Extrusion International 1-2022

37 Extrusion International 1/2022 In the process of expanding capaci- ties, the British recycling company Recycling Lives decided it required a plant that could process different materials simultaneously at its 15- acre Recycling Park in Preston. These included ASR, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), metal composites and meatballs. After BHS had drawn up an initial concept for a plant, extensive tests were carried out at the Sonthofen, Germany, test center with about two to three met- ric tons of each material required by the customer. BHS calculated pro fi tability after tests in the test center Customers of BHS-Sonthofen need a validated basis for decision-making before they invest in a new plant. Data on throughput and material quality, among other parameters, is collected during the tests and analy- ses in the test center. This informa- tion is then used to create a mass balance a pro fi tability analysis – a key advantage for customers. The re- cycling company used the calculation to estimate the pro fi tability of the plant investment.” Accordingly, the experts from BHS designed the plant based on the test data. The feed material is sup- plied to the Rotorshredder of type RS 3218 via a feeder. The tools of the Rotorshredder exert a very intense stress on the feed material through impact, shock and shearing forces. was developed by BHS together with the British customer, produces mar- ket-ready end products. Recycling Lives’ Chief Engineer Gary Halpinexplained: “Since themachine was installed three years ago down- stream from our main shredder at the Recycling Park in Preston, it has proved ef fi cient in further reducing the particulate size for more ef fi - cient extraction of metals and other materials from the waste stream. It is a valuable element within our waste processing operation, helping to extract maximum value and also increase the amount of material that can be recycled as we progress to- wards a circular economy solution.” The result is selective size shredding: Particle sizes are selectively reduced and compositematerials are separat- ed. All fi ne fractions of particle sizes smaller than 25 mm are processed on other existing plants. The frac- tion >25 mm is conveyed to a zigzag sifter, which frees the feed material from light material ( fl uff, fi lms, fi - bers, dust, etc.). The cleaned material is then trans- ported via an overhead magnet to a cyclone separator, which was includ- ed in the order to BHS. In the overall control concept BHS took these as- semblies into account and also sup- plied the steel structures for these parts of the plant. The process, which The process developed together with the company is based on a pro fi tability analysis The Rotorshredder of type RS 3218 is the centerpiece of the plant (©CMüller) BHS-Sonthofen GmbH An der Eisenschmelze 47, 87527 Sonthofen, Germany www.bhs-sonthofen.com/en/ Recycling Lives www.recyclinglives.com The tools of the Rotorshredder exert a very intense stress on the feedmaterial through impact, shock and shearing forces