New methods for recycling plastic waste

Three new methods for the recycling of waste plastics, the first industrialization in Europe used solvent recovery of PVC wire coating, centrifugal recycling of used nylon carpets and mechanical separation of various debris.
According to the latest data provided by the European Plastics Manufacturers Association (APME), the recycling rate of waste plastics in Western Europe was 32% in 1999, mainly driven by mandatory regulations. Germany’s Duales system is responsible for recycling 60% of used waste packaging, and Italy requires recycling. The automotive fuel container, while the European Community Association is busy formulating a timetable for the recycling of automotive and electronic plastics. However, these regulations do not stipulate how the plastics are “recycled”. According to Mayne of APME Technology Center in Brussels, recycled plastics in Europe are rarely reused. At present, only 11% of the total amount of waste plastics is used, 14% of recycled plastics are shipped abroad, and 12% of recycled plastics are converted into energy by burning. In fact, recycling is a very difficult task.
But what attracts attention is that several new processes have recently been industrialized for the first time, which is conducive to greatly improving the level of plastic recycling, not just as boiler fuel. The process includes the solvent separation of PVC and the removal of a variety of vehicle dashboards. Material composition of the composite surface layer, and rapid and automatic identification of waste packaging resin types.
In Europe, there are recently two newly developed solvent recovery PVC processes. The cost of recycled PVC compounds is lower than that of the starting compound. The “Vinyloop” process developed by Belgian company Solvay in cooperation with several industrial companies. After removing the copper, the wire wrapper contains 50% PVC and 50% rubber. It was separated with an electrostatic separator from Hamos Corp. and obtained 85% PVC. 15% rubber, patented Vinyloop batch process, PVC is first dissolved in methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) solution and special filters are used to remove natural and synthetic fibers, cross-linked PE, vulcanized rubber, PP, PU, ​​paper, metal and other The material is then steam injected into the solution to precipitate the PVC into small balls that evaporate the solvent and condense to recover the solvent. The dried PVC pellets have good fluidity, and the bulk density is similar to that of the starting compound, which is generally gray. Because the color of the wrapped wire has many wrappings, which contain different additives and stabilizers, the PVC properties do not decrease because of no heat treatment. No pelleting can be used directly. The pilot plant in Brussels began operation in 1999, and the first industrial unit was built in Ferrara in Italy in March 2001 and is expected to be put into operation in December. The total investment is 7.2 million U.S. dollars, the capacity is 10,000 t/a, and the cost of recycled compounds is 13 cents/pound. The second 9Kt/a unit is planned to be built in France and completed in 2004.
Another solvent-recovery PVC technology was co-developed by Delphi Automation Systems of Germany and Wuppertal University. Three years ago, it was industrialized by German company Wietek. The company is an automatic recycling waste company. Allegedly produced PVC compound is more than the initial compounding. The material cost is about 20% lower. The process uses monolithic wires and esters and ketones as solvents, but the amount is much less than the Vinyloop process. The solvent does not dissolve the PVC, but only softens the PVC into a continuous phase, making it easy to separate from the shiny copper wire. Wietek has patents for separating plastics from solvents using centrifuges. Because the wire is not cut, torn, there is no ash, and there is no need to filter or separate the metal. The law also applies to the recovery of other materials, such as recycling ABS and ABS blends.
The new technology for recovering nylon from old carpets using centrifuge separation technology has also been industrialized. In April 2001, Polyamid 2000 of Germany installed 12 Centers combined centrifuge systems provided by Baker Technologies (formerly Bird Machinery) of the United States, and it is expected to treat old carpets annually. With a capacity of 110,000 tons, it can produce 0.8 million tons of nylon 6 and 12,000 tons of nylon 66 per year.
Polyamid 2000 first used Raman spectroscopy to confirm the raw material of the carpet and remove wool, PET, PP and other non-nylon carpets. The non-nylon carpet can burn to provide the energy needed for the operation of the recovery unit. The nylon carpet was first broken into fine particles and entered a centrifugal separation system. Twelve 890m/m centrifuges were used to make the secondary system. The first stage had 8 centrifuges and the second stage consisted of 4 centrifuges. The first-stage system removes the calcium carbonate-filled rubber backing, the rubber backing can be sold as a compounding or burning device for operating energy, and the second-stage system further separates other materials in the nylon. The nylon is then depolymerized and the monomers are fractionated and repolymerized into new nylon. It is estimated that this new nylon costs the same as standard nylon.
High efficiency nylon air inhaler for engine
DSM Engineering Plastics' Nylon (PA) 6 Akulon K224-HG6V has been selected as the engine air inhaler material. The inhaler adopts the revolutionary direct suction technology produced by Synerhect, Inc., USA. The air inhaler is widely used for private cruises. And scooters engine. The air inhaler is connected to the electronic control unit (ECU) to mix air and fuel before the air and fuel directly enter the front cylinder of the engine, thereby improving engine fuel efficiency and reducing emissions by 30% to 40%.
Synerject is a 50% joint venture between Orbital Engines and Siemens Motors. Siemens has developed and deployed an integrated fuel system for Orbital's advanced air-assisted direct injection process. The air-assisted fuel injection system is the next step for the development of the internal combustion engine power plant. It is very obvious to improve fuel efficiency, while reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and meeting new emission requirements in the future.
Akulon K224-HG6V is a 30% glass fiber reinforced nylon 6, which has been selected as an air injector because of its good mechanical properties and high temperature resistance. Akulon's long-term continuous use of high temperature, high heat distortion temperature, glass fiber reinforced can significantly Improve the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of nylon, and Akulon is good for processing and easy to color.
Synerject is continuing to develop a new generation of high-performance air inhalers called the Strata family of products that can be used in the automotive industry as well as in the non-automotive industry. The new product can meet the requirements of both market air inhalers at the same time, use the same parts as much as possible, and meet unique market requirements for unique performance components, ie, both applications have proprietary components but can be assembled in the same production line. In addition to air inhalers for private cruises and scooters, this new technology and products are also heavily used in launches, and the automotive industry is a potential market.