Process for treating municipal solid waste

Abstract

A composite product characterized in that said product is produced and prepared by a continuous process comprising mixing water permeated municipal solid waste (MSW) with a municipal solid waste solidification reagent, wherein said solidification reagent initiates a polymerization reaction with the waste and the polymerization reaction forms a rigid polymer matrix therein. In addition, the polymer matrix also expands in volume during the polymerization reaction to form a foamed, environmentally stable, recycled composite product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A continuous method for reacting and converting municipal solid waste into a composite product comprising the steps of:
 supplying municipal solid waste comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers;   physically removing metals and glass from said solid waste followed by reducing the particle size of said solid waste into a size that permits said particles to be permeated with water;   permeating said reduced size particles with water to a level of less than 20% (vol), followed by continuous mixing, heating and chemically reacting said water permeated particles with a municipal solid waste solidification reagent at a temperature below 150° F. in which municipal solid waste solidification reagent initiates a chemical polymerization reaction with said water in said water saturated particles and solidifies said water permeated particles along with a corresponding increase in volume of about 20% or less to form foamed polyurethane structure having a density of 30 lbs./cu.ft. to 60 lbs./cu.ft;   thereafter further heating the foamed polyurethane structure to a temperature of at least 220° F. to melt the one or more thermoplastic polymers in the foamed polyurethane structure whereby the one or more thermoplastic polymers provide a thermoplastic binder for the structure; and   wherein the composite product is provided comprising the municipal solid waste in a range of 80-95% by weight of the product and having a density of greater than 60 lbs./cu.ft.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 continuous mixing, heating and chemically reacting said water permeated particles with a solidification reagent at a temperature below 150° F. is performed in an extruder barrel.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 heating the foamed polyurethane structure to a temperature of at least 220° F. to melt the one or more thermoplastic polymers in the foamed polyurethane structure is performed in an extruder die and/or by heaters located adjacent the extruder die.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particle size that permits said particles to become permeated with water is about 0.375 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said solidification reagent is a chemical compound comprising one or more isocyanate functional groups. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said isocyanate functional compound is selected from the group consisting of 2,4-toluene-diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene isocyanate, 4,4-diphenylmethane-diisocyanate, polymethylene diisocyanate (PMDI), and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said municipal solid waste solidification reagent forms a solid or rigid polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said municipal solid waste solidification reagent is selected from a monomeric chemical compound which polymerizes in the presence of moisture. 
     
     
         9 . A continuous method for reacting and converting municipal solid waste into a composite product comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing municipal solid waste comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers;   (b) substantially removing metal from said solid waste by physically removing said metal from said waste;   (c) placing the waste in step (b) into a shredder which reduces the particle size so that said particles can be substantially permeated with water to a level of less than 10% (vol);   (d) permeating the product of step (c) with water to a level of less than 10% (vol);   (e) continuously mixing, heating and chemically reacting the waste of step (d) with a solidification reagent at a temperature below 150° F., which chemical reaction results in polymerization and solidification along with an increase in volume of about 20% or less to form a foamed polyurethane structure at a density of 30 lbs./cu.ft. to 60 lbs./cu.ft.; and   (f) heating the foamed polyurethane structure of step (e) to a temperature of at least 220° F. to melt the one or more thermoplastic polymers whereby the one or more thermoplastic polymers provide a thermoplastic binder for the structure; and   wherein the composite product is provided comprising the municipal solid waste in a range of 80-95% by weight of the product and having a density greater than 60 lbs./cu.ft.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 continuous mixing, heating and chemically reacting the waste with a solidification reagent at a temperature below 150° F. is performed in an extruder barrel.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 heating the foamed polyurethane structure to a temperature of at least 220° F. to melt the one or more thermoplastic polymers in the foamed polyurethane structure is performed in an extruder die and/or by heaters located adjacent the extruder die.   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein step (a) is achieved by exposing said solid waste to an electromagnetic metal separator. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the step (b) shredding provides a particle size of about 0.375 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the municipal solid waste solidification reagents is present at a concentration of about 0.1-3.9% (wt).