Textile waste separation system in urban solid waste recovery facilities

Abstract

A textile waste separation device for municipal solid waste recovery facilities, relating to a device comprising a drum (6) with a system of prongs (7) that emerge from and retract from its surface, in order to provide a means of automatically separating textile waste in the municipal solid waste recovery lines of recycling facilities, making it possible to remove materials of textile origin for subsequent recycling and also to prevent blockages in the recycling line and thus increase the recovery and valorization of other recyclable materials. Abstract figure: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Device for separating textile waste in urban solid waste recovery facilities Object of the invention

[0001] The present invention, a device for separating textile waste in municipal solid waste recovery facilities, relates to a device comprising a drum with a system of spikes that emerge and retract from its surface, in order to provide a means of automatic separation of textile waste in the municipal solid waste recovery lines of recycling facilities, making it possible to remove materials of textile origin for further recycling and also to avoid blockages in the recycling line and thus increase the recovery and recovery of other recyclable materials.

[0002] The scope of the present invention is the recycling sector, with particular emphasis on the field of the construction industry of machines, devices and systems for waste separation, in particular those relating to the separation of textile waste. State of the art of the invention

[0003] Currently, none of the known equipment existing in municipal solid waste separation lines at recycling facilities specifically separates textile items, which, depending on their physical characteristics, are subject to a recovery process, from the recyclable materials present in the light dry fraction. The fact that the textiles circulate as a whole through the line negatively interferes with the selection performance of the single-material separation equipment, because during transport on conveyor belts and processing equipment, the textile waste is placed on top of the targeted recyclable materials, obscuring them from detection, or is separated together, reducing the purity of the separation.

[0004] It has been observed that most of the textile items come from clothing, mainly t-shirts and trousers, and household linen such as kitchen towels. It should be noted that bulky household linen, such as sheets, blankets, and tablecloths, is detected and removed by the operator handling the skip or grabber in the receiving pit and is therefore outside the scope of work.

[0005] Furthermore, it has been observed that the passage of waste through the pretreatment which the light dry fraction undergoes produces a reduction in the size of the textile elements, placing them in the range between 90 and 500 mm, which makes their separation by an operator difficult.

[0006] The objective of the present invention is therefore the development of a device specifically designed to automatically separate mixed textile waste in recycling lines from waste, thus avoiding the possible blockages they cause and allowing increased recovery and valorization of recyclable materials. Explanation of the invention

[0007] The present invention relates to a textile waste separator in urban solid waste recovery facilities according to claim 1.

[0008] The invention relates to a device whose purpose is to provide a means of automatic separation of textile waste mixed with the rest of the non-textile waste in the urban solid waste recovery lines of recycling facilities, making it possible to eliminate materials of this textile origin in order to avoid blockages and thus increase the recovery and recovery of other recyclable materials circulating through the line.

[0009] Specifically, the device of the invention essentially comprises a drum with a system of rotating spikes that emerge from and retract from the surface of the drum such that, in a portion of the upward trajectory of the rotation, the axis of rotation preferably being parallel to a horizontal surface, they emerge during the rotation, ensuring the gripping of the textile elements on that surface, and in a portion of the downward trajectory, said spikes retract, causing the textile elements to fall. The device comprises two conveyor belts at different heights between which the drum is arranged with the system of rotating spikes.

[0010] In the prior art, it has been observed that most of the textile elements in recycling lines come from clothing and that their physical shape is laminar, approximately rectangular and, to a lesser extent, elongated, and flexible, deformable with a tendency to curl up on themselves, or on rotating elements such as the rotating shafts of the equipment involved in the recovery process, and also tend to catch on sharp objects.

[0011] Furthermore, it has been observed that these textile elements are positioned on top of the recyclable material stream because, in the transitions between two belts at different heights, using hoppers that channel the flow, the textile elements delay their fall between the two belts relative to the recyclable materials due to the "parachute" effect. As they unfurl in the air and fall onto the recyclable materials, they hinder the recycling of the latter hidden beneath the textile elements. Conveyor belts are used to transport flows from one piece of equipment to another and sometimes require transitions between them on horizontal and vertical axes. Moreover, and to a lesser extent, considered residual, some textiles cling to recyclable materials when they have sharp edges or elements.

[0012] To avoid the above, the device of the present invention is arranged between two conveyor belts, a first belt, or upper belt, located in front and higher than the device of the invention, to feed it, and a second belt, or lower belt, located after and below the device, to evaluate the recyclable materials after the removal of the textile elements from the recycling line.

[0013] Furthermore, given that textiles are flexible (amorphous or deformable) compared to the rigidity of recyclable materials, the solution provided by the device of the invention allows textiles to be hooked or grasped by means of points or fingers, and avoids the rigid elements that constitute recyclable materials. In addition, the system is dynamic so as to cause the hooking of the textile elements and, subsequently, their detachment, the two actions being combined in a continuous cycle, thus avoiding perforation of the textile elements or their permanent hooking which would hinder the detachment action, thereby preventing the continuity of the process.

[0014] Furthermore, the device preferably has blunt-tipped, smooth, edgeless points, and is even more preferably hook-shaped, which facilitates the attachment of textile elements. The action of detaching and evacuating the textile flow must be continuous, avoiding any interruptions, to prevent loss of availability of the process line and to ensure continuity of processing.

[0015] On the other hand, the device was designed to obtain the maximum possible exposure of the tips to the flow of textile elements in order to maximize the possibility of snagging, taking into account the following criteria and restrictions: - the spacing between the points must be minimal in order to have the greatest possible number of them at the action front on the material flow so as to increase the possibility of the textile element catching, but allowing the entrainment of rigid recyclable elements, supported between two points, and - the maximum dimension between the points is determined according to the size range of the textile elements and recyclable materials, so that the latter can slide between two adjacent points.

[0016] The foregoing aims to improve the exposure of textiles to snagging by reducing the distance between two points without compromising the selection of rigid recyclable materials. Preferably, the points are arranged in a staggered pattern on the drum, so that the distance between two adjacent points at the same level (with the ability to support rigid recyclable materials) remains sufficiently wide to allow the passage of rigid waste, but the sweeping distance of the tips in the upward rotation direction to catch textiles is reduced.

[0017] Furthermore, as indicated above, the tips are equipped with a repetitive cyclic movement in two distinct phases: - a first phase of exposure to the flow of materials in which the textile elements are hung on the points, coinciding with the upward phase of the rotation of the points with the drum, and - a second phase of evacuation of textile elements in which the textile elements are detached, coinciding with the downward phase of the rotation of the points with the drum.

[0018] Preferably, to obtain said cyclic movement, the points have been provided with a rotational movement about an axis, parallel to a horizontal surface, in which the points are inserted radially such that they rotate in the opposite direction to the falling movement, from an upper conveyor belt, of the textile elements, such that the latter are caught by their weight and deformability on the points during the upward rotational movement, or arc, and are unhooked during the downward rotational movement, or arc.

[0019] Furthermore, the rotational speed of the shaft and the separation angle between the different rows of points (radial distribution) are considered as a function of the rate of movement of the textile elements on the conveyor belts, obtaining the average value of textiles per unit of time. This average value is coordinated with the rotational speed and the number of rows (radial distribution) of points, so that each time a textile element passes through the device's operating radius, it has a point front to grip.

[0020] Furthermore, it is necessary to ensure that the introduction of the device into the recycling line does not cause blockages or stoppages. To this end, the device incorporates a mechanism that ensures the continuous detachment and evacuation of textiles. Specifically, as envisaged, the prongs are concealed inside the cylindrical drum in the downward rotational path, or arc, thus ensuring that any textile elements caught in them detach. The mechanism also allows the prongs to emerge in the upward rotational path, or arc, to catch the textiles as they fall from the upper conveyor belt.

[0021] For this purpose, the shaft on which the points are incorporated is located inside the drum and offset from the axial axis of said drum, so that, during rotation, the points enter and exit the drum through holes and / or slots envisaged in the cylindrical surface of the drum.

[0022] According to the foregoing, the retractable point mechanism preferably has points inserted in a shaft eccentric to that of the drum, the two shafts being connected by a connecting rod-crank mechanism whose arrangement and dimensions cause the points inside the drum to move up and down. The two shafts rotate, causing the drum and the points to rotate.

[0023] In addition, to avoid the wrapping of textile elements on the drum and contamination of the recyclable material stream, preferably, the dimension of the drum which defines the wrapping cylinder is as large as possible, being conditioned by the space constraints available in the envisaged position in the line, and by the longitudinal dimension of the size of the largest textile identified in the waste line to be treated, so that it does not exceed the length of a quarter of an arc of the circumference of the drum, thus minimizing the possibility of wrapping textile elements on the drum.

[0024] The objective is that, according to this dimension, the rigid materials have a rebound effect against the curved surface of the drum, because with this diameter, the arc of the drum cylinder behaves almost like a flat surface for the rigid recyclable materials.

[0025] According to the above, the distribution of the points inside the drum is carried out on the basis of the following criteria already mentioned: - radial distribution of the tips for maximum exposure to the waste stream without interference between the tips, - minimum distance between the points so that rigid recyclable materials do not get between two adjacent points. - staggered distribution of spikes from one sector to another in order to reduce the distance between spikes for hanging textiles while maintaining the minimum distance between spikes for supporting rigid recyclable materials which cannot be supported at different heights.

[0026] Finally, it should be noted that the device of the invention is intended to be installed in the transition between two waste conveyor belts located at different heights, the operating principle of the spikes is therefore the interception of freely falling textile materials, so that a "ballistic" principle is used according to which the trajectory of fall or flight of the textile elements is different from that of the other waste in the waste stream from which the textile elements must be separated, mainly plastic waste, so that the number of spikes, their size and their position are considered and dimensioned to intercept the greatest amount of textile waste, avoiding capturing other materials present in the waste stream, such as, for example, rigid plastic packaging and lightweight flexible plastics.

[0027] According to the foregoing, the waste stream, containing textiles and recyclable materials, reaches the end of the first conveyor belt, or upper belt, and falls onto the device of the invention. Due to its rotation in the opposite direction to that of the first conveyor belt, this device collects the textiles falling from the first conveyor belt with its protruding prongs. After catching them with the protruding prongs, it releases them, thanks to the prongs being concealed, into the lower part of the drum. However, the recyclable material rebounds off the drum and falls onto the second belt, or lower belt, to continue its trajectory along the recycling line. Description of the drawings

[0028] In order to complete the description of the invention and facilitate understanding of the features of the invention, a set of figures, by way of illustration and not limitation, is included, forming an integral part thereof.

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a schematic side elevation view of the textile waste separation device in urban solid waste recovery facilities, showing the general configuration and the main parts and elements that make it up.

[0030] Figures [Fig. 2] and [Fig. 3] show cross-sectional views of the device, based on the respective sections AA and BB presented in [Fig.1].

[0031] Figure 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the cylindrical drum and spiked shaft assembly, indicating its eccentric arrangement.

[0032] Figure 5 shows a schematic front elevation view of the drum assembly and points, indicating their staggered arrangement as they emerge from the surface of the drum.

[0033] Figure 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the device of the invention, in this case represented in working position at the end of an upper conveyor belt from which the waste to be separated falls.

[0034] Figures 7 and 8 show schematic lateral elevation views of the device, in this case represented in its working position, between two conveyor belts, being shown in [Fig.5] without waste, and in [Fig.6] including waste. Preferred realization of the invention

[0035] Below, and in view of the aforementioned figures, a non-limiting example of the textile waste separation device in urban solid waste recovery facilities is described.

[0036] Thus, as can be seen in the said figures, the device 1 of the invention, applicable for separating textile waste 2 from other non-textile waste 3, for example, recyclable waste such as rigid plastics, in a municipal solid waste recovery or recycling line, essentially comprises: - a rotating cylindrical drum 6, which is installed transversely, with its axis parallel to a horizontal surface, between two conveyor belts 4, 5 of the recycling line located at different heights, with the front part 6a of the drum 6 oriented towards a first belt, or upper belt, 4, such that the waste 2, 3 which falls by gravity from said first belt 4 onto a second belt, or lower belt, 5, impacts said front part 6a of the surface of the drum 6, and - a plurality of rotating spikes 7 which emerge radially, at least from the front part 6a, from the surface of the drum 6 and which rotate in the opposite direction to the direction of advancement of the belts 4, 5, so that, when the waste 2, 3 falls from the upper belt 4, the textile waste 2 is caught by the spikes 7 emerging from the drum 6 during the upward section 7a of rotation of the spikes, while the rest of the non-textile waste 3 bounces off the drum 6 and falls onto the lower belt 5, and in the downward section 7b, the textile waste 2 detaches from the spikes 7 and falls, preferably into a receiving area 8 for the textile waste 2 envisaged for this purpose behind the drum 6, above the lower belt 5, as shown in [Fig.8].

[0037] Preferably, the points 7 are distributed so as to emerge from the surface of the drum 6 in staggered or "quincunx" rows, as shown in [Fig.5], which allows the distance DI between the points 7 of the same row to be sufficiently wide to allow the passage of non-textile waste 3 and, nevertheless, to reduce the sweeping distance D2 between the points of different rows.

[0038] Furthermore, characterized in that the points 7 are preferably incorporated radially into an eccentric shaft 71 with respect to the axial axis e of the drum 6, such that, during rotation, they emerge from the front part 6a of the drum 6 in its ascending section 7a, allowing the textile waste 2 to catch on them, and are hidden under the surface of the drum 6 in the rear part 6b of the drum 6 in the descending section 7b, causing the textile elements 2 to detach.

[0039] The surface of the drum 6 has holes and / or grooves 62 to allow the passage of the points 7 which emerge and are hidden during rotation.

[0040] Thus, the drum 6 rotates on its axial axis e in a manner synchronized with the rotation of the eccentric shaft 71 of the points 7, for which said eccentric shaft 71 is connected at its ends to the two sides of the drum 6 by means of lateral anchorages respective of a connecting rod-crank mechanism 72 which are connected to two bar shafts 61 provided at the respective ends of the drum 6, at least one of them being linked to a drive motor 9 which provides the rotational movement of the assembly.

[0041] Preferably, the rotating assembly of the drum 6 with the spikes 7 is arranged in an integrated manner in a support structure 10, for example, a U-shaped configuration, which has two parallel longitudinal members in which two bearing supports 11 are provided in which the respective bar shafts 61 of the drum 6 are coupled, so that the axis of the drum 6, or axial axis, is kept parallel to a horizontal surface.

[0042] The drum 6 may have one or more windows 63 that can be opened on its surface to allow access to its interior and to act on the eccentric shaft 71 of the points 7, for example, for maintenance and / or replacement operations of the latter thanks to the fixings 73 which fix them to said eccentric shaft 71.

[0043] In all cases, in one example, the ends of the tips 7 are blunt and smooth, to facilitate the sliding of the textile waste 2 and the detachment of the latter in the descending section 7b of rotation.

[0044] The drum 6 preferably has a width a of a dimension similar to the width a' of the upper band 4.

Claims

Demands

1. A device for separating textile waste in municipal solid waste recovery facilities, applicable for separating textile waste (2) from other recyclable non-textile waste (3) on a recovery line with at least two conveyor belts (4, 5) located at different heights, characterized in that it comprises: - a rotating cylindrical drum (6), installed transversely between an upper belt (4) and a lower belt (5) of the line, with a front part (6a) facing a first upper belt (4), such that the waste (2, 3) which falls by gravity from the upper belt (4) onto the lower belt (5) impacts on said front part (6a) of the surface of the drum (6), and - a plurality of rotating tips (7) which emerge radially, at least from the front part (6a), from the surface of the drum (6) and which rotate in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the belts (4, 5),such that the falling textile elements (2) are caught during the upward section (7a) of rotation of the points (7) while the non-textile waste (3) bounces off the drum (6), and in the downward section (7b), the textile waste (2) detaches from the points (7).

2. 2. Device, according to claim 1, characterized in that the points (7) are distributed so as to emerge from the surface of the drum (6) in a staggered pattern.

3. Device, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tips (7) are incorporated radially into an eccentric shaft (71) with respect to the axial axis (e) of the drum (6), such that, during rotation, they emerge from the front part (6a) of the drum (6) in its ascending section (7a) and are hidden under the surface of the drum (6) in the rear part (6b) in the descending section (7b).

4. Device, according to claim 3, characterized in that the surface of the drum (6) has holes and / or slots (62) for the passage of the points (7) which emerge and are hidden during rotation.

5. Device, according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the drum (6) rotates on its axial axis (e) in a synchronized manner with the rotation of the eccentric shaft (71) of the tips (7).

6. Device, according to claim 5, characterized in that the eccentric shaft (71) of the tips (7) is connected by its ends to the two sides of the drum (6) by means of respective lateral anchorages of a connecting rod-crank mechanism (72) which are connected to two bar shafts (61) envisaged at the respective ends of the drum (6), at least one of them being linked to a drive motor (9) which provides the rotational motion of the assembly.

7. Device, according to claim 6, characterized in that the rotating assembly of the drum (6) with the spikes (7) is arranged in an integrated manner in a support structure (10) with two parallel stringers in which two bearing supports (11) are provided in which the respective bar shafts (61) of the drum (6) are coupled.

8. Device, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ends of the tips (7) are blunt and smooth.

9. Device, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a receiving area (8) for textile waste (2) envisaged behind the drum (6), above the lower band (5).

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