Process for the separation of carpet materials

US5598980A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Zimmer, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Wolfgang Dilly-Louis · Friedberg, DE
• Joachim Seelig · Bad Orb, DE
• Reinhard Wolf · Isny im Allgäu, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 15, 1994
• Grant date: Feb 4, 1997
• Expiry date: Dec 15, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02W30/62
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Process for separating preshredded carpet materials into as many as three main components of different densities which comprises finely comminuting the carpet materials in the liquid phase. The density of the liquid phase is adjusted to a level between two adjacent densities of the components. Separation of one component from the other components and from the liquid phase in the suspension is effected in a double-cone full-jacketed screw centrifuge. The process is repeated if there are two materials of different densities in the other components fraction. The process is useful for recovering nylon, polyester, or polypropylene from carpet scraps which nylon or polyester can be depolymerized to reusable monomers and which polypropylene can be reprocessed into pellets, non-wovens or fibers.