Recycling systems.

ACTION INDUSTRIES, INC.

North American agent for Munchy line of recycling systems from Munchy Ltd. of the U.K. Systems consist of reclaim extruder, filtering device, die-face pelletizer for air- or water-cooled pellets, and a variety of manual and automatic feeding systems. Handle all thermoplastics, including coextrusions of PE/nylon and PE/EVOH in forms such as film, sheet, nonwovens, bottles, flake, and blocked-bag cut-outs. Produce high-bulk-density pellets similar to virgin product. Sizes range from 125 to 1100 lb/hr. Washing and drying systems available in sizes to 2500 lb/hr.

AMERICAN PLASTIC RECYCLERS INC.

Flake-sorting prototype system separates PE, PVC, rubber and other plastic components from residual metals in wire scrap. Polycyclone Separation system consists of 50 small hydrocyclones in three vertical tiers. Water slurry of ground plastic flake is fed under consistent head pressure from a large manifold, downward through tiers of 20, then 18, then 12 hydrocyclones of 6-in. diam. The prototype is available for customer testing and processes 4000 lb/hr.

AMPLASCO INC.

See Conair Reclaim Technologies.

ANDRITZ SPROUT-BAUER, INC.

ASB post-consumer film reclaim system continuously processes one metric ton/hr of thin films such as HDPE and LDPE into flake or pellets. System receives and pre-shreds bales and feeds them to the washing tank, where detergent is automatically added and further shredding/agitation occurs. All heavy contaminants are removed at this stage. While in wash solution, material is cut to size with patented DSF film cutter. Geometry of the film cutter provides uniform 0.002- to 0.003-in. knife-to-knife clearance that enables continuous reduction of films as thin as 0.00025 in.

After cutting, wash water is removed on a Hydrasieve static screen, filtered and recycled. Ground film is dewatered in a screw press and transported to the rinsing area where a series of Hydrasieves removes remaining fiber and other contaminants from the film. Effluent from this section is filtered on ASB Micrasieve pressure screens to remove fiber from the rinse water. Cleaned water is recycled. Rinsed film is then dewatered again in a screw press and dried to less than 1% moisture.

System is modular with several segments pre-piped, pre-wired and mounted on structural steel. Modules are moved into position and connected at the site. Company can provide flake-handling, extrusion and pellet-handling systems as required. A pilot system is available for testing.

BARTEX RECYCLING

Offers recycling line from Sikoplast GmbH of Germany. Sikoplast custom-builds proprietary recycling systems for HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, ABS, PS, PP, polycarbonate, polyetherimide (GE's Ultem), nylon and PET--specializing in the last two. Uses proprietary grinding and drying technology, and a conical, single-screw extruder connected right to a polycondensation reactor, which upgrades PET's i.v. from 0.66 i.v. to 0.80. Sikoplast has also built systems for direct recycling of scrap into blown film, pipe or profile.

LOUIS P. BATSON INC.

Offers recycling systems from Sant' Andrea Novara SpA of Italy. Revive line processes mixed resins contaminated with 5-20% paper, 5-8% aluminum, 5-10% wood, and 1-5% organic matter, but not ferrous metals, chalk, thermosets or vulcanized rubber. It homogenizes mix and extrudes a narrow sheet 0.25-0.5 in. thick, which is then hot-melt granulated for injection molding or extrusion.

System includes shredder; granulator; 30:1 L/D low-pressure extruder with 12 temperature zones; vented calendering rolls; Ph-neutralizing water tank; hot-melt granulator; and cyclone dryer and deduster, which recirculates dust to the extruder. Calendering-roll section is important because it is surrounded by a vented enclosure that draws off entrapped air and gasses from the extruded mix and increases its density before granulation. System is controlled from a separate console, which displays and records operating parameters. It comes in one size for 220-990 lb/hr output, depending on scrap density.

CONAIR RECLAIM TECHNOLOGIES THE CONAIR GROUP, INC.

Conair has an agreement with Amplasco Inc. of Richmond, Va. to sell Amplasco's line of recycling equipment for post-consumer and post-industrial plastics.

This move strengthens Conair's position as a supplier of recycling equipment. Company already offers grinding, shredding, repelletizing and materials-handling equipment. Amplasco's product line consists of five basic modules of recycling equipment used for dry preparation, washing, separation, water filtration, and drying units.

Amplasco's equipment is designed for use with a number of plastics materials including HDPE, PET and various PE films, PS foam and plastic waste from wire and cable. Recyclers have the choice of purchasing an entire system (all five modules), or individual modules that can augment an existing recycling operation.

CUMBERLAND ENGINEERING CO. JOHN BROWN INC.

Complete recycling systems for post-consumer PET/HDPE milk or soda containers, oil or detergent bottles, and PE film. Post-consumer plastics can be processed into clean flake or pellets at rates from 1000 to 3000 lb/hr.

Typical systems include bale breakers; granulators; materials handling, prewash, hot-wash and hydrocyclone separation systems; and complete extrusion, polymer filtration and pelletizing systems (strand or water-ring), plus system-wide control packages. Water purification also available. Major components supplied by John Brown divisions: Egan Machinery, Beringer and Cumberland Engineering.

EREMA NORTH AMERICA INC.

System features patented "warm feed" that predensifies and shreds material before the extruder. This minimizes heat input, resulting in extremely low degradation of reclaimed material. Erema recycling machines repelletize HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, PP, EPS, nylon 6 and 66, ABS and PET from film, flake or expanded foam. Sizes range from 150 to 2200 lb/hr.

Also offers automatic back-flushing screenchangers, two-shaft shredder and other components.

FBM AMERICA CORP.

U.S. agent for recycling equipment built by FBM srl of Italy. Systems recycle post-consumer scrap film and/or bottles from PE or PET resins--grocery sacks, stretch wrap, redemption bags, agricultural film and bottles--into clean pellets. Dedicated or flexible systems have outputs ranging from 500 to 2000 lb/hr. Components designed in compliance with U.S. electrical and safety standards.

Systems include washing, drying, filtering and repelletizing. Special features include "sink/float" separation, pre-wash and sizing, drying systems, granulate storage, single- or double-vent reclaim extruders, hot die-face cutter, closed-loop cooling system, and slide-plate screenchangers or continuous filter and separation device.

GALA INDUSTRIES, INC.

Washing and rinsing equipment removes from flakes foreign materials such as fine particles, loose paper and chemical solutions, as well as sand and dirt. Equipment handles rates from 10 to 5000 lb/hr, depending on type and thickness of product. Centrifugal dryer handles rates to 100,000 lb/hr and higher for some products. Underwater pelletizer handles recycled thermoplastics.

HAFNER INDUSTRIES, INC. (HII)

Proprietary chemical process technologies treat and reclaim waste plastic mixtures. Most systems are closed-loop. Typical mixtures can be composed of two or more plastics--HDPE, PVC, PET, PP, PUR, and PS, with or without water, oils, paper, metal and glass.

Company offers to license its technology or to form joint ventures.

HERBOLD GRANULATORS USA, INC.

Complete turnkey systems for recycling PE film and stretch films, and PE, PET and PVC bottles. Hydrocyclone separation technology can be added as an upgrade to existing Herbold recycling lines. Hydrocyclone is a conical device, which feeds recycled flake from the top, together with water, and spins until the material separates by density. Heavy PET goes out the bottom, light PE goes out the top. After one hydrocyclone separates HDPE and PET, each stream passes through another one to three hydrocyclones. HUTCHEON MACHINERY, INC.

Used and rebuilt sorting, granulating, washing and drying systems for post-consumer and post-industrial recycling.

ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION

A number of Italian companies offer various systems for scrap reclaiming and reprocessing.

KUHNE ANLAGENBAU GMBH

See O/K International Corp.

MAGNETIC SEPARATION SYSTEMS

Develops and manufactures separation and sensing products. Recycling systems include:

* BottleSort system for whole, commingled, post-consumer plastic containers uses optical transmission data to break down the mixed bottle stream into three sub-categories: PET and PVC, unpigmented HDPE and polypropylene, and mixed-color HDPE. Additional sensor modules can be provided. An x-ray sensor is used to positively subsort PVC. Color sorting of PET and HDPE also available.

* ELPAC system for automated removal of metallic contaminants from chopped plastic. Aluminum and lead contaminants down to 1/500 g can be detected and removed. Removal efficiency for typical feedstreams is over 98% with less than 1% product loss.

* TPVC system for detecting residual PVC in mixed plastic bottle feedstream is used in conjunction with automated PVC removal systems in applications where PET output must meet the strictest requirements. PVC bottle contamination levels typically reduced from 1000 ppm to less than 10 ppm.

Company is researching the areas of PVC removal from PET at the plastic flake level, and color sorting of plastic flake.

M.A. INDUSTRIES, INC. ENGINEERING DIV.

Manufactures complete recycling systems for post-consumer PET and HDPE containers in capacities from 1000 to 3000 lb/hr. Basic system can be modified to meet specific needs. Water treatment systems also available. Recycling system components also sold individually: granulators, bale breakers, spin dryers, trommels, air conveying/classification systems, float/sink classiers, PET crystallizers, rotary hot-air dryers, flake washers.

MODERN MACHINERY OF BEAVERTON

Patented cryogenic cleaning system uses liquid nitrogen as the freezing agent and pure water for flotation/separation system. No soaps or caustic chemicals are used, and the only water used is makeup water for float/sink separation process.

Ground material is fed into the cryogenic chamber, where its temperature is reduced to -200 F, making it extremely brittle. Frozen material is metered into a high-speed impacter where labels, glues and contaminants are broken and drawn off by aspiration. Clean material is auger fed to the float/sink process that separates PET from HDPE. It is hot-air spun-dried and then enters a screening process to remove PVC and fines.

Systems available in capacities of 1000 and 2000 lb/hr. Flotation separation, spin drying, and screening equipment is standard. Complete production system available for demonstration.

MUNCHY LTD.

See Action Industries, Inc.

O/K INTERNATIONAL CORP.

Offers complete recycling systems from Kuhne Anlagenbau GmbH, a subsidiary of Kuhne GmbH. Systems extrude 100% recycled material without separate sorting, washing, or pelletizing processes. In a one-step process, different materials are coextruded, impurities filtered out, and quality film, sheet, or molded parts extruded.

PARTEK CORP.

Developed the technology for Phillips Plastics Recycling Partnership, which is operating a full-scale plant in Tulsa, Okla. Several components of the custom-built system and the overall process concepts have patents pending.

The heart of the HDPE recycling line is a proprietary "single-pass" granulation system that produces a highly uniform, square flake with minimal production of fines and dust. Two granulators each process up to 2500 lb/hr. Line begins with a bale breaker and rotating trommel for removing loose caps and dirt. After granulation comes an enclosed, high-shear, cylindrical washing tank; hydrocyclone system for separating out "heavies" like PVC, PET, metal and dirt; spin-drying units; and kinetic-energy scrubbers that remove labels and glue. Dust and fines are removed from clean flake by two aspirators. Finished flake is metered together with additives into an extruder with a vacuum pump that draws off residual moisture and volatiles. Melt is filtered with continuous, rotary screenchangers, and pellets are made on a water-ring pelletizer.

Partek offers to license the technology on a nonexclusive basis.

PLASTICS DENSIFICATION INC.

Represents Plastics Densification Ltd. of the U.K., which manufactures the Styro-melt PD2000 densifier machine for processing packaging foam waste at up to 75 lb/hr. Unit, measuring 81 x 45 x 23 in., densifies using heat, not blades or grinding, in a cast aluminum chamber ringed with internal heating elements. Close temperature control of the melt (at 428 F) prevents burning, but shrinks more than 95% of the volume of many PS foam products. Melted waste is cast into bricks, water cooled, and ejected for recycling or use as efficient fuel. Three to four garbage bags of PS waste, or 1000 foam cups, make a 2-lb brick in about 3 min. Heated slicer for large block foam can be added for faster feeding. A flue with extractor fan and carbon filter controls odors.

A smaller commercial model DP1000 processes up to 25 lb/hr of styrofoam waste.

RECOVERY PROCESSES INTERNATIONAL

Turnkey recycling system accepts 7-8 million lb/yr of mixed plastic bottles and puts out separate streams of dean, ground PET, natural-color HDPE, and mixed-color HDPE. System removes PVC bottle material, aluminum caps, paper labels and glue. It grinds all bottles up together before washing and separating the components. Water-flotation system combines three separation principles based on differences in specific gravity and modified flotation characteristics.

REG-MAC

See Tex America, Inc.

RRT DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION CORP.

Develops and implements plastics processing and solid waste management materials recovery and recycling projects. Services include integration of custom design and engineering, process equipment procurement and installation, and construction management. Broad industry expertise includes facilities construction and R&D of systems and component applications.

SANT'ANDREA NOVARA

See Louis P. Batson Inc.

SIKOPLAST GMBH

See Bartex Recycling.

SOREMA S.p.A. PLASTICS RECYCLING SYSTEMS

Turnkey systems for recycling PE, PP, PS, ABS, nylon, PVC and PET, including film, are available in capacities of 550 to 4400 lb/hr. They include proprietary washing, separation and rinsing cycles that use hot and cold water. Washing systems separate contaminants such as incompatible plastics, paper, cardboard, wood, natural fibers, ferrous and nonferrous metals, organics, silica, clay and grease. Prewashing systems available for extremely contaminated material.

Direct-feed extruders built especially for the systems feature automatic force-feed hoppers, feed bushings, specially designed screws, degassing systems, and automatic screenchangers with pressure control. A range of accessory equipment is offered.

STERLING SYSTEMS DIV. STERLING BLOWER CO.

Systems for reclaiming post-consumer or post-industrial materials such as PET, HDPE and PVC bottles; carpet scrap; cable chop; tires; and automotive scrap. Custom designed systems handle up to 10,000 lb/hr and use various methods of washing and separation such as sorting, elutriation, agitation, float/sink and hydrocyclone to produce a finished product ready for reprocessing. Consulting services and retrofit packages to improve existing recycling systems also offered.

TEX AMERICA, INC.

Represents Reg-Mac of Italy, which manufactures washing systems for bottles and film in sizes to 4000 lb/hr. Intensive washing guarantees 100% paper removal, while special floating tank provides total HDPE/PET separation. Drying systems with centrifuges and/or continuous presses are customized to type and quantity of material. Systems include 430-hp densifiers with outputs of 3500 lb/hr and automatic guillotines with up to 100-ton cutting force.

LB SERIES ROBOT

Designed to accept runners and parts by robot, conveyor or by manual feeding.

Model                              79 MS      79 LB      912 LB      1012 KLB

Cutting Chamber         in         7 x 9      7 x 9      9 x 12      10 x 12
Motor (Low RPM)         HP         3          3          5           5 (Opt.)
Rotating Knives         No.        3          3          4           3
Fixed Knives            No.        2          2          2           2
Infeed Hopper (Opt.)    in         48.5       46.5       68          60
Throughput              lbs/hr     50         175        350         350
Weight                  lbs        525        525        650         850

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HEAVY DUTY SERIES

Large granulators for high output and granulation of heavy and bulky items.

Model                              600 SC     2442 H     2442 RS     3250

Cutting Chamber         in         12 x 24    24 x 42    24 x 42     32 x 50
Motor                   HP         50         75,100     100         200
Rotating Knives         No.        8          10         20          6, 18
Fixed Knives            No.        3          2, 3       3           2
Throughput              lbs/hr     1,950      4,500      6,500      10,000
Weight                  lbs        2,400      8,600      10,000     22,000