Revolutionize your Packaging Recycling - The filtration systems of BritAS Recycling Solutions

As part of the NGA Group, it is essential for BritAS Recycling-Anlagen GmbH to observe and analyse trends in the packaging market. BritAS, based in Hanau, has been manufacturing systems for melt filtration in plastics recycling since 1993. In order to produce high-quality recyclates in the packaging sector with a view to the desired circular economy, melt filtration is indispensable in the recycling process. The draft of a new EU regulation (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation PPWR) provides for a recycled content of 25 to 50% in plastic packaging from 2030. [1] The current material flow pattern from the Conversio study shows that the use of recyclates in plastic packaging is currently 15.3%.[ 2] In the future, therefore, a large amount of post-consumer waste is to be expected, which will have to be processed, extruded and filtered in order to produce recyclates that are again suitable for use in the packaging sector. With regard to food packaging, which must also consist of at least 25% recyclate from 2030, recycled pellets are required that have EFSA approval. While EFSA certifications have almost become standard in PET recycling, there are very few recycling applications with EFSA approval for polyolefins so far. Therefore, the trend in melt filtration with regard to polyolefins, similar to PET, will be towards high filtration fineness in order to be able to produce EFSA-certified recycled pellets.

ABMF-TH (Twin Head) – Series

Due to the keywords larger quantities of substance and higher filtration finenesses, one inevitably ends up with the ABMF-TH series from BritAS. The Twin Head series is the further development of the ABMF standard and consists of two ABMF units arranged almost vertically, which are connected to each other via distribution blocks. This means that throughputs of up to 6,000 kg/h can be achieved. Due to the combination of two ABMF units that work independently of each other, a continuous melt flow is also ensured during the screen changing process. In addition, the typical BritAS storage cylinders, such as those used in the ABMF standard, can be dispensed with. Due to the large filter area of up to 3,200 cm2, a good filtration result with high filtration fineness can be achieved even at higher levels of contamination. For example, the ABMF from BritAS can be used to filter polyolefins with filtration finenesses of 60 to 40μm without any problems. With regard to material savings and resource conservation, the low melt loss of the TH series should also be mentioned. Depending on the application and screen change frequency, the systems have a melt loss of 0.2 - 1%

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ABMF-PET-C - Series

Polycondensation systems are used for the production of high-quality PET recyclates that are approved for food contact applications. These plants work either with the liquid-state condensation principle (LSP) or according to the solid-state condensation principle (SSP). Regardless of the type of equipment used, suitable melt filtration is required for every bottle-to-bottle recycling process. BritAS also has a suitable solution for these applications with the ABMF-PET-C. The ABMF-PET-C has been specially developed for the filtration of post-consumer PET and other low-viscosity materials such as polyamide. With this filter, high regranulate qualities can be achieved both with low-contamination materials such as bottle flakes and materials with high contamination such as fines from car washes or backwash lumps from backwash systems. Depending on the degree of contamination of the material, filtrations with up to 20μm can be realized. This makes the ABMF-PET-C from BritAS the only filter in the PET sector to date that enables such high filtration finenesses. Since a double-cavity technology ensures a continuous melt flow similar to the TH series, the PET-C is ideally suited for the usual pelletizing systems of PET, such as underwater pelletizing or strand pelletizing. Like all melt filters from BritAS, the ABMF-PET-C is also characterized by its low melt loss. While the more contaminated fines have a melt loss of about 0,5%, the melt loss of bottle flakes is only 0.1%.

Sources:

[1]? Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on packaging and packaging waste, amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and Directive (EU) 2019/904, and repealing Directive 94/62/EC

?[2] Conversio GmbH 2022 Material Flow Diagram Plastics In Germany 2021 (Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH

Athor: Michael Heiss, Process Engineer BritAS Recycling Solutions