Initial situation
As is so often the case in the recycling sector, hardly any fraction of scrap is the same as another. On the contrary, the variety is enormous: from light and heavy shredder materials to Zurik and Zorba through to cable and plastic-rich fractions, electronic or refrigerator scrap.
A current project with a French customer shows how it is possible to turn even more waste into valuable raw materials in this challenging area while simultaneously reducing landfill costs. The focus is on processing light shredder fractions in the range of 0–100 mm.
Efficient project implementation through material tests at the IFE Test Center
Joint material tests in the IFE Test Center with various material fractions from the customer formed the ideal starting point and foundation for implementing the project ideas. In view of the defined objectives, the focus was clearly on Fe/NF sorting and density sorting.
The combined expertise of the customer and IFE technicians, as well as the extensive experience with reference machines in the scrap sector led to one clear conclusion: pre-sorting with suitable screening technology is essential, too.
Thanks to the dosing hoppers with vibrating feeders available at the IFE Test Center, an efficient and smooth material feeding to the individual units was ensured.
✔ Maximizing value creation
To achieve the set goals, a customized IFE solution was developed.
- Screening technology consisting of coarse screening (waste screen) and fine screening (flip-flop screen TRISOMAT) as the basis for value creation.
- Ferrous/non-ferrous separation station with a vibrating feeder for uniform material feed, a magnetic drum (HPG) with a radial magnetic pole alternation as well as an eccentric eddy current separator (STRATOS) for efficient non-ferrous separation
- Destoner for density-based or heavy/light material separation
The material tests conducted beforehand clearly confirmed the achievement of the set targets: A substantial value increase in the metal fractions was achieved through Fe/NF sorting, while the landfill volume was significantly reduced by the Destoner.
✔ High flexibility
A wide range of different fractions should be processed effectively. With IFE's versatile portfolio, these requirements can be optimally met.
Similar to the process in the Test Center, each processing step should begin with a hopper feeder. To ensure an average process capacity of 2 t/h, a hopper feeder with dimensions of 1,000 x 4,000 mm and a hopper with a volume of 6 m³ were selected. For precise performance control, the feeder is also equipped with a frequency converter. The hopper serves as the starting point, to which all IFE devices can be added as needed via forklift. Thanks to the semi-mobile design of the machines, flexible handling is easily achievable. This design was optimized during the development process to account for maximum weights and center of gravity.
A flexible screening process is also essential to ensure the desired versatility.
The developed solution consists, as mentioned above, of two single-deck screens: an IFE waste screen and an IFE TRISOMAT flip-flop screen. Both units were selected with a nominal width of 800 mm.
By simply changing the screen panels, separation cuts in the range of 1–100 mm can be achieved.
✔ Easy integration
To fully utilize the benefits of the flexible and forklift-mobile equipment, all units are pre-wired and equipped with a fully assembled control cabinet. The electrical power supply is provided according to the customer's specifications using standard cables and connectors. The operation is also carried out as requested via the control panels of the respective units.
Measuring
During the material tests, not only were the results measured and documented, but the adaptability to different materials was also successfully demonstrated. Screening with two single-deck screens allows flexible fractionation in the range of 1–100 mm. Screening with two single-deck screens allows for any fractionation within the range of 1–100 mm. These different fractions, in turn, ensure maximum efficiency in both Fe/NF separation and density sorting.
Implementation
To quickly achieve results and generate value, a particularly fast implementation was also aimed for. The requirements for flexibility, forklift mobility, and plug-and-play functionality were already incorporated into the design and integrated into existing technical drawings. This allowed for a smooth and rapid manufacturing process. After the mandatory trial run – where every individual machine undergoes a trial at IFE – the machines were delivered in just a few months.
Conclusion
The planning phase of the project has been successfully completed, manufacturing has been carried out, and the commissioning of the plant is currently in progress. On-site, the machines will not only impress with their high efficiency but also with their eye-catching color – a real highlight. We look forward to providing further updates on the successful implementation and results at a later stage.