INSTALLATION ALLOWING THE SEPARATION OF COMPONENTS OF A MIXTURE OF FIBERS AND GRANULES BY MEANS OF AN AERODIE SYSTEM COMPRISING A SUCTION NOZZLE COMBINED WITH A MOBILE RECEIVING GRILLE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a separation installation (100) for processing a mixture (1) of fibers (2) and granules (3), said installation comprising a crumbling device (101) for generating a powdery flow of the mixture, and then an aerodynamic system comprising a movable receiving grid (10), forming a rotating drum (40), and associated with a suction nozzle (14) designed to generate, through the receiving grid (10), a suction flow (F14) which is transverse to the main flow direction (Z1) of the mixture (1), so that said suction flow (F14) makes it possible to pick up fibers (2) in the flow (F1) of the mixture, by deviating the trajectory of said fibers (2) with respect to the main flow direction (Z1) of the mixture, and to press said fibers (2) against the external face (10A) of the receiving grid (10). Figure for the abridged version: Fig 1

Description

Title of the invention: INSTALLATION FOR SEPARING THE COMPONENTS OF A MIXTURE OF FIBERS AND GRANULES BY MEANS OF AN AERODIE SYSTEM COMPRISING A SUCTION NOZZLE COMBINED WITH A MOVABLE RECEIVING GRILLE

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of separation installations and processes intended to separate the different components of a mixture containing fibers and granules, in particular for the purpose of recycling the materials which are respectively constitutive of these different components.

[0002] The invention finds more particularly application in the treatment of mixtures which are obtained from the grinding of pneumatic tires and which contain textile fibers, in particular polyethylene terephthalate, and granules of rubber-based material.

[0003] Separation processes are already known in which the components of the mixture are given, for example by tribocharging, electrostatic charges whose sign is different depending on whether it is a fiber or a granule, then the fibers are separated from the granules by passing the mixture thus charged through an electric field formed between two electrodes, which each selectively attract a type of component according to the polarity of said component.

[0004] However, it is sometimes difficult to efficiently process large quantities of mixture in a limited time using known processes.

[0005] The objects assigned to the invention therefore aim to propose a new installation which allows the implementation, by means of a simple and low energy-intensive structure, of a new separation process which has an improved yield.

[0006] The objects assigned to the invention are achieved by means of a separation installation intended to process a mixture of components comprising a first family of components formed by fibers and a second family of components formed by granules, said installation being characterized in that it comprises: - a crumbling device designed to fractionate the mixture and generate a flow of said mixture, in a powdery form containing fibers and granules, along a direction referred to as the "main flow direction", - as well as a grid called the "receiving grid", which has a first face called the "external face" and a second opposite face, called the "internal face", which grid re The receiving grid is arranged to be driven in motion according to a movement called "conveying movement" which allows said receiving grid to pass from a first station, called "sorting station", at which the external face of the receiving grid is located opposite the flow of the mixture in order to capture fibers from the flow of the mixture, to a second station called "discharge station", which is distant from the sorting station, and at which the fibers are detached from said external face of the receiving grid in order to reach a first collector, the sorting station being equipped with a suction nozzle which is located opposite the internal face of the receiving grid and which is designed to generate, through the receiving grid, a suction flow which is transverse to the main direction of flow of the mixture, so that said suction flow makes it possible to collect fibers in the flow of the mixture,by deflecting the trajectory of said fibers relative to the main flow direction of the mixture, and pressing said fibers against the outer face of the receiving grid.

[0007] Advantageously, the installation according to the invention makes it possible to sort the components of the mixture according to their weight, size, and the drag force they each experience when exposed to the suction flow. The selectivity of the process makes it possible, in particular, to collect separately, on the one hand, the fibers that are drawn in and pressed against the grid, destined for the first collector; on the other hand, fine granules that are light enough to be carried by the suction flow and small enough to pass through the receiving grid that retains the fibers and be drawn in by the suction nozzle to a second collector; and finally, coarse granules that are too large and heavy to be carried by the suction flow and therefore continue along the main flow direction to reach, preferably by gravity, a third collector.

[0008] Advantageously, the invention further makes it possible to generate, preferably in the form of a vertical rain, a flow of the mixture which is relatively dense, and therefore rich in fibers and granules for a given surface, but also well distributed over a fairly wide surface, corresponding to the width of said flow of the mixture, so that, by using a receiving grid which covers said width of the flow of the mixture, transversely to the main direction of flow, and which therefore sees a high quantity of mixture pass in front of it per unit of time, it is possible to quickly sort large quantities of fibers on the one hand, and granules on the other hand, which gives the installation a high yield.

[0009] Furthermore, the mobile receiving grid, which moves in a closed circuit, for example in the form of a conveyor belt or a cylindrical sieve as will be seen below, is advantageously continuously regenerated because it leaves the station sorting as it becomes covered and loaded with fibers, and is then cleaned and rid of said fibers at the evacuation station, and thus returns to the sorting station clean and ready to capture new fibers, so that there is no risk of clogging of said grid which would cause a loss of suction and therefore a loss of efficiency of the installation.

[0010] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in more detail from the following description and with the aid of the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of illustration only and are not intended to be limiting, among which:

[0011] Figure 1 illustrates, in a schematic cross-sectional view in a vertical plane, the operating principle of an example of an installation according to the invention, where the receiving grid takes the form of a rotating drum inside which the suction nozzle is housed. Inside the drum is also a blowing nozzle which, at the discharge point, facilitates the removal of the fibers.

[0012] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an example of an embodiment of an aerodynamic system that can be fitted to the installation of Fig. 1, said aerodynamic system comprising a receiving grid arranged in the form of a rotating drum, a suction nozzle housed inside said drum, opposite the inner face of the receiving grid, at the sorting station, and a vacuum cleaner located opposite the outer face of the drum, at the discharge station, to collect the fibers captured by the receiving grid and convey them to the first collector.

[0013] The present invention relates to a separation installation 100 intended to process a mixture 1 of components 2, 3 comprising a first family of components 2 formed by fibers 2 and a second family of components 3 formed by granules 3.

[0014] The mixture 1 will preferably come from the grinding of an object, such as a pneumatic bandage, with a view to recycling the constituent materials of the fibers 2 and respectively of the granules 3.

[0015] The fibers 2 shall have a thin and elongated shape, preferably substantially cylindrical.

[0016] At least a part, preferably the majority of said fibers 2 present in the mixture 1 (i.e. more than 50% of the total number of fibers present), and more preferably all (100% of the total number of fibers present) of said fibers 2 which are present in the mixture 1 shall have a length between 1 mm and 10 mm, while the largest of their transverse dimensions, i.e. the largest of the dimensions considered perpendicular to their length, i.e. typically the diameter in the case of a cylindrical fiber, shall be between 10 pm and 1 mm, and more typically between 10 pm and 500 pm.

[0017] The process according to the invention, and the corresponding installation 100, will be preference designed to be able to separate and recover (at least) fibers of such dimensions.

[0018] More preferably, the fibers 2 will have a dimension, called length, which is significantly greater than the other two dimensions, called transverse dimensions, and more particularly will have a length at least 5 times, preferably at least 10 times, at least 20 times, or even at least 50 times or even 100 times greater than the largest of these two transverse dimensions, that is to say, typically, in the case of a cylindrical fiber 2, a length at least 5 times, preferably at least 10 times, at least 20 times, or even at least 50 times or even 100 times greater than the diameter of the fiber 2 concerned.

[0019] The fibers 2 may be made of a natural or synthetic textile material, and more preferably of a polymer or a combination of polymers from among (non-exhaustive list): polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), and nylon (PA).

[0020] The granules will preferably be formed in an elastomeric material, more preferably based on rubber.

[0021] Furthermore, at least part of the granules 3 present in the mixture 1, preferably the majority of the granules 3 present in the mixture 1 (more than 50% of the total number of granules present), and more preferably all (100% of the total number of granules present) of said granules 3 present in the mixture 1 will preferably have an equivalent diameter between 125 pm and 5 mm, and a shape factor between 1 and 2.

[0022] By "equivalent diameter" is meant the diameter that a fictitious sphere would have which would occupy the same volume as the volume occupied by the granule 3 considered.

[0023] The term "shape factor" refers to the ratio between, on the one hand, the maximum Feret diameter, that is, the maximum observable distance for the granule 3 in question between two parallel lines tangent to opposite sides of a planar projection of said granule 3, and, on the other hand, the minimum Feret diameter, that is, the minimum observable distance for the granule 3 in question between two parallel lines tangent to opposite sides of said planar projection of said granule 3. This shape factor provides a good indication of the slenderness of the granules 3. For reference, a sphere has a shape factor of 1, and a cube has a shape factor equal to the square root of 2.

[0024] According to the invention, the installation 100 comprises a crumbling device 101 designed to fractionate the mixture 1 and generate a flow Fl of said mixture, under a powdery form containing fibers 2 and granules 3, along a direction called "main flow direction" ZI.

[0025] The crumbling device 101 makes it possible to break up the mixture 1, and in particular to break up the agglomerates of fibers 2 and granules 3 which, within the initial mixture 1, keep granules 3 prisoners of masses of entangled fibers 2.

[0026] The action of the crumbling device makes it possible to disentangle and dissociate all or part of the fibers 2 from each other, and to dissociate all or part of the granules 3 from the surrounding fibers 2, and thus, by crumbling the mixture 1, to generate a flow Fl of mixture 1 placed in a powdery state, according to which said flowing mixture 1 contains fibers 2 which are dissociated from each other, and granules 3 which are dissociated from each other and dissociated from the fibers 2.

[0027] Preferably, the crumbling device 101 is arranged to generate a downward vertical flow of mixture, in the form of a rain of fibers 2 and granules 3 which fall by gravity, as shown in [Fig.1].

[0028] Such a solution is particularly simple to implement, requires little energy, and allows the installation to be limited in floor space.

[0029] Preferably, the crumbling device 101 may comprise, as schematically shown in [Fig.1], a brush 4 and a sieve 5, called a "crumbling sieve" 5, which are in relative motion, called a "brushing motion" M4, relative to each other, so that the brush 4 rubs the mixture 1 against the crumbling sieve 5 to disentangle the fibers 2 and dissociate the components 2, 3 of the mixture from each other, and thus generate, through the crumbling sieve 5, a shower of dissociated fibers 2 and granules 3.

[0030] The brush 4 and / or the sieve 5 can be electrically coupled to an equipotential reference such as earth, making it possible to avoid a possible tribocharge.

[0031] Here again, this solution is particularly simple and allows, by the mechanical effect of brushing, an effective dissociation of the components 2, 3 of the mixture 1, and in particular a disengagement of the fiber aggregates 2.

[0032] The mixture 1 and the brushing action are advantageously distributed over a large surface area of ​​the sieve 5, and thus allow to generate a high flow rate Fl, here of rain, fibers 2 and granule 3.

[0033] The flow Fl obtained, here in the form of rain, is advantageously both dense, that is to say comprising a high number of components 2, 3 per volume of air, and fine, that is to say composed of fibers 2 and granules 3 which are finely dissociated from each other, and more preferably individualized.

[0034] According to the invention, the installation also includes a grid 10 called "receiving grid" 10, which has a first face 10A called "external face" 10A and a second opposite face 10B called "internal face" 10B.

[0035] Said receiving grid 10 is arranged to be driven in movement according to a movement called "conveying movement" M10 which allows said receiving grid 10 to pass from a first station 11, called "sorting station" 11, at which the external face 10A of the receiving grid 10 is located opposite the flow Fl of the mixture in order to capture fibers 2 coming from the flow Fl of the mixture, as can be seen on the right part of [Fig.1], to a second station 12 called "discharge station" 12, which is distant from the sorting station 11, and at which the fibers 2 are detached from said external face 10A of the receiving grid 10 in order to be able to reach a first collector 13, as can be seen on the left part of [Fig.1],

[0036] According to the invention, the sorting station 11 is provided with a suction nozzle 14 which is located opposite the inner face 10B of the receiving grid 10 and which is designed to generate, through the receiving grid 10, a suction flow F14 which is transverse to the main flow direction ZI of the mixture 1, so that said suction flow F14 makes it possible to take fibers 2 from the flow Fl of the mixture, by deviating the trajectory of said fibers 2 with respect to the main flow direction ZI of the mixture, and to press said fibers 2 against the outer face 10A of the receiving grid 10.

[0037] Since the fibers 2 are light and have significant aerodynamic drag, they are easily carried along by the suction flow F14, and this in a selective manner in particular with respect to heavier components of the mixture, such as certain granules 3, called "coarse granules 3_2.

[0038] The fibers 2 thus carried by the suction flow 14 are then stopped by the receiving grid 10, and therefore collected by said receiving grid 10.

[0039] It will be noted that the receiving grid 10 is advantageously located outside the flow Fl of the mixture, opposite an edge of said flow Fl, so that, in the absence of suction flow 14, the fibers 2 and granules 3 which form the flow Fl, and which follow the main flow direction Zl, do not reach the receiving grid 10, and in particular, in the case of a vertical flow Fl, do not spill onto the receiving grid 10.

[0040] Thus, the selectivity of the sorting station 11, and more particularly of the receiving grid 10, will be preserved, as it will selectively capture some of the components 2, 3 of the mixture 1, diverting them from the main flow direction Zl, while allowing other components of the mixture 1 to continue their trajectory along said main flow direction Zl

[0041] Preferably, the offset between the receiving grid 10 and the flow Fl is such that, when projected onto a reference plane normal to the principal flow direction Zl, and in particular onto a reference plane normal to the principal direction of flow ZI and passing through the opening of the suction nozzle 14, the projected surface of the volume occupied by the receiving grid 10 overlaps less than 10%, less than 5%, preferably less than 2% of the surface of the cross-section of the flow Fl considered in said reference plane in the absence of suction flow F14, or even more preferably does not have an intersection with said cross-section of the flow Fl.

[0042] Thus, on [Fig. 1], the receiving grid 10 is laterally offset with respect to the vertical mixing flow Fl 1, so that in a horizontal reference plane located at the altitude of the opening of the suction nozzle 14, the overall area occupied by the receiving grid 10 in orthogonal projection in said horizontal plane is located mostly, and preferably totally, outside the cross-section presented by the vertical flow Fl in said horizontal reference plane, in the absence of suction flow F14.

[0043] Preferably, regardless of the orientation of the main flow direction Zl, the offset between the receiving grid 10 and the flow Fl is such that, in the absence of suction flow F14, the receiving grid 10 receives less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 2%, less than 0.5%, or even preferably 0% by weight of the mass flow of mixture 1 which forms the flow Fl.

[0044] At the sorting station 1, the external face 10A will be closer than the internal face 10B to the flow Fl, here to an edge of the flow, and, more preferably, said external face 10A may be substantially tangent to the edge of the mixing flow Fl, in the absence of suction flow 14.

[0045] Of course, the receiving grid 10 will be sized according to the mixture(s) 1 that the installation 100 will have to process.

[0046] As an indication, the mesh size of the receiving grid 10 may be between 50 pm (i.e. 0.05 mm) and 1 mm.

[0047] The thickness of the receiving grid 10, which separates the external face 10A from the internal face 10B, and through which the passage orifices forming the mesh of the receiving grid 10 pass, will be chosen so as not to cause too much pressure loss in the suction flow F14.

[0048] As an indication, the thickness of the receiving grid 10 may be between 0.05 mm and 1 mm, and can more generally be chosen according to the diameter of the fibers 2.

[0049] The conveying movement M10 advantageously allows the receiving grid 10 to transport the fibers 2 collected at the sorting station 11 and to move said fibers 2 away from the flow Fl to the discharge station 12 where the fibers 2 are unloaded from the receiving grid 10, for example by means of scrapers and / or a vacuum cleaner 15, and / or a counter-rotating brush.

[0050] In so doing, the conveying movement M10 advantageously renews continuously the portion of the receiving grid 10, and more particularly the external face 10A, which, having returned from the discharge station 12 clean and free of its fibers 2, is presented at the sorting station 11, opposite the mixing flow Fl, where the external face 10A can then be covered with new fibers 2 while continuing its conveying movement to bring said fibers 2 to the discharge station 12, and so on.

[0051] According to one possible embodiment, the evacuation station 12 includes a blow nozzle 16, placed opposite the inner face 10B of the receiving grid 10, and arranged to create a blowing flow F16 which passes through the receiving grid 10, from the inner face 10B to the outer face 10A, in order to detach and expel the fibers 2 accumulated on the outer face 10A, as can be seen on the left side of [Fig.1].

[0052] This blowing flow 16 facilitates the work of the scrapers and / or the vacuum cleaner 15, in particular by chasing and blowing the fibers 2 present on the external surface 10A of the receiving grid, here towards the suction orifice of the vacuum cleaner 15.

[0053] This advantageously avoids any clogging of the receiving grid 10, which returns to the sorting station 11 clean and ready to receive new fibers 2.

[0054] Of course, the sorting station 11 and the evacuation station, and more particularly the suction nozzle 14 on the one hand, and the vacuum cleaner 15 and / or the blowing nozzle 16 will be arranged so that the suction flow F14 used to capture the fibers 2 does not interfere with the blowing flow F16 intended to expel the fibers 2, and vice versa.

[0055] It will be noted that the process according to the invention is advantageously a dry process, which uses neither liquid, nor in particular solvent, and which uses gas flows, preferably air flows, for the suction flow F14, and where applicable for the blowing flow F16.

[0056] The suction nozzle 14, the blowing nozzle 16, and / or the vacuum cleaner 15, may be formed by straight or frustoconical tubes centered on straight axes, and which each have an elongated slit, preferably straight, more preferably parallel to the central axis of the tube considered.

[0057] The suction nozzle slot 14 preferably covers more than 50%, more than 75%, or even more than 90%, or even 100% of the width W10 of the receiving grid 10, considered transversely to the conveying movement M10.

[0058] Preferably, the width W10 of the receiving grid 10 will cover at least the entire width of the flow Fl, considered perpendicular to the main flow direction Zl, here therefore at least the entire horizontal width of the flow Fl if the latter is vertical, and the slot forming the inlet orifice of the suction nozzle 14 will extend, preferably horizontally, so as to cover at minus 50%, preferably at least 75%, or even preferably the entire width of the flow Fl, here the horizontal width of the flow Fl.

[0059] Preferably, the receiving grid 10 and the suction nozzle 14 of the sorting station 11 are arranged so that the suction flow F14 can also pick up in the flow Fl of the mixture, at the same time as the fibers 2, certain granules 3, called "fine granules" 3_1, carry said fine granules 3_1 to the receiving grid 10, then pass said fine granules 3_1 through the receiving grid 10 while said receiving grid 10 retains the fibers 2 on its external face 10A, and discharge said fine granules to a second collector 20.

[0060] Advantageously, the suction flow F14 will be powerful enough to capture in the mixing flow 1 a submixture made up of fibers 2 and fine granules 3_1 sufficiently light to be carried by the suction flow 14 to the receiving grid 10.

[0061] Typically, the fine granules 3_1 will form rubber dust.

[0062] The size, and in particular the largest diameter of Féret, of the fine granules 3_1 will be small enough so that said fine granules 3_1 can pass through the mesh of the receiving grid 10, without obstructing the receiving grid 10.

[0063] The sorting station will therefore be able to sort the components of this submixture by separating the fibers 2 on the one hand, which are selectively retained by the receiving grid 10 and conveyed to the first collector 13 via the evacuation station 12, from the fine granules 3_1 on the other hand, which are sucked by the suction nozzle 14 through the receiving grid 10 to be conveyed to the second collector 20.

[0064] A third collector 30 may be provided to collect the components of the mixture 1 which have not been captured by the suction flow F14 of the sorting station 11, and in particular the granules 3 called "coarse granules" 3_2 which are too heavy to be carried by the suction flow F14 and too large to pass through the receiving grid 10, and which will therefore have continued their trajectory, and passed the sorting station 11, according to the main flow direction ZI.

[0065] Preferably, the crumbling device 101 being arranged to generate a downward vertical mixing flow Fl, in the form of a rain of fibers 2 and granules 3 which fall by gravity, the sorting station 11 is located at an altitude lower than that of the crumbling device 101, and presents the external face 10A of the receiving grid 10 at the edge of the flow, substantially tangent to the main flow direction ZI of the mixture.

[0066] Preferably, the installation 100 then includes a third collector 30 which is located directly above the flow Fl of the material, at an altitude lower than that of the sorting station 11, so as to be able to collect in particular the granules, called "coarse granules" 3_2, which are not captured by the suction flow F14 at the level from sorting station 11.

[0067] Thus, the installation 100 has a simple structure, a small footprint, and an energy-efficient operation, and allows for the selective sorting of fibers 2, captured by the suction flow F14, stopped by the receiving grid 10 and evacuated to the first collector 13, fine granules 3_1, captured by the suction flow 14, sucked up by the suction nozzle 14 and evacuated to the second collector 20, and coarse granules 3_2, which escape the sorting station 11 and continue their fall to reach the third collector 30.

[0068] The receiving grid 10 can take different forms without going out of the scope of the invention.

[0069] Thus, for example, the receiving grid 10 could take the form of a conveyor belt, for example driven and guided by rollers which cooperate with the inner face 10B of the receiving grid 10, said conveyor belt forming a closed circuit, of which a first section passes to the sorting station 11, a second section passes to the evacuation station 12, a third section, preferably an upper section, connects the first section to the second section in order to convey to the evacuation station 12 the fibers 2 captured by the sorting station 11, and a fourth section, preferably a lower section, connects the second section to the first section to ensure the return of the conveyor belt, free of its fibers 2, from the evacuation station 12 to the sorting station 11.

[0070] However, according to a particularly preferred embodiment, the receiving grid 10 forms, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the side wall of a cylindrical drum 40, here of circular base, which is mounted for rotation about its central axis Y40, and the suction nozzle 14 is housed inside said drum 40.

[0071] Such an arrangement is particularly simple and compact.

[0072] In particular, it allows the receiving grid 10 to gradually approach the edge of the flow Fl, by tangential approach, and to generate the suction flow 14 as close as possible to the flow Fl, for better energy efficiency.

[0073] The conveying movement M10 will then correspond to a rotation around the central axis Y40 of the drum 40.

[0074] This rotation will preferably be oriented in the opposite direction to the flow direction of the mixing flow Fl 1 opposite the sorting station 11, as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. In the case of a vertical flow Fl and a horizontal suction nozzle 14, this allows the fibers 2, after their capture by suction, to be held against the external face 10A by simple gravity, since the portion of the external face 10A that connects the sorting station 11 to the discharge station 12 then forms the upper face, in this case the upper half-cylinder, of the drum 40.

[0075] The diameter of the drum 40, and therefore the outer diameter of the receiving grid 10, will preferably be greater than or equal to 80 mm, and for example between 80 mm and 1 m.

[0076] The rotation speed can be chosen so as to produce a tangential linear speed of between 5 cm / s and 1 m / s in order to convey the fibers 2 to the evacuation station 12 at a rate sufficiently sustained to avoid local clogging and therefore a significant loss of suction at the sorting station 11, and nevertheless moderate enough not to eject the fibers 2 captured under the effect of centrifugal force.

[0077] Preferably, the suction nozzle 14 forms a slot parallel to the central axis Y40 of the drum 40, and whose opening has a width, transversely with respect to the central axis Y40 of the drum 40, of between 1 mm and 5 cm, preferably between 1 mm and 1 cm, and preferably again between 2 mm and 10 mm. The width of the opening can be chosen to be larger the more powerful the suction. The opening can in particular cover an angular sector A14, considered in azimuth around said central axis Y40, and referred to as the "suction angular sector" A14, the extent of which is less than or equal to 15 degrees, for example between 0.1 degrees and 10 degrees.

[0078] The fineness of the suction nozzle 14 advantageously provides power, high flow rate, and directional precision to the suction flow F14.

[0079] As an indication, the radial distance separating the opening of the suction nozzle 14 from the inner face 10B of the receiving grid 10 is less than or equal to 5 mm.

[0080] Preferably, the aspirating angular sector A14 contains, and more preferably is centered on, the radius which is issued from the central axis Y40 of the drum 40 and which is perpendicular to the main flow direction ZI.

[0081] Thus, the slit of the suction nozzle 14, and more generally the sorting station 11, will be located in the sector of the drum 40 which is located closest to the flow Fl, and substantially tangent to the main flow direction ZI.

[0082] Preferably, the blow nozzle 16 of the evacuation station 12 may also be housed inside the drum 40, at an azimuthal distance from the suction nozzle 14 which is greater than or equal to 90 degrees, 120 degrees, or even 150 degrees.

[0083] Thus, the suction nozzle 14 and the blowing nozzle 16 will be located in substantially diametrically opposite positions within the drum 40, so that the blowing flow 16 does not interfere with the suction flow F14.

[0084] Similarly, this distance prevents the fibers 2 being processed by the evacuation station 12, here expelled from the receiving grid 10 to be projected towards the vacuum cleaner 15, from interfering with the FL flow

[0085] Moreover, the blowing flow 16 radially expels the fibers at a portion of the drum wall 40 which is steeply sloping, or even tangent to the vertical, we prevent the said fibers 2 from redepositing on the external face 10A of the receiving grid 10.

[0086] The blow nozzle slot 16 preferably extends over at least 50%, 75%, 90%, or even 100% of the width W10 of the receiving grid 10, and preferably parallel to the central axis Y40 of the drum 40.

[0087] Preferably, the opening of the blow nozzle 16 has a width, transversely with respect to the central axis Y40 of the drum 40, of between 1 mm and 5 cm, preferably between 1 mm and 1 cm, and even more preferably between 2 mm and 10 mm. The width of the opening can be chosen to be larger the more powerful the suction. The extent of the angular sector covered by the opening of the blow nozzle 16 will preferably be less than or equal to 15 degrees, and for example between 0.1 degrees and 10 degrees, to impart power and precision to the blowing flow, in the form of a thin jet.

[0088] Preferably, the central axis Y40 of the drum 40 forms an angle with the horizontal of less than 30 degrees, preferably less than 20 degrees, less than 10 degrees, less than 3 degrees, or even preferably equal to zero degrees.

[0089] The drum 40, and therefore the slot of the suction nozzle 14, thus extends substantially or even exactly horizontally, thereby occupying a maximum width relative to the flow FL

[0090] This also allows the upper portion of the drum wall 40 to effectively support the fibers 2 that have been captured by suction at the sorting station 11.

[0091] Thus, in the end, the receiving grid 10 will preferably form a horizontal rotating drum with a circular base, of which a first circumferential section, tangent to the vertical, is assigned to the sorting station 11, a second circumferential section, here the upper section, ensures the conveyance from the sorting station 11 to the evacuation station 12, and a third circumferential section, tangent to the vertical and diametrically opposite to the first section, is assigned to the evacuation station 12.

[0092] According to one arrangement possibility, the external face 10A of the receiving grid 10 includes reliefs, preferably formed by bars arranged transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the direction of the conveying movement M10, in order to promote the retention of the fibers 2 on the external face 10A of the receiving grid 10 and the conveying of said fibers 2 to the discharge station 12.

[0093] The external face 10A will thus be provided with buckets which allow the conveying movement M10 to be transmitted to the fibers, even after the corresponding portion of the receiving grid 10, and therefore the fibers 2 concerned, have left the location of the sorting station 11, and therefore the field of influence of the suction flow F14 which had initially brought, and temporarily held by vacuum, said fibers 2 against the external face 10A of the receiving grid 10.

[0094] The collectors 13, 20, 30 mentioned above may be formed by any suitable system, such as a porous fabric bag, a fine mesh basket, etc.

[0095] Of course, the invention is by no means limited to the examples of embodiment described above, the person skilled in the art being able in particular to isolate or freely combine one or the other of the aforementioned characteristics, or to substitute equivalents for them.

Claims

Demands

1. Separation installation (100) for processing a mixture (1) of components (2, 3) comprising a first family of components (2) formed by fibers (2) and a second family of components (3) formed by granules (3), said installation (100) being characterized in that it comprises: - a crumbling device (101) designed to fractionate the mixture (1) and generate a flow (Fl) of said mixture, in a powdery form containing fibers (2) and granules (3), along a direction called the "main flow direction" (Zl), - as well as a grid (10) called the "receiving grid" (10), which has a first face (10A) called the "outer face" (10A) and a second opposite face (10B) called the "inner face" (10B), which receiving grid (10) is arranged to be driven in motion according to a movement called the "conveying movement" (M10) which allows said receiving grid to pass from a first station, called the "sorting station" (11), at which the outer face (10A) of the receiving grid (10) is located opposite the flow (Fl) of the mixture in order to capture fibers (2) coming from the flow (Fl) of the mixture, to a second station called the "discharge station" (12), which is distant from the sorting station (11), and at which the fibers (2) are detached from said outer face (10A) of the receiving grid (10) in order to be able to join a first collector (13),the sorting station (11) being provided with a suction nozzle (14) which is located opposite the inner face (10B) of the receiving grid (10) and which is designed to generate, through the receiving grid (10), a suction flow (F14) which is transverse to the main flow direction (Zl) of the mixture (1), such that said suction flow (F14) makes it possible to pick up fibers (2) in the flow (Fl) of the mixture, by deflecting the trajectory of said fibers (2) with respect to the main flow direction (Zl) of the mixture, and to press said fibers (2) against the outer face (10A) of the receiving grid (10).

2. Installation according to claim 1 characterized in that the receiving grid (10) and the suction nozzle (14) of the sorting station (11) are arranged so that the suction flow (F14) can also draw from the flow (F1) of the mixture, at the same time as the fibers (2), certain granules (3), called "fine granules" (3_1), carry said fine granules (3_1) to the receiving grid (10), then pass said fine granules (3_1) through the receiving grid (10) while said receiving grid (10) retains the fibers on its outer face (10A), and evacuate said fine granules (3_1) to a second collector (20).

3. An installation according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the crumbling device (101) is arranged to generate a downward vertical flow (Fl) of the mixture, in the form of a shower of fibers (2) and granules (3) falling by gravity, in that the sorting station (11) is located at a lower altitude than the crumbling device (101), and has the outer face (10A) of the receiving grid (10) at the edge of the flow (Fl), substantially tangent to the main flow direction (Zl) of the mixture, and in that the installation includes a third collector (30), located vertically above the flow (Fl) of the material, at a lower altitude than the sorting station (11), so as to be able to collect, in particular, the granules, referred to as "coarse granules" (3_2), which are not captured by the suction flow (F14) at the level of the sorting station. tri (11).

4. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the evacuation station (12) comprises a blowing nozzle (16), placed opposite the inner face (10B) of the receiving grid (10), and arranged to create a blowing flow (F16) which passes through the receiving grid (10), from the inner face (10B) to the outer face (10A), in order to detach and expel the fibers (2) accumulated on the outer face (10A).

5. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the receiving grid (10) forms the side wall of a cylindrical drum (40) which is mounted to rotate about its central axis (Y40), and in that the suction nozzle (14) is housed inside said drum (40).

6. Installation according to claim 5 characterized in that the suction nozzle (14) forms a slot parallel to the central axis (Y40) of the drum, and whose opening has a width, transversely with respect to the central axis Y40 of the drum 40, of between 1 mm and 5 cm, preferably between 1 mm and 1 cm, and preferably again between 2 mm and 10 mm.

7. Installation according to claim 4 and one of claims 5 or 6 characterized in that the blow nozzle (16) is housed inside the drum (40), at an azimuthal distance from the suction nozzle (14) which is greater than or equal to 90 degrees, 120 degrees, or even 150 degrees.

8. Installation according to any one of claims 5 to 7 characterized in that the central axis (Y40) of the drum (40) forms with the horizontal an angle of less than 30 degrees, preferably less than 20 degrees, less than 10 degrees, less than 3 degrees, or preferably equal to zero degrees.

9. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the external face (10A) of the receiving grid (10) comprises reliefs, preferably formed by bars arranged transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the direction of the conveying movement (M10), in order to promote the retention of the fibers (2) on the external face (10A) of the receiving grid and the conveying of said fibers (2) to the discharge station (12).

10. An installation according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the crumbling device comprises a brush (4) and a sieve (5), referred to as the "crumbling sieve" (5), which are in relative motion referred to as the "brushing motion" (M4) with respect to each other, such that the brush (4) rubs the mixture (1) against the crumbling sieve (5) to disentangle the fibers (2) and dissociate the components (2, 3) of the mixture from each other, and thus generate, through the crumbling sieve (5), a shower of dissociated fibers (2) and granules (3).

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