- Installed in “bottle-to-bottle” recycling line at European company
- Filter cartridge lengthens filter life from 8 to 72 hours
- New cartridge will be displayed at #NPE2015
A screen changer filter cartridge designed to resist deformation and enhance polymer flow has enabled the operator of a high-throughput PET recycling line supplied by Starlinger to reduce the frequency of filter replacement and improve pellet quality, according to Nordson Corporation.
Installed in a “bottle-to-bottle” recycling line at a European company
Installed in a “bottle-to-bottle” recycling line at a European company, Starlinger’s recoSTAR PET 165 HC iV+ recycling line includes a Nordson Kreyenborg K-SWE-4K-75/RS screen changer situated between the extruder and the underwater pelletizer. The line, which operates “24/7/365,” converts PET bottle flakes to rPET with positive opinion by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for re-use in bottles, with adjustable intrinsic viscosity levels depending on application.
Filter cartridge lengthens filter life from eight to 72 hours
When Starlinger’s customer replaced a standard filter medium in the screen changer with the new filter cartridge, the filter life was lengthened from eight to 72 hours, according to Christian Lovranich, head of process engineering at Starlinger recycling technology.
40% reduction of the backflush amount
Besides prolonging filter life, the design of the filter cartridge also addresses the requirements of high-throughput systems such as the 1,400 to 1,600 kg/h (3,086 to 3,527 lb./hr.) Starlinger line. The larger filter area of the cartridge and the elimination of stagnation zones reduce pressure variations that can detract from pellet quality. In addition, there is less material lost in backflushing, and there are no metal impurities. In addition to the increase in screen life, a 40% reduction of the backflush amount compared to the previous system (a conventional backflush filter) was realized. The available filter area is 1.672 cm2 (260 sq.in.).
