Device and method for filtering on wire length a wire stream

Abstract

Device and method for filtering on wire length a wire stream The invention provides a device (200, 300) for filtering on wire length a wire stream (900) comprising wires recycled from tires. The device (200, 300) comprises at least one concave surface (220, 320) extending along a longitudinal direction (L). The device (200, 300) is arranged for receiving the wire stream (900) on the at least one concave surface (220, 320), and for transporting the wire stream (900) on the at least one concave surface (220, 320) along the longitudinal direction (L) from a first end (211, 311) to a second end (212, 312). The device (200, 300) comprises at least one filter opening (230, 330) in the at least one concave surface (320) or at the second end (212) of the at least one concave surface (220). The at least one filter opening (230, 330) has a predetermined size for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream (900) through the at least one filter opening (230, 330) when the wire stream (900) is transported on the at least one concave surface (220, 320).

Description

[0001] Device and method for filtering on wire length a wire stream

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The present invention relates to a device, set and system for filtering on wire length a wire stream comprising wires recycled from tires. The present invention also relates to a method for filtering on wire length wires recycled from tires. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing concrete or mortar comprising wires recycled from tires, and concrete or mortar comprising wires recycled from tires.

[0004] Background art

[0005] For reinforcement rubber tires are provided with thicker steel wires, i.e. bead wires, at their beads, and with thinner steel wires, i.e. tire ply wires, at other parts, such as for example the side walls, the shoulders and the tread. When recycling tires, the different types of wires are cut or torn out of the tires and granulated or shredded by a granulator or shredder, into a wire stream which comprises granulated bead wires, granulated tire ply wires and contaminants, such as for example pieces of rubber and / or textile. The granulated tire ply wires in this wire stream can beneficially be reused as reinforcement in concrete or mortar. For this purpose the tire ply wires are filtered out of the wire stream based on the wire length, since preferably tire ply wires in a certain length range are used as reinforcement in concrete or mortar.

[0006] From the prior art devices are known for filtering on the wire length the wire stream. Such devices comprise a flat plate with longitudinal slots extending along a longitudinal direction of the plate, which plate is vibrated while the wire stream is transported over it in the longitudinal direction. These longitudinal slots have a predetermined width for filtering out tire ply wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream. Such devices do however have the disadvantage that they are not very accurate and precise at filtering on wire length the wire stream, since the output wire stream of the device falling through the longitudinal slots still contains a lot of tire ply wires outside of the desired wire length range.

[0007] Disclosure of the invention It is an aim of the present invention to provide a device for filtering on wire length a wire stream comprising wires recycled from tires with an improved accuracy and precision.

[0008] This aim is achieved according to the invention with a device showing the technical characteristics of the first independent claim.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention provides a device for filtering on wire length a wire stream comprising wires recycled from tires. The device comprises at least one concave surface extending along a longitudinal direction. Preferably, the at least one concave surface is concave transverse to the longitudinal direction. The device is arranged for receiving the wire stream on the at least one concave surface. The device is arranged for transporting the wire stream on the at least one concave surface along the longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end of the at least one concave surface. The device comprises at least one filter opening provided in the at least one concave surface or at the second end of the at least one concave surface. The at least one filter opening has a predetermined size, preferably at least in the longitudinal direction, for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream through the at least one filter opening when the wire stream is transported on the at least one concave surface along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the at least one concave surface.

[0010] The at least one concave surface in the device according to the present invention offers the advantage that the concave shape of the at least one concave surfaces arranges the wires in the wire stream lengthwise along the longitudinal direction when the wire stream is being transported on the at least one concave surface along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the at least one concave surface. In this way the wires in the wire stream are arranged along the same direction when transported over the at least one filter opening, which allows for a more precise and accurate filtering of wires up to the predetermined length out of the wire stream through the at least one filter opening.

[0011] In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention the at least one filter opening has a predetermined size in the longitudinal direction that is half of the predetermined length of the wires to be filtered out of the wire stream through the at least one filter opening. This embodiment offers the advantage that wires in the wire stream having a length smaller than or equal to the predetermined length will fall through the at least one filter opening when said wires are aligned lengthwise along the longitudinal direction on the at least one concave surface and transported along the longitudinal direction on the at least one concave surface over the at least one filter opening. This, because for such wires the centre of mass is located above the at least one filter opening at a moment that these wires are not supported at one of their ends while being transported over the at least one filter opening, which causes these wires to fall through the at least one filter opening. Wires in the wire stream having a length larger than the predetermined length, on the other hand, are always supported at both their ends at a moment they are transported with their centre of mass over the at least one filter opening, which causes these wires to be transported over the at least one filter opening without falling through the at least one filter opening.

[0012] In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention the at least one concave surface is tilted downwards from the first end to the second end for transporting the wire stream by means of gravity on the at least one concave surface along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the at least one concave surface.

[0013] This embodiment allows the wire stream to be transported easily on the at least one concave surface from the first end to the second end of the at least one concave surface by means of gravity.

[0014] In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention the device is arranged for moving the at least one concave surface for transporting the wire stream on the at least one concave surface along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the at least one concave surface.

[0015] This embodiment allows the wire stream to be transported easily on the at least one concave surface from the first end to the second end of the at least one concave surface by moving the at least one concave surface. It should be noted that any suitable motion of the at least one concave surface known to the skilled person may be used for transporting the wire stream on the at least one concave surface from the first end to the second end of the at least one concave surface, such as for example a vibrating motion or a rotating motion of the at least one concave surface. In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention the device is a platform type device. The device comprises a platform extending along the longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end. The platform is provided with a plurality of the concave surfaces. Each concave surface of the platform extends along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the platform. The device comprises for each of the concave surfaces of the platform a corresponding filter opening. Each filter opening is arranged at the second end of the platform behind the corresponding concave surface of the platform.

[0016] In an embodiment of the platform type device according to the present invention the device comprises a further platform extending along the longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end. The further platform is provided with a plurality of the concave surfaces. Each concave surface of the further platform extends along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the further platform. The device comprises for each of the concave surfaces of the further platform a corresponding filter opening. Each filter opening is arranged at the second end of the further platform behind the corresponding concave surface of the further platform. The further platform is arranged behind the platform along the longitudinal direction for receiving part of the wire stream passing over the filter openings of the platform.

[0017] The further platform is beneficial to provide a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream by means of the same platform type device. In this way, for example, wires in the wire stream shorter than the predetermined length that accidentally passed over the filter openings of the platform may still be filtered out of the wire stream through the filter openings of the further platform. It should be noted that in further embodiments of the platform type device even further platforms with corresponding filter openings may be arranged behind the platform and the further platform along the longitudinal direction.

[0018] In an embodiment of the platform type device according to the present invention the device is provided for each concave surface of the platform with a corresponding concave surface for the further platform. Each concave surface of the further platform is aligned with the corresponding concave surface of the platform along the longitudinal direction. This embodiment offers the advantage that the part of the wire stream that has passed over the filter openings of the platform is directly passed onto the corresponding concave surfaces of the further platform.

[0019] In an embodiment of the platform type device according to the present invention the concave surfaces of at least one of the platform and, if present, the further platform are arranged adjacent to each other.

[0020] The concave surfaces being arranged adjacent to each other offers the advantage that wires of the wire stream falling on the areas of the platform and, if present, the further platform between the concave surfaces will slide quickly and easily into the adjacent concave surfaces for being aligned with their length along the longitudinal direction in the concave surfaces and for being transported towards the filter openings.

[0021] In an embodiment of the platform type device according to the present invention at least one of the platform and, if present, the further platform is a corrugated plate having grooves forming the concave surfaces.

[0022] The inventors have found that the platform and, if present, the further platform of the platform type device may be provided in an easy and simple manner by means of such a corrugated plate, which allows for a simple design of the platform type device.

[0023] In an embodiment of the platform type device according to the present invention the filter openings at the second end of at least one of the platform and, if present, the further platform are provided with a downwards curved wall portion at an end side of the filter opening in the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the end side of a filter openings is a side of the filter opening encountered last when viewed in the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the corresponding concave surface. Preferably, the end side is transverse to the longitudinal direction.

[0024] The downwards curved wall portion at the end side of the filter opening is beneficial for guiding too long bent wires in the wire stream over the filter opening, and thereby preventing the too long bent wires from falling through the filter opening or blocking the filter opening. This is beneficial for improving the accuracy and precision of filtering on wire length the wire stream by means of the device. In an embodiment of the platform type device according to the present invention the concave surfaces of at least one of the platform and, if present, the further platform are tilted downwards from the first end to the second end over an angle of at least 10°, preferably at least 12°, more preferably at least 14°, even more preferably at least 16°, and yet even more preferably at least 18°, and at most 30°, preferably at most 28°, more preferably at most 26°, even more preferably at most 24°, and yet even more preferably at most 22°.

[0025] The concave surfaces being tilted downwards from the first end to the second end over an angle in the given range is beneficial for transporting the wire stream on the concave surfaces sufficiently quick to allow the platform type device to process a considerable volume of the wire stream, but not too quickly that wires in the wire stream shorter than the predetermined length would overshoot the corresponding filter openings of the concave surfaces. Hence, this angle being in this range is a good trade-off between the processing speed of the platform type device and the accuracy and precision of the filtering on wire length by means of the platform type device.

[0026] In an embodiment of the platform type device according to the present invention the device is arranged for vibrating at least one of the platform and, if present, the further platform, thereby vibrating the corresponding concave surfaces for transporting the wire stream on said corresponding concave surfaces along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of said corresponding concave surfaces.

[0027] The vibrating platform and, if present, the vibrating further platform is beneficial for transporting the wire stream on the corresponding concave surfaces along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the corresponding concave surfaces. The vibrating platform and, if present, the vibrating further platform is also beneficial for aligning the wires in the wire stream with their length along the longitudinal direction on the concave surfaces, and this in conjunction with the concave shape of the concave surfaces. The vibrating platform and, if present, the vibrating further platform is also beneficial for moving wires of the wire stream falling on the areas of the platform and, if present, the further platform between the corresponding concave surfaces into the corresponding concave surfaces. In an embodiment of the device according to the present invention the device is a drum type device. The device comprises a drum extending along the longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end. The drum comprises an inlet opening for the wire stream at the first end and an outlet opening for the wire stream at the second end. The device comprises a concave surface. The concave surface is provided by an inner surface of the drum. Preferably, the concave surface is provided by a circumferential inner surface of the drum. The device comprises a plurality of the filter openings through the inner surface of the drum to an exterior of the drum. In further embodiments the device may comprise a plurality of the concave surfaces, which are formed by a plurality of successive inner surfaces of the drum along the longitudinal direction.

[0028] In an embodiment of the drum type device according to the present invention the filter openings are arranged in a regular grid along the inner surface of the drum.

[0029] This embodiment is beneficial for providing a consistent filtering on wire length of the wire stream over the entire inner surface of the drum.

[0030] In an embodiment of the drum type device according to the present invention the filter openings have a predetermined depth of at least 20 mm, preferably at least 25 mm, and more preferably at least 30 mm, and at most 60 mm, preferably at most 55 mm, and more preferably at most 50 mm.

[0031] The filter openings having the predetermined depth is beneficial for guiding the wires in the wire stream having a length up to the predetermined length downwards in the filter openings when said wires start to fall down in the filter openings.

[0032] In an embodiment of the drum type device according to the present invention the filter openings are rectangular. Preferably, the filter openings are thereby arranged in one dimension along the longitudinal direction of the drum and in the other dimension along a circumferential direction of the drum.

[0033] In an embodiment of the drum type device according to the present invention the concave surface is tilted downwards from the first end to the second end over an angle of at least 5°, preferably at least 6°, more preferably at least 7°, even more preferably at least 8°, yet even more preferably at least 9°, and most preferably at least 10°, and at most 30°, preferably at most 29°, more preferably at most 28°, even more preferably at most 27°, yet even more preferably at most 26°, and most preferably at most 25°.

[0034] The concave surface being tilted downwards from the first end to the second end over an angle in the given range is beneficial for transporting the wire stream on the concave surface sufficiently quick to allow the drum type device to process a considerable volume of the wire stream, but not too quickly that wires in the wire stream shorter than the predetermined length would overshoot the filter openings in the concave surface. Hence, this angle being in this range is a good trade-off between the processing speed of the drum type device and the accuracy and precision of the filtering on wire length by means of the drum type device. With a drum having a cylindrical inner surface, the concave surface may be tilted downwards by tilting the drum downwards from the first end to the second end. Alternatively, the downwards tilted concave surface may also be achieved by a downwards sloping inner surface of the drum, such that the inner surface has a frustoconical shape.

[0035] In an embodiment of the drum type device according to the present invention the device is arranged for rotating the drum and thereby the concave surface around the longitudinal direction for transporting the wire stream on the concave surface along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the concave surface.

[0036] The rotatable drum is beneficial for transporting the wire stream on the concave surface along the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end of the concave surface. The rotatable drum is also beneficial for untangling the wire stream in the drum as entangled portions of the wire stream latch on the filter openings and are dragged upwards by the rotating drum, after which loose wires in the entangled portion of the wire stream start to fall downwards by means of gravity on the concave surface or directly through the filter openings in the concave surface.

[0037] In an embodiment of the drum type device according to the present invention the drum comprises a plurality of ring shaped elements arranged, preferably equidistantly from each other, along the longitudinal direction. The drum comprises a plurality of longitudinal elements extending along the longitudinal direction through the ring shaped elements. The longitudinal elements are coupled to the ring shaped elements, preferably by means of corresponding slots. The longitudinal elements are arranged, preferably equidistantly from each other, along a circumference of the ring shaped elements. Optionally, the drum comprises a first tube arranged between the longitudinal elements at the first end of the drum for forming the inlet opening of the drum. Optionally, the drum comprises a second tube arranged between the longitudinal elements at the second end of the drum for forming the outlet opening of the drum.

[0038] This embodiment offers the advantage that the drum can easily be constructed with different sizes of the filter openings by changing the number and positioning of the ring shaped elements and / or the longitudinal elements. If a drum has to be provided with filter openings having a smaller size in the longitudinal direction more ring shaped elements can be used which are positioned closer to each other in the longitudinal direction. If a drum has to be provided with filter openings having a larger size in the longitudinal direction less ring shaped elements can be used which are positioned further away from each other in the longitudinal direction. If a drum has to be provided with filter openings having a smaller size in a circumferential direction transverse to the longitudinal direction more longitudinal elements can be used which are positioned closer to each other along the circumferential direction. If a drum has to be provided with filter openings having a larger size in the circumferential direction less longitudinal elements can be used which are positioned further away from each other in the circumferential direction.

[0039] The present invention also provides a set for filtering on wire length a wire stream comprising wires recycled from tires. The set comprises a drum type device according to the present invention. Preferably, the drum of the drum type device is a rotatable drum. The set comprises a platform type device according to the present invention. The platform type device is arranged below the drum type device for receiving a wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the drum type device on at least the platform of the platform type device.

[0040] The combination of a drum type device according to the present invention followed by a platform type device according to the present invention is beneficial, as it allows to untangle the wire stream in the drum type device and to already perform a first filtering on wire length of the wire stream in the drum type device, followed by a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream in the platform type device. This combination is certainly useful when processing an entangled wire stream, since during untangling in the drum type device wires in the wire stream having a length larger than the predetermined length may still fall downwards through the filter openings when falling down from entangled portions of the wire stream that are dragged upwards by the rotating drum. These longer wires would then however pass over the filter openings of the platform type device, and not pollute the part of the wire stream that is filtered out via the filter openings of the platform type device.

[0041] The combination of the drum type device followed by the platform type device also offers the advantage that the wires coming out of the filter openings of the drum of the drum type are gradually distributed on the platform of the platform type device while the wire stream is transported through the drum of the drum type device. This allows for a more accurate and precise filtering of the wire stream comprising said wires by the platform type device, in comparison with a case where such a wire stream would be provided in bulk on the platform type device.

[0042] The present invention also provides a system for filtering on wire length a wire stream comprising wires recycled from tires. The system comprises a wire stream supply device configured for providing a wire stream from tires. Preferably, the wire stream supply device is a first granulator configured for extracting wires, preferably steel wires, from tires, and for granulating or shredding the extracted wires into a wire stream comprising pieces of wires. The system comprises a first drum type device according to the present invention. Preferably, the drum of the first drum type device is a rotatable drum. The filter openings of the first drum type device have a predetermined first size, preferably at least in the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the predetermined first size is chosen for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the first drum type device, which predetermined length may be a predetermined maximum length of the wires to be filtered finally out of the wire stream for already performing a strict filtering by means of the first drum type device or a length larger than the predetermined maximum length for performing a rougher filtering by means of the first drum type device which can be refined in further devices of the system. The first drum type device is configured for receiving the wire stream from the wire stream supply device via the inlet opening of the first drum type device. The system comprises a first platform type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the first platform type device have a predetermined first length. Preferably, the predetermined first length is chosen for filtering wires up to the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the first platform type device. The first platform type device is arranged below the first drum type device for receiving the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the first drum type device on at least the platform of the first platform type device.

[0043] Since tires, such as for example rubber tires, are provided for reinforcement with thicker steel wires, i.e. bead wires, at their beads, and with thinner steel wires, i.e. tire ply wires, at other parts, such as for example the side walls, the shoulders and the tread, the wire stream coming from the wire stream supply device typically comprises granulated bead wires, granulated tire ply wires and contaminants, such as for example pieces of rubber and / or textile. In this wire stream the bead wires typically have a length larger than the length of the tire ply wires, since the bead wires are thicker and more difficult to granulate or shred into shorter pieces. In this wire stream the different types of wires and contaminants are typically entangled with each other. The granulated tire ply wires in this wire stream can beneficially be reused as reinforcement in concrete or mortar. For this purpose the tire ply wires are filtered out of the wire stream based on wire length by means of the system according to the present invention, since preferably tire ply wires in a certain length range between a predetermined minimum length and a predetermined maximum length are used as reinforcement in concrete or mortar.

[0044] In the system according the present invention the first drum type device is beneficially used for untangling the wire stream received from the wire stream supply device and for performing a first filtering on wire length of said wire stream. Thereby, wires up to a length determined by the predetermined first size of the filter openings of the first drum type device are filtered out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the first drum type device. Since bead wires in the wire stream are typically longer in length than the tire ply wires in the wire stream, the part of the wire stream passing through the filter openings of the first drum type device mostly contains tire ply wires up to the length determined by the predetermined first size. However, due to the untangling process in the first drum type device the wire stream passing through the filter openings of the first drum type device may further contain bead wires and tire ply wires above the length determined by the predetermined first size which have fallen straight downwards through the filter openings of the first drum type device. In the system according to the present invention these longer wires are however beneficially filtered out of the wire stream by means of the first platform type device since these longer wires pass over the filter openings of the first platform type device, while the tire ply wires up to the length determined by the predetermined first length of the filter openings of the first platform type device fall through the filter openings of the first platform type device.

[0045] The part of the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the drum of the first drum type device contains besides contaminants mostly bead wires and tire ply wires with a length larger than the length determined by the predetermined first size. This part of the wire stream may be discarded, or, when it contains no or only a limited amount of bead wires, provided directly to a second granulator of the system for further granulating or shredding the wires in this part of the wire stream, or, as will be described in further detail below, processed further in a second drum type device and a second platform type device before being provided to a second granulator of the system.

[0046] The part of the wire stream passing over the filter openings of the first platform type device mostly contains besides contaminants mostly bead wires and tire ply wires above the length determined by the predetermined first length of the filter openings of the first platform type device. This part of the wire stream may be discarded, or, when it contains no or only a limited amount of bead wires, provided directly to a second granulator of the system for further granulating or shredding the wires in this part of the wire stream.

[0047] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined first size is at least 10x10 mm, preferably at least 12x12 mm, more preferably at least 14x14 mm, even more preferably at least 16x16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18x18 mm. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined first size is at most 30x60 mm, preferably at most 28x52 mm, more preferably at most 26x44 mm, even more preferably at most 24x36 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 22x28 mm. Most preferably, the predetermined first size is 20x20 mm. It should be noted that in this size notation the first dimension and the second dimension extend respectively along a circumferential direction and the longitudinal direction of the drum of the drum type device.

[0048] The inventors have found that the predetermined first size of the filter openings of the first drum type device being in this range is beneficial for filtering tire ply wires up to the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the first drum type device to already perform a strict initial filtering by means of the first drum type device, or for filtering tire ply wires up to a predetermined length larger than the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the first drum type device to perform a rougher initial filtering by means of the first drum type device.

[0049] It should be noted that along the circumferential direction the filter openings of the first drum type device are preferably equal or smaller in size than along the longitudinal direction, such that the size of the filter openings in the longitudinal direction is determinative for the filtering process result.

[0050] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined first length is at least 10 mm, preferably at least 12 mm, more preferably at least 14 mm, even more preferably at least 16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18 mm. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined first length is at most 40 mm, preferably at most 36 mm, more preferably at most 32 mm, yet even more preferably at most 28 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 24 mm. Most preferably, the predetermined first length is 20 mm.

[0051] The inventors have found that the predetermined first length of the filter openings of the first platform type device being in this range is beneficial for filtering tire ply wires up to the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the first platform type device to perform by means of the first platform type device a strict further filtering on the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the first drum type device.

[0052] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the system comprises a second drum type device according to the present invention. Preferably, the drum of the second drum type device is a rotatable drum. The filter openings of the second drum type device have a predetermined second size, preferably at least in the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the predetermined second size is chosen for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the second drum type device, which predetermined length may be the predetermined maximum length of the wires to be filtered finally out of the wire stream for already performing a strict filtering by means of the second drum type device or a length larger than the predetermined maximum length for performing a rougher filtering by means of the second drum type device which can be refined in further devices of the system. Preferably, the predetermined second size is at least as large as the predetermined first size. The second drum type device is configured for receiving the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the first drum type device. The system comprises a second platform type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the second platform type device have a predetermined second length. Preferably, the predetermined second length is chosen for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the second platform type device, which predetermined length is preferably a length larger than the predetermined maximum length for performing a rougher filtering by means of the second platform type device which can be refined in further devices of the system. The second platform type device is arranged below the second drum type device for receiving the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the second drum type device on at least the platform of the second platform type device. The system comprises a second granulator configured for receiving and granulating the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the second platform type device.

[0053] This embodiment is beneficial for further filtering the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the drum of the first drum type by means of the second drum type device and the second platform type device, and for further granulating said filtered wire stream by means of the second granulator. In this way the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the drum of the first drum type device does not have to be discarded and can be processed further in the system to filter out the tire ply wires of interest.

[0054] In the system according to this embodiment of the present invention the second drum type device is beneficially used for further untangling the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the drum of the first drum type device and for performing a further filtering on wire length of said wire stream. Thereby, wires up to a length determined by the predetermined second size of the filter openings of the second drum type device are filtered out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the first drum type device. Since, bead wires in the wire stream are typically longer in length than the tire ply wires in the wire stream, the part of the wire stream passing through the filter openings of the second drum type device mostly contains tire ply wires up to the length determined by the predetermined second size. However, due to the untangling process in the second drum type device the wire stream passing through the filter openings of the second drum type device may further contain bead wires and tire ply wires above the length determined by the predetermined second size which have fallen straight downwards through the filter openings of the second drum type device. In the system according to this embodiment of the present invention these longer wires are however beneficially filtered out of the wire stream by means of the second platform type device since these longer wires pass over the filter openings of the second platform type device, while the tire ply wires up to the length determined by the predetermined second length of the filter openings of the second platform type device fall through the filter openings of the second platform type device.

[0055] The part of the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the drum of the second drum type device and the part of the wire stream passing over the filter openings of the second platform type device mostly contains bead wires and tire ply wires above the length determined by the predetermined second size of the filter openings of the second drum type device. This part of the wire stream may be discarded, or, when it contains no or only a limited amount of bead wires, provided directly to a second granulator of the system for further granulating or shredding the wires in this part of the wire stream.

[0056] The part of the wire stream passing over the filter openings of the second platform type device mostly contains bead wires and tire ply wires above the length determined by the predetermined second length of the filter openings of the second drum type device. This part of the wire stream may be discarded, or, when it contains no or only a limited amount of bead wires, provided directly to a second granulator of the system for further granulating or shredding the wires in this part of the wire stream. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined second size is at least 10x10 mm, preferably at least 12x12 mm, more preferably at least 14x14 mm, even more preferably at least 16x16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18x18 mm. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined second size is at most 30x60 mm, preferably at most 28x52 mm, more preferably at most 26x44 mm, even more preferably at most 24x36 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 22x28 mm. Most preferably, the predetermined second size is 20x20 mm. It should be noted that in this size notation the first dimension and the second dimension extend respectively along a circumferential direction and the longitudinal direction of the drum of the drum type device.

[0057] The inventors have found that the predetermined second size of the filter openings of the second drum type device being in this range is beneficial for filtering tire ply wires up to the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the drum of the first drum type device via the filter openings of the second drum type device to perform a strict further filtering by means of the second drum type device, or for filtering tire ply wires up to a predetermined length larger than the predetermined maximum length out of said wire stream via the filter openings of the second drum type device to perform a rougher further filtering by means of the second drum type device.

[0058] It should be noted that along the circumferential direction the filter openings of the second drum type device are preferably equal or smaller in size than along the longitudinal direction, such that the size of the filter openings in the longitudinal direction is determinative for the filtering process result.

[0059] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined second length is at least 30 mm, preferably at least 32 mm, more preferably at least 34 mm, even more preferably at least 36 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 38 mm. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined second length is at most 50 mm, preferably at most 48 mm, more preferably at most 46 mm, even more preferably at most 44 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 42 mm. Most preferably, the predetermined second length is 40 mm.

[0060] The inventors have found that the predetermined second length of the filter openings of the second platform type device being in this range is beneficial for filtering tire ply wires up to a predetermined length larger than the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the second drum type device via the filter openings of the second platform type device to perform a rougher further filtering by means of the second flatform type device.

[0061] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the system comprises a third drum type device according to the present invention. Preferably, the drum of the third drum type device is a rotatable drum. The filter openings of the third drum type device have a predetermined third size, preferably at least in the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the predetermined third size is chosen for filtering wires up to the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the third drum type device. The third drum type device is configured for receiving the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the first platform type device and the wire stream coming out of, if present, the second granulator. The system comprises a fourth drum type device according to the present invention. Preferably, the drum of the fourth drum type device is a rotatable drum. The filter openings of the fourth drum type device have a predetermined fourth size, preferably at least in the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the predetermined fourth size is chosen for filtering wires up to a predetermined minimum length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the fourth drum type device and thus for filtering wires above said predetermined minimum length out of the wire stream via the outlet opening of the fourth drum type device. Preferably, the predetermined fourth size is smaller than the predetermined first size, the predetermined second size and the predetermined third size. The fourth drum type device is configured for receiving the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the third drum type device. The system is further configured for gathering the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the fourth drum type device for use of the wires in said wire stream in a first type of concrete or mortar.

[0062] This embodiment is beneficial for further filtering the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the first platform type device and the wire stream coming out of, if present, the second granulator, by means of the third drum type device and the fourth drum type device. In the system according to this embodiment of the present invention the third drum type device is beneficially used for performing a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the first platform type device and the wire stream coming out of, if present, the second granulator, which wire streams mostly comprises tire ply wires at this stage. Thereby, tire ply wires up to the predetermined maximum length are filtered out of the received wire stream via the filter openings of the third drum type device, and tire ply wires above the predetermined maximum length via the outlet opening of the drum of the third drum type device. The fourth drum type device is then beneficially used for performing a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the third drum type device, which wire stream mostly comprises tire ply wires up to the predetermined maximum length at this stage. Thereby, tire ply wires up to the predetermined minimum length are filtered out of the received wire stream via the filter openings of the fourth drum type device, and tire ply wires above the predetermined minimum length via the outlet opening of the drum of the third drum type device.

[0063] In this way the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the drum of the fourth drum type device comprises tire ply wires in the range between the predetermined maximum length and the predetermined minimum length, which are suitable for use in a first type of concrete or mortar.

[0064] The wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the fourth drum type device mostly comprises tire ply wires below the predetermined minimum length, but may however still comprise a portion of tire ply wires above the predetermined minimum length that have fallen straight downwards through the filter openings of the fourth drum type device during rotation of the drum of the fourth drum type device. This wire stream is suitable for use in a second type of concrete or mortar, and may, be gathered directly for this purpose as described further below, or may be filtered further by means of a third platform type device for filtering the tire ply wires above the predetermined minimum length out of this wire stream as described further below.

[0065] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined third size is at least 10x10 mm, preferably at least 12x12 mm, more preferably at least 14x14 mm, even more preferably at least 16x16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18x18 mm. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined third size is at most 40x40 mm, preferably at most 36x36 mm, more preferably at most 32x32 mm, even more preferably at most 28x28 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 24x24 mm. Most preferably, the predetermined third size is 20x20 mm. It should be noted that in this size notation the first dimension and the second dimension extend respectively along a circumferential direction and the longitudinal direction of the drum of the drum type device.

[0066] The inventors have found that the predetermined third size of the filter openings of the third drum type device being in this range is beneficial for filtering tire ply wires up to the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the first platform type device and the wire stream coming out of, if present, the second granulator, via the filter openings of the third drum type device to perform a strict further filtering by means of the third drum type device.

[0067] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined fourth size is at least 8x8 mm, preferably at least 9x9 mm, more preferably at least 10x10 mm, even more preferably at least 11x11 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 12x12 mm. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined fourth size is at most 28x28 mm, preferably at most 25x25 mm, more preferably at most 22x22 mm, even more preferably at most 19x19 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 16x16 mm. Most preferably, the predetermined fourth size is 13x13 mm. It should be noted that in this size notation the first dimension and the second dimension extend respectively along a circumferential direction and the longitudinal direction of the drum of the drum type device.

[0068] The inventors have found that the predetermined fourth size of the filter openings of the fourth drum type device being in this range is beneficial for filtering tire ply wires up to the predetermined minimum length out of the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the third drum type device via the filter openings of the fourth drum type device to perform a strict further filtering by means of the fourth drum type device. Thereby, tire ply wires above the predetermined length are filtered out of said wire stream via the outlet opening of the drum of the fourth drum type device. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the system is further configured for gathering the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the fourth drum type device for use of the wires in said wire stream in a second type of concrete or mortar.

[0069] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the system further comprises a third platform type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the third platform type device have a predetermined third length. Preferably, the predetermined third length is chosen for filtering wires up to the predetermined minimum length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the third platform type device and thus for filtering wires above said predetermined minimum length out of the wire stream by passing over the filter openings of the third platform type device. Preferably, the predetermined third length is smaller than the predetermined first length and the predetermined second length. The third platform type device is arranged below the fourth drum type device for receiving the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the fourth drum type device on at least the platform of the third platform type device. Preferably, the system is further configured for gathering the wire stream coming out of the third platform type device after passing over the filter openings of the third platform type device for use of the wires in said wire stream in the first type of concrete or mortar. Preferably, the system is further configured for gathering the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the third platform type device for use of the wires in said wire stream in a second type of concrete or mortar.

[0070] This embodiment is beneficial for further filtering the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the fourth drum type, since this wire stream may still comprise a small portion of tire ply wires above the predetermined minimum length besides a main portion of tire ply wires below the predetermined minimum length. Thereby, tire ply wires up to the predetermined minimum length are filtered out of the received wire stream via the filter openings of the third platform type device and gathered for use in the second type of concrete and mortar. Tire ply wires above the predetermined minimum length on the other hand pass over the filter openings of the third platform type device, and are gathered there for use in the first type of concrete or mortar, preferably together with the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the drum of the fourth drum type device. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined third length is at least 5 mm, preferably at least 6 mm, and more preferably at least 7 mm. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the predetermined third length is at most 11 mm, preferably at most 10 mm, and more preferably at most 9 mm. Most preferably, the predetermined third length is 8 mm.

[0071] The inventors have found that the predetermined third length of the filter openings of the third platform type device being in this range is beneficial for filtering tire ply wires up to the predetermined minimum length out of the wire stream via the filter openings of the third platform type device, thereby also filtering tire ply wires above the predetermined minimum length out of the wire stream since these longer tire ply wires pass over the filter openings of the third platform type device.

[0072] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the system further comprises a second granulator configured for receiving and granulating the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the third drum type device. The third drum type device is further configured for receiving the wire stream coming out of the second granulator.

[0073] The part of the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the drum of the third drum type device mostly contains tire ply wires having a length larger than the predetermined maximum length. This embodiment offers the advantage that this part of the wire stream is not discarded and its valuable resources lost, but instead further granulated in the second granulator, mostly to lengths smaller than the predetermined maximum length, after which this granulated wire stream is filtered again on length in the third drum type device. The use of the second granulator at this step is beneficial, since it avoids that the entire wire stream coming from the wire stream supply device has to pass a second granulating step. This saves energy since the step of granulating the wire stream in a granulator is an energy consuming step. This also avoids tire ply wires that are already in the desired length range to be granulated further to shorter lengths that may be undesirable depending on the type of concrete or mortar the wires are to be used. In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the system further comprises a magnetic separator configured for filtering loose nonmagnetic contaminants from the tires out of the wire stream.

[0074] The magnetic separator is beneficial for filtering contaminants, such as for example pieces of rubber and / or textile, which are non-magnetic, out of the wire stream.

[0075] In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention the magnetic separator is configured for receiving the wire stream going to the third drum type device, and for filtering loose non-magnetic contaminants from the tires out of the received wire stream.

[0076] The inventors have found this position a beneficial position for the magnetic separator to clean up the wire stream from contaminants, such as rubber and textile pieces, after a first filtering on wire length of the wire stream has already been performed by the first drum type device and the first platform type device and optionally also by the second drum type device and the second platform type device to remove the bead wire from the wire stream, and before a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream is performed by the third drum type device and the fourth drum type device and optionally also by the third platform type device. At this position, the magnetic separator is also beneficially positioned in the system after the second granulator, if present, since the second granulator aids in separating from each other contaminants and wires in the wire stream that are attached to each other, such that also these contaminants can be filtered out of the wire stream by means of the magnetic separator.

[0077] The present invention also provides a method for filtering on wire length wires recycled from tires. The method comprises the step providing a wire stream from tires by means of a wire stream supply device. Preferably, the wire stream supply device is a first granulator configured for extracting wires, preferably steel wires, from tires, and for granulating or shredding the extracted wires into a wire stream comprising pieces of wires. The method comprises the step of passing the wire stream coming from the wire stream supply device through a first drum type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the first drum type device have a predetermined first size. The method comprises the step of passing the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the first drum type device over a first platform type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the first platform type device have a predetermined first length. The first platform type device is arranged below the first drum type device for receiving the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the first drum type device on at least the platform of the first platform type device.

[0078] In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention the method further comprises the step of passing the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the first drum type device through a second drum type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the second drum type device have a predetermined second size. The method comprises the step of passing the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the second drum type device over a second platform type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the second platform type device have a predetermined second length. The second platform type device is arranged below the second drum type device for receiving the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the second drum type device on at least the platform of the second platform type device. The method comprises the step of granulating the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the second platform type device by means of a second granulator.

[0079] In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention the method further comprises the step of passing the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the first platform type device and the wire stream coming out of, if present, the second granulator through a third drum type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the third drum type device have a predetermined third size The method comprises the step of passing the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the third drum type device through a fourth drum type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the fourth drum type device have a predetermined fourth size. The method comprises the step of gathering the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the fourth drum type device for use of the wires in said wire stream in a first type of concrete or mortar.

[0080] In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention the method further comprises the step of gathering the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the fourth drum type device for use of the wires in said wire stream in a second type of concrete or mortar. In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention the method further comprises the steps of passing the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the fourth drum type device over a third platform type device according to the present invention. The filter openings of the third platform type device have a predetermined third length. The third platform type device is arranged below the fourth drum type device for receiving the wire stream coming out of the filter openings of the fourth drum type device on at least the platform of the third platform type device. The method comprises the step of gathering the wire stream coming out of the third platform type device after passing over the filter openings of the third platform type device for use of the wires in said wire stream in the first type of concrete or mortar. Preferably, the method comprises the step of gathering the wire stream coming out filter openings of the third platform type device for use of the wires in said wire stream in a second type of concrete or mortar.

[0081] In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention the method further comprises the steps of granulating the wire stream coming out of the outlet opening of the third drum type device by means of a second granulator. The method comprises the step of passing the wire stream coming out of the second granulator through the third drum type device.

[0082] In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention the method further comprises the step of passing the wire stream through a magnetic separator for filtering loose non-magnetic particles from the tires out of the wire stream.

[0083] In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention the wire stream going to the third drum type device is passed through the magnetic separator for filtering loose non-magnetic particles from the tires out of said wire stream.

[0084] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing concrete or mortar comprising wires recycled from tires. The method comprises the step of filtering wires recycled from tires according to the method of the present invention for filtering on wire length wires recycled from tires. The method comprises the step of providing a concrete mixture or a mortar mixture. The method comprises the step of adding the wires gathered for use in concrete or mortar to the concrete mixture or the mortar mixture. The present invention also provides a concrete or mortar comprising wires recycled from tires that have been gathered for use in concrete or mortar by means of the method of the present invention for filtering on wire length wires recycled from tires.

[0085] Brief description of the drawings

[0086] The invention will be further elucidated by means of the following description and the appended figures.

[0087] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a system according to an embodiment of present invention.

[0088] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a drum type device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0089] Figure 3 shows a perspective view on an inlet opening of the drum type device of Figure 2.

[0090] Figure 4 shows a cross section through the drum of the drum type device of Figure 2.

[0091] Figure 5 shows a perspective view on a platform type device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of a platform type device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] Figure 7 shows an illustration of the filtering of a straight wire through a filter opening of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0094] Figure 8 shows an illustration of the filtering of a straight wire and a curved wire through a filter opening of a platform type device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] Modes for carrying out the invention

[0096] The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention. Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. The terms are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention can operate in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

[0097] Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. The terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention described herein can operate in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

[0098] The term “comprising”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It needs to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising means A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.

[0099] Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of a system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention for filtering on wire length a wire stream 900 comprising wires recycled from tires. The tires of interest are rubber tires for vehicles, such as for example cars or trucks. Such rubber tires comprise rubber and textile and are reinforced with steel wires. Thereby, thicker steel wires, i.e. bead wires, are used as reinforcement at the beads of the tires, and thinner steel wires, i.e. tire ply wires, at other parts of the tires, such as for example the side walls, the shoulders and the tread of the tires. In general a single bead wire has a diameter of more than 0.5 mm and a single tire ply wire has a diameter of less than 0.5 mm. The tire ply wires in these tires are suitable for being used as reinforcement in concrete or mortar. In a first type of concrete or mortar preferably tire ply wires are used which have a length in a certain range between a predetermined minimum length and a predetermined maximum length. The predetermined minimum length and the predetermined maximum length may for example by respectively 12 mm and 50 mm. This is however a non-limiting example and other applications may have other preferred ranges depending on the process and product purpose. In a second type of concrete or mortar preferably tire ply wires are used which have a length below the predetermined minimum length. When recycling the tires, these different types of wires are cut or torn out of the tires and granulated or shredded into a wire stream 900 which comprises granulated bead wires, granulated tire ply wires and contaminants, such as for example pieces of rubber and / or textile. The purpose of the shown system 100 is to provide or receive such a wire stream 900, to filter the tire ply wires out of this wire stream 900 which have a length between the predetermined minimum length and the predetermined maximum length that are suitable for the first type of concrete or mortar, and to filter the tire ply wires out of this wire stream 900 which have a length below the predetermined minimum length that are suitable for the second type of concrete or mortar.

[0100] The shown system 100 comprises a first granulator 401 , a second granulator 402, a magnetic separator 500, a first drum type device 300-A, a second drum type device 300-B, a third drum type device 300-C, a fourth drum type device 300-D, a first platform type device 200-A, a second platform type device 200-B and third platform type device 200-C. Further details of the drum type devices 300 are shown in Figures 2-4, and further details of the platform type devices 200 are shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0101] The first granulator 401 is provided for receiving tires and cutting or tearing the different types of wires out of the tires and granulating or shredding the cut or torn out wires into a wire stream 900 that comprises granulated bead wires, granulated tire ply wires and contaminants, such as for example pieces of rubber and / or textile. In this wire stream 900 the bead wires typically have a length larger than the length of the tire ply wires, since the bead wires are thicker and more difficult for the first granulator 401 to granulate or shred into shorter pieces. In this wire stream 900 the different types of wires and the contaminants are typically entangled with each other. It should be noted that in alternative embodiments of the system 100 instead of the first granulator 401 any other type of wire steam supply device may be used that is arranged for providing such a wire stream 900 from tires. The wire stream supply device may alternatively also be a device, such as for example a funnel, configured for receiving such a wire stream 900 from an external source in the system 100. The second granulator 402 is provided for further granulating or shredding the wires in wire streams 900 within the system 100. Thereby, the second granulator 402 is positioned beneficially in the system 100 such that only wire streams 900 within the system 100 containing longer wires are passed through the second granulator 402. This is beneficial since the process of granulating or shredding a wire stream 900 is energy consuming. This avoids that wire streams 900 within the system 100 which contain shorter wires are passed unnecessarily through the second granulator 402, thereby wasting energy. This also avoids that wire streams 900 within the system 100 which already contain wires in the desired length range to be granulated or shredded unnecessarily to shorter lengths.

[0102] The magnetic separator 500 is provided in the system 100 for filtering loose non-magnetic contaminants, such as for example rubber and textile pieces, out of the wire streams 900 within the system 100. Thereby, the magnetic separator 500 is positioned beneficially in the system 100 after a first filtering has already been performed on the wire stream 900 to filter out the bead wire, and also after the second granulator 402. The latter is beneficial since the second granulator 402 aids in separating from each other contaminants and wires in the wire stream 900 that are attached to each other, such that also these contaminants can be filtered out of the wire stream 900 by means of the magnetic separator 500. In alternative embodiments of the system 100 the magnetic separator 500 may also be located at other positions, and / or multiple magnetic separators 500 may be used at different positions within the system 100.

[0103] The different drum type devices 300 and the different platform type devices 200 are provided for filtering on wire length the wire streams 900 within the system 100. Thereby, as will be discussed in further detail below, first a filtering is performed to mainly remove the bead wire from the wire streams 900 within the system 100, which, as already discussed above, typically have a larger length than the tire ply wires. The further filtering in the system 100 is focussed on filtering the tire ply wires out of the wire streams 900 within the system 100 which have a length between the predetermined minimum length and the predetermined maximum length that are suitable for the first type of concrete or mortar, and on filtering the tire ply wires out of the wire streams 900 within the system 100 which have a length below the predetermined minimum length that are suitable for the second type of concrete or mortar.

[0104] Each drum type device 300, as illustrated in Figures 2-4, comprises a drum 310 that extends along a longitudinal direction L from a first end 311 to a second end 312. At the first end 311 the drum 310 is provided with an inlet opening 315 for receiving a wire stream 900, and at the second end 312 the drum 310 is provided with an outlet opening 316 for outputting the received wire stream 900 once it has passed through the drum 310. The inner surface of the drum 310 forms a concave surface 320 which is provided with a plurality of filter openings 330 which extend from the interior of the drum 310 to the exterior of the drum 310. The drum type device 300 is arranged for transporting a received wire stream 900 in the drum 310 on the concave surface 320 along the longitudinal direction L from the inlet opening 315 at the first end 311 of the drum 310 to the outlet opening 316 at the second end 312 of the drum 310. The concave shape of the concave surface 320 has thereby the effect that the wires in the wire stream 900 become arranged lengthwise along the longitudinal direction L when the wire stream 900 is transported on the concave surface 320 along the longitudinal direction L. It should be noted that in further embodiments of the drum type device 300 the drum 310 may also be provided with a plurality of the concave surfaces 320 formed by a plurality of successive inner surfaces of the drum 310 along the longitudinal direction L.

[0105] The filter openings 330 are provided for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream 900 through the filter openings 330 when the wire stream 900 is transported on the concave surface 320. Since the wires are arranged lengthwise along the longitudinal direction L the filter openings 330 are therefore given a predetermined size in at least the longitudinal direction L that is half of the predetermined length of the wires to be filtered out of the wire stream 900 through the filter openings 330. As illustrated on the left side in Figure 7, this predetermined size has the effect that a wire in the wire stream 900 having a length smaller than or equal to the predetermined length will fall through a filter opening 330 when said wire is aligned lengthwise along the longitudinal direction L on the concave surface 320 and transported along the longitudinal direction L on the concave surface 320 over the filter opening 330. This, because for such a wire the centre of mass is located above the filter opening 330 at a moment that this wire is not supported at one of its ends while being transported over the filter opening 330, which causes this wire to fall through the filter opening 330. A wire in the wire stream 900 having a length larger than the predetermined length, on the other hand, is, as illustrated on the right side in Figure 7, always supported at both its ends at a moment it is transported with its centre of mass over the filter opening 330, which causes this wire to be transported over the filter opening 330 without falling through the filter opening 330. With the filter openings 330 being configured as such a wire stream 900 comprising wires up to the predetermined length will leave the drum 310 of the drum type device 300 via the filter openings 330, and a wire stream 900 comprising wires above the predetermined length will leave the drum 310 of the drum type device 300 via the outlet opening 316.

[0106] The filter openings 330 are rectangular in size, and extend thereby in one dimension along the longitudinal direction L of the drum 310 and in the other dimension along a circumferential direction C of the drum 310 transverse to the longitudinal direction L. As already explained above, the filter openings 330 have in the longitudinal direction L the predetermined size for filtering wires up to the predetermined length out of the wire stream 900 through the filter openings 330. In the circumferential direction C the filter openings 330 are preferably equal or smaller in size than along the longitudinal direction L, such that the size of the filter openings 330 in the longitudinal direction L is determinative for the filtering of the wires up to the predetermined length out of the wire stream 900 through the filter openings 330. In alternative embodiments it is however not excluded for the filter openings 330 to have other suitable shapes, such as for example circular, oval or diamond shaped.

[0107] The filter openings 330 are arranged in a regular grid along the inner surface of the drum 310, whereby the filter openings 330 are distributed along the longitudinal direction L of the drum 310 and along the circumferential direction C of the drum 310. This is beneficial for providing a filtering of the wires up to the predetermined length out of the wire stream 900 through the filter openings 330 over the entire inner surface of the drum 310.

[0108] Preferably, the filter openings 330 have a predetermined depth of at least 20 mm, preferably at least 25 mm, and more preferably at least 30 mm, and at most 60 mm, preferably at most 55 mm, and more preferably at most 50 mm. This is beneficial for guiding the wires in the wire stream 900 having a length up to the predetermined length downwards in the filter openings 330 when said wires start to fall down in the filter openings 330.

[0109] For the purpose of transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surface 320 along the longitudinal direction L the concave surface 320 is tilted downwards from the first end 311 to the second end 312. In the shown embodiment this is achieved by the tilting the drum 310, which has a cylindrical inner surface, downwards. In alternative embodiments this may however also be achieved in others manners, for example by means of a downwards sloping inner surface of the drum 310, such that the inner surface has a frustoconical shape. The concave surface 320 being tilted downwards allows the wire stream 900 to be transported easily on the concave surface 320 from the first end 311 to the second end 312 by means of gravity.

[0110] Preferably, the concave surface 320 is thereby tilted downwards over an angle of at least 5°, preferably at least 6°, more preferably at least 7°, even more preferably at least 8°, yet even more preferably at least 9°, and most preferably at least 10°, and at most 30°, preferably at most 29°, more preferably at most 28°, even more preferably at most 27°, yet even more preferably at most 26°, and most preferably at most 25°. The concave surface 320 being tilted downwards over an angle in this range is beneficial for transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surface 320 sufficiently quick to allow the drum type device 300 to process a considerable volume of the wire stream 900, but not too quickly that wires in the wire stream 900 shorter than the predetermined length would overshoot the filter openings 330 in the concave surface 320. Hence, this angle being in this range is a good trade-off between the processing speed of the drum type device 300 and the accuracy and precision of the filtering on wire length by means of the drum type device 300.

[0111] For the purpose of transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surface 320 along the longitudinal direction L the drum type device 300 is also arranged for rotating the drum 310 and thereby the concave surface 320 formed by the inner surface of the drum 310 around the longitudinal direction L. Besides transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surface 320 this is also beneficial for untangling the wire stream 900 in the drum 310 as entangled portions of the wire stream 900 latch on the filter openings 330 and are dragged upwards by the rotating drum 310, after which loose wires in the entangled portion of the wire stream 900 start to fall downwards by means of gravity on the concave surface 320 or directly through the filter openings 330 in the concave surface 320. It should be noted that in alternative embodiments also other types of movement of the drum 310 and thereby the concave surface 320 may be used for transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surface 320 along the longitudinal direction L, such as for example a vibrational motion of the drum 310 or a translational motion of the drum 310 along the longitudinal direction L.

[0112] The drum 310 of the drum type device 300 is composed of a plurality of ring shaped elements 341 arranged equidistantly from each other along the longitudinal direction L and a plurality of longitudinal elements 342 extending along the longitudinal direction L through the ring shaped elements 341. The longitudinal elements 342 are coupled to the ring shaped elements 341 by means of corresponding slots 343, or any other suitable means. The longitudinal elements 342 are arranged equidistantly from each other along a circumference of the ring shaped elements 341 . The drum 310 further comprises a first tube 351 arranged between the longitudinal elements 342 at the first end 311 of the drum 310 for forming the inlet opening 315 of the drum 310, and a second tube 352 arranged between the longitudinal elements 342 at the second end 312 of the drum 310 for forming the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310. In alternative embodiments the first tube 351 and the second tube 352 may however also be omitted, since the ring shaped elements 341 and the longitudinal elements 342 which are coupled to each other are sufficient for forming a drum 310. The use of these elements 341 , 342 for constructing the drum 310 offers the advantage that the drum 310 can easily be constructed with different sizes of the filter openings 330 by changing the number and positioning of the ring shaped elements 341 and / or the longitudinal elements 342. If a drum 310 has to be provided with filter openings 330 having a smaller size in the longitudinal direction L more ring shaped elements 341 can be used which are positioned closer to each other in the longitudinal direction L. If a drum 310 has to be provided with filter openings 330 having a larger size in the longitudinal direction L less ring shaped elements 341 can be used which are positioned further away from each other in the longitudinal direction L. If a drum 310 has to be provided with filter openings 330 having a smaller size in the circumferential direction C more longitudinal elements 342 can be used which are positioned closer to each other along the circumferential direction C. If a drum 310 has to be provided with filter openings 330 having a larger size in the circumferential direction C less longitudinal elements 342 can be used which are positioned further away from each other in the circumferential direction C.

[0113] Each platform type device 200, as illustrated in Figures 5-6, comprises a platform 210 that extends along a longitudinal direction L from a first end 211 to a second end 212. The platform 210 is a corrugated plate of which the grooves on the upper surface form concave surfaces 220 that extend along the longitudinal direction L from the first end 211 to the second end 212 of the platform 210. The use of the corrugated plate as the platform 210 allows for a simple design of the platform type device 200, but it should be noted that in alternative embodiments of the platform type device 200 other types of platforms 210 may be used that are provided with the concave surfaces 220. For each of the concave surfaces 220 of the platform 210 the platform type device 200 comprises a corresponding filter opening 230 that is arranged at the second end 212 of the platform 210 behind the corresponding concave surface 220 of the platform 210. The platform type device 200 is arranged for receiving a wire stream 900 from above on the platform 210 and for transporting the received wire stream 900 on the concave surfaces 220 of the platform 210 along the longitudinal direction L towards the filter openings 230 at the second end 212 of the platform 210. The concave shape of the concave surfaces 220 here also has the effect that the wires in the wire stream 900 become arranged lengthwise along the longitudinal direction L when the wire stream 900 is transported on the concave surfaces 220 along the longitudinal direction L. The platform 210 being a corrugated plate hereby also has the advantage that the concave surfaces 220 provided by the corrugated plate are arranged adjacent to each other, which has the effect that wires of the wire stream 900 falling on the areas of the corrugated plate between the concave surfaces 220 will slide quickly and easily into the adjacent concave surfaces 220 for being aligned with their length along the longitudinal direction L in the concave surfaces 220 and for being transported towards the filter openings 230.

[0114] The filter openings 230 are provided for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream 900 through the filter openings 230 when the wire stream 900 is transported on the concave surfaces 200. Since the wires are arranged lengthwise along the longitudinal direction L the filter openings 230 are therefore given a predetermined size in the longitudinal direction L that is half of the predetermined length of the wires to be filtered out of the wire stream 900 through the filter openings 230. As already discussed above for the drum type device 300 with reference to Figure 7, this predetermined size of the filter openings 230 in the longitudinal direction L has the effect that wires in the wire stream 900 having a length smaller than or equal to the predetermined length will fall through the filter openings 230 when such wires are aligned lengthwise along the longitudinal direction L on the concave surfaces 220 and transported along the longitudinal direction L over the filter openings 230 at the second end 212 of the concave surfaces 220, and that wires in the wire stream 900 having a length larger than the predetermined length will pass over the filter openings 230 when such wires are aligned lengthwise along the longitudinal direction L on the concave surfaces 220 and transported along the longitudinal direction L over the filter openings 230 at the second end 212 of the concave surfaces 220. With the filter openings 230 being configured as such a wire stream 900 comprising wires up to the predetermined length will leave the platform 210 of the platform type device 200 via the filter openings 230, and a wire stream 900 comprising wires above the predetermined length will leave the platform 210 of the platform type device 200 by passing over the filter openings 230 at the second end 212 of the platform 210.

[0115] The size of the filter openings 230 in the width direction W, i.e. the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction L, is preferably set to correspond to the width of the corresponding concave surface 220. Alternatively, the filter openings 230 may also be connected to each other and thus provided as a continuous gap at the second end 212 of the platform 210 extending in the width direction W over all the concave surfaces 220.

[0116] Preferably, the filter openings 230 are provided at an end side, i.e. a side transverse to the longitudinal direction L encountered last when viewed in the longitudinal direction L from the first end 211 to the second end 212 of the corresponding concave surface 220, with a downwards curved wall portion 235. This downwards curved wall portion 235 is beneficial for guiding too long bent wires in the wire stream 900 over the filter opening 230, such as illustrated on the right side in Figure 8, and thereby preventing the too long bent wires from falling through the filter opening 230 or blocking the filter opening 230. Such too long bent wires would be bent wires that have an overall length that is larger than the predetermined length, but in the longitudinal direction L a length that is smaller than or equal to the predetermined length. Straight wires up to the predetermined length may be pushed over the filter opening 230 because of the downwards curved wall portion 235, but such straight wires will however slide backwards into the filter opening 230 due the downwards curved wall portion 235 once they have passed over the filter opening 230, as illustrated on the left side in Figure 8.

[0117] For the purpose of transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surfaces 220 along the longitudinal direction L the concave surfaces 220 are tilted downwards from the first end 211 to the second end 212. In the shown embodiment this is easily achieved by the tilting the platform 210 with the concave surfaces 220 downwards. The concave surfaces 220 being tilted downwards allows the wire stream 900 to be transported easily on the concave surfaces 220 from the first end 211 to the second end 212 by means of gravity.

[0118] Preferably, the concave surfaces 220 are thereby tilted downwards over an angle of at least 10°, preferably at least 12°, more preferably at least 14°, even more preferably at least 16°, and yet even more preferably at least 18°, and at most 30°, preferably at most 28°, more preferably at most 26°, even more preferably at most 24°, and yet even more preferably at most 22°. The concave surfaces 220 being tilted downwards over an angle in this range is beneficial for transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surfaces 220 sufficiently quick to allow the platform type device 200 to process a considerable volume of the wire stream 900, but not too quickly that wires in the wire stream 900 shorter than the predetermined length would overshoot the corresponding filter openings 230 at the second end 212 of the concave surfaces 220. Hence, this angle being in this range is a good trade-off between the processing speed of the platform type device 200 and the accuracy and precision of the filtering on wire length by means of the platform type device 200.

[0119] For the purpose of transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surfaces 220 along the longitudinal direction L the platform type device 200 is also arranged for vibrating the platform 210 and thereby the concave surfaces 220. Besides transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surfaces 220 this is also beneficial for aligning the wires in the wire stream 900 with their length along the longitudinal direction L on the concave surfaces 220, and this in conjunction with the concave shape of the concave surfaces 220. The vibrating platform 210 is also beneficial for moving wires of the wire stream 900 falling on the areas of the platform 210 between the corresponding concave surfaces 220 into the corresponding concave surfaces 220. It should be noted that it is not excluded that in alternative embodiments other types of movement of the platform 210 and thereby the concave surfaces 220 can be used for transporting the wire stream 900 on the concave surfaces 220 along the longitudinal direction L.

[0120] In further embodiments the platform type device 200 may be provided, as illustrated schematically in Figure 6, with a further platform 240 having concave surfaces 220 and corresponding filter openings 230, similar to the platform 210 and its concave surfaces 220 and corresponding filter openings 230. The further platform 240 is thereby arranged behind the platform 210 along the longitudinal direction L for receiving part of the wire stream 900 passing over the filter openings 230 of the platform 210. Thereby, the concave surfaces 220 of the further platform 240 are preferably aligned with the concave surfaces 220 on the platform 210, such that the part of the wire stream 900 that has passed over the filter openings 230 of the platform 210 is directly passed onto the corresponding concave surfaces 220 of the further platform 240. The further platform 240 is beneficial to provide a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900 by means of the platform type device 200. In this way, for example, wires in the wire stream 900 shorter than the predetermined length that accidentally passed over the filter openings 230 of the platform 210 may still be filtered out of the wire stream 900 through the filter openings 230 of the further platform 240.

[0121] It should be noted that in further embodiments the platform type device 200 may be provided with even further platforms arranged in series behind the platform 210 and the further platform 240 along the longitudinal direction L.

[0122] The drum type device 300 and the platform type device 200 can also be combined beneficially into a set in which the platform type 200 device is arranged below the drum type device 300 for receiving a wire stream 900 coming out of the filter openings 330 of the drum type device 300 on the platform 210 of the platform type device 200. This allows to untangle the wire stream 900 in the drum type device 300 and to already perform a first filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900 in the drum type device 300, followed by a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900 in the platform type device 200. This combination is certainly useful when processing an entangled wire stream 900, since during untangling in the drum type device 300 wires in the wire stream 900 having a length larger than the predetermined length may still fall downwards through the filter openings 330 of the drum type device 300 when falling down from entangled portions of the wire stream 900 that are dragged upwards by the rotating drum 310. These longer wires would then however pass over the filter openings 230 of the platform type device 200, and not pollute the part of the wire stream 900 that is filtered out via the filter openings 230 of the platform type device 200. This combination of the drum type device 300 and the platform type device 200 also offers the advantage that the wires coming out of the filter openings 330 of the drum 310 of the drum type device 300 are gradually distributed on the platform 210 of the platform type device 200 while the wire stream 900 is transported through the drum 310 of the drum type device 300. This allows for a more accurate and precise filtering of the wire stream 900 comprising said wires by the platform type device 200, in comparison with a case where such a wire stream 900 would be provided in bulk on the platform 210 of the platform type device 200.

[0123] How the system 100 of Figure 1 operates will now be explained in further detail. As already explained above, the wire stream 900-A coming out of the first granulator 401 is an entangled wire stream 900-A comprising granulated bead wires typically longer in length, granulated tire ply wires and contaminants, such as for example pieces of rubber and / or textile. For a first filtering, this wire stream 900-A is received in the drum 310 of the first drum type device 300-A via the inlet opening 315 of the drum 310 of the first drum type device 300-A. Thereby, the wire stream 900-A may be directed from the first granulator 401 to the first drum type device 300-A by any suitable means, such as for example a conveyor and / or a funnel. Then, the wire stream 900-A is transported on the concave surface 320 formed by the inner surface of the drum 310 of the first drum type device 300-A along the longitudinal direction L from the inlet opening 315 to the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the first drum type device 300-A.

[0124] For the filtering, the filter openings 330 of the first drum type device 300-A have a predetermined first size. In the longitudinal direction L the predetermined first size is chosen for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream 900-A via the filter openings 330 of the first drum type device 300-A. This predetermined length may be the predetermined maximum length of the wires to be filtered finally out of the wire stream 900-A for already performing a strict filtering of the wire stream 900-A by means of the first drum type device 300-A, or may be a length larger than the predetermined maximum length for performing a rougher filtering of the wire stream 900-A by means of the first drum type device 300-A which can be refined further on in the system 100. In the circumferential direction C the predetermined first size is chosen to be equal or smaller in size than in the longitudinal direction L, such that the size of the filter openings 330 in the longitudinal direction L is determinative for the filtering process result. Preferably, the predetermined first size is in respectively the circumferential direction C and the longitudinal direction L at least 10x10 mm, preferably at least 12x12 mm, more preferably at least 14x14 mm, even more preferably at least 16x16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18x18 mm, and at most 30x60 mm, preferably at most 28x52 mm, more preferably at most 26x44 mm, even more preferably at most 24x36 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 22x28 mm, and most preferably 20x20 mm.

[0125] When passing through the first drum type device 300-A the wire stream 900-A is untangled by means of the rotation of the drum 310 of the first drum type device 300-A and a filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900-A is performed by means of the filter openings 330 of the first drum type device 300-A. Thereby, wires up to a length determined by the predetermined first size of the filter openings 330 of the first drum type device 300-A are filtered out of the wire stream 900-A via the filter openings 330 of the first drum type device 300-A. Since the bead wires in the wire stream 900-A are typically longer in length than the tire ply wires in the wire stream 900-A, the part of the wire stream 900-B passing through the filter openings 330 of the first drum type device 300-A mostly contains tire ply wires up to the length determined by the predetermined first size. However, due to the untangling process in the first drum type device 300-A the wire stream 900-B passing through the filter openings 330 of the first drum type device 300-A may further contain bead wires and tire ply wires above the length determined by the predetermined first size which have fallen straight downwards through the filter openings 330 of the first drum type device 300-A. As a consequence of this filtering, the part of the wire stream 900-D coming out of the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the first drum type device 300-A contains besides possible contaminants mostly bead wires and tire ply wires with a length larger than the length determined by the predetermined first size. This part of the wire stream 900-D is processed further by means of the second drum type device 300-B, the second platform type device 200-B and the second granulator 402, as will be discussed further down below. Alternatively this part of the wire stream 900-D may be discarded, or, when it contains no or only a limited amount of bead wires, provided directly to the second granulator 402 by any suitable means for further granulating or shredding the wires in this part of the wire stream 900-D.

[0126] For further filtering, the wire stream 900-B coming out of the filter openings 330 of the first drum type device 300-A is received on the platform 210 of the first platform type device 200-A, which is arranged for this purpose below the drum 310 of the first drum type device 300-A. Then, the wire stream 900-B is transported on the concave surfaces 220 of the platform 210 of the first platform type device 200-A and any further platforms 240 of the first platform type device 200-A along the longitudinal direction L towards the second end 212 of the final platform 210, 240 of the first platform type device 200-A.

[0127] For the filtering, the filter openings 230 of the first platform type device 200-A have a predetermined first length, i.e. size along the longitudinal direction L. The predetermined first length is chosen for filtering wires up to the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream 900-B via the filter openings 230 of the first platform type device 200-A. Preferably, the predetermined first length is at least 10 mm, preferably at least 12 mm, more preferably at least 14 mm, even more preferably at least 16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18 mm, and at most 40 mm, preferably at most 36 mm, more preferably at most 32 mm, yet even more preferably at most 28 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 24 mm, and most preferably 20 mm.

[0128] When passing over the first platform type device 200-A a filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900-B is performed by means of the filter openings 230 of the first platform type device 200-A. Thereby, wires up to the predetermined maximum length are filtered out of the wire stream 900-B via the filter openings 230 of the first platform type device 200-A. These wires are almost all tire ply wires, since the bead wires in the wire stream 900-B are typically longer in length than the tire ply wires. As a consequence of this filtering, the part of the wire stream 900-J passing over the filter openings 230 of the first platform type device 200-A and leaving the first platform type device 200-A at the second end 212 of the final platform 210, 240 of the first platform type device 200-A contains besides possible contaminants mostly bead wires and tire ply wires above the predetermined maximum length. This part of the wire stream 900-J may be discarded, or, when it contains no or only a limited amount of bead wires, provided directly to the second granulator 402 by any suitable means for further granulating or shredding the wires in this part of the wire stream 900-J.

[0129] The wire stream 900-C coming out of the filter openings 230 of the first platform type device 200-A is passed through the magnetic separator 500 for filtering contaminants, such as for example pieces of rubber and / or textile, out of this wire stream 900-C. Thereby, this wire stream 900-C may be directed from the first platform type device 200-A to the magnetic separator 500 by any suitable means, such as for example a conveyor and / or a funnel. The further processing of the wire stream 900-K coming out of the magnetic separator 500 will be discussed further down below, but the processing of the wire stream 900-D coming out of the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the first drum type device 300-A will now be discussed first.

[0130] For further filtering, the wire stream 900-D coming out of the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the first drum type device 300-A is received in the drum 310 of the second drum type device 300-B via the inlet opening 315 of the drum 310 of the second drum type device 300-B. Thereby, this wire stream 900- D may be directed from the first drum type device 300-A to the second drum type device 300-B by any suitable means, such as for example a conveyor and / or a funnel. Then, the wire stream 900-D is transported on the concave surface 320 formed by the inner surface of the drum 310 of the second drum type device 300- B along the longitudinal direction L from the inlet opening 315 to the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the second drum type device 300-B.

[0131] For the filtering, the filter openings 330 of the second drum type device 300-B have a predetermined second size. In the longitudinal direction L the predetermined second size is chosen for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream 900-D via the filter openings 330 of the second drum type device 300-B. This predetermined length may be the predetermined maximum length of the wires to be filtered finally out of the wire stream 900-D for performing a strict filtering of the wire stream 900-D by means of the second drum type device 300-B, or may be a length larger than the predetermined maximum length for performing a rougher filtering of the wire stream 900-D by means of the second drum type device 300-B which can be refined further on in the system 100. In the circumferential direction C the predetermined second size is chosen to be equal or smaller in size than in the longitudinal direction L, such that the size of the filter openings 330 in the longitudinal direction L is determinative for the filtering process result. Preferably, the predetermined second size is at least as large as the predetermined first size. Preferably, the predetermined second size is in respectively the circumferential direction C and the longitudinal direction L at least 10x10 mm, preferably at least 12x12 mm, more preferably at least 14x14 mm, even more preferably at least 16x16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18x18 mm, and at most 30x60 mm, preferably at most 28x52 mm, more preferably at most 26x44 mm, even more preferably at most 24x36 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 22x28 mm, and most preferably 20x20 mm.

[0132] When passing through the second drum type device 300-B the wire stream 900-D is further untangled by means of the rotation of the drum of the second drum type device 300-B and a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900-D is performed by means of the filter openings 330 of the second drum type device 300-B. Thereby, wires up to a length determined by the predetermined second size of the filter openings 330 of the second drum type device 300-B are filtered out of the wire stream 900-D via the filter openings 330 of the second drum type device 300-B. Since the bead wires in the wire stream 900-D are typically longer in length than the tire ply wires in the wire stream 900- D, the part of the wire stream 900-E passing through the filter openings 330 of the second drum type device 300-B mostly contains tire ply wires up to the length determined by the predetermined second size. However, due to the untangling process in the second drum type device 300-B the wire stream 900-E passing through the filter openings 330 of the second drum type device 300-B may further contain bead wires and tire ply wires above the length determined by the predetermined second size which have fallen straight downwards through the filter openings 330 of the second drum type device 300-B. As a consequence of this filtering, the part of the wire stream 900-H coming out of the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the second drum type device 300-B contains besides possible contaminants mostly bead wires and tire ply wires with a length larger than the length determined by the predetermined second size. This part of the wire stream 900-H may be discarded, or, when it contains no or only a limited amount of bead wires, provided directly to the second granulator 402 by any suitable means for further granulating or shredding the wires in this part of the wire stream 900-H.

[0133] For further filtering, the wire stream 900-E coming out of the filter openings 330 of the second drum type device 300-B is received on the platform 210 of the second platform type device 200-B, which is arranged for this purpose below the drum 310 of the second drum type device 300-B. Then, the wire stream 900-E is transported on the concave surfaces 220 of the platform 210 of the second platform type device 200-B and any further platforms 240 of the second platform type device 200-B along the longitudinal direction L towards the second end 212 of the final platform 210, 240 of the second platform type device 200-B.

[0134] For the filtering, the filter openings 230 of the second platform type device 200-B have a predetermined second length, i.e. size along the longitudinal direction L. The predetermined second length is chosen for filtering wires up to a predetermined length larger than the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream via the filter openings 230 of the second platform type device 200-B for performing a rougher filtering by means of the second platform type device 200-B which can be refined further on in the system 100. This rougher filtering is mainly focussed on filtering the bead wires, which are longer in length than the tire ply wires, out of the wire stream 900-E. Preferably, the predetermined second length is at least 30 mm, preferably at least 32 mm, more preferably at least 34 mm, even more preferably at least 36 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 38 mm, and at most 50 mm, preferably at most 48 mm, more preferably at most 46 mm, even more preferably at most 44 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 42 mm, and most preferably 40 mm.

[0135] When passing over the second platform type device 200-B a filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900-E is performed by means of the filter openings 230 of the second platform type device 200-B. Thereby, wires up to the length determined by the predetermined second length of the filter openings 230 of the second platform type device 200-B are filtered out of the wire stream 900-E via the filter openings 230 of the second platform type device 200-B. These wires are almost all tire ply wires, since the bead wires in the wire stream are typically longer in length than the tire ply wires. As a consequence of this filtering, the part of the wire stream 900-1 passing over the filter openings 230 of the second platform type device 200-B and leaving the second platform type device 200-B at the second end 212 of the final platform 210, 240 of the second platform type device 200-B contains besides possible contaminants mostly bead wires and tire ply wires above the length determined by the predetermined second length. This part of the wire stream 900-I may be discarded, or, when it contains no or only a limited amount of bead wires, provided directly to the second granulator 402 by any suitable means for further granulating or shredding the wires in this part of the wire stream 900-I.

[0136] The wire stream 900-F coming out of the filter openings 230 of the second platform type device 200-B is passed through the second granulator 402 for further granulating or shredding the wires in this wire stream 900-F. Thereby, this wire stream 900-F may be directed from the second platform type device 200-B to the second granulator 402 by any suitable means, such as for example a conveyor and / or a funnel.

[0137] The wire stream 900-G coming out of the second granulator 402 is passed through the magnetic separator 500 for filtering contaminants, such as for example pieces of rubber and / or textile, out of this wire stream 900-G. Thereby, this wire stream 900-G may be directed from the second granulator 402 to the magnetic separator 500 by any suitable means, such as for example a conveyor and / or a funnel.

[0138] The wire stream 900-K coming out of the magnetic separator 500, which indirectly comes from the filter openings 230 of the first platform type device 200- A and from the second granulator 402, now mostly contains tire ply wires, for the most part tire ply wires up to the predetermined maximum length, but still with a fraction of tire ply wires above the predetermined maximum length, since the second granulator 402 will not necessarily have granulated all the tire ply wires in the wire stream 900-G to lengths below the predetermined maximum length and still some tire ply wires above the predetermined maximum length may have passed through the filter openings 230 of the first platform type device 200-A.

[0139] For further filtering, the wire stream 900-K coming out of magnetic separator 500 is received in the drum 310 of the third drum type device 300-C via the inlet opening 315 of the drum 310 of the third drum type device 300-C. Thereby, this wire stream 900-K may be directed from the magnetic separator 500 to the third drum type device 300-C by any suitable means, such as for example a conveyor and / or a funnel. Then, the wire stream 900-K is transported on the concave surface 320 formed by the inner surface of the drum 310 of the third drum type device 300-C along the longitudinal direction L from the inlet opening 315 to the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the third drum type device 300-C.

[0140] For the filtering, the filter openings 330 of the third drum type device 300- C have a predetermined third size. In the longitudinal direction L the predetermined third size is chosen for filtering wires up to the predetermined maximum length out of the wire stream 900-K via the filter openings 330 of the third drum type device 300-C. In the circumferential direction C the predetermined third size is chosen to be equal or smaller, preferably equal, in size than in the longitudinal direction L, such that the size of the filter openings 330 of the third drum type device 300-C in the longitudinal direction L is determinative for the filtering process result. Preferably, the predetermined third size is in respectively the circumferential direction C and the longitudinal direction L at least 10x10 mm, preferably at least 12x12 mm, more preferably at least 14x14 mm, even more preferably at least 16x16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18x18 mm, and at most 40x40 mm, preferably at most 36x36 mm, more preferably at most 32x32 mm, even more preferably at most 28x28 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 24x24 mm, and most preferably 20x20 mm.

[0141] When passing through the third drum type device 300-C a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900-K is performed by means of the filter openings 330 of the third drum type device 300-C. Thereby, tire ply wires up to the predetermined maximum length are filtered out of the wire stream 900-K via the filter openings 330 of the third drum type device 300-C. As a consequence of this filtering, the part of the wire stream 900-Q coming out of the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the third drum type device 300-C contains tire ply wires above the predetermined maximum length. This part of the wire stream 900-Q is provided to the second granulator 402 for further granulating or shredding the tire ply wires in this part of the wire stream 900-Q. Thereby, this part of the wire stream 900-Q may be directed from the third drum type device 300-C to the second granulator 402 by any suitable means, such as for example a conveyor and / or a funnel.

[0142] For further filtering, the wire stream 900-L coming out of the filter openings 330 of the third drum type device 300-C is received in the drum 310 of the fourth drum type device 300-D via the inlet opening 315 of the drum 310 of the fourth drum type device 300-D. Thereby, this wire stream 900-Lmay be directed from the third drum type device 300-C to the fourth drum type device 300-D by any suitable means, such as for example a conveyor and / or a funnel. Then, the wire stream 900-L is transported on the concave surface 320 formed by the inner surface of the drum 310 of the fourth drum type device 300-D along the longitudinal direction L from the inlet opening 315 to the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the fourth drum type device 300-D.

[0143] For the filtering, the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300- D have a predetermined fourth size. In the longitudinal direction L the predetermined fourth size is chosen for filtering wires up to the predetermined minimum length out of the wire stream 900-L via the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D. In the circumferential direction C the predetermined fourth size is chosen to be equal or smaller, preferably equal, in size than in the longitudinal direction L, such that the size of the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D in the longitudinal direction L is determinative for the filtering process result. The predetermined fourth size is smaller than the predetermined third size, and also smaller than the predetermined first size and the predetermined second size. Preferably, the predetermined fourth size is at least 8x8 mm, preferably at least 9x9 mm, more preferably at least 10x10 mm, even more preferably at least 11x11 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 12x12 mm, and at most 28x28 mm, preferably at most 25x25 mm, more preferably at most 22x22 mm, even more preferably at most 19x19 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 16x16 mm, and most preferably 13x13 mm. When passing through the fourth drum type device 300-D a further filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900-L is performed by means of the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D. Thereby, tire ply wires up to the predetermined minimum length are filtered out of the wire stream 900-L via the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D. It should however be noted that the wire stream 900-M coming out of the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D may still comprise a portion of tire ply wires above the predetermined minimum length that have fallen straight downwards through the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D during rotation of the drum 310 of the fourth drum type device 300-D. For this reason, the wire stream 900-M coming out of the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D is provided to the third platform type device 200-C for further filtering, as will be discussed further down below. In alternative embodiments of the system 100, the wire stream 900-M coming out of the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D may however also be gathered directly in a second container 602 for being used in manufacturing the second type of concrete or mortar, as illustrated with the dashed line in Figure 1 .

[0144] As a consequence of the filtering of the wire stream 900-L by means of the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D, the part of the wire stream 900-N coming out of the outlet opening 316 of the drum 310 of the fourth drum type device 300-D contains tire ply wires with lengths in the range between the predetermined minimum length and the predetermined maximum length. This part of the wire stream 900-N is gathered in a first container 601 for being used in manufacturing the first type of concrete or mortar.

[0145] For further filtering, the wire stream 900-M coming out of the filter openings 330 of the fourth drum type device 300-D is received on the platform 210 of the third platform type device 200-C, which is arranged for this purpose below the drum 310 of the fourth drum type device 300-D. Then, the wire stream 900-M is transported on the concave surfaces 220 of the platform 210 of the third platform type device 200-C and any further platforms 240 of the third platform type device 200-C along the longitudinal direction L towards the second end 212 of the final platform 210, 240 of the third platform type device 200-C.

[0146] For the filtering, the filter openings 230 of the third platform type device 200-C have a predetermined third length, i.e. size along the longitudinal direction L. The predetermined third length is chosen for filtering wires up to the predetermined minimum length out of the wire stream 900-M via the filter openings 230 of the third platform type device 200-C. Preferably, the predetermined third length is at least 5 mm, preferably at least 6 mm, and more preferably at least 7 mm, and at most 11 mm, preferably at most 10 mm, and more preferably at most 9 mm, and most preferably 8 mm. The predetermined third length is smaller than the predetermined first length, and also smaller than the predetermined second length.

[0147] When passing over the third platform type device 200-C a filtering on wire length of the wire stream 900-M is performed by means of the filter openings 230 of the third platform type device 200-C. Thereby, tire ply wires up to the predetermined minimum length are filtered out of the wire stream 900-M via the filter openings 230 of the third platform type device 200-C. The wire stream 900- O coming out of the filter openings 230 of the third platform type device 200-C is gathered in the second container 602 for being used in manufacturing the second type of concrete or mortar.

[0148] As a consequence of the filtering of the wire stream 900-M by means of the filter openings 230 of the third platform type device 200-C, the part of the wire stream 900-P passing over the filter openings 230 of the third platform type device 200-C and leaving the third platform type device 200-C at the second end 212 of the final platform 210, 240 of the third platform type device 200-C contains tire ply wires with lengths in the range between the predetermined minimum length and the predetermined maximum length. This part of the wire stream 900- P is gathered in the first container 601 for being used in manufacturing the first type of concrete or mortar.

Claims

Claims1 . A device (200, 300) for filtering on wire length a wire stream (900) comprising wires recycled from tires, wherein the device (200, 300) comprises: at least one concave surface (220, 320) extending along a longitudinal direction (L), wherein the device (200, 300) is arranged for receiving the wire stream (900) on the at least one concave surface (220, 230), wherein the device (200, 300) is arranged for transporting the wire stream (900) on the at least one concave surface (220, 230) along the longitudinal direction (L) from a first end (211 , 311) to a second end (212, 312) of the at least one concave surface (220, 230); and at least one filter opening (230, 330) provided in the at least one concave surface (320) or at the second end (212) of the at least one concave surface (220), wherein the at least one filter opening (230, 330) has a predetermined size for filtering wires up to a predetermined length out of the wire stream (900) through the at least one filter opening (230, 330) when the wire stream (900) is transported on the at least one concave surface (220, 320) along the longitudinal direction (L) from the first end (211 , 311) to the second end (212, 312) of the at least one concave surface (220, 320).

2. The device (200, 300) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one filter opening (230, 330) has a predetermined size in the longitudinal direction (L) that is half of the predetermined length of the wires to be filtered out of the wire stream (900) through the at least one filter opening (230, 330).

3. The device (200, 300) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one concave surface (220, 320) is tilted downwards from the first end (211 , 311 ) to the second end (212, 312) for transporting the wire stream (900) by means of gravity on the at least one concave surface (220, 320) along the longitudinal direction (L) from the first end (211 , 311) to the second end (212, 312) of the at least one concave surface (220, 320).

4. The device (200, 300) according to any one of the claims 1 -3, wherein the device (200, 300) is arranged for moving the at least one concave surface (220, 320) for transporting the wire stream (900) on the at least one concavesurface (220, 320) along the longitudinal direction (L) from the first end (211 , 311 ) to the second end (212, 312) of the at least one concave surface (220, 320).

5. The device (200) according to any one of the claims 1-4, wherein the device (200) is a platform type device (200), wherein the device (200) comprises a platform (210) extending along the longitudinal direction (L) from a first end (211) to a second end (212), wherein the platform (210) is provided with a plurality of the concave surfaces (220), wherein each concave surface (220) of the platform (210) extends along the longitudinal direction (L) from the first end (211) to the second end (212) of the platform (210), wherein the device (200) comprises for each of the concave surfaces (220) of the platform (210) a corresponding filter opening (230), wherein each filter opening (230) is arranged at the second end (212) of the platform (210) behind the corresponding concave surface (220) of the platform (210).

6. The device (200) according to claim 5, wherein the device (200) comprises a further platform (240) extending along the longitudinal direction (L) from a first end (211) to a second end (212), wherein the further platform (240) is provided with a plurality of the concave surfaces (220), wherein each concave surface (220) of the further platform (240) extends along the longitudinal direction (L) from the first end (211) to the second end (212) of the further platform (240), wherein the device (200) comprises for each of the concave surfaces (220) of the further platform (240) a corresponding filter opening (230), wherein each filter opening (230) is arranged at the second end (212) of the further platform (240) behind the corresponding concave surface (220) of the further platform (240), wherein the further platform (240) is arranged behind the platform (210) along the longitudinal direction (L) for receiving part of the wire stream (900) passing over the filter openings (230) of the platform (210).

7. The device (200) according to claim 6, wherein the device (200) is provided for each concave surface (220) of the platform (210) with a corresponding concave surface (220) for the further platform (240), wherein each concave surface (220) of the further platform (240) is aligned with the correspondingconcave surface (220) of the platform (210) along the longitudinal direction (L).

8. The device (200) according to any one of the claims 5-7, wherein the concave surfaces (220) of at least one of the platform (210) and, if present, the further platform (240) are arranged adjacent to each other.

9. The device (200) according to any one of the claims 5-8, wherein at least one of the platform (210) and, if present, the further platform (240) is a corrugated plate having grooves forming the concave surfaces (220).

10. The device (200) according to any one of the claims 5-9, wherein the filter openings (230) at the second end (212) of at least one of the platform (210) and, if present, the further platform (240) are provided with a downwards curved wall portion (235) at an end side of the filter opening (230) in the longitudinal direction (L).

11. The device (200) according to any one of the claims 5-10, at least in combination with claim 3, wherein the concave surfaces (220) of at least one of the platform (210) and, if present, the further platform (240) are tilted downwards from the first end (211) to the second end (212) over an angle of at least 10°, preferably at least 12°, more preferably at least 14°, even more preferably at least 16°, and yet even more preferably at least 18°, and at most 30°, preferably at most 28°, more preferably at most 26°, even more preferably at most 24°, and yet even more preferably at most 22°.

12. The device (200) according to any one of the claims 5-11 , at least in combination with claim 4, wherein the device (200) is arranged for vibrating at least one of the platform (210) and, if present, the further platform (240), thereby vibrating the corresponding concave surfaces (220) for transporting the wire stream (900) on said corresponding concave surfaces (220) along the longitudinal direction (L) from the first end (211) to the second end (212) of said corresponding concave surfaces (220).

13. The device (300) according to any one of the claims 1-4, wherein the device (300) is a drum type device (300), wherein the device (300) comprises a drum (310) extending along the longitudinal direction (L) from a first end (311) to a second end (312), wherein the drum (310) comprises an inletopening (315) for the wire stream (900) at the first end (311 ) and an outlet opening (316) for the wire stream (900) at the second end (312), wherein the device (300) comprises a concave surface (320), wherein the concave surface (320) is provided by an inner surface of the drum (310), wherein the device (300) comprises a plurality of the filter openings (330) through the inner surface of the drum (310) to an exterior of the drum (310).

14. The device (300) according to claim 13, wherein the filter openings (300) are arranged in a regular grid along the inner surface of the drum (310).

15. The device (300) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the filter openings (330) have a predetermined depth of at least 20 mm, preferably at least 25 mm, and more preferably at least 30 mm, and at most 60 mm, preferably at most 55 mm, and more preferably at most 50 mm.

16. The device (300) according to any one of the claims 13-15, wherein the filter openings (330) are rectangular.

17. The device (300) according to any one of the claims 13-16, at least in combination with claim 3, wherein the concave surface (320) is tilted downwards from the first end (311) to the second end (312) over an angle of at least 5°, preferably at least 6°, more preferably at least 7°, even more preferably at least 8°, yet even more preferably at least 9°, and most preferably at least 10°, and at most 30°, preferably at most 29°, more preferably at most 28°, even more preferably at most 27°, yet even more preferably at most 26°, and most preferably at most 25°.

18. The device (300) according to any one of the claims 13-17, at least in combination with claim 4, wherein the device (300) is arranged for rotating the drum (310) and thereby the concave surface (320) around the longitudinal direction (L) for transporting the wire stream (900) on the concave surface (320) along the longitudinal direction (L) from the first end (311) to the second end (312) of the concave surface (320).

19. The device (300) according to any one of the claims 13-18, wherein the drum (310) comprises: a plurality of ring shaped elements (341) arranged, preferably equidistantly from each other, along the longitudinal direction (L);a plurality of longitudinal elements (342) extending along the longitudinal direction (L) through the ring shaped elements (341), wherein the longitudinal elements (342) are coupled to the ring shaped elements (341 ), preferably by means of corresponding slots (343), and wherein the longitudinal elements (342) are arranged, preferably equidistantly from each other, along a circumference of the ring shaped elements(341 ); optionally a first tube (351 ) arranged between the longitudinal elements(342) at the first end (311 ) of the drum (310) for forming the inlet opening (315) of the drum (310); and optionally a second tube (352) arranged between the longitudinal elements at the second end (312) of the drum (310) for forming the outlet opening (316) of the drum (310).

20. A set for filtering on wire length a wire stream (900) comprising wires recycled from tires, wherein the set comprises: a drum type device (300) according to any one of the claims 13-19; and a platform type device (200) according to any one of the claims 5-12, wherein the platform type device (200) is arranged below the drum type device (300) for receiving a wire stream (900) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the drum type device (300) on at least the platform (210) of the platform type device (200).

21. A system (100) for filtering on wire length a wire stream (900) comprising wires recycled from tires, wherein the system (100) comprises: a wire stream supply device (401), preferably a first granulator (401), configured for providing a wire stream (900-A) from tires; a first drum type device (300-A) according to any one of the claims 13- 19, wherein the filter openings (330) of the first drum type device (300-A) have a predetermined first size, wherein the first drum type device (300- A) is configured for receiving the wire stream (900-A) from the wire stream supply device (401 ) via the inlet opening (315) of the first drum type device (300-A); anda first platform type device (200-A) according to any one of the claims 5- 12, wherein the filter openings (230) of the first platform type device (200-A) have a predetermined first length, wherein the first platform type device (200-A) is arranged below the first drum type device (300-A) for receiving the wire stream (900-B) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the first drum type device (300-A) on at least the platform (210) of the first platform type device (200-A).

22. The system (100) according to claim 21 , wherein: the predetermined first size is at least 10x10 mm, preferably at least 12x12 mm, more preferably at least 14x14 mm, even more preferably at least 16x16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18x18 mm, and / or at most 30x60 mm, preferably at most 28x52 mm, more preferably at most 26x44 mm, even more preferably at most 24x36 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 22x28 mm, and most preferably 20x20 mm; and / or the predetermined first length is at least 10 mm, preferably at least 12 mm, more preferably at least 14 mm, even more preferably at least 16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18 mm, and / or at most 40 mm, preferably at most 36 mm, more preferably at most 32 mm, yet even more preferably at most 28 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 24 mm, and most preferably 20 mm.

23. The system (100) according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the system (100) further comprises: a second drum type device (300-B) according to any one of the claims 13-19, wherein the filter openings (330) of the second drum type device (300-B) have a predetermined second size, wherein the second drum type device (300-B) is configured for receiving the wire stream (900-D) coming out of the outlet opening (316) of the first drum type device (300- A); a second platform type device (200-B) according to any one of the claims 5-12, wherein the filter openings (230) of the second platform type device (200-B) have a predetermined second length, wherein thesecond platform type device (200-B) is arranged below the second drum type device (300-B) for receiving the wire stream (900-E) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the second drum type device (300-B) on at least the platform (210) of the second platform type device (200-B); and a second granulator (402) configured for receiving and granulating the wire stream (900-F) coming out of the filter openings (230) of the second platform type device (200-B).

24. The system (100) according to claim 23, wherein: the predetermined second size is at least 10x10 mm, preferably at least 12x12 mm, more preferably at least 14x14 mm, even more preferably at least 16x16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18x18 mm, and / or at most 30x60 mm, preferably at most 28x52 mm, more preferably at most 26x44 mm, even more preferably at most 24x36 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 22x28 mm, and most preferably 20x20 mm; and / or the predetermined second length is at least 30 mm, preferably at least 32 mm, more preferably at least 34 mm, even more preferably at least 36 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 38 mm, and / or at most 50 mm, preferably at most 48 mm, more preferably at most 46 mm, even more preferably at most 44 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 42 mm, and most preferably 40 mm.

25. The system (100) according to any one of the claims 21-24, wherein the system (100) further comprises: a third drum type device (300-C) according to any one of the claims 13- 19, wherein the filter openings (330) of the third drum type device (300- C) have a predetermined third size, wherein the third drum type device (300-C) is configured for receiving the wire stream (900-C, 900-K) coming out of the filter openings (230) of the first platform type device (200-A) and the wire stream (900-G, 900-K) coming out of, if present, the second granulator (402); a fourth drum type device (300-D) according to any one of the claims 13- 19, wherein the filter openings (330) of the fourth drum type device (300-D) have a predetermined fourth size, wherein the fourth drum type device (300-D) is configured for receiving the wire stream (900-L) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the third drum type device (300-C); wherein the system (100) is further configured for gathering the wire stream (900-N) coming out of the outlet opening (316) of the fourth drum type device (300-D) for use of the wires in said wire stream (900-N) in a first type of concrete or mortar.

26. The system (100) according to claim 25, wherein: the predetermined third size is at least 10x10 mm, preferably at least 12x12 mm, more preferably at least 14x14 mm, even more preferably at least 16x16 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 18x18 mm, and / or at most 40x40 mm, preferably at most 36x36 mm, more preferably at most 32x32 mm, even more preferably at most 28x28 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 24x24 mm, and most preferably 20x20 mm; and / or the predetermined fourth size is at least 8x8 mm, preferably at least 9x9 mm, more preferably at least 10x10 mm, even more preferably at least 11x11 mm, and yet even more preferably at least 12x12 mm, and / or at most 28x28 mm, preferably at most 25x25 mm, more preferably at most 22x22 mm, even more preferably at most 19x19 mm, and yet even more preferably at most 16x16 mm, and most preferably 13x13 mm.

27. The system (100) according to claim 25 or 26, wherein the system (100) is further configured for gathering the wire stream (900-M) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the fourth drum type device (300-D) for use of the wires in said wire stream (900-M) in a second type of concrete or mortar.

28. The system (100) according to claim 25 or 26, wherein the system (100) further comprises: a third platform type device (200-C) according to any one of the claims 5-12, wherein the filter openings (230) of the third platform type device (200-C) have a predetermined third length, wherein the third platform type device (200-C) is arranged below the fourth drum type device (300-D) for receiving the wire stream (900-M) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the fourth drum type device (300-D) on at least the platform (210) of the third platform type device (200-C), wherein the system (100) is preferably further configured for gathering the wire stream (900-P) coming out of the third platform type device (200-C) after passing over the filter openings (230) of the third platform type device (200- C) for use of the wires in said wire stream (900-P) in the first type of concrete or mortar, and wherein the system (100) is preferably further configured for gathering the wire stream (900-0) coming out filter openings (230) of the third platform type device (200-C) for use of the wires in said wire stream (900-0) in a second type of concrete or mortar.

29. The system (100) according to claim 28, wherein the predetermined third length is at least 5 mm, preferably at least 6 mm, and more preferably at least 7 mm, and / or at most 11 mm, preferably at most 10 mm, and more preferably at most 9 mm, and most preferably 8 mm.

30. The system (100) according to any one of the claims 25-29, wherein the system (100) further comprises: a second granulator (402) configured for receiving and granulating the wire stream (900-Q) coming out of the outlet opening (316) of the third drum type device (300-C), wherein the third drum type device (300-C) is further configured for receiving the wire stream (900-G, 900-K) coming out of the second granulator (402).

31. The system (100) according to any one of the claims 21-30, wherein the system (100) further comprises: a magnetic separator (500) configured for filtering loose non-magnetic particles from the tires out of the wire stream (900-C, 900_G).

32. The system (100) according to claim 31 , at least in combination with claim 25, wherein the magnetic separator (500) is configured for receiving the wire stream (900-C, 900-G) going to the third drum type device (300-C), and forfiltering loose non-magnetic particles from the tires out of the received wire stream (900-C, 900-G).

33. A method for filtering on wire length wires recycled from tires, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a wire stream (900-A) from tires by means of a wire stream supply device (401), preferably a first granulator (401); passing the wire stream (900-A) coming from the wire stream supply device (401) through a first drum type device (300-A) according to any one of the claims 13-19, wherein the filter openings (330) of the first drum type device (300-A) have a predetermined first size; and passing the wire stream (900-B) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the first drum type device (300-A) over a first platform type device (200-A) according to any one of the claims 5-12, wherein the filter openings (230) of the first platform type device (200-A) have a predetermined first length, wherein the first platform type device (200-A) is arranged below the first drum type device (300-A) for receiving the wire stream (900-B) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the first drum type device (300-A) on at least the platform (210) of the first platform type device (200-A).

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: passing the wire stream (900-D) coming out of the outlet opening (316) of the first drum type device (300-A) through a second drum type device (300-B) according to any one of the claims 13-19, wherein the filter openings (330) of the second drum type device (300-B) have a predetermined second size; passing the wire stream (900-E) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the second drum type device (300-B) over a second platform type device (200-B) according to any one of the claims 5-12, wherein the filter openings (230) of the second platform type device (200-B) have a predetermined second length, wherein the second platform type device (200-B) is arranged below the second drum type device (300-B) forreceiving the wire stream (900-E) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the second drum type device (300-B) on at least the platform (210) of the second platform type device (200-B); and granulating the wire stream (402) coming out of the filter openings (230) of the second platform type device (200-B) by means of a second granulator (402).

35. The method according to claim 33 or 34, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: passing the wire stream (900-C, 900-K) coming out of the filter openings (230) of the first platform type device (200-A) and the wire stream (900- G, 900-K) coming out of, if present, the second granulator (402) through a third drum type device (300-C) according to any one of the claims 13- 19, wherein the filter openings (330) of the third drum type device (300- C) have a predetermined third size; passing the wire stream (900-L) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the third drum type device (300-C) through a fourth drum type device (300-D) according to any one of the claims 13-19, wherein the filter openings (330) of the fourth drum type device (300-D) have a predetermined fourth size; and gathering the wire stream (900-N) coming out of the outlet opening (316) of the fourth drum type device (300-D) for use of the wires in said wire stream (900-N) in a first type of concrete or mortar.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the method further comprises the step of: gathering the wire stream (900-M) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the fourth drum type device (300-D) for use of the wires in said wire stream (900-M) in a second type of concrete or mortar.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: passing the wire stream (900-M) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the fourth drum type device (300-D) over a third platform type device(200-C) according to any one of the claims 5-12, wherein the filter openings (230) of the third platform type device (200-C) have a predetermined third length, wherein the third platform type device (200- C) is arranged below the fourth drum type device (300-D) for receiving the wire stream (900-M) coming out of the filter openings (330) of the fourth drum type device (300-D) on at least the platform (210) of the third platform type device (200-C); gathering the wire stream (900-P) coming out of the third platform type device (200-C) after passing over the filter openings (230) of the third platform type device (200-C) for use of the wires in said wire stream (900-P) in the first type of concrete or mortar; and preferably gathering the wire stream (900-0) coming out filter openings (230) of the third platform type device (200-C) for use of the wires in said wire stream (900-0) in a second type of concrete or mortar.

38. The method according to any one of the claims 35-37, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: granulating the wire stream (900-Q) coming out of the outlet opening (316) of the third drum type device (300-C) by means of a second granulator (402); passing the wire stream (900-G, 900-K) coming out of the second granulator (402) through the third drum type device (300-C).

39. The method according to any one of the claims 33-38, wherein the method further comprises the step of: passing the wire stream (900-C, 900-G) through a magnetic separator (500) for filtering loose non-magnetic particles from the tires out of the wire stream (900-C, 900-G).

40. The method according to claim 39, at least in combination with claim 35, wherein the wire stream (900-C, 900-G) going to the third drum type device (300-C) is passed through the magnetic separator (500) for filtering loose non-magnetic particles from the tires out of said wire stream (900-C, 900-G).

41. A method for manufacturing concrete or mortar comprising wires recycled from tires, wherein the method comprises the steps of: filtering wires recycled from tires according to the method of any one of the claims 35-37; providing a concrete mixture or a mortar mixture; and adding the wires gathered for use in concrete or mortar to the concrete mixture or the mortar mixture.

42. Concrete or mortar comprising wires recycled from tires that have been gathered for use in concrete or mortar by means of the method according to any one of the claims 35-37.

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