PETpla.net Insider 12 / 2011

MATERIAL / RECYCLING 12 PET planet insider Vol. 12 No. 12/11 www.petpla.net Erema’s new plant concept offers three different operating modes in rPET production. A flexible plant concept Vacurema technology Since it was launched the pat- ented process for recycling post- consumer PET bottle flakes and in-house PET waste, over 130 sys- tems have been installed around the world. Erema offers Vacurema technology in three different system designs, according to the field of application and the requirements placed on the end product – Vacu- rema Basic, Advanced and Prime. www.erema.at Austrian company Erema, which specialises in the development, manufacture and distribu- tion of plastic recycling systems and technologies for the plastics processing industry, has developed what it describes as a ‘flexible plant concept’ for its established Vacurema Prime technology. The company says that the concept enables users to produce both rPET flakes and pellets, at food grade. Erema designed and developed the new technology in response to the results of a market survey conducted in the USA and Europe. The report showed a clear desire on the part of recycling companies for a system that allows them to determine themselves the form of the processed rPET they produce at any time – in short, to choose between flakes and pellets. There are a number of reasons for this customer demand. Extreme price fluctuations for PET flakes means that production of rPET pellets alone does not always make sense; its differ- ence compared to virgin material can be so low that there is no market for them and in those circumstances it is more advantageous to sell processed flakes directly. In addition, the demand for food-contact grade flakes – PET sheet especially – is also increas- ing; research by PCI PET Packag- ing, Resin & Recycling Ltd., shows market demand rose from 176,000t of rPET flakes in 2008 to over 220,000t in 2010. Furthermore, prices of rPET bales in the USA and Europe are sub- ject to severe fluctuations, as does the price differential between rPET and virgin PET. Three-in-one solution Erema’s new concept for its Vacurema Prime technology allows the user to choose from three differ- ent operating modes, according to requirements. The company says that this means that plant operators can generate processed rPET in different physical forms, enabling it to adjust flexibly to meet market demands. Mode 1 is production of 100% rPET pellets; Mode 2 is production of 100% rPET flakes; and Mode 3 allows the simultaneous production of both rPET flakes and rPET pellets. The concept allows the production of both decon- taminated, pre-dried and crystallised rPET flakes and melt-filtered rPET pellets. Both products are suitable for direct food contact and exceed all minimum quality and purity require- ments. Batch operation of the Vacurema Prime technology allows precisely- defined minimum treatment dura- tion for each thin-walled PET flake. Individually-adjustable batch times enable the individual specification of the degree of purity and the required IV value, regardless of the operating mode selected. In addition, Erema claims that its ecoSave design reduces CO2 emissions and energy consumption, while lowering produc- tion costs at the same time. The new plant concept has been developed by Erema in collaboration with its customers, and has already achieved three sales in the USA.