IP Library Granted Patent US 12686038
Granted Patent B2
US 12686038 · App. 18/018,063 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Method and device for washing/cleaning granular material from slag and washing/cleaning bottom/boiler ash from a thermal waste treatment, and mineral residue and recycling material

Inventors: Claus Gronholz (Ahausen OT Eversen, DE); Andre Gronholz (Tangstedt, DE)
Assignee: PRO CLIR GMBH
B08B3/123B03B5/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12686038
App. No.
18/018,063
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a method for washing/cleaning granular material from slag and for washing/cleaning bottom/boiler ash from a thermal waste treatment. In the method, the granular material is added to a process liquid and is subjected to ultrasound therein. According to the invention, it is proposed that the process liquid is located in an upright cleaning channel with an upper feeding end and a lower extraction end, that the granular material is introduced into the cleaning channel from the feeding end, and moves downwards towards the extraction end due to the force of gravity, and is subjected to ultrasound during the sinking movement.

Claims (6)

1 . A method for washing/cleaning granular material from slag as well as bottom/boiler ash from a thermal waste treatment as well as mineral residue and recycling material, wherein in such method the granular material is added to a process liquid and is subjected to ultrasound therein, wherein said process liquid is located in an upright or vertical cleaning channel with an upper feeding end and a lower extraction end, in which method the granular material is classified within tight grain size limits into a plurality of screened fractions and only one of the plurality of screened fractions is delivered from the upper feeding end into the cleaning channel at a time and moves freely downwards in the process liquid towards the lower extraction end due to the force of gravity and is subjected to ultrasound during the sinking movement, such that the cleaning channel is flown through by the process liquid from the bottom to the top at a flow rate to slow down sinking speed of the granular material which flow rate is attributed to each screened fraction such that various particles of the screened fraction selected for treatment have a desired retention time in the cleaning channel, and the liquid escaping from the upper feeding end is extracted via an overflow.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the process liquid has a consistent or pulsating flow rate during processing.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the flow rate of said process liquid in the cleaning channel is chosen such that the granular material to be cleaned is retained in the cleaning channel and is not extracted from the feeding end into the overflow.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein during processing, said process liquid is moved through the cleaning channel at various flow rates, such flow rates being chosen such that a higher flow rate is sufficient to transport the granular material located in the area of the lower extraction end back towards the upper feeding end.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the granular material is delivered discontinuously.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the granular material to be cleaned has a grain size of 0.25 mm to 15.0 mm and is classified into five fractions having grain sizes of 0.25 mm to 1.50 mm, 1.50 mm to 3.00 mm, 3.00 mm to 5.00 mm, 5.00 mm to 8.00 mm and 8.00 mm to 15.0 mm.