US Patent 11180391 Method and device for processing solid waste

Organic waste is polished to remove floatable contaminants prior to being biologically treated. In one application, pressed organic waste is polished before being sent to a wet anaerobic digester, optionally to be co-digested with wastewater treatment plant sludge. The organic waste is polished by flinging globs of the organic waste against a screen while flowing air across the flinging globs. The polishing can be performed in a device having a rotor with discrete paddles inside of a cylindrical screen.