TECHNOLOGY | MELT FILTRATION
the unit can be set to scrape and discharge at a predetermined pressure or, where high levels of contamination are being handled, to scrape continuously and discharge. An increase in retrofitting melt filters by plastics
Above: Fimic’s new headquarters in Padua, Italy
the new Fimic headquarters and enlarged produc- tion halls. “After months of constant work, and with the clear vision of designing and producing new products and developing new and increasingly innovative technologies that allow more effective and productive recycling of materials, Fimic is preparing to inaugurate, in a couple of months, the new production halls,” it says. Once the expansion is completed, the renovated production hall will occupy 1,200 m2
and the facility
will be equipped with a new production line and “cutting-edge” technology. Fimic says its engineers and technicians can devote themselves to the development of new technologies and it expects to go beyond the current annual production of 70 machines, “significantly increasing its production capacity, [and] accelerating manufacturing times to offer an even faster service to its customers”. Also part of the project is a new two-storey building with 500 m2
showrooms and conference rooms. Fimic says this building is designed “under the ‘open space’ concept and respecting the methodology of ‘design thinking’, where technique, innovation and creativity remain key words that distinguish Fimic, together with the latest insulation and energy-saving tech- nologies to reduce the company’s carbon footprint”. The company says: “This is an important invest-
ment, achieved through effort and hard work, which makes the Paduan company proud and satisfied with the goals accomplished in recent years.” At K2019, Fimic introduced its new GEM technology, the largest melt filter in the company’s product portfolio. The model uses two 600mm diameter screens to provide 5,500 cm2
of filter
surface and is intended for use in high volume and highly contaminated recycling applications. The GEM filter can process up to 3,000 kg/h depending on the application. The new machine, which can be equipped with laser screens from 80-300 microns and mesh screens from 400 to 2,000 microns, combines twin filters with two scrapers and two independent discharge valves that function automatically. For maximum flexibility in operation,
14 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | March/April 2021 of space, which will hold offices,
recyclers is highlighted by Gneuss. The German manufacturer of filtration systems says it has seen a surge of interest among customers looking to retrofit their extrusion lines. “Against a background of government rules prescribing the proportion of recycled polymer, the plastics strategy of the EU and the commitment of many market leaders to responsi- ble use of polymers, the conversion or modification of extrusion lines represents an important trend.” The company says the Gneuss RSFgenius back flushing filtration system is well suited for retrofitting to existing extrusion lines. It illustrates this in the context of recycling lines for PET bottle flakes. “The processing of PET bottle flakes presents particular challenges for melt filtration systems. On the one hand, the post-consumer material source typically has a relatively high contamination level, on the other hand, the quality requirements (fine filtration) are very high – especially when the material is to be put back into transparent bottles for beverages.” It continues: “In order that the filter elements do not need to be constantly changed by hand, the ideal melt filtration system should be self-cleaning. Typically, the principle of back flushing is used. A proportion of the melt flow is diverted so that it flows in the reverse direction across filter elements which are not in use in order to wash the contami- nation out. The cleaning efficiency of the back- flushing and the quantity of material needed for back flushing vary greatly between the different systems available on the market. With the Gneuss RSFgenius melt filtration system, the high-pressure sequential cleaning system ensures that the filter elements are completely cleaned with the absolute minimum of polymer.” Gneuss says PET recylcer Nosoplas in Spain decided to retrofit the RSFgenius rotary filtration system due to its high efficiency and a fast return on investment which it offers. Nosoplas produces bottle grade pellets (or chips) from PET bottle flake. The chips are supplied to other companies, where they are injection moulded to pre-forms which are later blow moulded into high quality bottles for beverages.
Nosoplas needed to replace its existing, conventional filtration system due to problems with back flushing and high polymer losses. The system it opted for was a Gneuss RSFgenius 175 for a throughput of 1,500 kg/h and a filtration fineness of 56 µm. Gneuss says its customer is even able to
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
IMAGE: FIMIC
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
