Coperion Has Developed a Closed-Loop Approach For The Recycling of Industrial Waste In Multi-Layer Film Production
To further cultivate the circular economy, recycling is increasingly becoming an essential part of plastics processing and production. However, the processes involved in handling and recycling waste material can be fairly complex and may pose some challenges due to the often inhomogeneous characteristics of the material. Therefore, plastics manufacturers seek reliable solutions to meet these challenges and handle their industrial waste in an efficient way.
In this context, Coperion has recently developed a closed-loop approach for the production and recycling of multi-layer film. Based on this approach, up to 100 percent of the production waste can be fed back into the manufacturing process for an efficient and sustainable production cycle. The recycling system around this closed-loop is composed of bulk material handling solutions, high-accuracy feeders from Coperion K-Tron as well as a ZSK Mc18 twin screw extruder, the heart of the system.
Firstly, the multi-layer film production waste needs to be shredded before it can be processed further. Afterwards, the material is transported by a pneumatic conveying system and fed into the extrusion process by using highly accurate feeders from Coperion K-Tron. In the process section of the ZSK twin screw extruder, the material is then homogenized and devolatilized with high intensity. This process step is highly important as the dispersion and devolatilization performance determines the product quality of the recycled material. The ZSK extruders from Coperion are designed for gentle handling of the product, achieve a good mixing behavior and optimal devolatilization, even at high throughput rates, and are thus highly suitable for recycling applications. As a result, the secondary material remains at the same consistent high quality level.
Lastly, the recyclates are added into the multi-layer film production process forming a closed loop. In this way, the production of multi-layer film can be done in a much more efficient, sustainable and resource-friendly manner. Also, Peter von Hoffmann, General Manager of Business Unit Engineering Plastics & Special Applications at Coperion, is convinced of the relevance of the closed-loop approach: “Sustainability is becoming more and more important, and the topic of the circular economy is moving further into the foreground for companies – and that is much more so for multi-layer film producers.”
The closed-loop approach from Coperion enables multi-layer film manufacturers to recycle up to 100 percent of their production waste.
The ZSK Mc18 twin screw extruder from Coperion is suitable for a broad range of recycling applications and the heart of the closed-loop approach in multi-layer production .
