EP4688366A1 - Procédé de recyclage de récipients en polyoléfine - Google Patents

Procédé de recyclage de récipients en polyoléfine

Info

Publication number
EP4688366A1
EP4688366A1 EP24712109.8A EP24712109A EP4688366A1 EP 4688366 A1 EP4688366 A1 EP 4688366A1 EP 24712109 A EP24712109 A EP 24712109A EP 4688366 A1 EP4688366 A1 EP 4688366A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
lye
flakes
washing step
washing
sorting
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP24712109.8A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Michael Heyde
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner & CoKg GmbH
Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH and Co KG
Original Assignee
Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner & CoKg GmbH
Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH and Co KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner & CoKg GmbH, Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH and Co KG filed Critical Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner & CoKg GmbH
Publication of EP4688366A1 publication Critical patent/EP4688366A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B9/00—Making granules
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
    • B29B17/0026—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics by agglomeration or compacting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
    • B29B17/02—Separating plastics from other materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
    • B29B17/04—Disintegrating plastics, e.g. by milling
    • B29B17/0412—Disintegrating plastics, e.g. by milling to large particles, e.g. beads, granules, flakes, slices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
    • B29B17/02—Separating plastics from other materials
    • B29B2017/0213—Specific separating techniques
    • B29B2017/0217—Mechanical separating techniques; devices therefor
    • B29B2017/0234—Mechanical separating techniques; devices therefor using gravity, e.g. separating by weight differences in a wind sifter
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
    • B29B17/02—Separating plastics from other materials
    • B29B2017/0213—Specific separating techniques
    • B29B2017/0217—Mechanical separating techniques; devices therefor
    • B29B2017/0237—Mechanical separating techniques; devices therefor using density difference
    • B29B2017/0241—Mechanical separating techniques; devices therefor using density difference in gas, e.g. air flow
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
    • B29B17/02—Separating plastics from other materials
    • B29B2017/0213—Specific separating techniques
    • B29B2017/0279—Optical identification, e.g. cameras or spectroscopy
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
    • B29B17/02—Separating plastics from other materials
    • B29B2017/0213—Specific separating techniques
    • B29B2017/0286—Cleaning means used for separation
    • B29B2017/0289—Washing the materials in liquids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
    • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
    • B29B17/02—Separating plastics from other materials
    • B29B2017/0213—Specific separating techniques
    • B29B2017/0293—Dissolving the materials in gases or liquids
    • B29B2017/0296—Dissolving the materials in aqueous alkaline solutions, e.g. NaOH or KOH
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2023/00—Use of polyalkenes or derivatives thereof as moulding material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
    • Y02W30/00—Technologies for solid waste management
    • Y02W30/50—Reuse, recycling or recovery technologies
    • Y02W30/62—Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a process for recycling polyolefin containers according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • a processing method for producing polyolefin recyclates is known from the state of the art, in which polyolefin-containing residues are shredded into flakes. The flakes are washed in an alkaline medium, sorted, granulated and degassed in an extruder. The granulate obtained in this way can be used to produce new consumer product packaging.
  • the washing is carried out with water at 80°C (hot wash) and with a lye concentration of 1 to 3% by weight.
  • the advantage of these washing conditions is that the flakes are reliably freed of impurities, label residues and adhesive residues.
  • these washing conditions also have disadvantages:
  • Polyolefins especially HDPE (high density polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene) are non-polar polymers. During recycling, these are washed with polar media such as water, alkalis and acids. Washing lye is widely used. Washing non-polar plastics with a polar washing lye has the immediate consequence that impurities that are less polar than water or caustic soda dissolve in the polymer to an increased extent and thus contaminate the polymer. These impurities can lead to unpleasant odors and discoloration. These impurities can also contaminate food filled in a recycled container or cause skin irritation when the container is touched. Although washing cleans the surface of the flakes, the material itself is additionally contaminated by the washing.
  • polar media such as water, alkalis and acids. Washing lye is widely used. Washing non-polar plastics with a polar washing lye has the immediate consequence that impurities that are less polar than water or caustic soda dissolve in the polymer to an increased extent and thus
  • the polyolefins have adhesives, labels and sleeves with colors, coatings and other types of decoration on them that come off the polyolefins easily or better at elevated temperatures. These residues partially crosslink or release plasticizers during hot washing and therefore become brittle as a result of hot washing. The resulting dust (fines) can hardly be separated using optical separation mechanisms.
  • Sleeves made of PETG or other polyesters such as PLA roll up when washed at hot temperatures and enclose the polyolefin flakes by wrapping and rolling them up. This often makes it impossible to separate them using the sink-float process. Polyester particles that are to be sorted out reach their glass transition point at temperatures above 60°C, become sticky and stick to devices in the recycling plant. Separating the sticky polyester particles is made more difficult by their adhesion.
  • the invention is characterized in that the washing step is carried out with a lye having a lye temperature of less than 60°C and a lye concentration of less than less than 0.5% by weight.
  • the flakes which are still cold after the cold wash, absorb fewer contaminants because the material inside is still cold and the migration of odorous substances into the material is significantly lower when cold. Due to the low alkali concentration, large molecules of contaminants that are on the surface of the flakes (e.g. adhesive residues) are broken down less. The undesirable migration of small molecules into the polymer matrix is thus significantly reduced.
  • the "mild" alkali parameters surprisingly lead to a significant improvement in product quality with regard to odor, discoloration and irritation on skin contact:
  • the usual contamination of polyolefins in the concentration of butyric acid, nonenal, nonanal, nonalactone and limonene can be reduced by 50%.
  • the alkali concentration By additionally lowering the alkali concentration, the migrated contamination is reduced by a further 10 to 20%.
  • the lye has a temperature between 40°C and 60°C. At this low temperature range, the tendency of small molecules to migrate into the polyolefin matrix is significantly reduced. The cleaning performance of the lye is still sufficient above 40°C, since flakes on which label and adhesive residues still adhere after the washing step can be identified and separated in a flake sorting system.
  • the lye is processed and cleaned in a lye processing plant in the washing step and the washing step is carried out partly with fresh lye and partly with lye processed in the lye processing plant.
  • the shredding is wet shredding with washing water and acts as a first washing step, with the washing water being treated in a water treatment plant. This means that the containers and flakes are roughly cleaned at the same time as the containers are shredded into flakes.
  • the washing step is a second washing step, whereby the flakes are cleaned twice, namely during the wet crushing and during the washing step.
  • the lye is fed to the shredding unit in countercurrent after the lye preparation.
  • the countercurrent flow of the lye without prior preparation is economically problematic.
  • the lye is therefore regenerated in the lye preparation unit and kept in circulation for as long as possible.
  • the cleaning performance of the wash water is increased by partially feeding the regenerated lye to the shredding unit.
  • the flake sorting is an optical sorting with color recognition and/or polymer recognition.
  • the sorter recognizes label and adhesive residues, since such contaminated flakes have a different color and/or a different polymer than the flakes that are not sorted out by the sorter.
  • flakes with label residues and adhesive residues are sorted out in the flake sorting. Due to the selected parameters of the washing liquor in terms of temperature and concentration, more label, film and adhesive residues remain on the flakes than if the liquor parameters according to the prior art are 80°C and a liquor concentration of at least 1%. The flakes with contamination residues can be separated very well using the flake sorting, whereby the disadvantage of washing with cold and mild liquor can be completely compensated.
  • Figure 1 shows a flow diagram of a process according to the invention for recycling polyolefin containers, which originate from collected post-consumer waste and are designated as a whole with the reference number 11.
  • the process is used to produce PCR (post-consumer recycled) granulate, which in turn can be used to produce recycled polyolefin containers.
  • PCR post-consumer recycled
  • This requires higher requirements for characteristics such as particle contamination, color and odor than when the granulate is used to produce products for the construction industry, for example sewage pipes.
  • the flow chart of the process for recycling polyolefin containers shows the process steps (a) to (g) in a predetermined order.
  • a first process the discarded and collected polyolefin containers 13 (input material) are sorted.
  • the containers are sorted by color and polymer. This allows other polymers that are still present in the polyolefin recycling stream to be sorted out and different color classes to be created.
  • step (b) the containers are reduced to flakes in a wet cutting mill with a water circuit 27 including water treatment (i), and the flakes are fed to a washing step (c).
  • the increased quality requirements with regard to granulate contamination, odor and color can surprisingly be met with a lye 15 with a lye temperature of less than 60°C and particularly preferably between less than 60°C and 40°C.
  • the lye concentration is less than 0.5% in order to break down large molecules as little as possible.
  • the required quality can also be achieved with the existing "mild" lye parameters.
  • the low lye temperature and the low lye concentration mean that degradation products that are detrimental to quality are avoided (large molecules are degraded less) and the tendency of impurities to migrate into the polyolefin matrix is reduced.
  • the washing step (c) is carried out partly with fresh lye 15 and partly with lye 24 that has been processed in the lye preparation (k) so that no degradation products or impurities can penetrate into the flakes. However, these washing conditions mean that more label and film residues and adhesive residues adhere to the flakes after the washing step (c).
  • the washing step (c) also includes a sink-float separation including final rinsing of the lye residues.
  • a portion of the used lye is fed in countercurrent 17 to the wet shredding process (b), which is operated with >5m 3 of circulating water per megaton of plastic waste.
  • the shredding thus functions as a first washing step, which efficiently separates coarse contaminants.
  • the circulating water 27 is to be treated using suitable process technology (i), preferably with a sedimentation tank with an upstream sand trap, before it is returned to the water circuit 27 of the shredder.
  • the flake stream is freed from residues 19 of free labels, tags and foils (sleeves) in an air sifter (d).
  • the flakes can also be dried in the air sifter (d).
  • a highly sensitive sorter which has a color recognition and/or a polymer recognition.
  • the sorter is used to Flakes 21 with a color that differs from the main color and flakes made of foreign polymers are separated.
  • flakes with label and film residues and adhesive residues can also be sorted out in the flake sorting (e), as these have a different color or a foreign polymer, which the sorter detects.
  • the flakes washed with lye of low concentration and temperature and optically sorted have a surprisingly high quality with regard to undesirable migration into the polymer matrix and impurities on the surface.
  • an extrusion (f) the flakes are extruded into pellets or granules.
  • the recycled polyolefin material can also be degassed in the extruder, as this is melted and the heating can serve to separate migrated impurities.
  • a final step (g) the odor treatment of the granules or pellets takes place.
  • the final granulate 23, which leaves the odor treatment (g) can be packed in big-backs or temporarily stored in silos.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Separation, Recovery Or Treatment Of Waste Materials Containing Plastics (AREA)
  • Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de recyclage de récipients en polyoléfine, comprenant les étapes de procédé suivantes : (a) trier les récipients, (b) réduire la taille des récipients en flocons, (c) laver, (d) calibrer à l'air, (e) trier les flocons, (f) granuler les flocons dans une extrudeuse, et (g) réguler l'odeur du matériau granulaire. L'étape de lavage (c) est réalisée avec un milieu alcalin ayant une température inférieure à 60 °C et une concentration en milieu alcalin inférieure à 0,5 % en poids.
EP24712109.8A 2023-03-24 2024-03-21 Procédé de recyclage de récipients en polyoléfine Pending EP4688366A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH000328/2023A CH720640A1 (de) 2023-03-24 2023-03-24 Verfahren zum Recycling von Polyolefin-Behältern
PCT/EP2024/057639 WO2024200218A1 (fr) 2023-03-24 2024-03-21 Procédé de recyclage de récipients en polyoléfine

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4688366A1 true EP4688366A1 (fr) 2026-02-11

Family

ID=86329627

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP24712109.8A Pending EP4688366A1 (fr) 2023-03-24 2024-03-21 Procédé de recyclage de récipients en polyoléfine

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP4688366A1 (fr)
CN (1) CN120916877A (fr)
CH (1) CH720640A1 (fr)
MX (1) MX2025010361A (fr)
WO (1) WO2024200218A1 (fr)

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102009019706A1 (de) * 2009-05-05 2010-11-25 Zech Umwelt Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Aufbereiten verunreinigter Kunststoffgebinde, insbesondere Ölbehälter
DE102010019824A1 (de) * 2010-05-08 2011-11-10 Arnulf Lorenz Verfahren und Anlage zur Rückgewinnung von Kunststoff-Recyclaten aus zerkleinerten Kunststoffen
DE102016116742A1 (de) * 2016-09-07 2018-03-08 Der Grüne Punkt - Duales System Deutschland GmbH Verfahren zur Herstellung von Polyolefin-Rezyklaten
GB2557682A (en) * 2016-12-15 2018-06-27 saperatec GmbH Method and apparatus for recycling packaging material

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH720640A1 (de) 2024-09-30
MX2025010361A (es) 2025-10-01
CN120916877A (zh) 2025-11-07
WO2024200218A1 (fr) 2024-10-03

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