Lesson 1Glass handling and cullet separation: breakers, screens, and glass-specific conveyorsThis part looks at handling glass from when it arrives until it's separated into cullet. It explains breakers, screens, and special conveyors for glass, with focus on getting the right particle sizes, removing small bits and dirt, and cutting down on wear, dust, and noise.
Glass breaker types and impact on fragment sizeScreens for cullet sizing and fines removalGlass-only conveyors and chute designManaging ceramics, stones, and residual metalsWear protection, dust, and noise controlLesson 2Screening and classification: trommels, vibrating screens, ballistic separatorsThis part covers machines that screen and classify by size and shape. It goes into trommels, vibrating screens, and ballistic separators, including how to set them, usual cut sizes, and what maintenance they need.
Trommel design, speed, and aperture selectionVibrating screens and stroke adjustmentsBallistic separators for 2D and 3D splitsManaging fines, wrapping, and blindingInspection, cleaning, and wear monitoringLesson 3Optical sorting and near-infrared (NIR) systems: capabilities, limitations, and typical placementsThis part dives into optical and NIR sorting for plastics, paper, and other recyclables. It covers how they detect, the ejection gear, calibration, problems with dirt or wet stuff, and where they're usually placed in the line.
NIR detection of polymers and paper gradesColor cameras and combined sensor platformsAir jets, valves, and ejection timingEffects of moisture, dirt, and overlappingTypical placements after screening or sizingLesson 4Magnetic and eddy-current separation: ferrous and non-ferrous removal principles and placementThis part explains how magnetic and eddy-current separators pull out iron and non-iron metals. It covers how they work, design choices, where to put them, and key settings for better recovery and cleaner output.
Ferrous capture with overband and drum magnetsEddy-current rotor design and operating principleSeparator placement relative to shredders and screensKey settings: belt speed, splitter, and burden depthMaintenance, wear points, and safety precautionsLesson 5Truck unloading and tipping floor operationsThis part describes unloading trucks and working on the tipping floor at dry recycling spots. It looks at traffic movement, safe areas, how loaders work, checking for dirt, and how storing and feeding affects the rest of the line.
Traffic flow, signage, and safety proceduresTipping floor layout and storage strategiesLoader operation, stockpiling, and mixingIncoming load inspection and contaminationHousekeeping, fire risk, and incident responseLesson 6Size reduction equipment: shredders, hammer mills, crushers, granulators — working principles and settingsThis part explains machines that break down size before sorting or baling. It compares shredders, hammer mills, crushers, and granulators, looking at cutting methods, screen choices, power use, and controlling final particle size.
Single-shaft and twin-shaft shredder functionsHammer mill impact action and grate selectionCrushers for rigid containers and bulky itemsGranulators for plastics and uniform particlesEnergy, wear parts, and oversize controlLesson 7Conveying and material flow: conveyor types, transfer points, speed controlThis part checks conveyor types and managing material flow in dry recycling plants. It covers belt, chain, and roller types, transfer points, speed control, less spillage, and how paths affect running time and safety.
Belt, chain, and roller conveyor selectionTransfer chutes, skirting, and spillage controlSpeed control, VFDs, and throughput tuningInclines, declines, and material rollbackGuarding, walkways, and lockout pointsLesson 8Ancillary systems: dust extraction, air knives, water sprays (if any), control panels and SCADA basicsThis part reviews support systems for safe, steady running. It includes dust pullers, air knives, water sprays if used, and control panels with simple SCADA for watching, alarms, and logging data.
Dust extraction hoods, ducts, and filtersAir knives for label and light fraction removalWater sprays for dust and fire risk controlLocal control panels and emergency stopsSCADA screens, alarms, and trend loggingLesson 9Primary feeding systems: hoppers, apron feeders, vibratory feedersThis part introduces main feeding systems that move stuff from storage to processing. It compares hoppers, apron feeders, and vibratory ones, pointing out flow control, bridging dangers, wear, and linking with controls.
Hopper design, live capacity, and bridging risksApron feeders for heavy and abrasive loadsVibratory feeders for metering and spreadingLevel sensors and interlocks for safe feedingWear liners and maintenance access designLesson 10Baling and densification: balers, compactors, and bale quality considerationsThis part details balers and compactors that pack sorted recyclables tight. It looks at bale making, tying, quality checks, and how steady feed, wetness, and settings affect density, safety, and sale value.
Horizontal versus vertical balers in MRFsCompactors and pre-compaction strategiesBale density, dimensions, and weight targetsContamination limits and bale quality specsWire tying, safety, and bale handling
