Fluidized Bed Recycling of Filled Composite Plastics Without Filler Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for recycling composite plastics with fillers, such as carbon fibers or inorganic materials, require complex additional steps to separate the filler from the fluidized material, increasing process complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for reprocessing composite plastic parts using a fluidized bed reactor with comminution, pyrolysis, and separation of filler from pyrolysis product, ensuring similar material and size distribution, allowing direct discharge of filler and fluidized material together, eliminating the need for additional separation steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the existing method is used to recycle composite plastics with filler, then the polymer can be depolymerized, but the filler must be separated from the fluidized material in an additional complex process step
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by making the filler material and fluidized bed material substantially similar or identical in material composition and size distribution. This allows both materials to be discharged together from the reactor without requiring complex separation processes, as they have comparable physical properties that enable combined handling and recycling.
2Productivity
If the filler is discharged together with the fluidized material, then the discharge process is simplified, but additional separation steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-matching the filler material properties to the fluidized bed material properties before the recycling process begins. This preliminary preparation ensures that during discharge, both materials can be handled together without subsequent separation needs, eliminating time-consuming separation steps and improving overall recycling efficiency.
3Reliability
If a separation unit is added to the device, then the filler can be separated from the pyrolysis product, but the apparatus design becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the need for a separate filler separation unit from the apparatus design. Instead of adding complex separation equipment, the solution extracts the separation function entirely by designing the process so that filler and fluidized material can be discharged and handled together, simplifying the overall apparatus while maintaining effective filler recovery.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process achieves a more efficient, time- and cost-effective recycling by simplifying the separation of filler and fluidized material, enabling their reuse in new composite plastic parts, reducing equipment wear, and improving energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
depolymerization of the at least one polymer of the feed material by means of pyrolysis to a pyrolysis product, in particular comprising methyl methacrylate
Implementation Method 2
feeding the feed material into a fluidized bed reactor containing at least one fluidized material
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a process for reprocessing composite plastic parts, for example molded parts made from curable casting compounds, such as sanitary basins, comprising at least one filler and at least one polymer, in particular polymethyl methacrylate, comprising the steps of: - comminution of at least one composite plastic part into a feed material, - feeding the feed material into a fluidized bed reactor with at least one fluidized bed component, - depolymerization of the at least one polymer of the feed material by means of pyrolysis to a pyrolysis product, in particular comprising methyl methacrylate, - separating the filler from the pyrolysis product, wherein the separated filler and the fluidized bed component are substantially similar, in particular identical, in material and/or size distribution, - discharge of a fluid stream comprising the pyrolysis product from the fluidized bed reactor.and - removal of at least a portion of the separated fill material together with at least a portion of the fluidized bed material from the fluidized bed reactor.