Abstract:
An identification and separation arrangement for forming various mixtures of agglomerates from pyrolized reclaimed carbonaceous materials. The identification and separation arrangement uses a dry air source ( 28 ) and a source ( 16 ) of reclaimed carbonaceous materials containing small agglomerates and large agglomerates. The reclaimed carbonaceous materials are mixed with the dry air source, pressurized and then introduced to a pulverizer mill ( 12 ). The pulverizer mill ( 12 ) performs a first round of identification and separation by dividing the reclaimed carbonaceous material into small agglomerates and large agglomerates. The pulverizer mill ( 12 ) further fractionates the large agglomerates to form more small agglomerates. The small agglomerates are then moved to a classifier ( 14 ) that performs a second round of identification and separation. The classifier ( 14 ) separates the small agglomerates into coarse agglomerates and fine agglomerates.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the following applications:
       US. Provisional Application No. 60/986,126, filed Nov. 7, 2007.   U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/998,197 filed Oct. 9, 2007.   U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/986,318 filed Nov. 8, 2007.   U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/986,369 filed Nov. 8, 2007.       
 
         [0006]    The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention relates to an arrangement for identifying and separating a mixture of carbon black or other carbonaceous materials into different qualities. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    There have been many attempts to recycle tires and other rubber products to reclaim usable hydrocarbons through the use of a process called pyrolysis. Through pyrolysis, tires have been processed to produce fuel and other hydrocarbon compounds. One particular byproduct resulting from the pyrolysis process is an ash or char material which is leftover after the process is complete. Attempts have been made to use this char as a low grade carbon black for use as a type of filler. However, this has been met with several disadvantages, most significantly the disadvantage of the impurities in the char resulting from the random distribution of particle size of the char itself. It has been found that a composition of raw char has large particles or large agglomerates, and small particles or small agglomerates. However, some applications for using carbon black as a filler compound require that the carbon black mixture consists of primarily small agglomerates which create a “fluffy” carbon black mixture suitable for use as a filler for rubber in plastics. 
         [0009]    There have been attempts to create “fluffy” carbon black by using grinders that crush the mixture of reclaimed carbonaceous materials into small particles or agglomerates. However, these attempts have not always produced a mixture with consistent agglomerate size and such mixtures often have an unfavorable nitrogen surface area of the agglomerate particles. Thus, there exists a need to fractionate samples carbon black containing agglomerates into mixtures having consistent particle size and different grades or classifications based on particle size and other factors. 
         [0010]    Accordingly there exists a need to improve the identification and separation of carbon black containing agglomerates into mixtures having smaller more consistent agglomerate sizes and better physical properties such as a high nitrogen surface area value. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The present invention relates to an identification and separation arrangement for forming various qualities of agglomerate mixtures from pyrolized polymeric materials. The pyrolized reclaimed carbonaceous materials are derived from used tires, automotive shredder residue and virtually any type of used polymer. After the step of pyrolysis has occurred the identification and separation arrangement is used. The identification and separation arrangement uses a dry air source and a source of reclaimed carbonaceous materials containing small agglomerates and large agglomerates. The reclaimed carbonaceous materials are mixed with the dry air source, pressurized and then introduced to a pulverizer mill. The pulverizer mill performs a first round of identification and separation by dividing the reclaimed carbonaceous material into small agglomerates and large agglomerates. The pulverizer mill further fractionates the large agglomerates to form more small agglomerates. The small agglomerates are then moved to a classifier that performs a second round of identification and separation. The classifier separates the small agglomerates into coarse agglomerates and fine agglomerates. 
         [0012]    The reclaimed carbonaceous material discussed below is a mixture of elements including carbon black and inorganic functional fillers that have clustered together for form agglomerates of various sizes. The present invention seeks to separate the reclaimed carbonaceous materials into different classes of filler material having different particle sizes and surface chemistries. The present invention also achieves the goal of fractionating large agglomerates into smaller agglomerates that are more useful filler materials. 
         [0013]    The large agglomerates discussed below include clusters of agglomerates that are between about 1 micron and about 100 microns in size, while the small agglomerates exiting the pulverizer mill are agglomerates between generally about 1 micron and about 45 microns in size. The coarse agglomerates mixture that are obtained from the classifier have agglomerates that are generally about 10 microns to about 20 microns in size, have a greater density, and are suitable to use as filler materials where a lower grade of carbon black can be used. The fine agglomerates mixture are a filler material having agglomerates of low density and are generally about 10 nm to about 35 nm in size. These fine agglomerates are suitable fillers where high grade carbon black particles are needed that are equivalent to virgin carbon black fillers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the identification arrangement in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional plan schematic view of the pulverizer mill and the flow of carbon black through it in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional plan schematic view of the classifier in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  depicts a schematic view of the identification and separation arrangement  10  in accordance with the present invention. Referring now to all of the figures and  FIG. 1  in particular, the arrangement  10  includes a pulverizer mill  12  and a classifier  14 . A hopper  16  serves as a source for the reclaimed carbonaceous materials to the arrangement  10 . The hopper  16  is used to collect reclaimed carbonaceous materials prepared from the pyrolysis of recycled polymeric materials, such as but not limited to scrap tires, polymeric automotive components, used rubber materials, and plastic containers or the like. The reclaimed carbonaceous materials consist of large agglomerates, and small agglomerates of carbon black and other materials. While a collection hopper  16  is used to hold the reclaimed carbonaceous materials it is possible for the reclaimed carbonaceous materials to be fed directly into the arrangement  10  from a pyrolysis reactor (not shown) without first being collected in the hopper  16 . 
         [0020]    A valve  18  controls the flow of reclaimed carbonaceous materials from the hopper  16  to a magnet separator  20 . The reclaimed carbonaceous materials sometimes have metal particles that were present in the recycled polymeric material prior to pyrolysis. These metal particles can harm the pulverizer mill  12  and the magnet separator  20  removes these unwanted metal particles. The use of the magnet separator  20  is not required and a greater or lesser number of magnet separators can be used. 
         [0021]    After passing through the magnet separator  20  the reclaimed carbonaceous material is presented to a screw  22  that rotates and controls the flow of the material to the pulverizer mill  12 . A valve  24  is used to turn on and off the flow of reclaimed carbonaceous material to a mixing node  26 . At the mixing node  26  the reclaimed carbonaceous material is mixed with dry, filtered high pressure air generated from an air source  28 . Together the mixture of dry pressurized air and reclaimed carbonaceous material are a feed that is introduced through a feed inlet  30  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the pulverizer mill  12 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2 . depicts a schematic diagram of the pulverizer mill  12  which has a vortex column  28  where pressurized feed is introduced through the feed inlet  30  and swirls around the vortex column  28  causing the small agglomerates present in the feed to move to the top of the vortex column  28  while the larger agglomerates fall downward. While a single feed inlet  30  is described it is possible to have a greater number of feed inlets to adjust or enhance the swirling in the vortex column  28 . A classifying disk  32  is present in the vortex column  28  and contributes to the swirling of the feed and prevents large agglomerates from moving past the classifying disk  22 . The classifying disk  32  swirls the agglomerates and air in the vortex column  28  and uses specific gravity to separate the heavy dense agglomerates and particles from the lighter less dense agglomerates and particles. Thus the heavy dense agglomerates settle to the bottom of the vortex column  28 , while the less dense agglomerates move to the top of the vortex column  28 . 
         [0023]    As the larger agglomerates move to the bottom of the vortex, they enter a fractionation chamber  34  of the pulverizer mill  12 . At least two opposing air inlets  36  are present in the fractionation chamber  34  for blowing the large agglomerate particles at opposite sides of the chamber toward each other. While two opposing air inlets  36  are discussed it is possible to have a greater or lesser number of opposing air inlets  36 . The large agglomerate particles are accelerated toward each other, collide and are fractionated into smaller agglomerates. The smaller agglomerates are reintroduced into the vortex column  28  where they go past the classification disk  32  if their density is low enough, and then travel out of a small agglomerates port  38 . The larger agglomerates that do not get fractionated exit a chamber outlet  38  and are collected. Optionally the large agglomerates that leave via the chamber outlet  38  can be reintroduced to the reclaimed carbonaceous material at the valve  24 . 
         [0024]    The small agglomerates that pass through the small agglomerates port  38  flow on to one of two filter hoppers  40 ,  40 ′. The filter hoppers contain a polymer surface area filter that collects the small agglomerates which have a tendency to become airborne after leaving the vortex column  28 . The present invention describes using two filter hoppers for collecting the small agglomerates, however, it is within the scope of this invention for a greater or lesser number of filter hoppers to be used depending upon the rate of production from the pulverizer mill  12 . Valves  42 ,  42 ′ control the flow of small agglomerates from the filter hoppers  40 ,  40 ′ onto a small agglomerate supply hopper  44  that is used to supply small agglomerates to the classifier  14 . While  FIG. 1  depicts multiple valves  42 ,  42 ′ associated the filter hoppers  40 ,  40 ′ it is possible to have a greater or lesser number of valves. After leaving the small agglomerate supply hopper  44  the small agglomerates are optionally passed through a second magnet filter  46  to further remove any metallic impurities present. A feed screw  48  receives the small agglomerates and controls the flow of small agglomerates supplied to a conveyor  50  that moves the small agglomerates to another feed screw  52  and valve  54  that control the flow of the small agglomerates to the classifier  14 . It is with the scope of this invention to have the feed screw  48  flow directly to the classifier  14 , however, it is preferable to use multiple feed screws and the conveyor because of the physical size of the components in the identification and separation arrangement  10  requires moving the small agglomerates a distance between components. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3  the small agglomerates enter the classifier  14  through the one of two high pressure inlets  66 . The small agglomerates are mixed with dry pressurized air, fed through one of the two inlets  66  and are swirled in a vortex column  56  of the classifier  14  where the small agglomerates are separated into a coarse agglomerates mixture and a fine agglomerates mixture. Some of the small agglomerates are made of coarse agglomerates with fine agglomerates stuck to the coarse agglomerates. The swirling of the small agglomerates causes the fine agglomerates which have a low density and are sized in the nanometer range to separate from the coarse agglomerate particles which are much denser and are measured in microns. The swirling action in the vortex column  56  is caused by the air pressure flowing through the high pressure inlets  66  and a rotary classification wheel  58  which causes the fine agglomerates which are less dense and have a smaller particle size to move to the top of the vortex column  56 . The coarse agglomerates which are denser and generally larger in size than the small agglomerates move to the bottom of the vortex column. It is within the scope of this invention to have a greater or lesser number of air inlets  66  as well as having the small agglomerates enter the vortex column  56  through more than one of the high pressure inlets  66 . 
         [0026]    The rotary classification wheel  58  functions in the same way as the classification disk  32  of the pulverizer mill  12  by only allowing agglomerates of a certain size and density to pass out of the vortex column  58  through a fine agglomerates outlet  64 . The coarse agglomerates settle to the bottom of the vortex column  56  and are collected in a container  62  for use as a filler in processes where coarse agglomerates are acceptable. The fine agglomerates that pass through the fine agglomerates outlet  64  flow to a filter hopper  68  containing a polymeric surface area filter that collects the fine agglomerates. This step is necessary because the fine agglomerates are so small in size that they become easily airborne. After passing through the filter hopper  68  the fine agglomerates are then optionally passed through a magnet separator  70  to remove any metallic impurities that might be present and then the fine agglomerates are moved to a holding area  72  where they form a fine agglomerates mixture that is stored in a container, pelletizer, bag or blended with an elastomer to prevent the fine agglomerates from becoming airborne. The fine agglomerates mixture and coarse agglomerates mixture contain high amounts of carbon black and are useful filler materials that are comparable to virgin carbon blacks. 
         [0027]    Additional information and examples of the materials used in accordance with the present invention can be found in the following applications: U.S. patent application No. 60/998,197 entitled “Elastomer Composition with Reclaimed Filler Material,” Filed Oct. 9, 2007, application No. 60/986,318 entitled “Process For Classifying Particles In A Pyrolysed Char,” filed Nov. 8, 2007, application No. 60/986,369 entitled “Asphalt Composition Using Pyrolysed Carbonaceous Materials,” filed Nov. 8, 2007, and application No. 60/986,126 entitled “Enhanced Fine Agglomerate Mixture,” filed Nov. 7, 2007, wherein the entirety of each application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0028]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.