Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and process for continuously discriminating between a contaminated plastic material containing trapped volatile contaminants and plastic material which contains an acceptable threshold of contaminants including first supplying a continuous source of plastic material wherein the plastic material contains trapped volatile contaminants and feeding a sample of the plastic material to the input section of an auger conveyor. The auger conveyor contains a barrel and a transfer screw positioned within the barrel with flights thereon for conveying the plastic material, the auger also connected to an output section which itself is connected to a detector for detecting trapped volatile contaminants. Plastic material is then conveyed through the auger at a selected rate by rotation of the transfer screw and the auger is also heated to a selected temperature such that trapped volatile contaminants in the plastic material are removed therefrom and remain substantially within the flights and delivered to the detector. The apparatus and process herein is also configured in active communication with a tracking database containing one or a plurality of programmable logic controllers (PLC's) which signal, divert and/or isolate contaminated recycled material from plastic material which contains an acceptable threshold of contaminants when the recycled material exceeds preselected contamination levels.

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First Claim