Materials recovery facility process optimization via unit operation feedback

• Main Author: KENNY GARRY R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.08.2011
• Subjects: CALCULATING; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATERTREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; FIBROUS RAW MATERIALS OR THEIR MECHANICAL TREATMENT; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLIDMATERIALS OR FLUIDS; OTHER SEPARATING BY DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL,e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL; PAPER-MAKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; POSTAL SORTING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE; SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATICTABLES OR JIGS; SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS; SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATICTABLES OR JIGS; SEPERATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, ORSIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTEDPIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TEXTILES; TRANSPORTING

Methods and systems are provided for controlling an automatic separator apparatus of a Materials Recovery Facility. A separator for separating a stream of recyclable paper and containers into a paper stream including primarily paper and a container stream including primarily containers is provided. The separator has at least one adjustable operating parameter. A first detector detects an amount of container contaminants in the paper stream. A second detector detects an amount of paper contaminants in the container stream. A control system operably connected to the separator and the first and second detectors adjust the adjustable operating parameter so as to reduce a combined measure of contaminants in the paper stream and in the container stream.