Recursive recycling
Encyclopedia
Recursive Recycling is a technique where a function, in order to accomplish a task, calls itself with some part of the task or output from a previous step. In municipal solid waste
and waste reclamation processing it is the process of extracting and converting materials from recycled materials derived from the previous step until all subsequent levels of output are extracted or used.
can be treated, sanitized and separated under steam in a pressure vessel (waste autoclave
). Following the processing under steam and removal of toxic materials via condensate
filtering, usable recyclables are immediately extracted for reuse (plastics, ferrous
metals, aluminum, glass, wood, etc.).
or enzymatic-hydrolysis
as Ethanol
or may be used as Refuse Derived Fuel(RDF).
, the remaining residue (used fiber) can be used as a feed stock for electricity
production.
reused in combination with similar materials (gravel, stones, pottery, glass) to form aggregate for construction materials.
In true recursive recycling and conservation processing the ability to divert all materials in the waste stream from landfill at greater than 99 percent is a concept based on outputs
used to provide the next level of processing, reuse, conservation and market delivery of the derivatives.
, plasma, etc) but has not been widely accepted because of the financial impact it may have on existing protocols in waste management. One pilot facility operated commercially in Wales for approximately six years. However, the core equipment was moved to another location while the original facility was scheduled for retrofit. No further information about the facility's capacity or the equipment movement has been made available via open source release.
Since that pilot commercial facility stopped operating, the concept of Recursive Recycling has not met with as much success as originally anticipated by environmentalists and conservationists. There are a number of companies operating autoclaves with limited success across the globe (the autoclave operating in Anaheim CA was de-commissioned in ca. late 2007-early 2008) but the full concept of waste treatment using thermal hydrolysis technology has not been fully realized because of several misconceptions in the autoclave and related steam treatment technologies. There is available engineering background to demonstrate successful testing that can be validated in physical production facilities but because of a lack of participation and general knowledge is a closely held secret, the application of technologies to achieve full recursive levels has not been accepted.
A number of companies are working on technology to support this concept. That may bring about change to conservation and recycling when associated advances prove out as successful. However, given the current state related areas of technology the growth to full scale production appears to be limited because the technology and demonstrating it is available in larger capacities has not been demonstrated commercially.
Municipal solid waste
Municipal solid waste , commonly known as trash or garbage , refuse or rubbish is a waste type consisting of everyday items we consume and discard. It predominantly includes food wastes, yard wastes, containers and product packaging, and other miscellaneous inorganic wastes from residential,...
and waste reclamation processing it is the process of extracting and converting materials from recycled materials derived from the previous step until all subsequent levels of output are extracted or used.
Level 1 Recursive
Solid waste or municipal solid wasteMunicipal solid waste
Municipal solid waste , commonly known as trash or garbage , refuse or rubbish is a waste type consisting of everyday items we consume and discard. It predominantly includes food wastes, yard wastes, containers and product packaging, and other miscellaneous inorganic wastes from residential,...
can be treated, sanitized and separated under steam in a pressure vessel (waste autoclave
Waste autoclave
A waste autoclave is a form of solid waste treatment that utilises heat, steam and pressure of an industrial autoclave in the processing of waste. Waste autoclaves process waste either in batches or in continuous-flow processes. In batch processes, saturated steam is pumped into the autoclave at...
). Following the processing under steam and removal of toxic materials via condensate
Condensate
Condensate may refer to:* The liquid phase produced by the condensation of steam or any other gas* The product of a chemical condensation reaction, other than water* Natural gas condensate, in the natural gas industry- Quantum physics :...
filtering, usable recyclables are immediately extracted for reuse (plastics, ferrous
Ferrous
Ferrous , in chemistry, indicates a divalent iron compound , as opposed to ferric, which indicates a trivalent iron compound ....
metals, aluminum, glass, wood, etc.).
Level 2 Recursive
Organic materials from the original waste stream are converted to a fiber using steam at 60 psi and 160*C. The converted organics (sanitary fiber) is size reduced by 85% and can be used to produce bio-fuels using acidic-hydrolysisHydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions in the process of a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is used to break down certain polymers, especially those made by condensation polymerization...
or enzymatic-hydrolysis
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions in the process of a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is used to break down certain polymers, especially those made by condensation polymerization...
as Ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
or may be used as Refuse Derived Fuel(RDF).
Level 3 Recursive
After the monosacrides are extracted for distillationDistillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
, the remaining residue (used fiber) can be used as a feed stock for electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
production.
Level 4 Recursive
Finally, the non-toxic ash from the combusted fiber can be collected and used as a filler for preparation in super concrete and thenreused in combination with similar materials (gravel, stones, pottery, glass) to form aggregate for construction materials.
In true recursive recycling and conservation processing the ability to divert all materials in the waste stream from landfill at greater than 99 percent is a concept based on outputs
used to provide the next level of processing, reuse, conservation and market delivery of the derivatives.
Analyst Commentary
The concept of Recursive Recycling has been proved up in small scale facilities (thermal hydrolysisThermal hydrolysis
Thermal hydrolysis is the process where waste or sludge is boiled under high pressure and high temperature, between 160-180 degrees. Cells rich in energy are released and the solution gives a doubling of the amount of biogas compared to the traditional solutions. The biogas can be used to generate...
, plasma, etc) but has not been widely accepted because of the financial impact it may have on existing protocols in waste management. One pilot facility operated commercially in Wales for approximately six years. However, the core equipment was moved to another location while the original facility was scheduled for retrofit. No further information about the facility's capacity or the equipment movement has been made available via open source release.
Since that pilot commercial facility stopped operating, the concept of Recursive Recycling has not met with as much success as originally anticipated by environmentalists and conservationists. There are a number of companies operating autoclaves with limited success across the globe (the autoclave operating in Anaheim CA was de-commissioned in ca. late 2007-early 2008) but the full concept of waste treatment using thermal hydrolysis technology has not been fully realized because of several misconceptions in the autoclave and related steam treatment technologies. There is available engineering background to demonstrate successful testing that can be validated in physical production facilities but because of a lack of participation and general knowledge is a closely held secret, the application of technologies to achieve full recursive levels has not been accepted.
A number of companies are working on technology to support this concept. That may bring about change to conservation and recycling when associated advances prove out as successful. However, given the current state related areas of technology the growth to full scale production appears to be limited because the technology and demonstrating it is available in larger capacities has not been demonstrated commercially.