TECHNOLOGY | PET RECYCLING
Kreyenborg’s IR-Clean+ system meets FDA and EFSA standards for food-grade rPET
Kreyenborg exhibits IR decontamination for rPET
German process engineering and recycling technology company Kreyenborg was a key exhibitor at both the European and North American editions of the Plastics Recycling World Expo this year. The company developed its IR-Clean+ system based on infrared radiation as an efficient approach to decontaminating PET flakes and improving the quality of recycled PET, according to Markus Schmidt, Head of Engineering. The process removes contaminants such as oils, adhesives, and residues and occurs in a continuous flow. Kreyenborg’s IR-Clean+ system meets stringent standards set by
the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for food-grade rPET, said Schmidt. The system is available for commercial use and has been adopted by various recycling facilities across Europe and North America. According to Schmidt, the reliability and efficiency of the technology have made it an attractive option for recyclers looking to upgrade their operations and meet increasingly stringent sustainability standards. The scalable IR-Clean+ system leverages infrared (IR) technology
to penetrate the core of waste PET particles quickly. The IR energy is absorbed by the PET flakes, allowing for thorough decontamination at the molecular level within minutes. Inside the system’s rotary drum, an internal helix ensures a homogeneous mass flow with a defined, first-in first-out residence time. The rotation of the drum and the mixing elements integrated into the coils impart continuous mixing with simultaneous constant surface exchange. The IR elements are positioned above the material bed to achieve a quick and even heat up, while the mixing ensures uniform heating of all surfaces of the material. Moisture-laden air is discharged from the unit through a constant air stream. The material is treated within minutes rather than in hours. IR-Clean+ is combined with a specially designed desiccant
dryer that enables further reduction of contamination. The finisher can reduce residual moisture to less than 50 ppm. The IR-Clean+ system includes all necessary system components, including conveying equipment, filter units, de-misters, and a comprehen- sive control package. IR-Clean+ can be designed as a stand-alone unit or incorporated into a new or existing extrusion line.
34 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | November/December 2024
system’s compatibility with other advanced recycling methods makes it possible to address more heavily contaminated PET waste streams, further broadening its applicability, said Meier. The polycondensation system is considered adaptive due to the integrated monitoring and control systems that ensure precision at every stage of the polycondensation process. A notable feature of Zimmer’s technology is its sophisticated control interface, which allows operators to monitor polymer chain reactions in real-time and adjust processing parameters as needed. This real-time capability not only boosts efficiency but also minimises energy consumption and waste. The modularity of the system makes scaling up or adjusting to different recycling capacities straightforward, ensuring that facilities of diverse sizes can benefit from the technology. Zimmer’s polycondensation approach competes
with traditional mechanical and some forms of chemical recycling that may not fully restore PET to virgin-grade quality. By offering a solution that supports continuous recycling with minimal quality loss, Technip’s technology can be positioned as a more sustainable and economically viable alterna- tive, according to the company. Axens announced in October the launch of licensing of the Rewind PET recycling process. It formed a partnership with IFPEN and JEPLAN in 2020 to develop the process and started up a semi-industrial plant in September 2023. A large-scale test program demonstrated the effectiveness and reliability of the process while treating post-consumer PET waste. The Rewind PET process involves the continuous depolymerisation of PET by glycolysis, followed by in-depth purification of the resulting monomer BHET. Axens says its main advantage is the ability to separate all additives and colorants to restore a pure BHET monomer. Recycled PET produced from the semi-industrial plant’s BHET monomer has received approval from several major companies in the food packaging and cosmetics sectors, it says. Axens says it is now in a position to offer a complete Rewind PET licence package, including basic process design (which may be modularised), performance guarantees, supply of proprietary equipment, and technical support for the start-up and operation of its customers’ industrial units.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
https://gr3n-recycling.com �
www.nies.org/ywz �
www.ten.com �
www.kreyenborg.com �
www.axens.net
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
IMAGE: KREYENBORG
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