TECHNOLOGY | WASHING
consumer goods (FMCG) sector. This would not be possible by following the common practice in HDPE and PP post-consumer packaging recycling, which produces low-quality, dark colour recyclates that can only be used in lower applications. To achieve the desired result, the pre-sorted
Above: PP flakes in Herbold Meckesheim’s washing plant are transported as floating material with a dewatering screw to the downstream mechanical dryer
Right: Stadler and Krones have collabo- rated in the design and installation of a new sorting (pictured) and washing plant for Kunststoff Recycling Grünstadt, a German recycling company
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floating material with a dewatering screw to the downstream mechanical dryer. Particles with a density above 1 g per cm³, such as PVC or PET, are discharged by a chain scraper conveyor. A mechanical dryer removes moisture from the washed PP flakes, as well as residual impurities such as paper fibres. Embedded in a hot-dip galvanised housing, the machine is equipped with pneumatically operated mechanical cleaning with a rinsing appliance for the screen surface and exchangeable wear plates on the rotor blades. Pneumatic conveying takes the material to the air classifier, which has a zig-zag channel for sifting out light materials such as foils, textiles, fibres and dust. Finally, a double big bag station is available for bagging where two products – light materials and cleaned PP flakes – are pneumatically packed. The entire plant is controlled automatically with a touch screen panel. Fluctuations in the material are handled by targeted control of the plant compo- nents, guaranteeing maximum performance. The smart and automatic control system ensures an efficient operation with low manpower requirements. Stadler and Krones have collaborated in the design and installation of a new sorting and washing plant for Kunststoff Recycling Grünstadt (KRG), a German recycling company serving the plastics processing industry. The facility for process- ing post-consumer HDPE and PP packaging waste is the first of its kind in the country. The companies say that it closes the plastics circular economy loop with its output of extremely high quality recyclates that can be used again in the same packaging applications – including those requiring food grade material. The plant was designed to produce approximately 30,000 tpa of recyclates that can be returned to the manufacturing cycle. With its new plant, KRG aims to produce high-
quality recyclates capable of meeting the demands of branded goods companies and the fast-moving
PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2022
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
materials coming from light packaging plants are first processed through the sorting line designed and installed by Stadler. With a capacity of approximately 10 tonnes/hour, the line operates in two different modes depending on the material being fed – one for PP materials and another for HDPE. The input materials are screened to eliminate fines, metals are separated using an over belt magnet and eddy current, and light film is extracted by an air sorter. Seven near-infrared (NIR) sorters separate the
remaining material into six product fractions separated by colour. Part of the output materials is fed immediately into two Krones lines, located in the same hall, while the rest is baled and stored for later processing. In the Krones lines, each with a capacity of 2 tonnes/hour, the pre-sorted material is ground into flakes and pre-rinsed before being processed in its hot-washing system. Final rinsing and sorting, according to colour and polymer, complete the process to produce clean flakes of the high-quality required for recycling into the original packaging applications. “This plant makes a big step in advanced quality
of the recycled material, which can go to challeng- ing applications where reduced odours and even food grade qualities need to be achieved,” says Michael Auburger, Product Manager Recycling Solutions at Krones. “HDPE and PP packaging can be recycled for the same application again, so that, for example a HDPE shampoo bottle or PP marga- rine pot will have a second life as a bottle, pot or lid. This was only done for PET bottles until now.”
IMAGE: HERBOLD MECKESHEIM
IMAGE: KRG
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