Solid waste treatment system

Claim 2

A process for treating solid waste comprising the steps of: receiving untreated waste material at a receiving station; comminuting said waste material to provide a size limited material having a select maximum average particle size; elevating the moisture content of said size limited material by the agitation thereof in the presence of a select amount of water to provide a moisturized, size limited material; controlling the said select amount of water present during said agitation and controlling the residence interval of said agitation to derive a substantially uniform moisture distribution substantially throughout all portions of said size limited material of about 50 to 60% of the weight of said material; macerating said moisturized, size limited material without the further addition of moisture by subjecting it to counterrotative beating action to effect breakdown thereof to derive a pulpous material; and digesting and composting said pulpous material by inducing the aerobic decomposition thereof.

Claim 3

The process for treating solid waste of claim 1 wherein said step of elevating the moisture content of said size limited material is carried out with a pug mill.

Claim 4

The process for treating solid waste of claim 1 wherein said step of macerating said moisturized, size limited material is carried out with at least one cage mill.

Claim 5

The process for treating solid waste of claim 1 wherein said moisture content elevation is carried out by the addition of a select amount of water-born sludge to said size limited material.

Claim 6

The process for treating solid waste of claim 1 including the steps of transferring atmospheric air situate in the environment of said receiving station and passing said transferred atmospheric air under pressure through said pulpous material while said pulpous material is undergoing said aerobic decomposition.

Claim 7

The process for treating solid waste of claim 1 wherein said step of elevating the moisture content of said size limited material is carried out with a pug mill.

Claim 8

The process for treating solid waste of claim 6 including the steps of transferring atmospheric air situate in the environment of said receiving station and passing said transferred atmospheric air under pressure through said pulpous material while said pulpous material is undergoing said aerobic decomposition.

Claim 9

The process for treating solid waste of claim 7 wherein said moisture content elevation is carried out by the addition of a select amount of water-born sludge to said size limited material.

Claim 10

A process for treating solid waste comprising the steps of: receiving untreated waste composite starting material at a receiving station; comminuting said waste composite starting material to provide a composite, size limited material having a select maximum average particle size; removing ferrous metal material from said composite, size limited material; then segregating by air classification, heavy characterized inorganic material from said composite, size limited material; segregating aluminum material from said segregated heavy inorganic material segregating glass material from said segregated heavy characterized inorganic material; separately heating said segregated glass material and said segregated aluminum material sufficiently to substantially remove organic material therefrom; controllably elevating the moisture content of the remaining said composite, size limited material subsequent to said step of segregation by air classification to provide a moisture optimized, size limited material having a substantially uniform moisture distribution substantially throughout all portions of said material, said moisture content representing about 50 to 60% of the weight thereof said elevation of moisture content being carried out by agitating said size limited material over a residence interval selected to derive said uniform moisture distribution; and macerating said moisture optimized, size limited material without the further addition of moisture by subjecting it to counterrotative beating action to effect breakdown thereof to derive a pulp characterized, moisture optimized material and digesting and composting said pulp characterized material by inducing the aerobic decomposition thereof.

Claim 11

A process for treating solid waste comprising the steps of: receiving untreated waste composite starting material at a receiving station; comminuting said waste composite starting material to provide a composite, size limited material having a select maximum average particle size; removing ferrous metal material from said composite, size limited material; then segregating by air classification, heavy characterized inorganic material from said composite, size limited material; segregating aluminum material from said segregated heavy inorganic material segregating glass material from said segregated heavy characterized inorganic material; separately heating said segregated glass material and said segregated aluminum material sufficiently to substantially remove organic material therefrom; controllably elevating the moisture content of the remaining said composite, size limited material subsequent to said step of segregation by air classification to provide a moisture optimized, size limited material having a substantially uniform moisture distribution substantially throughout all portions of said material, said moisture content representing about 50 to 60% of the weight thereof said elevation of moisture content being carried out by agitating said size limited material over a residence interval selected to derive said uniform moisture distribution; and macerating said moisture optimized, size limited material without the further addition of moisture by subjecting it to counterrotative beating action to effect breakdown thereof to derive a pulp characterized, moisture optimized material and digesting and composting said pulp characterized material by inducing the aerobic decomposition thereof.

Claim 12

A process for treating solid waste comprising of steps of: receiving untreated waste composite starting material at a receiving station; comminuting said waste composite starting material to provide a composite, size limited material having a select maximum average particle size; removing ferrous metal material from said composite, size limited material; then controllably elevating the moisture content of said composite, size limited material to derive a substantially uniform moisture distribution substantially throughout all portions of said material, said moisture content of about 50 to 60% of the weight thereof said elevation of moisture content being carried out by agitating said size limited material over a residence interval selected to derive said uniform moisture distribution; segregating, by air classification, heavy characterized inorganic material from said composite, size limited material, and, simultaneously, segregating, by air classification, plastic characterized organic material from said composite, size limited material; macerating the remaining said size limited material without the further addition of moisture by subjecting it to counterrotative beating action to effect breakdown thereof to derive a pulp characterized, moisturized material; and digesting and composting said pulp characterized, moisturized material by inducing the aerobic decomposition thereof.

Claim 13

A process for treating solid waste comprising of steps of: receiving untreated waste composite starting material at a receiving station; comminuting said waste composite starting material to provide a composite, size limited material having a select maximum average particle size; removing ferrous metal material from said composite, size limited material; then controllably elevating the moisture content of said composite, size limited material to derive a substantially uniform moisture distribution substantially throughout all portions of said material, said moisture content of about 50 to 60% of the weight thereof said elevation of moisture content being carried out by agitating said size limited material over a residence interval selected to derive said uniform moisture distribution; segregating, by air classification, heavy characterized inorganic material from said composite, size limited material, and, simultaneously, segregating, by air classification, plastic characterized organic material from said composite, size limited material; macerating the remaining said size limited material without the further addition of moisture by subjecting it to counterrotative beating action to effect breakdown thereof to derive a pulp characterized, moisturized material; and digesting and composting said pulp characterized, moisturized material by inducing the aerobic decomposition thereof.

Claim 14

A process for treating solid waste comprising the steps of: receiving untreated waste composite starting material at a receiving station; comminuting said waste composite starting material to provide a composite size limited material having a select maximum average particle size; removing ferrous metal material from said composite, size limited material; then segregating, by air classification, heavy characterized inorganic material from said composite, size limited material, and simultaneously, segregating by air classification paper characterized material and plastic characterized organic material from said composite, size limited material; then elevating the moisture content of said segregated paper characterized material and said plastic characterized organic material; then segregating, by aspiration, said plastic characterized organic material from said paper characterized material; then drying said paper characterized material by the agitation thereof in the presence of heat and atmospheric air; agitating the organic components of said size limited material subsequent to said step of segregation by air classification and controlling the moisture content thereof by select moisture addition to provide a substantially uniform moisture distribution substantially throughout all portions of said material, said moisture content representing about 50 to 60% of the weight thereof said elevation of moisture content being carried out by agitating said size limited material over a residence interval selected to derive said uniform moisture distribution; macerating said size limited material without the further addition of moisture by subjecting it to counterrotative beating action to effect breakdown thereof subsequent to said step of agitation to derive a pulp characterized, moisture optimized material; and digesting and composting said pulp characterized, moisture optimized material by inducing the aerobic decomposition thereof.

Claim 15

A process for treating solid waste comprising the steps of: receiving untreated waste composite starting material at a receiving station; comminuting said waste composite starting material to provide a composite size limited material having a select maximum average particle size; removing ferrous metal material from said composite, size limited material; then segregating, by air classification, heavy characterized inorganic material from said composite, size limited material, and simultaneously, segregating by air classification paper characterized material and plastic characterized organic material from said composite, size limited material; then elevating the moisture content of said segregated paper characterized material and said plastic characterized organic material; then segregating, by aspiration, said plastic characterized organic material from said paper characterized material; then drying said paper characterized material by the agitation thereof in the presence of heat and atmospheric air; agitating the organic components of said size limited material subsequent to said step of segregation by air classification and controlling the moisture content thereof by select moisture addition to provide a substantially uniform moisture distribution substantially throughout all portions of said material, said moisture content representing about 50 to 60% of the weight thereof said elevation of moisture content being carried out by agitating said size limited material over a residence interval selected to derive said uniform moisture distribution; macerating said size limited material without the further addition of moisture by subjecting it to counterrotative beating action to effect breakdown thereof subsequent to said step of agitation to derive a pulp characterized, moisture optimized material; and digesting and composting said pulp characterized, moisture optimized material by inducing the aerobic decomposition thereof.