Extrusion International 1-2023

28 Extrusion International 1/2023 CHINAPLAS 2023 Innovative Degassing and Decontamination Technologies for Demanding Recycling Applications Gneuss presents new series of OMNI Recycling Machines Extrusion Technology New OMNI Recycling Machines for closed loop recycling of PET, PS and polyolefin post-consumer reclaim Gneuss’ MRS Extrusion Technol- ogy has proven itself as an alterna- tive for the reprocessing of con- taminated materials like polyester, polystyrene, polypropylene or poly- ethylenes. In combination with the highly efficient Gneuss Rotary Filtra - tion Systems and optimized vacuum technology, customizable recycling lines tailor-made for a specific mate - rial can be engineered. Several Let - ters of Non Objection (LNOs) from the FDA, EFSA conformity and local approvals in Latin America confirm the decontamination efficiency of the technology. OMNI Recycling Machine for post-consumer fiber or thermoform reclaim Gneuss will show its latest machin- ery innovations for today’s and to- morrow’s recycling needs with the new OMNI Recycling Machines. The OMNImax Recycling Machine processes industrial and post-con- sumer waste from all kinds of poly- mers and in all forms and shapes. It includes a 3C Rotary Feeder, an MRSjump extruder, a fully automat- ic melt filtration system RSFgenius and an online viscometer VIS. 3C Rotary Feeder The newly developed 3C Rotary Feeder makes it possible to use low bulk density materials without any external processing steps. A con - veyor belt feeds shredded reclaim material into the hopper, where a fast-rotating disc with knives cuts, compacts and pre-conditions the material. The knives add energy into the material and start the heat- ing and degassing process before the material is automatically fed into the MRSjump extruder. MRSjump The MRS extruder is based on conventional single screw technol- ogy but is equipped with a multiple screw section for devolatilization. It enables very efficient and gentle decontamination of PET, whilst achieving the requirements for di- rect food contact standards. The MRS extruder permits the process- ing of R-PET directly into high qual- ity end products such as packaging sheet, strapping tape or filaments without pre-drying by using a sim- ple and rugged vacuum system. This is achieved by means of its unique and patented processing section. The Multi Rotation Section is a drum containing multiple satellite single screws, driven by a ring gear and pinion transmission. The satellite screws rotate in the opposite direction to the main screw. This disproportionately in - creases the surface exchange of the polymer melt. A large opening for venting, exposing the full length of the satellite screws, is completely under vacuum. This provides excel - lent and unrestricted access to the polymer melt, the surface of which is constantly replaced at an extremely high rate by the action of the satel- lite screws in the multiple screw sec- tion. The surface area – and the sur - face area exchange rate – available for devolatilization are far greater than in other extrusion systems. As the thermal and mechanical stress on the polymer melt is minimized, PET processed on the MRS extruder has excellent optical and mechani- cal properties. The newMRSjump has a lon- ger, modified version of the Multi Rotation Section, which Picture 2: OMNIboost Recycling Machine with JUMP polyreactor, MRS Extrusion System, Rotary Filtration Systems and 3C Rotary Feeder Picture 1: Gneuss OMNImax Recycling Machine with MRSjump Extrusion System, Rotary Filtration System and 3C Rotary Feeder