending on the material to be crushed.

[0028] The working shaft can be arranged either eccentrically or concentrically to the center of the cross-section of the screen basket.

[0029] In a further embodiment of the invention, the impact elements provided on the working shaft can be designed to project radially outward into the working chamber when the working shaft rotates, in order to act on the material introduced into the working chamber. The impact elements are preferably mounted on the working shaft at a distance from one another in the vertical and / or circumferential directions. Specifically, this means that the impact elements can be mounted at different heights on the working shaft in order to act on the introduced material in a distributed manner across the height of the working chamber. This achieves particularly effective comminution or processing of the material.

[0030] In a specific embodiment, at least one annular support element can be provided, to which at least one impact element is attached, wherein each support element is connected to the working shaft in a rotationally and axially fixed manner. In order to mount several impact elements on the working shaft at a distance from one another in the vertical direction, preferably several support elements are mounted on the working shaft at a distance from one another in the vertical direction.

[0031] In a further embodiment, several, in particular exactly two, impact elements can be attached to each annular support element, evenly distributed in the circumferential direction. An annular support element surrounding the working shaft provides a means of quickly and effectively replacing worn impact elements. At the same time, it is possible to quickly change the impact elements if different materials are to be crushed or processed and different impact elements are particularly suitable for this purpose. A uniform distribution of the impact elements in the circumferential direction prevents imbalances and reduces the mechanical stress on the working shaft and its bearings.

[0032] Preferably, each annular support element, on the one hand, and the working shaft, on the other hand, are connected in a rotationally fixed manner by means of keyed connections. This prevents slippage of the support elements and the impact elements attached to them. Furthermore, at least one, in particular each annular support element, can comprise several, in particular two, circumferential segments, which can be or are clamped, in particular screwed, against the working shaft. In this way, the impact elements can be quickly and easily attached to the working shaft by applying the circumferential segments to the working shaft from both sides and then clamping them, in particular screwed, together.

[0033] For axially secure fixation of the annular support elements to the output shaft, annular circumferential receiving grooves can be formed in the output shaft, into which the annular support elements engage. This creates a positive, axially secure connection between the annular support elements and the output shaft.

[0034] In a further embodiment of the invention, the impact elements can comprise chains or be designed as chains, with the chain links preferably being rounded so that they do not have any sharp edges. By designing the impact elements as chains without edges, a fiber-friendly shredding of waste paper components is achieved, since the fibers would be damaged by sharp edges. As a result, the recyclability of shredded or processed waste paper is increased.

[0035] In a further embodiment, several air guide vanes can be arranged on the working shaft, particularly in an upper end region of the working chamber, distributed over the circumference. Such air guide vanes, which preferably protrude from the working shaft and rotate with it, ensure a vertical air flow in the working chamber and can thus be used to control the discharge through the outlet openings at the bottom. In other words, the turbulence created by the impact elements when acting on the material is influenced by such air guide vanes. Preferably, two opposing air guide vanes are provided on the working shaft.

[0036] In a further refinement of this embodiment, the air guide vanes can be pivotally mounted on the working shaft about a pivot axis extending transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the working shaft, so that the angle of attack of the air guide vanes is adjustable. In other words, the air flow generated by the air guide vanes, in particular in the vertical direction, can be adjusted by changing the angle of attack. A suitable adjustment mechanism is preferably provided for this purpose.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the working shaft extends completely through the housing in the vertical direction and is rotatably mounted on the top side, in particular on a top wall of the housing, and on an underside, in particular in a bottom wall of the housing. Such a two-point bearing enables robust fixing of the working shaft in the housing. The working shaft can be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a flywheel. The flywheel is preferably arranged below the housing. The flywheel can have a weight of at least 100 kg, in particular of at least 150 kg, preferably of at least 200 kg, and / or of at most 400 kg, in particular of at most 350 kg, preferably of 300 kg, particularly preferably a weight of approximately 250 kg. The flywheel can also be arranged below a drive motor.

[0038] The drive means can comprise a drive motor with a rotatably driven motor shaft. The drive motor is preferably mounted on a top side of the housing, with the motor shaft and the output shaft in particular running coaxially to one another. This design is based on the fundamental idea of ​​mounting the drive motor above the housing and aligning it coaxially with the output shaft, thereby achieving a space-saving design. Drive mechanisms, which are often required when the drive motor is mounted eccentrically to the output shaft, can be completely dispensed with. Furthermore, the motor does not protrude laterally beyond the housing. It is also conceivable for the drive motor to be arranged below the housing.

[0039] In a specific embodiment, a mounting flange can be attached, in particular welded or screwed, to the top of the housing, to which the drive motor is fixed. Furthermore, the drive means can comprise a gear, in particular a planetary gear, which is arranged between the working shaft and the motor shaft. An intermediate gear causes the working shaft to rotate at a suitable speed in order to achieve optimal comminution or processing of the material introduced into the working chamber. Such a gear can also be arranged in the region of an intermediate flange, which extends between a flange of the drive motor and a flange fixed to the housing. It is also conceivable for the gear to be formed integrally with the drive motor.

[0040] In addition, the drive means can comprise a coupling arranged between the motor shaft and the output shaft. The coupling can be designed as a switchable coupling and / or as a compensating coupling, which is suitable for compensating for speed fluctuations and / or angular deviations between the motor shaft and the output shaft. This design is based on the consideration that when the impact elements act on the material introduced into the working chamber, impact processes occur which can lead to abrupt speed fluctuations. A compensating coupling protects the drive motor from damage, as it is suitable for at least partially compensating for such speed fluctuations. During impact processes, angular deviations between the motor shaft and the output shaft can also occur due to deformation, which can also be compensated for by a suitable compensating coupling.Specifically, the compensating coupling can be designed as a claw coupling with corresponding elastic intermediate elements or as a spring bar coupling.

[0041] The drive motor can be conveniently designed as an electric motor, particularly a speed-controlled electric motor. By adjusting the speed, an optimal shredding or processing mode can be set, tailored to the respective material.

[0042] Furthermore, means for injecting a tempering fluid into the working chamber can be provided. This design is based on the idea of ​​supplying moisture to the working chamber, for example, to regulate the moisture content in the material to be processed or comminuted, or to control the temperature in the working chamber. The tempering fluid can contain or consist of water. The tempering fluid can also contain or consist of whey. Whey is a residual liquid produced during cheese production. In this case, whey can be used as a recyclable flame retardant, particularly when cellulose is obtained from the composite materials.

[0043] The device may further comprise measuring means that detect the temperature in the working chamber. Furthermore, a control device may be provided that is designed and suitable for monitoring the temperature in the working chamber and, if necessary, introducing temperature control fluid into the working chamber.

[0044] In a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, the housing can comprise a lower, preferably substantially flat base wall, an upper, substantially flat top wall, and peripheral walls that connect the base wall to the top wall. Furthermore, the housing can comprise a support frame to which the base wall, the top wall, and the peripheral walls are attached. To simplify the manufacture of the device according to the invention, the support frame can comprise support profiles, in particular standardized support profiles, that are screwed or welded together. The base wall and / or the top wall of the housing can also comprise a plurality of wall segments, each of which is attached between support profiles. Mounting flanges, for example for attaching the motor or intermediate flanges, or bearing flanges for accommodating bearings for the output shaft, can also be attached to the support profiles.

[0045] In a further embodiment, the bottom wall and / or the top wall can be rectangular, in particular square, so that the housing has a substantially cuboidal basic shape. The bottom wall can also be funnel-shaped, so that portions of the material leaving the working chamber through the lateral outlet openings can be discharged through the annular space along the funnel-shaped bottom wall.

[0046] Closable maintenance openings for access to the housing interior can be provided in the housing, particularly in a peripheral wall of the housing. Furthermore, the housing can be designed to be pressure-tight and / or equipped with a pressure relief valve for applying an overpressure in the housing interior and / or with a vacuum valve for generating a vacuum in the housing interior.

[0047] According to a second aspect, the object underlying the invention is achieved by a device for comminuting and / or processing material, in particular composite material, having at least one expanded metal mesh over which the material to be comminuted can be guided or against which the material to be comminuted can impact. Preferably, the device comprises at least one expanded metal mesh over which the material to be comminuted is guided or with which the material comes into contact. This embodiment is based on the consideration that expanded metal mesh is particularly suitable for comminuting composite materials, preferably for comminuting composite food packaging or composite beverage packaging.It has been found that expanded metal mesh, when in contact with composite material to be shredded, in particular with shreds thereof, leads to a separation of the various layers from one another and thus to a separation into very pure material fractions. In practice, the various layers are torn or sheared off from one another. The device can be further configured as previously described in connection with the first aspect of the invention. The same applies to the preferred configuration of the expanded metal mesh. The device can have a working chamber in which the material to be shredded can be set in motion. The working chamber can have outlet openings, which are specifically formed by an expanded metal mesh. As a result of the movement, the material to be shredded, for example the composite material, can strike against the expanded metal mesh, so that it is separated upon contact with the expanded metal mesh.The crushed material components can then leave the working area through the expanded metal mesh.

[0048] Furthermore, the device can comprise means for setting the material to be shredded in motion. Specifically, the material can be accelerated so that it collides with the expanded metal mesh. In other words, kinetic energy is generated before the material comes into contact with the expanded metal mesh. The means can comprise impact elements that can move within the working space to impact the material to be shredded.

[0049] The object underlying the invention is further achieved according to a third aspect by an arrangement for comminuting and / or processing material, in particular composite material, comprising:

[0050] - a comminution device for comminution of the material, in particular a cross-flow shredder, preferably a device as previously described in connection with the first and / or second aspect; separation means arranged downstream of the comminution device for separating the material into different material fractions. Furthermore, according to a fourth aspect, the object underlying the invention is achieved by a method for comminution and / or processing of material, in particular composite material, comprising the following steps:

[0051] - Providing source material;

[0052] - comminuting the starting material in a comminution device, in particular in a cross-flow shredder and / or in a device as previously described in connection with the first and / or second aspect;

[0053] - Separating the shredded material into different material fractions.

[0054] This arrangement and method is based on the idea of ​​first shredding the starting material and then systematically separating the shredded material into different material fractions. The processing of the material can therefore include separating it into different material fractions. In other words, after shredding the material, it is separated into different material fractions so that, for example, in the case of composite beverage material in particular, a paper fraction (cellulose), an aluminum fraction and / or a plastic fraction and optionally other material fractions are ultimately obtained, each of which has a high purity and can be easily processed further. Alternatively, instead of an aluminum fraction, a mixture of plastic film, in particular a PE film which is coated with aluminum, can be obtained. The (composite) material or the starting material can contain cellulose fibers orContains cellulose fiber. Preferably, the material is already shredded in the shredding device to such an extent that, particularly in the case of a paper fraction or a cellulose fraction, subsequent dissolution in a liquid, also known as a pulper, is no longer necessary. This allows for particularly ecological and fiber-friendly processing of the material. Certain material fractions, in particular those made of paper and / or cellulose (fibers or fiber), can be used for the subsequent production of insulating materials. The method according to the invention or the arrangement according to the invention can be used for shredding / processing material for the production of insulating materials.The comminution device can in principle be any device for comminution of material or the device for comminution and / or processing of material, in particular composite material, according to the first and / or second aspect of the invention.

[0055] The starting material is preferably a composite material. Specifically, this can be food composite material or packaging, and / or beverage composite material or packaging.

[0056] The starting material can have a weight fraction of cellulose of at least 30%, in particular of at least 40%, preferably of at least 50%, and / or of at most 90%, in particular of at most 80%, preferably of at most 70%. The weight fraction of aluminum can be at least 2%, in particular at least 5%, preferably at least 10%, and / or of at most 50%, in particular of at most 40%, preferably of at most 30%. The starting material can have a weight fraction of hard plastic, which is derived for example from screw caps, of at least 0.5%, in particular of at least 1%, preferably of at least 1.5%, and / or of at most 10%, in particular of at most 8%, preferably of at most 5%.Furthermore, the starting material can have a weight fraction of plastic film, in particular of PE film, of at least 2%, in particular of at least 5%, preferably of at least 10%, and / or of at most 50%, in particular of at most 40%, preferably of at most 30%.

[0057] Preferably, comminution takes place at a temperature in the working chamber of the comminution device of at least 40°C, in particular at least 50°C, preferably at least 60°C, and / or of at most 150°C, in particular of at most 120°C, preferably of at most 100°C, particularly preferably at a temperature of 80°C. The temperature in the working chamber is preferably 80°C + / - 10°C. At such temperatures, sanitization of the material takes place simultaneously with comminution / processing. This is energetically advantageous because the resulting process heat can be utilized.

[0058] To control the temperature, a temperature control fluid can be introduced into the work chamber. The temperature control fluid can be water or consist of water. The temperature control fluid can also contain whey. Whey can be used as a recyclable flame retardant, especially if cellulose (fibers) are extracted from the material.

[0059] In a further embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the separation means can comprise an air separation system. Accordingly, in the method according to the invention, the comminuted material is preferably separated into different material fractions by air separation. Air separation is a mechanical separation process in which particles are conveyed in a gas stream against the force of gravity. The particles are separated based on the ratio between the force generated by their mass and their flow resistance. In other words, the principle of gravity or centrifugal separation is utilized. Fine, light particles follow the flow, while coarse and heavy particles are more likely to be subjected to inertia. In this way, the particles and the material fractions can be separated very efficiently.

[0060] The separation means can comprise an eddy current separator to separate metal-containing material components from other material components. This design is based on the fundamental idea of ​​providing an eddy current separator after comminution of the material, particularly in a cross-flow shredder, by which metal-containing material components can be separated from other material components. An eddy current separator is based on the fundamental principle of exposing the crushed material to high-frequency alternating magnetic fields, which generate strong eddy currents in conductive, and thus metallic, material components. These then counteract the external magnetic field, so that the metallic components are deflected from the rest of the material flow due to a force impulse.

[0061] The eddy current separator can, for example, have a conveyor belt on which the shredded material is conveyed, particularly at a continuous speed. The eddy current separator can also include a so-called head drum, which, for example, contains a permanent system that generates the high-frequency alternating magnetic fields when the head drum rotates. The individual material components can then be directed to different separation chambers, depending on whether they contain metal-containing material components or not. This allows for efficient separation of the materials into different material fractions.

[0062] Accordingly, the method according to the invention can be characterized in that the comminuted material is separated into different material fractions in an eddy current separator, so that metal-containing material components are separated from other material components.

[0063] The process according to the invention can be characterized in that (ultimately) a separation takes place into a material fraction consisting at least substantially of aluminum. The purity of this material fraction can be at least 80%, in particular at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, more preferably at least 97%, 98%, or 99%. By separating such an aluminum fraction, the aluminum contained in the composite material can be recycled. Compared to the production of new aluminum, CO2 emissions can thus be significantly reduced.

[0064] In addition to an aluminum fraction, separation can take place into a material fraction consisting at least substantially of paper and / or cellulose and / or a material fraction consisting at least substantially of plastic. The purity of the material fraction consisting substantially of paper and / or cellulose (cellulose fraction) can be at least 80%, in particular at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, more preferably at least 97%, 98%, or 99%. The same applies to the material fraction consisting substantially of plastic (plastic fraction).

[0065] In a further embodiment of the arrangement, the eddy current separator can have a working width of at least 1000 mm, in particular of at least 1500 mm, preferably of at least 2000 mm. The working width can correspond to the width of a conveyor belt of the eddy current separator. The eddy current separator can be designed with at least 20 poles, in particular at least 30 poles, and / or at most 80 poles, in particular at most 60 poles, preferably 40 poles. The large number of poles can generate a high-frequency alternating magnetic field. Such a number of poles has proven particularly advantageous for the comminution and separation of composite materials.

[0066] The shredding device and the eddy current separator can be connected to each other via suitable conveying means to feed material discharged from the shredding device to the eddy current separator. In particular, the conveying means can comprise encapsulated conveyor belts. This can prevent light material components, consisting essentially of paper and / or cellulose, from being lost along the path between the shredding device and the eddy current separator. The conveying means can be connected to or adjoin a discharge chamber of the shredding device.

[0067] In a further embodiment, the conveying means can be designed such that they allow recirculation of material, in particular metal-containing material components, from the eddy current separator back to the comminution device. Correspondingly, the method according to the invention can be designed such that the metal-containing material components are recirculated into the comminution device at least once, in particular multiple times, preferably at least five times, in order to bring about further comminution in each case. This embodiment is based on the fundamental finding that, frequently, after the first pass through the comminution device, in particular a cross-flow shredder, sufficiently pure metal-containing material components are still not present.Rather, it has been found that, especially when shredding composite materials, material components often still remain, for example in the form of individual shreds containing both metallic components and other components, such as paper, cellulose, or plastic. By recirculating the material into the shredding device, the components can be further shredded. This process can be repeated until virtually exclusively pure material components remain. It has been found that, for example, when shredding and processing composite materials, particularly composite beverage packaging or composite food packaging, such as those used under the TetraPak brand, multiple recirculations may be necessary.

[0068] The eddy current separator may have a separation chamber into which non-metal-containing material components of the crushed material are fed. Furthermore, the eddy current separator may have a further separation chamber for metal-containing material components.

[0069] The separation chamber of the eddy current separator for non-metal-containing material components can be connected to an air separation system downstream of the eddy current separator via suitable conveyors, so that non-metal-containing material components are fed from the eddy current separator to the air separation system. These are preferably material components containing plastic and cellulose. In other words, the eddy current separator can separate material components consisting essentially of plastic and cellulose on the one hand, and metal-containing material components, particularly those containing aluminum, on the other.

[0070] The metal-containing material components can include or consist of plastic film vapor-deposited with aluminum. In other words, they can be shreds of plastic film with an aluminum layer. This means that immediately after shredding or separating material containing metal-containing components, a pure aluminum fraction may not yet be present, but rather a composite material comprising or consisting of plastic film, in particular PE film, and aluminum.

[0071] After separating material containing metal-containing components, it can be passed through an ultrasonic bath. It has been shown that the metal-containing components, such as aluminum, are often still bonded to a plastic film, particularly a polyethylene (PE) film, after separation. This is because the corresponding composite materials are often produced by vapor-depositing aluminum onto a PE film. The two components can be separated from each other using an ultrasonic bath. In this way, aluminum can be separated with a high degree of purity. Accordingly, an ultrasonic bath can be installed downstream of the eddy current separator and connected to the corresponding separation chamber of the eddy current separator via suitable conveying means.

[0072] The plastic and cellulose-containing material components separated in the eddy current separator can be subjected to air separation to separate them into material components consisting essentially of plastic and material components consisting essentially of cellulose.

[0073] In a further embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the separation means can comprise a vibrating screening system, which is preferably arranged upstream of the air sifting system. Accordingly, the method according to the invention can be characterized in that after the starting material has been comminuted and before it is separated into different material fractions, vibrating screening is carried out. Vibration screening separates particles or parts according to their size. If the parts are still larger than the screen width, they cannot pass through the vibrating screen. Smaller parts, however, can pass through and are then fed to the air sifting system. For this purpose, the vibrating screening system can be connected to the air sifting system via a suitable conveyor device. The conveyor device can comprise an encapsulated conveyor belt. An encapsulated conveyor belt has proven advantageous in order to prevent undesired compaction of material orTo avoid matting of material.

[0074] In a specific embodiment, the vibration system can comprise two screening devices. One screening device can be connected to one discharge chamber of the comminution device via suitable conveying means, and the other screening device can be connected to the other discharge chamber of the comminution device via suitable conveying means. This embodiment is based on the idea of ​​further processing the shredded or processed material that has left the working chamber of the comminution device through the side outlet openings independently of the shredded material that has left the working chamber through the bottom outlet openings. In practice, this creates two different and separate screening devices, allowing the separation already achieved in the comminution device to be advantageously utilized.

[0075] The conveying means can preferably comprise encapsulated conveyor belts. Furthermore, they can be designed to allow recirculation of comminuted material from the eddy current separator and / or from the vibrating screen back to the comminution device. In other words, parts or particles that are too large to pass through the vibrating screen can be returned to the comminution device for further comminution. Such recirculation, which can also take place between the air separation system and the vibrating screen or the eddy current separator, leads to particularly pure material fractions after separation in the air separation system, as it enables highly defined comminution and separation.

[0076] In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the material components consisting essentially of cellulose can preferably be processed in a further comminution device, in particular by homogenizing, sanitizing, and / or purifying the cellulose-containing components. In other words, the material fraction of the material components consisting essentially of cellulose can be processed in an appropriate form for further use.

[0077] Accordingly, the arrangement according to the invention can comprise a further comminution device. The further comminution device can be designed like the comminution device previously described in connection with the first and second aspects. The further comminution device can be connected downstream of the air sifting system via suitable conveying means, for example, encapsulated conveyor belts.

[0078] The processing in the further comminution device can comprise the separation of fines reject, in particular residual contents of the composite material, preferably the composite packaging, and / or cellulose with fiber fragments, and / or downstream, a purification of the material components consisting essentially of cellulose can take place. This allows any remaining organic residues, such as juice residues or other residues of ingredients, to be separated from the cellulose fiber, resulting in a largely pure cellulose fraction. The fines reject can also contain printing ink, aluminum dust, and / or residues of polymer layers. Wash water, in particular rainwater, can be used for the purification process; this water can then be purified anaerobically to produce biogas for reuse.This design is based on the consideration that fines reject, which may in particular comprise residual contents, for example juice residues, of the composite packages formed from the composite material and / or cellulose fiber fragments, is separated. Through anaerobic purification, the organic residues contained in the wash water can be converted into biogas through a thermophilic process. The anaerobic purification of the wash water preferably takes place in a temperature range of at least 30 °C, in particular of at least 40 °C and / or of at most 80 °C, in particular of at most 70 °C, preferably at about 55 °C. The anaerobic purification can take place over a period of at least one hour and / or of at most five hours, preferably of about three hours. In principle, anaerobic purification involves microbiological degradation processes that can take place without the presence of oxygen.A thermophilic process preferably takes place at temperatures above 40 °C, in particular between 50 °C and 57 °C. In principle, this is a digestion process that can produce biogas, allowing all components of the composite material to be recycled, including organic residues. Accordingly, the arrangement can include a cleaning device, which is preferably arranged downstream of the further shredding device.

[0079] The processing of the material components, which primarily consist of cellulose, in the further shredding device may be accompanied by de-inking. This is preferably a dry de-inking process, which practically inevitably occurs during shredding or processing. Surface printing inks, wax layers, and other non-paper coatings can be removed. These components can also form part of the fines reject.

[0080] The processing of the material components consisting essentially of cellulose can also include irradiation with UV rays, in particular with UV-C rays, preferably biocidal irradiation. The irradiation can take place after the material components consisting essentially of cellulose, i.e., the cellulose fraction, have been discharged from the comminution device and / or after their cleaning. Accordingly, the arrangement can include an irradiation device. This can significantly reduce the microbial load.

[0081] To simplify the feeding of material, which is usually in bale form, a pre-shredding system can be installed upstream of the shredding device. The pre-shredding system comprises, in particular, a shredder, preferably a twin-shaft shredder. The pre-shredding system can be connected to the feed arrangement of the shredding device via a suitable conveyor device, wherein the conveyor device preferably comprises a screw conveyor or an encapsulated conveyor belt. This embodiment is based on the consideration that large bales of material, in particular composite material, can be efficiently fed to the pre-shredding system using a forklift truck and, from there, the material of an appropriate size can be fed to the shredding device.Accordingly, the method according to the invention can be characterized in that a preliminary comminution takes place before comminution of the starting material in the comminution device. The preliminary comminution is preferably carried out in such a way that the inside and outside of the composite material are openly accessible. Preferably, packages made of composite material are each crushed into two halves. The individual layers of the composite material are not separated from one another.

[0082] The packaging can be cleaned downstream of the pre-shredding process. Preferably, wash water is used, although ideally no chemical cleaning additives are used. The temperature of the wash water can be at least 30°C, in particular at least 40°C, and / or at most 80°C, in particular at most 70°C. The temperature of the wash water is preferably 55°C. This can be precipitation water. In this way, adhering contaminants (e.g., milk or juice residues) can be removed. If the packaging made of composite material is only shredded in half, one advantage is that the cellulose is retained within the composite material, since the cellulose components are usually protected by appropriate layers of plastic, aluminum, wax, or polymer.

[0083] Following the cleaning process, the wash water used is preferably purified anaerobically to form biogas. The anaerobically purified wash water can be reused. The cleaning preferably takes place at a temperature of at least 30°C, in particular at least 40°C, and / or at most 80°C, in particular at most 70°C, preferably at 55°C. The biogas obtained in this way can be used in a combined heat and power plant to generate electricity. The energy obtained is capable of covering a large portion of the energy requirements of the entire system or the entire process for processing and / or comminuting material, in particular composite material.

[0084] It is also possible for the water content of residual liquids (e.g., milk and / or juice) contained in the composite packaging to evaporate during the preliminary shredding and / or shredding process in the shredding device or shredding unit. This preferably occurs at temperatures of 70°C to 120°C, which prevail in the shredding device during shredding and / or processing of the material. The residues then remaining (e.g., juice residues) can be discharged as dust, in particular by suction. For this purpose, appropriate discharge means, which preferably include suction, can be provided in the shredding device.

[0085] A device for separating metal-containing material components from other material components can be arranged between the pre-shredding system and the shredding device. This device can be designed as a (further) eddy current separator. This allows metal-containing material components to be separated from other material components, so that only metal-containing components are fed to the shredding device. This design is based on the consideration that not all composite materials or composite packaging contain metal-containing components at all. Composite packaging also exists that does not contain aluminum foil or other metal foil.In this way, the non-metal-containing components can be separated before the comminution device and treated separately, for example in another comminution device connected in parallel to the comminution device or in a comminution device (in particular as described in connection with the first or second aspect), so that only composite material that also contains metal-containing components is fed to the comminution device and the subsequent eddy current separator. This can significantly increase the efficiency of the method according to the invention. In other words, a separation into metal-containing materials and other materials can take place before feeding into the comminution device, so that only the metal-containing materials are fed to the comminution device.

[0086] The various components (shredding devices, separation media, etc.) can each be connected to one another by suitable conveying means or conveying devices. These can be designed as screw conveyors and / or conveyor belts, in particular encapsulated conveyor belts, or the like. In particular, an aqueous solution can be added to the cellulose fraction if it is to be used later as insulation. The addition can be achieved by injecting it into conveying devices, for example, encapsulated screw conveyors, which transport the shredded cellulose fraction from the shredding devices. In other words, such an aqueous solution can be practically kneaded in.

[0087] The conveying means or conveyor system can be designed or used to introduce whey into the material. Conveying means or conveyor systems designed as screw conveyors are particularly suitable for introducing liquids, such as whey, into the conveyed material simultaneously with the transport, as the liquid can be practically kneaded into the material.

[0088] The arrangement according to the invention or the method according to the invention is preferably used for comminuting and / or processing composite material, in particular food packaging, preferably beverage packaging made of composite material. In particular, the use of the material components consisting essentially of cellulose, i.e., the corresponding cellulose fraction, for the subsequent production of insulating materials is possible. In other words, the method can be used to produce a fiber material that consists at least essentially of cellulose and can be used for the production of insulating materials or as an insulating material or for the production of paper.

[0089] The object underlying the invention is further achieved according to a fifth aspect by a fiber material which consists at least substantially of cellulose, in particular obtained by a process as described above from composite material, preferably from beverage composite material or beverage packaging or food packaging.

[0090] This embodiment is based on the finding that fiber material consisting at least essentially of cellulose was preferably obtained by a method according to the invention, in particular with an arrangement according to the present invention as described above. Such fiber material, which in particular arises directly from the obtained cellulose fraction, has very favorable properties. Preferably, the fiber material consists at least essentially, in particular entirely, of a plurality of individual fibers. The fiber material can be the cellulose fraction that was separated by the method.

[0091] In a further embodiment, the fiber material can be processed once. This means that it has been processed for the first time using the method according to the invention, meaning that it is essentially fresh material that has not been previously recycled. This makes it possible to achieve a high quality of the fibers. Preferably, the fiber material was obtained by separating composite material using an expanded metal grid. This embodiment is based on the consideration that contact with an expanded metal grid, in particular upon impact with an expanded metal grid, can separate composite material, which in particular consists of several layers, into very pure fractions. At the same time, it has been found that the fibers are not particularly damaged because the separation upon contact with an expanded metal grid primarily occurs between the different layers of the composite material.

[0092] In a further embodiment, the fiber material can have a thermal conductivity (X) of less than 0.039 W / (m 2 K), in particular less than 0.038 W / (m 2 K), preferably less than 0.037 W / (m 2 K), and / or more than 0.02 W / (m 2 K), especially more than 0.025 W / (m 2 K), more preferably of at least 0.03, 0.032 or 0.035 W / (m 2 K).

[0093] Thermal conductivity is a measure of how well or poorly a material conducts heat through itself. Such thermal conductivities indicate a material's suitability as an insulating material, for example, in building insulation. Thermal conductivity can be determined, for example, by comparatively measuring a heat flow with a reference sample. The heat flow measurement method can be used for this purpose. Alternatively, thermal conductivity can be determined using the three-omega method. In this method, a metal heater applied to a sample is periodically heated, and the resulting temperature oscillations are measured. The thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of the sample can be determined from their frequency dependence. Thermal conductivity can be measured according to DIN 52612, in particular DIN 52612-1:1979-09, or DIN 52616:1977-11.Thermal conductivity can also be determined according to DIN EN 12664:2001-05, DIN EN 12667:2001-05, or DIN EN 12939:2001-02. Thermal conductivity is preferably determined using the one- or two-plate method, particularly using plate-shaped fiber material samples with an edge length of at least 500 mm and / or a sample thickness of at least 5 mm. The measurement can take several hours.

[0094] Another possible method is to measure thermal conductivity by clamping a thin metal strip between two cuboidal samples of the fiber material. The setup can be heated to a constant measuring temperature. The metal strip is heated by a heating current for a period of preferably several minutes. A temperature-dependent voltage drop is simultaneously recorded. In other words, the metal strip can serve as both a heat source and a resistance thermometer, allowing the thermal and thermal conductivity to be calculated. If the fiber material is to be measured as a bulk material, the test setup can be housed in a container, particularly a Plexiglas container.

[0095] In a further embodiment, the cellulose content of the fiber material can be at least 90%, in particular at least 92%, preferably at least 95%, further preferably at least 97%, 99%, 99.5% or 99.9%.

[0096] The average fiber length of the fiber material can be at least 0.45 mm, in particular at least 0.5 mm, preferably at least 0.55 mm or at least 0.6 mm, and / or at most 1.5 mm. Such fiber lengths are advantageous because such relatively long fibers result in durable materials when reused. If the fiber material is later used for paper production, the fiber length and fiber thickness are crucial for the strength values ​​of the paper.

[0097] The fiber material can have an average fiber thickness of at least 26 pm, in particular of at least 30 pm, preferably of at least 31 pm, and / or of at most 50 pm, in particular of at most 40 pm, preferably of at most 36 pm.

[0098] The fiber length and the fiber thickness are measured by taking a certain number of individual fibers from the fiber material consisting of a large number of individual fibers and determining the length and thickness of the individual fibers, for example under a microscope.

[0099] The object underlying the invention is further achieved according to a sixth aspect by the use of the fiber material for the production of paper and / or for the production of gypsum fiber insulation material and / or as insulation material, in particular in panel form or as bulk material.

[0100] It has been found that fiber material made from composite materials, particularly composite food packaging or composite beverage packaging, is suitable for use in gypsum fiber insulation. Gypsum fiber insulation generally contains cellulose fibers at a weight fraction of approximately 15%.

[0101] Depending on the application, the fiber material can also be used directly as cellulose insulation material. It can be used in bulk or in the form of prefabricated insulation panels. Particularly if the fiber material is to be used as insulation, an aqueous solution can be added, for example in the process according to the fourth aspect. The aqueous solution can contain ammonium phosphate and / or nitrogen- and / or phosphorus-containing flame retardants. This makes it possible to achieve fire class B1 (flame-retardant). The use of ammonium phosphate as a flame retardant has the advantage that the fiber material is considered harmless to humans and the environment, and the insulation material is therefore not classified as a hazardous substance. The addition can be achieved by injecting it into conveying equipment, such as encapsulated screw conveyors, which transport the shredded cellulose fraction from the shredding devices.In other words, such an aqueous solution can practically be kneaded.

[0102] The further development of the invention is explained with reference to the dependent claims and the description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:

[0103] Figure 1 shows a first arrangement for crushing and processing material according to the present invention in a schematic representation;

[0104] Figure 2 shows the comminution device of the arrangement from Figure 1 in a sectional view;

[0105] Figure 3 shows a second arrangement according to the present invention in a schematic representation; and

[0106] Figure 4 shows the comminution device of the arrangement from Figure 3 in a schematic sectional view. Figure 1 shows an arrangement for comminution and processing composite material according to the present invention. The material flow is schematically represented by the arrows.

[0107] On the left in Figure 1, a pre-shredding system 2 is shown, which can be loaded with material using a forklift. The pre-shredding system 2 is designed as a twin-shaft shredder. Via a suitable conveyor device in the form of a screw conveyor 3, the pre-shredded material, i.e., the cut-up large bales, is fed to a shredding device 4 according to the present invention.

[0108] The detailed structure of the device 4 is shown in cross-section in Figure 2. The device 4 for comminuting composite material has a housing 5, which has an upper, flat ceiling wall 6 and peripheral walls 7, so that the housing essentially has a cuboid basic shape.

[0109] A feed assembly 8 for feeding material into the housing interior is provided on the ceiling wall 6. This assembly comprises a feed opening 9 and a rotary valve 10 through which material can be fed.

[0110] Furthermore, a sieve basket 11 is arranged in the housing 5 and forms a working chamber 12. The sieve basket 11 comprises a circular, flat base plate 13 and a circumferential side wall 14 projecting upwards from the base plate. This side wall 14 extends over the entire height of the peripheral wall 7 of the housing 5 and is fixed to the ceiling wall 6. The base plate 13 and the side wall 14 delimit the working chamber 12. In the base area and in the side wall of the working chamber 12, specifically in the base plate 13 and the side wall 14 of the sieve basket 11, there are a plurality of outlet openings 15, 16 designed as sieve openings. The base-side outlet openings 15 open into a discharge chamber 17, which corresponds to the interior of a discharge hopper 18. The lateral outlet openings 16, which are arranged in an upper section of the strainer basket 11, open into an annular space 19 which is formed between the housing 6 and the strainer basket 11.The annular space 19 also forms a discharge chamber, which is separated from the discharge chamber 17, into which the bottom outlet openings 15 open, so that the crushed material leaving the working chamber 12 through the lateral outlet openings 16 can be discharged from the device 4 separately from the crushed or processed material leaving the working chamber 12 through the bottom outlet openings. For this purpose, corresponding discharge pipes 20, 21 can be seen in the schematic representation.

[0111] The device 4 further comprises a working shaft 22 extending vertically within the working chamber 12. This shaft extends over the entire height of the screen basket 11 and is mounted on the housing 5 for rotation about its longitudinal axis. The working shaft 22 is driven by an electric motor 23, whose motor shaft is aligned coaxially with the working shaft 22 and which is coupled to it via a planetary gear and a flexible coupling.

[0112] On the working shaft 22, a plurality of impact elements 24 in the form of chains are provided, spaced vertically from one another, for acting on the material introduced into the working chamber 12. The impact elements 24 are held in a rotationally fixed manner on the working shaft 22 and are designed to project radially outward into the working chamber 12 when the working shaft 22 rotates in order to act on the material introduced into the working chamber 12.

[0113] In an upper end region of the working chamber 12, two opposing air guide vanes 25 are provided on the working shaft 22 to control the material flow in the working chamber 12. The air guide vanes 25 are pivotally mounted on the working shaft 22 about a pivot axis extending perpendicular to the working shaft 22. In this way, an angle of attack of the air guide vanes 25 can be adjusted to control the material flow in the working chamber 12. Furthermore, means for injecting water into the working chamber 12 in the form of an injection nozzle 26 are provided in the ceiling wall 6 of the housing.

[0114] As can be seen in Figure 1, the arrangement 1 further comprises a vibrating screening system 27, which in this case comprises two screening devices 28. One screening device 28 is connected to one discharge chamber 17 of the device 4 via suitable conveying means, here in the form of an encapsulated conveyor belt 29. The other screening device 28 of the vibrating screening system 27 is also connected to the annular chamber 19 of the device 4 via an encapsulated conveyor belt 29. The two encapsulated conveyor belts 29 are designed to allow recirculation of comminuted material from the vibrating screening system 27 back to the comminution device 4.

[0115] Downstream of the vibrating screening system 27 is a wind sifting system 30. This is also connected to the vibrating screening system 27 via an encapsulated conveyor belt 29.

[0116] If material, in particular a composite material, is to be processed in the described arrangement 1, it is first fed, preferably in bale form, to the pre-shredding system 2 using a forklift. The shredder contained in this system 2 shreds the bales of composite material to such an extent that they can be introduced into the working chamber 12 of the shredding device 4 via the rotary valve 10.

[0117] The rotating working shaft 22 and the impact elements 24 attached to it act on the material, shredding it. At the same time, the air guide vanes 25 generate a downward airflow. For temperature regulation, water is also introduced into the working chamber 12 via the injection nozzle 26, so that the temperature is ideally maintained at approximately 80°C. The shredding of the introduced material is optimized by the fact that impact bars 31 are arranged on the side wall 14 of the screen basket 11 and extend into the working chamber 12.

[0118] The composite material is crushed in the working chamber 12 and remains or circulates there until it leaves the working chamber 12 either via the bottom outlet openings 15 or the side outlet openings 16.

[0119] The two material streams are discharged separately from the comminution device 4 through the discharge pipes 20, 21 and fed to the two screening devices 28 of the vibrating screening system 27 via the encapsulated conveyor belts 29.

[0120] Portions or particles of the material that are sufficiently crushed to pass through the vibrating screening system 27 are then fed to the air separation system 30, where they are finally separated into largely pure material fractions and can be removed. Particles or portions of the material that are still too large to pass through the vibrating screening system 27 can be returned to the crushing device 4 via the encapsulated conveyor belts 29, where they are reintroduced into the working chamber 12 for further crushing.

[0121] The described arrangement 1 allows the composite material to be separated into largely pure material fractions. At the same time, the paper or cellulose components of the composite material are shredded to such an extent that they can be further processed without further dissolution in a liquid, resulting in significant economic and ecological advantages.

[0122] Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a second embodiment of an arrangement 1 according to the invention for shredding and processing composite material. This arrangement comprises a pre-shredding system 2, which in this case is designed as a twin-shaft shredder. Composite material with and without metallic components can be fed into this system, for example, in bale form.

[0123] An eddy current separator 32 is provided downstream of the pre-shredding system 2. In this separator, metal-containing materials are separated from other materials. This means that the composite material shown in Figure 1, which contains no metal, is directed downwards, whereas composite material with aluminum is directed upwards. In the upper section, a shredding device 4, which in this case is designed as a cross-flow shredder, is provided downstream of the eddy current separator 32. The shredding device 4 is shown in detail in cross-section in Figure 4. The shredding device 4 for shredding composite material is fundamentally identical to the shredding device 4 shown in Figure 2. It differs in that both the lateral outlet openings 16 and the bottom outlet openings 15 open into a common discharge chamber 17.Specifically, the outlet openings 15, 16 are formed by expanded metal mesh. An annular space 19 is also formed circumferentially between the screen basket 11 and the housing 5.

[0124] As can be seen in Figure 3, the arrangement 1 further comprises an eddy current separator 33, which is connected to the comminution device 4, specifically to the discharge chamber 17, via suitable conveying means, here, for example, in the form of an encapsulated conveyor belt 34. The encapsulated conveyor belt 34 is designed such that it allows recirculation of comminuted material from the eddy current separator 33 back to the comminution device 4, specifically into the working chamber 12. Specifically, the conveying means can comprise two parallel, encapsulated conveyor belts, one of which continuously conveys the material from the discharge chamber 17 toward the eddy current separator 33, and the other of which has the opposite conveying direction, in particular from a separation chamber of the eddy current separator 33 for metal-containing material components.It is also possible to provide only one conveyor belt 34, which alternately conveys in the direction of the eddy current separator 33 and back in the direction of the shredding device 4.

[0125] The eddy current separator 33, which in this case has a working width of 2,000 mm and is designed with 40 poles, serves to separate the shredded material into components consisting essentially of plastic and cellulose, on the one hand, and metal-containing components, particularly those containing aluminum, on the other. Specifically, the eddy current separator 33 has a separation chamber into which non-metal-containing components of the shredded material are directed.

[0126] The separation means further comprise an air separation system 30, wherein the separation chamber of the eddy current separator 33 for non-metal-containing material components is connected to the air separation system 30 via suitable conveying means. In this way, non-metal-containing material components, in particular material components consisting essentially of plastic and cellulose, can be fed from the eddy current separator 33 to the air separation system 30.

[0127] In the air separation system 30, a separation is carried out into material components consisting essentially of plastic and material components consisting essentially of cellulose. The material components consisting essentially of cellulose are processed in a further comminution device 35, whereby, in particular, so-called fine reject is separated. The material components consisting at least essentially of cellulose are then homogenized, sanitized, and / or subjected to a cleaning process.

[0128] The material components separated in the eddy current separator 32, which do not contain any metal-containing components, are crushed, processed and separated from fine material reject in a crushing device 36, which is designed in particular as a cross-flow crusher, before these are also fed to the air classification system 30 and then further processed.

[0129] The original composite material, which contains both composite packaging with metallic components and composite packaging without metallic components, is first coarsely shredded in the pre-shredding plant 2. In an eddy current separator, the composite packaging containing metal is separated from the composite packaging containing no metal.

[0130] The metal-containing composite packaging is then fed to the comminution device 4. Specifically, the material containing metallic components is introduced into the working chamber 12 through the rotary valve 10. The rotating working shaft 22 and the impact elements 24 mounted thereon, which act on the material, comminution the material. At the same time, the air guide vanes 25 generate a downward air flow. For temperature regulation, water is also introduced into the working chamber 12 via the injection nozzle 26, so that the temperature is ideally maintained at approximately 80°C. The comminution of the introduced material is optimized by the fact that impact bars 29 are arranged on the side wall of the screen basket and extend into the working chamber. The composite material is comminuted in the working chamber 12 and remains, or circulates, there until it leaves the working chamber 12 via the outlet openings 15, 16.

[0131] The comminuted material is then fed to the eddy current separator 33, where it is separated into material components consisting essentially of plastic and cellulose, on the one hand, and into metal-containing, in particular aluminum-containing, material components. The metal-containing material components are then optionally recirculated at least once, in particular several times, into comminution device 4, where they are further comminuted, particularly in contact with the outlet openings 15, 16, which are formed by an expanded metal mesh, so that ultimately only pure aluminum-containing components remain and are separated in the eddy current separator 33. This very pure aluminum material fraction can then be reused for recycling purposes.

[0132] It may also happen that after leaving the comminution device 4, there is no pure aluminum fraction, but rather a composite of plastic film, in particular PE film, with an aluminum coating. In this case, an ultrasonic bath can be connected downstream of the eddy current separator 33, into which the metal-containing material components are fed in order to separate the aluminum coating from the plastic film.

[0133] The material components, which consist essentially of plastic and cellulose and are separated in the eddy current separator 33, are then fed together with the shredded composite packaging without metal-containing components to the air separation system 30, whereby at least the material components consisting essentially of plastic are separated. The remaining material components, which consist essentially of cellulose, are fed to the further shredding device 35, where the cellulose is homogenized, sanitized, and / or purified. This cellulose fraction is then preferably used for the production of insulation materials.

[0134] The described method, which uses the arrangement 1 according to the invention, is therefore particularly suitable for very pure material separation, with the resulting material fractions each exhibiting high degrees of purity. In particular, it has been shown that a very pure aluminum material fraction can be obtained in this way, so that aluminum from the composite material can be reused, thereby avoiding or saving a significant amount of CO2 emissions compared to the production of new aluminum.

[0135] 1 arrangement

[0136] 2 Pre-shredding plant

[0137] 3 screw conveyors

[0138] 4 Shredding device

[0139] 5 housings

[0140] 6 Ceiling wall

[0141] 7 Perimeter wall

[0142] 8 Feed arrangement

[0143] 9 Feed opening

[0144] 10 cell edge lock

[0145] 11 Sieve basket

[0146] 12 work space

[0147] 13 Base plate

[0148] 14 Side wall

[0149] 15 bottom outlet openings

[0150] 16 side outlets

[0151] 17 Venue

[0152] 18 discharge hoppers

[0153] 19 Annular space

[0154] 20 discharge pipe

[0155] 21 discharge pipe

[0156] 22 Working shaft

[0157] 23 Electric motor

[0158] 24 striking elements

[0159] 25 air guide vanes

[0160] 26 Injector nozzle

[0161] 27 vibrating screening plant

[0162] 28 screening device 29 encapsulated conveyor belt

[0163] 30 wind sifting system

[0164] 31 impact bar

[0165] 32 Eddy current separator 33 Eddy current separator

[0166] 34 encapsulated conveyor belt

[0167] 35 additional shredding devices

[0168] 36 Shredding device

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Device (4) for comminuting and / or processing material, in particular composite material, comprising a housing (5) in which a working chamber (12) for comminuting / processing material is provided, wherein the working chamber (12) is delimited by a floor area and a circumferential side wall (14), a feed arrangement (8) for feeding material into the working chamber (12), which is provided on an upper side of the housing (5), a working shaft (22) extending vertically in the working chamber (12) and which is rotatably mounted on the housing (5) about its longitudinal axis, wherein impact elements (24) are provided on the working shaft (22) for acting on the material introduced into the working chamber (12), and Drive means for driving the working shaft (22), wherein bottom-side outlet openings are formed in the bottom region of the working chamber (12) and / or lateral outlet openings (16) are formed in the side wall (14) of the working chamber (12).

2. Device (4) according to claim 1, characterized in that bottom-side outlet openings are formed in the floor area of ​​the working space (12) and lateral outlet openings (16) are formed in the side wall (14) of the working space (12).

3. Device (4) according to claim 2, characterized in that the device (4) has a discharge chamber (17) into which the bottom-side outlet openings (15) open, and a discharge chamber separate from this, into which the lateral outlet openings (16) open, so that crushed / processed material which leaves the working chamber (12) through the lateral outlet openings (16) can be discharged from the device (4) separately from the crushed / processed material which leaves the working chamber (12) through the bottom-side outlet openings (15).

4. Device (4) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral and / or bottom outlet openings (15, 16) are designed as sieve openings.

5. Device (4) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral and / or bottom outlet openings (15, 16) are formed at least partially, in particular completely, by expanded metal mesh with in particular diamond-shaped openings.

6. Device (4) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein lateral outlet openings (16) are formed in the side wall of the working space, characterized in that the lateral outlet openings (16) are arranged in a ring-shaped circumferential manner.

7. Device (4) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein bottom-side outlet openings (15) are formed in the bottom region of the working space, characterized in that the bottom-side outlet openings (15) open downwards into an outlet funnel and / or the bottom-side outlet openings (15) extend over the entire floor area of ​​the working space (12).

8. Device (4) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (4) has a sieve basket (11) which is inserted into the housing (5) and forms the working space (12), wherein an annular space (19) is formed between the sieve basket (11) and the housing (5), into which the lateral outlet openings (16) open.

9. Device (4) according to claim 8, characterized in that the sieve basket (11) is polygonal or circular in cross section, and / or that the sieve basket (11) forms the bottom region, which is preferably designed as a bottom plate (13) and in which the bottom-side outlet openings (15) are located, and a circumferential side wall (14) projecting upwards from the bottom region, in which the lateral outlet openings (16) are formed.

10. Device (4) according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that on the sieve basket (11), in particular on the side wall (14) and / or in the base area, preferably on a base plate (13), impact strips (31) are arranged, which protrude into the working space (12), wherein, in particular, adjusting means are provided in order to move the impact strips (31) into or out of the working space (12).

11. Device (4) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impact elements (24) provided on the working shaft (22) are designed to project radially outwards into the working space (12) when the working shaft (22) is rotating in order to act on the material introduced into the working space (12).

12. Device (4) according to claim 11, characterized in that the impact elements (24) are mounted on the working shaft (22) spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction and / or circumferential direction.

13. Device (4) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the working shaft (22), in particular in an upper end region of the working space (12), a plurality of air guide vanes (25) distributed over the circumference, in particular two air guide vanes (25) lying opposite one another, are provided in order to control the material flow in the working space (12).

14. Device (4) according to claim 13, characterized in that the air guide vanes (25) are pivotally held on the working shaft (22) about a pivot axis extending transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the working shaft (22), so that an angle of attack of the air guide vanes (25) is adjustable.

15. Device (4) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed arrangement (8) comprises a feed opening (9) formed in the upper side, in particular in a ceiling wall of the housing (5) and a lock, preferably a rotary valve (11), arranged upstream of the latter.

16. Device (4) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means for injecting a tempering liquid into the working chamber (12) are provided.

17. Arrangement (1) for crushing and / or processing material, in particular composite material, comprising: a comminution device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 16; - separation means downstream of the comminution device (4) for separating the material into different material fractions.

18. Arrangement (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that the separation means comprise an air sifting system (30).

19. Arrangement (1) according to one of claims 17 to 18, characterized in that the separation means comprise an eddy current separator (33) in order to separate metal-containing material components from other material components.

20. Arrangement (1) according to claim 19, characterized in that the eddy current separator (33) has a working width of at least 1,000 mm, in particular of at least 1,500 mm, preferably of at least 2,000 mm, and / or that the eddy current separator is designed to have at least 20 poles, in particular at least 30 poles, and / or at most 80 poles, in particular at most 60 poles, preferably 40 poles.

21. Arrangement (1) according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that the comminution device (4) and the eddy current separator (33) are connected to one another via suitable conveying means in order to feed material discharged from the comminution device (4) to the eddy current separator (33).

22. Arrangement (1) according to claim 21, characterized in that the conveying means comprise encapsulated conveyor belts (34), and / or that the conveying means are designed in such a way that they allow recirculation of material al, in particular metal-containing material components, from the eddy current separator (33) back to the comminution device (4).

23. Arrangement (1) according to one of claims 19 to 22, characterized in that the eddy current separator (33) has a separation chamber into which non-metal-containing material components of the comminuted material are passed.

24. Arrangement (1) according to one of claims 19 to 23 and according to claim 17, characterized in that the separation chamber of the eddy current separator (33) for non-metal-containing material components is connected to the air classification system (30) via suitable conveying means, so that non-metal-containing material components can be fed from the eddy current separator (33) to the air classification system (30).

25. Arrangement (1) according to one of claims 17 to 24, characterized in that the separation means comprise a vibrating screening system (27), which is preferably arranged upstream of an air sifting system (30), wherein, in particular, the vibrating screening system (27) is connected to the air sifting system (30) via a suitable conveying device, which preferably comprises an encapsulated conveyor belt (29).

26. Arrangement (1) according to claim 25, characterized in that the vibrating screening system (27) comprises two screening devices, wherein one screening device is connected via suitable conveying means to one discharge chamber (17) of the comminution device (4) and the other screening device is connected via suitable conveying means to the other discharge chamber (17) of the comminution device (4), wherein the conveying means preferably comprise encapsulated conveyor belts (29), and / or wherein the conveying means are preferably designed in such a way that they enable recirculation of comminution allow material from the vibrating screening system (27) back to the crushing device (4).

27. Arrangement (1) according to one of claims 17 to 26, characterized in that a pre-shredding system (2) is connected upstream of the shredding device (4), wherein the pre-shredding system (2) comprises in particular a shredder, preferably a two-shaft shredder, wherein, in particular, the pre-shredding system is connected to the feed arrangement (8) of the shredding device (4) via a suitable conveyor device, wherein the conveyor device preferably comprises a screw conveyor (3) or an encapsulated conveyor belt.

28. Arrangement (1) according to claim 27, characterized in that an eddy current separator (33) is provided between the pre-crushing plant and the crushing device in order to separate metal-containing material components from other material components, so that only metal-containing components are fed to the crushing device (4).

29. A method for crushing and / or processing material, in particular composite material, comprising the following steps: - Providing source material; - comminuting the starting material in a comminution device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 16; Separating the shredded material into different material fractions.

30. Method according to claim 29, characterized in that the comminution takes place at a temperature in the working space of at least 40°C, in particular at least 50°C, and / or of at most 150°C, in particular of at most 120°C, particularly preferably at a temperature of 80°C, wherein, in particular, a tempering liquid is introduced into the working space (12) to control the temperature.

31. A method according to claim 29 or 30, characterized in that the separation of the crushed material into different material fractions is carried out by means of air separation.

32. Method according to one of claims 29 to 31, characterized in that after comminution of the starting material, vibration screening is carried out before separation into different material fractions.

33. Method according to claim 32, characterized in that the crushed material is partially recirculated into the crushing device (4) after the vibration screening.

34. Method according to one of claims 29 to 33, characterized in that the separation of the comminuted material into different material fractions takes place in an eddy current separator (33) so that metal-containing material components are separated from other material components.

35. Method according to claim 34, characterized in that in the eddy current separator (33) a separation into material components consisting essentially of plastic and cellulose on the one hand and into metal-containing material components, especially those containing aluminum, on the other hand.

36. Method according to claim 35, characterized in that the metal-containing material components are recirculated into the comminution device (4) at least once, in particular several times, preferably at least five times, in order to bring about a further comminution in each case.

37. Method according to claim 35 or 36, characterized in that the metal-containing material components pass through an ultrasonic bath in order to separate the plastic film and aluminum contained therein.

38. Method according to one of claims 35 to 37, characterized in that the plastic and cellulose-containing material components which are separated in the eddy current separator (33) are fed to an air separation in order to carry out a separation into material components consisting essentially of plastic and material components consisting essentially of cellulose.

39. Method according to claim 38, characterized in that the material components consisting essentially of cellulose are processed in a further comminution device (35), wherein in particular a homogenization, hygienization and / or cleaning of the cellulose-containing components takes place.

40. Method according to claim 39, characterized in that in the further comminution device (35) fine rejects, in particular contents residues of the composite material, preferably of the composite packaging, and / or cellulose fiber fragments, are separated, in particular dry- separated, and / or that an anaerobic treatment takes place downstream with the production of biogas.

41. Method according to one of claims 29 to 40, characterized in that prior to comminution of the starting material in the comminution device (4) a preliminary comminution takes place, and / or prior to feeding into the comminution device (4) a separation into metal-containing materials and other materials takes place, so that only the metal-containing materials are fed to the comminution device (4).

42. Fibre material which consists at least essentially of cellulose, obtained by a process according to one of claims 29 to 41 from composite material, in particular from beverage composite material.

43. Fibre material according to claim 42, characterized in that it was obtained with an arrangement according to one of claims 17 to 28.

44. Fibre material according to claim 42 or 43, characterised in that it is a once-processed fibre material and / or that the fibre material was obtained by separating composite material via an expanded metal mesh.

45. Fibre material according to one of claims 42 to 44, characterized in that it has a thermal conductivity (A ) of less than 0.039 W / (m 2 K), in particular less than 0.038 W / (m 2 K), preferably less than 0.037 W / (m 2 K), and / or more than 0.02 W / (m 2 K), especially more than 0.025W / (m 2K), more preferably of at least 0.03, 0.032, 0.035 W / (m 2 K).

46. ​​Fibre material according to one of claims 41 to 45, characterized in that the cellulose content is at least 90%, in particular at least 92%, preferably at least 95%, further preferably at least 97%, 99%, 99.5% or 99.9%.

47. Fiber material according to one of claims 41 to 46, characterized in that the average fiber length is at least 0.45 mm, in particular at least 0.5 mm, preferably at least 0.55 mm or at least 0.6 mm, and / or at most 1.5 mm.

48. Fiber material according to one of claims 41 to 47, characterized in that the fiber material has an average fiber thickness of at least 26 pm, in particular of at least 30 pm, preferably of at least 31 pm, and / or of at most 50 pm, in particular of at most 40 pm, preferably of at most 36 pm.

49. Use of the fiber material according to one of claims 40 to 48 for the production of paper and / or for the production of gypsum fiber damping material and / or as insulating material, in particular in board form or as bulk material.

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