PETpla.net Insider 05 / 2021

43 ON SITE PETplanet Insider Vol. 18 No. 0/17 www.petpla.net Melt filtration system brings efficiency dividend for Spanish bottle-to-bottle recycler The processing of PET bottle flakes presents particular challenges for melt filtration systems. On the one hand, the post-consumer material source typically has a relatively high contamination level, on the other, the quality requirements (fine filtration) are very high – especially when the material is to be put back into transparent bottles for beverages. To avoid the need for constantly changing the filter elements by hand, the ideal melt filtration system should be self-cleaning. Typically, the principle of back flushing is used. A proportion of the melt flow is diverted so that it flows in the reverse direction across filter elements which are not in use in order to wash out the contamination. The cleaning efficiency of the back-flushing and the quantity of material needed for back flushing vary greatly between the different systems available on the market. With the Gneuss RSFgenius Melt Filtration System, the high-pressure sequential cleaning system is claimed to ensure that the filter elements are completely cleaned with a minimum of polymer. Nosoplas in Spain decided in favour of the RSFgenius Rotary Filtration System due to the high efficiency and the rapid return on investment which it promises to offer. Nosoplas manufactures bottle grade pellets (chip) from PET bottle flake. The pellets (chip) are supplied to other compa- nies, where they are injection moulded to preforms which are later blown into high quality bottles for beverages. Nosoplas decided to replace their existing, conventional filtration system due to problems with back flushing and high polymer losses. They replaced this conventional system with a Gneuss RSF- genius 175 for a throughput of 1,500kg/h and a filtration fineness of 56 μ m. In fact, the customer is even able to operate with 30 μ m for special products. And all this with a constant, steady melt pressure, minimal losses due to back flushing and without any production variations, even during replacement of the filter elements. Nosoplas says that the expectations placed on the retrofit with a Gneuss Rotary Filter are fulfilled. Immediately after commissioning the units, a drastic reduction in in material loss due to back flushing was observed and, at the same time, the quality of the rPET granulate produced was noticeably improved. The Gneuss Rotary Filtration Tech- nology is claimed to ensure an uninter- rupted production process under constant conditions – even when post-consumer recycled material is processed. Gneuss Melt Filtration Systems are well suited for retrofitting to existing extrusion lines. www.gneuss.de ON site Fully-automatic, process and pressure constant RSFgenius Back Flushing Filtration System The right tools and expertise to help with your rPET goals! Agr is uniquely positioned to support your venture into rPET bottle manufacturing with a powerful combination of Process Control tools, Process Consultants, and decades of industry experience. AGRINTL.COM • +1.724.482.2163