Extrusion International USA 5-2022

70 Extrusion International 5/2022 K 2022 Efficient All-In-One Plastics Recycling Solutions A s a pioneer in the recycling indus- try, Lindner draws on a wealth of experience in transforming waste into valuable materials and stands for quality, experience and product in - novations. At K 2022 Lindner will be presenting ground-breaking all-in-one solutions for the efficient plastics recy - cling of tomorrow. The circular economy and the grow- ing importance of plastics recycling un- der the umbrella of climate protection are key topics at October’s K in Düssel- dorf. Undoubtedly, there has been an upswing in plastics recycling for several years. The challenges facing the indus- try, however, continue to bemultifacet- ed and complex: demand on recyclate quality is increasing as is the call for higher throughputs with minimal ener- gy consumption and maintenance. The driving force behind this is clear: Plastic needs to be retained in the cycle for as long as possible and the aim is also to use recycled plastic material increas- ingly in the food sector. The key to re- cycling success lies in the perfect coor- dination of the upstream processes of shredding, washing and sorting. As one of a few recycling specialists, Lindner offers all-in-one solutions to effectively optimise these steps while processing rigid plastics, film and PET. Shredding waste plastic is right at the start of the plastics recycling pro- cess – an area in which Lindner can apply its decades of experience in the processing of domestic, commercial and industrial waste to obtain stan- dard throughputs of 40 t/h and more. At the K 2022, Lindner will be present- ing the upgraded Jupiter BW series for the first time. This product innovation is focused on optimising the handling of plastic films for the downstreamNIR sorting process. In addition to a con- stant volume flow and homogeneous larger particles, this also includes op- timising the particle size for NIR sort- ing. “With a particle size of DIN A4 to A3, we have been able to improve the performance of the NIR systems with our customer,” says Stefan Scheifling - er- Ehrenwerth, Head of Product Man- agement at Lindner. “Every shredding process generates a certain proportion of fines along with the targeted ideal particle size. With the new, resource- efficient Jupiter BW set-up we have managed to reduce the proportion of fines generated by 50%, which manufacturers of NIR sorting equip- ment have confirmed.” As a result, the newly developed cutting system of the Jupiter BW series is able to significant - ly increase the added value along the chain. Besides shredding and sorting, the washing process is also a key qual- ity criterion for producing high-quality regranulate. Not an easy challenge if you consider that plastics are increas- ingly extracted from waste streams, which is how heavily contaminated input materials are gradually finding their way into plastics recycling. “We are only too familiar with the problem. But we also have the right solutions,” says Harald Hoffmann, Managing Di- rector of Lindner Washtech, Lindner’s subsidiary specialising in plastics recy- cling. “Our patented Rafter pre-wash has been tailored to the new require- ments. By using a larger rotor, we can lengthen the dwell times, which obvi- ously has a positive effect on the depth of cleaning. We have also been able to sustainably improve the throughput rate, 3 t/h for films and 5 t/h for rigid plastics – and we will be showcasing this product innovation at the K trade fair for the first time,” adds Harald Hoffmann. Lindner will also be high- lighting another product innovation, this time in thermal drying: “At the K we will also be introducing EcoDry, our new thermal dryer. Clever use of heat exchangers and a sustainable insulation of the material-conveying components means this dryer achieves energy savings of up to 30 %. And the high degree of drying also ensures the flakes are better prepared for subse - quent processes.” As in 2019, Lindner is in the out- side area of the K, and this year the company will be exhibiting as part of the VDMA Circular Economy Forum. Showcasing its products together with several other companies along the en- tire value chain will give visitors a taste of the circular economy, promoting this important topic. As an example of an entire washing plant, Lindner will be presenting a shredding, washing and drying unit with integrated water treatment and will be recycling plastics live several times a day. Shredding is performed by a model from the new Micromat HP series – a machine equipped with new con- venient functions that offer impres- sively high throughout performance and ease of maintenance. Its flexible, bolted knives system and its enhanced drive make the new Micromat HP se- ries an energy-efficient all-rounder in plastics recycling, and can be used to shred films and rigid plastics. Lindner-Recyclingtech GmbH www.lindner.com Hall 9, Stand B17 & B19 Circular Economy Forum in the outside area CE-02 Shredding – Washing – Sorting: At K 2022 Lindner presents efficient all-in-one plastics recycling solutions at Booth B17 & B19 as well as in the outside area CE-02 as part of the Circular Economy Forum