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Sustainability of Materials:Advances in Recycling andResource RecoveryDavid B. Spencer, Sc.D.Chairman & CTOwTe CorporationProfessor Diran ApelianWorcester Polytechnic InstituteNovember 9th, 2011Worcester, MA
Key Recycling Needs & Issues! It must be a business or it must besubsidized, but by whom?!!You can lose a little money for a long time; or youcan lose a lot of money for a short time;But you Canʼt Lose A LOT of Money for A LongTime!!!! Companies provide technology, know how,operations and markets.! Losses from recycling must be covered by apublic mandate or by individual commitment.2
Changes from Rapid Computing &Novel Sensor Advances! As Computing Speeds Increase,Technology is Moving from MassMigration Techniques to ComputerRecognition Techniques! Computers and Sensor Technologiesallow Direct Measurement of Propertiesrather than Analog Evaluations.Explain.3
Ways to Recycle Today!!!!!!Deposit / Bottle BillsDrop-Off CentersCurbside RecyclingMaterials Recycling Facilities (MRFs)Front End Resource Recovery FacilitiesWaste to Energy with Materials Recovery!!Refuse Derived Fuel TypeMass Burn Type4
Types of Processing Approaches! Hand Sortation: Still Big in China and poorer nations! Mass migration / Minerals Beneficiation Techniques!!!!!!Magnetic SeparationScreeningAir ClassificationEddy Current SeparationFroth FlotationHeavy Media Separation! Automated Computer & Optics:! “She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not”!!!Color SortationVisual RecognitionOptoelectronic Sortation (LIBS/XRF)5
Container Deposits &Bottle Bill Systems6
Bottle Return / Reverse Vending Systems7
Drop Off Center / Return Systems8
Curbside Collection Systemsa) Sorted by Homeownerb) Hand-sorted at Curbsidec) Commingled Collection/ CentralizedSortation9
Homeowner Separation at Curbside10
Commingled Collection at Curbside(Sorted at Curbside or Sent to MRF)11
Commingled Collection for CentralProcessing12
Materials Recycling Facilities(MRFs)1. Clean MRFs2. Dirty MRFs13
Materials Recycling SystemsMRFs14
Front End / Mixed Waste Processing15
Waste to Energy Plants (WTE)1. RDF Plants2. Mass Burn Plants16
Monroe Count NY(MCRRF)--2000 TPDRotary Drum Air Classifier (RDAC) aSpencer Innovation built by Cedarrapids.“Birdseye” View of MCRRF; Spencer wasProject Manager for Process Design, EngineerigDesign & Initial Start UpRDF Transport & Storage & GlassTransport Trailer/Containers and LowellInfluenced Wet Process System for GlassRecovery based on USBM Experiences.17
Delaware Reclamation Project:1000tpd MSW/350 tpd Sludge18
Mass Burn Waste To Energy Plants19
Paper and Corrugated20
Baling of Paper & Corrugated1
Paper & Corrugated Illusions!!!!!!!Recycled versus RecyclableContamination & GradesMoistureSun BleachingChinese Corrugated/Short FiberPizza BoxesMcDonaldʼs Bags / Unbleached2
Glass3
Types of Glass and Illusions! Types of Glass!!!!!!!!Flint or ClearEmerald or GreenAmber or BrownPaper Labels and WashingStonesColor MixturesMetal & Plastic ContaminationTransportation Issues4
Glass Recycling Systems5
Plastics6
Types of Plastic1.2.3.4.5.6.7.PET or PETE: Polyethylene TeraphalateHDPE: High Density PolyethylenePVC: Polyvinyl ChlorideLDPE: Low Density PolyethylenePP: PolypropylenePS: PolystyreneOther: Mixed and Other7
Plastic Recycling Illusions!!!!!!!!Single Polymer Plastic (e.g. PET)Contamination (e.g. PVC in PET)ColorBarriersMetal & Coke (screens)McDonaldʼs and PolystyreneWashing and LabelsPolymers versus Elements8
Baled Cans, PET & HDPE fromMRFʼs and Deposit Systems9
HDPE Plastics on the Shelf10
wTeʼs Recycling Businesses11
wTe Business History! Formed in 1981: 20 Year History! Started Out in Waste-to-Energy Business! Recycling Facility Ownership and Operation!!Plastics RecyclingMetals Recycling! Venture Backed: Advent, Chase-H&Q! Small Business (Revenues: 100 M/yr.)12
Akron Recycle EnergySystem13
New Plastics & Metals RecyclingProcesses Automotive, Post Consumer &Industrial Resins & Metals14
PET Plastics15
UltrePET in Albany NY: wTeʼsPlastics Recycling & ReclaimingBusinessState of the Art High Speed OptoelectronicBottle SortingHigh Capacity GrindingSophisticated Chemical Cleaning &WashingPelletizing Recycled Resins16
PETPETE17
Metals18
wTeʼs Ferrous MetalsProcessing Business! 120,000 TPY!!!!AutosPreCombustionRDF FerrousPostCombustionPIF FerrousWhite Goods19
Metal Recycling Illusions! Tin Can Issues!!!!DetinningCopper Cementation/LeachingSteelmakingIron/Reinforcing Bar! Label & Washing! Contamination!!!Copper and TinAshPaper and Plastic20
Baled Tin Cans from MRFs1
Paper and Plastic from RDF Plants2
Processed Auto & RDF Ferrous3
Ferrous Ash from Mass Burn WTE Plants4
Todayʼs Eddy Current Technology5
Nonferrous Ash from WTE Plants6
Spectramet Technologies &Melt Cognition
How Recycling Was Done inthe Good Old Days8
The Ragpicking Business!The variety of items recuperated and theirrecycling testified to the rag pickerʼsingenuity. No less than 400 different typesof woolen, silk, cotton and canvas rags werebought by industry for various purposes.Empty bottles, broken glass, corks, straps,old paper and boxes, metal extracted frombuttons or picture frames, shoes, crusts ofbread, orange peel, bones or even smalllocks of hair – all were reworked, remodeledand resold in various forms. However, after along period ending around 1870, thetraditional rag-and-bone trade declined inthe face of competition from industrialdevelopment and the invention of newmanufacturing processes.9
How Recycling is Done Todaystin the 21 Century10
Most Cost Effective Method forRecovery of Nonferrous MetalScrap Today (Photos Courtesy ofISRI)11
Todayʼs Technology12
How Can the US Compete?!!!!!!!Pay our workers less than China doesRaise Chinaʼs Labor RatesSend our business to ChinaGet into another businessMake a cheap machine that replaces peopleAll of the aboveNone of the above13
The Innovation ChallengeWhat cannot be done today, but if itcould be done, would revolutionizebusiness in such an enormous way thatit could change the industry forever.14
Major Lessons! Experts will state that what you are trying to docanʼt be done. “Everything is always impossiblebefore it works. That is what entrepreneurs are allabout – doing what people told them wasimpossible.” (Quote from Venture Capitalist, HuntGreen)! If at first you donʼt succeed, regroup and try again.! After you lose the first time, talk to the programpeople and try to convince them you are not crazy! Ask them to take a chance on you! If they do, donʼt ever let them down.15
Business Concept! Do the same sort of optoelectronicsortation on metals that we do onplastics! Focus on metals because much more ofit and more lucrative! Needed a technology for metals andability to sort many more types ofmaterial at high speed16
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FourModuleFlakeSortSystemInstalled inPlasticsRecyclingPlant inVenice,Italy19
High Speed Identificationand Sorting of NonferrousMetal Scrap
Mission Statement:“The development and worldwidecommercialization of fully automatedproprietary metal identification and sortingsystems that will cost effectively sort lowgrade or contaminated mixtures of metalalloys into high grade specification productsof known composition.”21
Mixed Autoshredder Nonferrous Concentrate22
Aerospace Metals and Superalloys23
Alloy Sorter24
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Melt Cognition26
Student Advice / Words of Wisdom! There is Money in Engineering – muchmore than the surveys & what they tell you.! Differentiate yourself from Others – 3% ofUS students pursue engineering ed.! Pursue your Passion – not your parents.! Do the right things and with the rightmotives!! Add Value and focus on value notprofit or self gain.27
Persistence! Nothing in the world can take the place ofpersistence! Talent will not nothing is more common thanunsuccessful people with talent! Genius will not unrewarded genius is almost aproverb! Education will not the world is full of educatedderelicts! Persistence and determination are omnipotent! Theslogan “Press on” has solved, and always will solve,the problems of the human race.28
Resource Recovery David B. Spencer, Sc.D. Chairman & CTO wTe Corporation Professor Diran Apelian Worcester Polytechnic Institute November 9th, 2011 . Drop Off Center / Return Systems . 9 Curbside Collection Systems a) Sorted by Homeowner b) Hand-sorted at Curbside c) Commingled Collection/ Centralized Sortation .
