System and methods for glass recycling at a beneficiator

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods for obtaining recycled mixed cullet at a beneficiator. The recycled mixed cullet can be used by glass plants to make new glass articles, such as beverage bottles.

1 - 5 . (canceled)  
     
     
         6 . A method for obtaining mixed cullet from waste material comprising: 
 (i) receiving waste material comprising a first mixed cullet and contaminants; 
 wherein the first mixed cullet comprises green glass, amber glass and flint glass;  
 and wherein the contaminants comprise ceramic material and ferrous material;  
   (ii) removing the contaminants from the waste material to yield the first mixed cullet;    (iii) sorting the first mixed cullet to provide a second mixed cullet comprising about 40% to about 90% by weight flint glass; about 5% to about 40% by weight amber glass; and about 1% to about 30% by weight green glass; and    (iv) obtaining the second mixed cullet in a receiving hopper.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising sorting the first mixed cullet to provide a second mixed cullet comprising about 45% to about 85% by weight flint glass; about 10% to about 30% by weight amber glass; and about 5% to about 25% by weight green glass.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising sorting the first mixed cullet to provide a second mixed cullet comprising about 50% to about 80% by weight flint glass; about 15% to about 25% by weight amber glass; and about 10% to about 20% by weight green glass.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising crushing the first mixed cullet to a size of about 1.6 centimeters or less.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising sorting the first mixed cullet with an optical sorter to provide the second mixed cullet.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising (i) washing the first mixed cullet, (ii) washing the second mixed cullet, or (iii) washing the first mixed cullet and washing the second mixed cullet.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising providing the second mixed cullet to a glass article manufacturer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method of removing the contaminants from the waste material comprises one or more of the following steps: 
 (i) removing the ferrous material with a ferrous metal separator;    (ii) removing the ceramic material with a ceramic detector and separator;    (iii) removing contaminants with an air classifier; and    (iv) removing contaminants with an optical sorter.    
     
     
         14 . A method for producing mixed cullet comprising: 
 (i) receiving waste material comprising a first mixed cullet and contaminants; 
 wherein the first mixed cullet comprises green glass, amber glass and flint glass;  
   (ii) separating the mixed cullet from the contaminants;    (iv) adding the mixed cullet in an amount greater than 5% by weight to a single color glass stream to produce a second mixed cullet; and    (iv) obtaining the second mixed cullet in a receiving hopper.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising adding the mixed cullet in an amount greater than 10% by weight to a single colorglass stream to produce a second mixed cullet.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising selling the second mixed cullet to a glass manufacturer.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising crushing the first mixed cullet to a size of about 1.6 centimeters or less.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising washing the first mixed cullet.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method of removing the contaminants from the waste material comprises one or more of the following steps: 
 (i) removing contaminants with a ferrous metal separator;    (ii) removing contaminants with a ceramic detector and separator;    (iii) removing contaminants with an air classifier; and    (iv) removing contaminants with an optical sorter.    
     
     
         20 . A method for improving the efficiency and productivity of a beneficiator comprising: 
 (i) accepting waste material comprising mixed cullet and contaminants; wherein the mixed cullet comprises green glass, amber glass and flint glass; and wherein the contaminants comprise ceramic material and ferrous material;    (ii) separating the mixed cullet from the contaminants; and    (iii) providing the mixed cullet to a glass manufacturer; 
 wherein the method excludes a step of separating the green glass, amber glass and flint glass in the mixed cullet by the beneficiator.