MELT FILTRATION | TECHNOLOGY


chamber and have large filtering surfaces while the system’s operating principle allows it to work at constant pressure. Manufactured using high quality alloy steel and adopting anti-wear treatments in the most stressed parts, the Duo is robust and offers high resistance to line pressures up to 350 bar. ADG says the geometry of the six-blade rotating


scraper disc ensures excellent cleaning even at low rotation speeds, impurities are discharged by means of a single screw, and the system is de- signed to filter various types of plastic with per- centages of impurities up to 15% by weight. The speed of the discharge screw can be adjusted allowing even the most contaminated materials to be handled, while maintenance operations and replacement of filters and blades can be carried out without dismantling, which reduces cleaning and replacement times. “We are continually looking to find the best equipment solutions to enhance [the] portfolio we provide to our customers,” said ADG President Sandy Guthrie. “Taking the best-quality machinery and marrying that with our advanced industry knowledge allows us to help our customers transform plastic scrap into high-value raw material.” The new Cobra filter from BB Engineering combines continuous and automated large-area filtration with inte- grated intermediate filter cleaning, setting new standards in efficiency, ease of use, and resource saving, the company says. Increasing recycling quotas, coupled with insuffi- cient availability, mean that lower input qualities are increasingly being considered for recycling, resulting in more challenging contaminants. At the same time, higher-quality applications are being targeted, which further intensifies the requirement for fine filtration. It says that systems have been designed for large quantities of contaminants, but as a rule they do not filter as finely as a candle filter. Conversely, there are also candle filters that provide excellent filtration but cannot cope with elevated levels of contamination. According to the manufac- turer, as it combines large-area fine filtration with simultaneous fast cleaning and is able to manage higher contamination rates, the new Cobra filter can do both and is particularly effective in PET recycling. The Cobra filter has two filter inserts, one of which is always active in production mode and the other either in stand-by or intermediate mode. The


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automated switchover ensures a smooth changeo- ver between the inserts, the status of which is constantly monitored. If necessary, the filter automatically initiates the cleaning and changeover process. All the operator has to do is sign off on the user interface. Operator-related deviations in the switching process, errors, or delays, all of which could affect the process, are eliminated. Another feature of the Cobra filter is the


integration of BBE’s White Filter Cleaning technol- ogy (WFC) which enables intermediate cleaning of the filter inserts using hot steam alone, extending the filter’s service life. BBE has had WFC in its product portfolio as a stand-alone solution for several years, but this is the first time it has been integrated directly into a filter, bringing additional advantages like cleaning speed and wear-reduc- tion. Production and cleaning becomes an alternating interaction, and only after multiple cycles (the exact number depending on product and degree of soiling) does it become necessary to remove the filter insert for cleaning and service checks. The WFC cleaning process takes around 10 hours, whereas conventional cleaning takes several days, says BBE. The company claims that comparing the Cobra filter with other fine filters with a through- put of 2,000 kg/h reveals a saving of 40% in operating costs, achieved partly through


a reduction of melt loss. It says the


integrated steam cleaning system has been linked to reduced use of spare parts and consumables due to the gentle treatment, conversion costs, and a lower energy requirement, as no heating and cooling phases are required and cleaning takes place at lower temperatures. The costs of chemi- cals are also eliminated, while the level of automa- tion reduces personnel costs.


Film production Gneuss has contributed its melt filtration expertise to a development project with Colines and ExxonMobil Signature Polymers for incorporation of PCR in film. Tests demonstrated the ability to consistently produce film incorporating 30% PCR content for automatic use with a consistency of 180-200% without the need to stop the line except for routine operations. A key component in this process was the patented Gneuss RSFgenius self-cleaning screen changer (see Plastics Recycling


June 2025 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 49


Left: BB


Engineering’s Cobra filter has two filter inserts, one of which is always active in production mode and the other either in stand-by or intermediate mode


IMAGE: BB ENGINEERING


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