ODOUR REDUCTION | INNOVATION
dure consists of three steps: material preparation in its Smart feeder, highly efficient degassing with its CVAC module, and finally, optimisation in its Smell Extraction Unit. Two Starlinger recycling lines equipped with
odour reduction technology have been installed at a new recycling plant for Avangard Innovative of Houston, Texas, USA. The RecoStar Dynamic 165 CVAC system is processing post-consumer film. Depending on filtration fineness, the line achieves an output of up to 1,500 kg/h (3,300 lb/h). In order to ensure that the regranulate not only performs but smells like virgin material, both lines are equipped with Starlinger’s odour reduction technology. Avangard’s input material comes from retail
packaging film that contains a high amount of paper labels. The initial goal of the test run at Starlinger’s technology centre was to remove as much paper contamination as possible with minimal melt loss. Processing went smoothly, but when the client inspected the material in the US, it was discovered that the pellets had taken on an unpleasant odour. An investigation showed that the smell had been caused by the exposure of paper residues to heat during the extrusion process. Consequently, Avangard requested the additional odour reduction technology from Starlinger to ensure production of odourless recyclate. “Starlinger is exceptionally flexible with regard to machine set-up,” says Paul Niedl, Commercial Head of Starlinger’s recycling technology. “In quite a few projects, this has worked in our favour.” The com- pany says that LDPE film was not a challenge, but the high paper content called for an extension of the line with an extra process step: odour reduction. Through optimal preparation of the material in the Smart feeder and degassing in the C-VAC module, this process already extracts a large part of the smell during extrusion, and the Smell Extraction Unit (SEU) further enhances the quality of the final pellet. Avangard Innovative has a long history in
trading LDPE film that it obtains from a variety of sources, and expanding into processing this film was the next logical step. In March 2017, the company opened a new LDPE film recycling plant for post-consumer waste at its existing facility in Houston. A major reason for venturing into film recycling is availability of input material – an evaluation of material streams showed used PE film to be available in large quantities (up to 100m lb of film per year). With the second Starlinger line installed early in 2018, Avangard says that it is now able to supply the US market with odourless, high-quality regranulate. “Starlinger has been a great partner throughout
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this entire process, where we collaborated on the line for our particular needs to find the best options to complement their extrusion technology to have a complete system,” says Jon Stephens, Chief Operating Officer at Avangard Innovative. “We feel with the entire system in place including the Ettlinger continuous rotating filter and optical sorting in conjunction with the Starlinger recycling line, we have the best opportunity for success in the marketplace.” Erema has developed the ReFresher for odour
reduction in plastics recycling. The company says that post-consumer material, especially household packaging waste, is considered to be plastic which is difficult to recycle due to impurities and the fluctuating degree of contamination. These contaminants often cause an unpleasant odour. The ReFresher eliminates odours caused by
migrated substances, for example residues left on the plastic materials. These include food contami- nation, cleaner/detergent residues and cosmetics. The ReFresher is downstream of the extrusion process and keeps the recyclates at the required temperature at which volatile materials can be discharged. The ReFresher is available in various expansion stages depending on the end applica- tion. The combination of pre-conditioning unit, Airflush technology, low melt temperature, efficient filtration and several degassing steps ensures that the cellulose particles are separated from the plastic recyclate, before it passes into the ReFresh- er unit as a final step.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.ivv.fraunhofer.de �
www.aimplas.net �
www.recycling.starlinger.com �
www.avaicg.com �
www.erema.com
Employees of Avangard and Starlinger after a successful start-up July/August 2018 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 19
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