Patent attributes
A system for processing rubber material pre-heats the material and then applies microwave energy to process the system The system comprising a rubber material receiver for accepting the rubber material which passes the material to a pre-heating unit adapted for the rubber material passing through comprising a plurality of heating elements that heat the rubber material to between about 100 to about 350 C in an oxygen depleted atmosphere. Once pre-heated, the material is conveyed to a microwave unit adapted for receiving the pre-heated rubber material comprising microwave magnetrons, which radiate the pre-heated rubber material and external heat sources in an oxygen depleted environment until the pre-heated rubber is substantially reduced to a carbonaceous material having a volatile content of below 5% and more preferably below 2%. After being processed by microwave energy, the processed material exits on a cooling conveyor that receives processed rubber material from the microwave unit and cools the material in an oxygen depleted environment. One or more conveyors are used to transport the rubber material from the rubber material receiver into and through the pre-heating unit and into and through the microwave unit to the cooling conveyor.
