Extrusion International 3-2022

40 Extrusion International 3/2022 Extrusion Technologies, Recycling Innovative Extrusion Technologies for the Closed Recycling Loop Machine components for plant retrofits and turnkey solutions for recycling applications Gneuss Processing Unit (GPU) with unmatched degassing and decontamination performance With the Gneuss Process Unit (GPU), a well-es- tablished concept is available which has proven itself many times over in the recycling of plastic waste, both in the post-consumer sector and for indus- trial waste. Due to the highly effcient degassing per - formance, pre-drying of the material can be dispensed with, even in PET recycling processes. A Gneuss Processing Unit consists of a Gneuss MRS ex- truder with its unmatched devolatilization and decon- tamination performance in combination with a highly- effcient Gneuss Rotary Filtration System and an online viscometer VIS for intelligent dynamic viscosity control. Although originally developed specifcally for PET, the MRS is now also running in polyolefn, polyamide, polylactam and polystyrene applications, other mate- rials and applications are being tested. The dispersion of additives such as fbers or smallest particles in plastic melts or the blending of different types of plastics are becoming increasingly important felds of applications for this technology. Based on a conventional single screw extruder, the Multi Rotation Section is a drum containing eight sat- ellite single screws, driven by a ring gear and pinion transmission. The “barrels” cut into the drum are wide open and provide optimum exposure of the melt. With a vacuum down to 1mbar and thanks to the very intensive surface exchange in the multi rotation section, contaminants such as adhesives, foreign polymers, monomers and other short-chained molecules as well as volatile components can be effciently removed. The patented MRS Technology allows intensive, ho- mogeneous, and at the same time gentle mixing of the melt. Despite varying input qualities, the end product is always of a high and con- stant quality. By avoiding the need for pre-drying, the MRS is an economi- cally effcient alternative to conventional technol- ogies. Further arguments in its favor besides energy savings are the simple and rugged design, small footprint, its ease of op- eration and low mainte- nance, processing flexibil - ity and last but not least its excellent melt quality and homogeneity. A Letter of Non Objec- tion (LNO) from the FDA, EFSA conformity and several local approvals in GPU-ProcessingUnitwithMulti Rotation ExtruderMRS, RotaryMelt Filter RSFgenius, OnlineViscometer VIS Extrusion linewith ExtruderMRSjumpwithVacuum Unit, RotaryMelt Filter RSFgenius andOnlineViscometer VIS