PETpla.net Insider 07+08 / 2018

MAINTENANCE PET planet Insider Vol. 19 No. 07+08/18 www.petpla.net 19 How investing in new technology can reduce cost, time and environmental impact. Component cleaning: the end of high-cost headaches? Most businesses in the polymer industry have the headache of dealing with filter and component cleaning and rejuvenation. This often involves lengthy down times while contaminant polymer is removed in a messy and costly process which, all too often, leaves components damaged and in even worse condition and less suitable for future use. Precious financial resources may have to be allocated for new filters on a regular basis and may even be accepted as an unavoidable cost of production. There are many technologies avail- able that are capable of cleaning woven steel mesh filters and other complex components used in polymer production. However, these technologies involve harsh solvents, chemicals or burning, all of which are capable of damaging the components they are supposed to be rejuvenating. Longworth began cleaning highly engineered components for the polymer-melt industry in 1976. As the environmental and eco- nomic impacts of oil-based solvents have become clear, the company has invested heavily in R&D. Its invest- ment has achieved the development of Deecom, a low energy and low cost alternative to conventional cleaning materials and methods. Environmental performance The patented Deecom system uses only steam as a cleaning medium. The complete absence of air and chemicals removes the risk of burning and conse- quent degrading and ‘pitting’ of steel. Longworth claims an impressive list of positive environmental char- acteristics for Deecom, including low energy, reduced off-line time and even the ability to reclaim previously scrapped components. Efficiency and costs The current practice during produc- tion is for molten polymer to be filtered through layered steel mesh. Food and medical grade polymer products require highly effective filtering and, consequently, very small orifices, down to as small as five microns. The high process pressures and temperatures required in the manufacturing process push and compact contaminants deep into this mesh, making it difficult to return filters to full efficiency. Recent developments to Long- worth’s technology include reduction in the number of cleaning steps, as well as a process that permits full cleaning without stripping units down to compe- tent parts. Both these developments help to save time and cost. Trials are ongoing to assess the retrofitting of Deecom technology to polymer-melt production lines, reduc- ing the need to remove, cool and strip down items for cleaning, even on exist- ing equipment. The company says that its equip- ment has been proven in use in the production of CSD packages such as Cola and Lucozade bottles; water bot- tles for still, carbonated and other prod- ucts; and PP milk bottles. Waste reduction Longworth has also patented Deecom applications in waste reduc- tion and repurposing. Independent analysis by Clemson University, South Carolina, USA, has shown that the technology is capable of reclaiming carbon fibres in near-virgin conditions. Reclaimed fibres have high tensile strength and good length. Deecom is also claimed to be capa- ble of repurposing segregated house- hold waste into low-grade products with some value or processing waste into something less unpleasant and of lower volume. Plastic waste can be processed into a low-grade filler and mixed food waste can be processed into a clean, dry pellet with a calorific value. The process heavily reduces off-gassing and limits problems with vermin and odours at landfill sites. www.bmlongworth.com Typical filter stacks before (left) and after processing by Deecom