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A method and system for extracting hydrocarbon fuel products from plastic material provides extraction of usable fuel components from waste plastic materials. The materials (or hydrocarbon portion thereof) are liquified and introduced to a chamber where the liquid material is agitated and a negative

A method and system for extracting hydrocarbon fuel products from plastic material provides extraction of usable fuel components from waste plastic materials. The materials (or hydrocarbon portion thereof) are liquified and introduced to a chamber where the liquid material is agitated and a negative relative pressure (vacuum) is applied. The liquid is maintained at a substantially constant temperature and the vacuum draws the off-gas hydrocarbon products out for condensation and further processing, while unconverted char is removed to an ash dump. An auger feed unit with agitator buckets is used to propel the char through a feed while agitating the liquid to enhance the rate of gas removal.

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What is claimed is: 1. A system for extracting usable hydrocarbon fuel pre-products from plastic material, comprising: a process chamber for receiving said plastic material, said plastic material having been heated until said fuel pre-products are in a liquid form; a heater for heating said process

What is claimed is: 1. A system for extracting usable hydrocarbon fuel pre-products from plastic material, comprising: a process chamber for receiving said plastic material, said plastic material having been heated until said fuel pre-products are in a liquid form; a heater for heating said process chamber to a substantially constant temperature, whereby said fuel pre-products are converted to gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products; and a vacuum system in continuous communication with said process chamber such that said process chamber is maintained at a negative relative pressure whereby said gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products are extracted from said liquid fuel pre-products by reducing a vapor pressure of said fuel products, thereby promoting off-gassing from said liquid fuel pre-products, wherein said process chamber has a continuous feed, said plastic material is received at a first end, said gaseous hydrocarbon fuel components are removed through said vacuum system and a remainder of said plastic material is ejected at a second end, and said process chamber further comprises an auger for feeding said plastic material through said process chamber; an auger housing for enclosing said auger; and a drive system coupled to said auger for rotating said auger to feed said plastic material through said process chamber and a portion of said auger is included in a melting chamber for heating said fuel pre-products to produce said liquid fuel pre-products prior to introduction to said process chamber, said melting chamber auger portion being heated to a lower temperature than a temperature of the process chamber auger portion. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an agitator for agitating said liquid fuel pre-products, whereby said off-gassing is further promoted. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a melting chamber for heating said fuel pre-products to produce said liquid fuel pre-products prior to introduction to said process chamber. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein said melting chamber is heated to a temperature substantially equal to 585 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. The system of claim 3, wherein said melting chamber is heated to a temperature of at least 585 degrees Fahrenheit. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein said process chamber is heated to a temperature substantially equal to 850 degrees Fahrenheit. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein said process chamber is heated to a temperature within the range of 850 to 890 degrees Fahrenheit. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein said vacuum system generates a vacuum within said process chamber substantially equal to minus 0.07 psig. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein said vacuum system generates a vacuum within said process chamber of at least minus 0.07 psig. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein said auger further comprises agitator buckets attached to a blade of said auger for agitating said liquid fuel pre-products, whereby said off-gassing is further promoted. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein a blade of said auger is coated with a non-stick coating, whereby accumulation of liquid plastic material on said blade is prevented. 12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a feed system for feeding said plastic material into said melting chamber, said feed system comprising: a feed hopper coupled to said process chamber, whereby said plastic material is introduced to said system; and a feed auger for compressing said plastic material and introducing said compressed plastic material to said process chamber. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein said heater comprises a pressure chamber disposed around said process chamber, whereby hot air is circulated to heat said process chamber. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein said pressure chamber comprises a: first cylinder enclosing said process chamber, said first cylinder having perforations though a wall of said cylinder for diffusing heat from an inner wall to an outer wall of said first cylinder for providing a uniform temperature at said process chamber; and a second cylinder enclosing said first cylinder, said second cylinder including a plurality of pipes disposed radially between an outer wall of said second cylinder and an inner wall of said first cylinder , whereby heated air may pass from said outer wall of said second cylinder to said process chamber. 15. The system of claim 1, wherein said heater is a closed-system air heater, wherein said air is recirculated around said process chamber. 16. The system of claim 15, comprising multiple process chambers for performing said extraction in parallel, and wherein said multiple process chambers are coupled to said heater for heating said multiple process chambers. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein a remainder of said plastic material from each of said multiple process chambers is fed through an additional process chamber coupled to said heater for removing any remaining hydrocarbon fuel products from said remainder. 18. A system for extracting usable hydrocarbon fuel pre-products from plastic material, comprising: means for liquefying said hydrocarbon fuel pre-products; means for heating said hydrocarbon fuel pre-products to form gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products; means for continuously removing said gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products so that said hydrocarbon fuel pre-products will continue to off-gas; means for agitating said liquid hydrocarbon fuel products to promote said off-gassing; and means for removing a remainder of said plastic material from said liquid hydrocarbon fuel products, wherein said means for agitating and means for removing comprise an auger for feeding said plastic material through said means for heating; an auger housing for enclosing said auger; and a drive system coupled to said auger for rotating said auger to feed said plastic material through said means for heating and a portion of said auger is included in the means for liquefying for heating said fuel pre-products to produce said liquid fuel pre-products prior to introduction to said means for heating, said portion of said auger in the means for liquefying being heated to a lower temperature than a temperature of the means for heating auger portion. 19. A system for extracting usable hydrocarbon fuel pre-products from plastic material, comprising: a melting chamber for receiving the plastic material and heating the fuel pre-products into a liquid form; a process chamber for receiving the liquid fuel pre-products; an auger extending from within the melting chamber into and through the process chamber for feeding the liquid fuel pre-products from the melting chamber into the process chamber; a heater for further heating the liquid fuel pre-products in the process chamber to a temperature at which the fuel pre-products are converted to gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products; and a vacuum system in continuous communication with the process chamber such that the process chamber is maintained at a reduced relative pressure wherein the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products are extracted from the liquid fuel pre-products when the reduced relative pressure in the process chamber promotes off-gassing of the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein the system subjects the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products to temperatures at which cracking of the products is avoided. 21. The system of claim 19 further comprising an auger housing for enclosing the auger and a drive system coupled to the auger for rotating the auger. 22. The system of claim 19 wherein the auger further comprises agitator buckets attached to a blade of the auger. 23. The system of claim 1 wherein said system subjects the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products to temperatures at which cracking of the products is avoided. 24. The system of claim 18 wherein said system subjects the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products to temperatures at which cracking of the products is avoided. 25. The system of claim 18 further comprising a feed system for feeding said plastic material into said system. 26. The system of claim 18 wherein the auger further comprises agitator buckets attached to a blade of the auger. 27. A system for extracting usable hydrocarbon fuel pre-products from plastic material, comprising: a process chamber for receiving said plastic material, said plastic material having been heated until said fuel pre-products are in a liquid form; a heater for heating said process chamber to a substantially constant temperature, whereby said fuel pre-products are converted to gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products; and a vacuum system in continuous communication with said process chamber such that said process chamber is maintained at a negative relative pressure whereby said gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products are extracted from said liquid fuel pre-products by reducing a vapor pressure of said fuel products, thereby promoting off-gassing from said liquid fuel pre-products wherein said process chamber has a continuous feed, said plastic material is received at a first end, said gaseous hydrocarbon fuel components are removed through said vacuum system and a remainder of said plastic material is ejected at a second end, and said process chamber comprises an auger for feeding said plastic material through said process chamber; an auger housing for enclosing said auger; and a drive system coupled to said auger for rotating said auger to feed said plastic material through said process chamber, wherein a portion of said auger is included in a melting chamber for heating said fuel pre-products to produce said liquid fuel pre-products prior to introduction to said process chamber, said melting chamber auger portion being heated to a lower temperature than a temperature of the process chamber auger portion and a blade of said auger is coated with a non-stick coating, whereby accumulation of liquid plastic material on said blade is prevented, wherein said system subjects the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products to temperatures at which cracking of the products is avoided. 28. A system for extracting usable hydrocarbon fuel pre-products from plastic material, comprising: a process chamber for receiving said plastic material, said plastic material having been heated until said fuel pre-products are in a liquid form; a heater for heating said process chamber to a substantially constant temperature, whereby said fuel pre-products are converted to gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products; and a vacuum system in continuous communication with said process chamber such that said process chamber is maintained at a negative relative pressure whereby said gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products are extracted from said liquid fuel pre-products by reducing a vapor pressure of said fuel products, thereby promoting off-gassing from said liquid fuel pre-products; and a feed system for feeding said plastic material into said melting chamber, said feed system comprising: a feed hopper coupled to said process chamber, whereby said plastic material is introduced to said system; and a feed auger for compressing said plastic material and introducing said compressed plastic material to said process chamber, wherein said process chamber has a continuous feed, said plastic material is received at a first end, said gaseous hydrocarbon fuel components are removed through said vacuum system and a remainder of said plastic material is ejected at a second end, and said process chamber comprises an auger for feeding said plastic material through said process chamber; an auger housing for enclosing said auger; and a drive system coupled to said auger for rotating said auger to feed said plastic material through said process chamber, wherein a portion of said auger is included in a melting chamber for heating said fuel pre-products to produce said liquid fuel pre-products prior to introduction to said process chamber, said melting chamber auger portion being heated to a lower temperature than a temperature of the process chamber auger portion. wherein said system subjects the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel products to temperatures at which cracking of the products is avoided.