Extrusion International 2-2018

19 Extrusion International 2/2018 Recycling Lines put into Operation Following the installation of the first of two recycling lines type recoSTAR dynamic 165 C-VAC in Houston, Texas, Avan- gard Innovative LP is now ready to start processing of post- consumer film at its new recycling plant. Depending on filtra- tion fineness, the line achieves an output of up to 3,300 lb/hr. To ensure that the regranulate not only performs but smells like virgin material, both lines are equipped with Starlinger’s odor reduction technology. Avangard’s material comes from retail packaging film that contains a high amount of paper labels. The initial goal of the test run at Starlinger’s technology center was to remove as much paper contamination as possible with minimal melt loss. Processing went smoothly, but when the client inspect- ed the material in the US, it was discovered that the pellets had taken on an unpleasant odor. An investigation showed that the smell had been caused by the exposure of paper residues to heat during the extrusion process. Consequently, Avangard asked an additional requirement of Starlinger’s technology: production of odorless recyclate. Starlinger & Co. Gesellschaft m.b.H. www.starlinger.com LDPE film was obviously not a challenge, but the high paper content called for an extension of the line with an extra pro- cess step: odor reduction. Through optimal preparation of the material in the SMART feeder and excellent degassing in the C-VAC module, this process already extracts a large part of the smell during extrusion, and the Smell Extraction Unit (SEU) further enhances the quality of the final pellet. Avangard Innovative has a long history in trading LDPE film that it obtains from a variety of sources, and expanding into processing this film seemed like the next logical step. InMarch 2017, the company announced the opening of a brand-new LDPE film recycling plant for post-consumer waste at its exist- ing facility in Houston. A major reason for venturing into film recycling is availability of input material – an evaluation of ma- terial streams showed PE film to be available in large quanti- ties (up to 100 million pounds of film per year). Another rea- son is the advancement of recycling technology over the past years; due to cutting-edge extrusion and filtration systems, washing is no longer an absolute necessity for the recycling of post-consumer film. With a second Starlinger line being installed early this year, Avangard is all set to supply the US market with odorless, high-quality regranulate. Engineering Value NPE, West Hall Level 2, Hall A, Booth W403 KraussMaffei Competence Forum, June 6–7, 2018, Munich – Single-screw extruders and complete sys- tems for diverse customer requirements – Flexible in the processing of technical plastics – Optimum monitoring and closed-loop control with modern C6 control system Efficient machines and complex system solutions for technical profiles www.kraussmaffeiberstorff.com