Waste composites

Factsheet 2: Wertvoller Alt-Kunststoff - Schwimmende Recyclinganlage verwertet Plastik bevor er ins Meer gelangt

janna.vakili@ecologic.eu — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 09:18:56 +0000

Factsheet 2: Valuable waste plastic - Floating recycling plant recovers plastics before they enter the sea janna.vakili@e… Fri, 03/05/2021 - 10:18

Titelbild

Beschreibung

In this factsheet, joint project KuWert shows how plastic recycling can be profitable. The research team developed a floating recycling platform, mobile and independent of local structures. The system was tested in coastal cities in West Africa, where a lot of plastic ends up in the sea.

Since high-quality plastic recyclate can only be obtained from clean and pre-sorted old plastic, the team worked with a large number of plastic collectors on land and processors on board. This not only created employment, but also prevented over 60,000 tons of plastic per year from ending up in the oceans. At the same time, value chains were established and a contribution made to climate protection.

The contents of the factsheet are based on research results of the joint project KuWert "Ship-based treatment of plastics for the implementation of value chains". It is available here for PDF download.

Attachments

Factsheet 2 of the BMBF Research Focus Plastics in the Environment.

Further Links

Verbundprojekt KuWert

Joint project

KuWert

Year

2021

Author

Fridtjof Rohde

Type of Result

factsheets

Citation

Rohde, Fridtjof (2021): Valuable waste plastic: Floating recycling plant recovers plastics before they enter the sea. Fact sheet 2 of the BMBF research focus „Plastics in the Environment“.

Publikationstyp

Ergebnis

10th International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment (Online Event)

janna.vakili@ecologic.eu — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 13:02:32 +0000

10th International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment janna.vakili@e… Fri, 11/08/2019 - 14:02

Titelbild

Beschreibung

Waste Management is one of the key problems of modern society due to the ever-expanding volume and complexity of discarded domestic and industrial waste. The 10th International Conference on Waste Management and the Environment attempts to find solutions to this problem and provides a forum for the exchange of scientific knowledge and the current situation of waste management between experts, researchers, government agencies and local authorities.

This event is held as an online event due to Covid-19. More information can be found on the event's website.

Location

Online

Organiser

Wessex Institute

Nagoya University, Japan

University of Naples Parthenope, Italy

Date

07 - 09 July 2020

07. - 09. Juli 2020

Further Links

Website of the event

Image Gallery

revolPET

KALEH — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 15:53:14 +0000

revolPET KALEH Tue, 12/19/2017 - 16:53

Development of a Recycling Technology for PET Waste Plastics from Multilayer Material and Other Waste Composites

As part of the revolPET project, a solvolytic recycling process for waste PET plastics (Polyethylene Terephthalate) from multilayer and other mixed materials was elaborated and experimentally tested. Inactive patents for solvolysis of single-variety PET waste formed the basis for this research: those solvolytic processes were be enhanced into a continuous waste treatment concept that can recycle PET waste. This enabled the recycling of the PET materials present in the mixed waste and the separation of differing amounts of interfering substances, with the latter being redirected to other uses. The recycling process generates the basic components of PET: monoethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. The flexibility of the process enables sorting of waste from very inhomogenous materials sources such as marine and technical PET wastes. The new recycling process was tested and evaluated in a pilot plant. The data from this testing is included into continuous economic and ecological assessments of the procedure and its integration into the value chain.

Main areas of work

Development of the technical basis for continuous solvolysis
Operation of the pilot plant for experimental development and technological validation of the solvolysis process
Development of a mass and energy balances of the continuous processing methods (for pure and mixed PET waste)
Development of a model-based tool for the analysis and assessment of environmental impacts
Determination of market requirements with regard to recycling routes and required specifications for new streams of recyclable materials
Opening up new sources of supply for PET waste composites from post-consumer collections and technical applications

Arbeitspakete

Work packages

WP 1 Basic research, process and apparatus design

Contact person
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Scholl, Technical University of Braunschweig, Institute for Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering, Langer Kamp 7, 38106 Braunschweig, e-mail: s.scholl@tu-braunschweig.de

Project partner
Fraunhofer ICT, Reclay Materials GmbH, RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH, SCHILLER Apparatebau GmbH, VTU Engineering Deutschland GmbH

Short description
The technical fundamentals for continuous solvolysis of initially pure PET to multilayer and mixed PET were developed. The data served as the basis for the planning, design, construction and commissioning of a modular pilot plant, which enabled investigations of different apparatus.

WP 2 Pilot studies

Contact person
Carsten Eichert, RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH, Feldstraße 29, 21335 Lüneburg, e-mail: eichert@rittec.eu

Project partner
Fraunhofer ICT, TU Braunschweig ICTV, Reclay Materials GmbH, SCHILLER Apparatebau GmbH, VTU Engineering Deutschland GmbH

Short description
The central experimental elaboration and technological validation of the solvolysis process took place through the operation of the pilot plant. The process engineering solutions found in the basic investigations in WP 1 were implemented here. First, PET of a higher purity was processed. For this purpose, the continuous operation is represented. The final goal was the continuous operation of the pilot plant for mixed PET waste streams.

WP 3 Accounting and multi-criteria rating

Contact person
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christoph Herrmann, Technical University of Braunschweig, Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology, Langer Kamp 19B, 38106 Braunschweig, e-mail: c.herrmann@tu-braunschweig.de

Project partner
TU Braunschweig ICTV, RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH, Reclay Materials GmbH

Short description
The aim was to establish a closed and consistent mass and energy balance of the continuous processing method (for single-variety and mixed PET waste) parallel to the experimental development of the recycling process. This was first created for the continuous operation of the pilot plant, compared with the operating data and then scaled to potential market scenarios. Based on the formulated requirements and the data from the pilot plant, a model-based tool for the analysis and evaluation of environmental impacts was developed.

WP 4 Market analysis and technology implementation

Contact person
Carsten Eichert, RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH, Feldstraße 29, 21335 Lüneburg, e-mail: eichert@rittec.eu

Project partner
Fraunhofer ICT, TU Braunschweig ICTV, TU Braunschweig IWF, Reclay Materials GmbH, SCHILLER Apparatebau GmbH, VTU Engineering Deutschland GmbH

Short description
The market requirements with regard to recycling routes and required specifications for new streams of recyclable materials was determined. By means of potential analysis, the proportion of recyclable technical waste in machine tools and industrial plants in Germany was also estimated. Based on this, new sources of supply for PET waste composites from post-consumer collections and technical applications was developed. New potential partners for the implementation of the newly developed solvolysis process in the value chain and the new disposal channels was identified.

Coordinator

Carsten Eichert
RITTEC Umwelttechnik GmbH
Feldstraße 29
21335 Lüneburg
Phone: +49 4131 - 408 55 44
e-mail: eichert@rittec.eu

Website

https://revolpet.eu/?lang=en

Partner Institutions

Technical University of Braunschweig

Institute for Chemical and Thermal Process Engineering / ICTV

Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology / IWF

Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering / ICT

Reclay Materials GmbH

SCHILLER Apparatebau GmbH

VTU Engineering Deutschland GmbH

Duration Period

October 2017

March 2021

ResolVe

KALEH — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 15:41:57 +0000

ResolVe KALEH Tue, 12/19/2017 - 16:41

Recycling of Polystyrene by Raw Material Recovery

In view of climate change, environmental pollution, population growth, and resource dependency, the transition from a linear economy to a closed-loop economy is both ecologically and economically necessary. Within the ResolVe project, a logistics and an industrial plant concept for the economic use of polystyrene waste as a raw material for high-quality new plastic products were developed. Thermally-induced depolymerisation as material recycling of waste plastics can lead to the production of new polymers. In this process, the polymer is split thermally into low-molecular substances such as monomers and oligomers. Compared to the thermal utilisation or mechanical recycling of plastic waste that has been common up to now, this project aimed to actually close a cycle. Since the depolymerisation process does not lead to a "downcycling" of the recyclable materials and only makes moderate demands on the purity of the waste streams, many post-consumer waste streams can be used.

INEOS Styrolution managed the joint research project with the aim of using the styrene monomer, which is the main component of depolymerisation, in its own production process. To this end, the overall process was subjected to an intensive evaluation and the prerequisites for an investment were examined, too.

Main areas of work

Logistical and economic evaluation
Preconditioning in processing technology
Depolymerisation of polystyrene wastes on a laboratory scale
Depolymerisation of polystyrene in the twin screw extruder
Distillative treatment
Investigations on the influence of impurities on the depolymerisation process of polystyrene
Ultilisation of by-products through steam cracking

Arbeitspakete

Work packages

WP 1 Project leadership

Contact person
Dr. Hannes Kerschbaumer, INEOS Styrolution Group GmbH, Mainzer Landstraße 50, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, e-mail: hannes.kerschbaumer@ineos.com

Short description
The successful implementation of the project required a regular exchange of information between the partners and with the project management. The consortium consisted of five partners and other subcontractors and thus required careful management to ensure targeted and result-oriented cooperation. The individual tasks included: coordination of the project partners; thematic summaries of the developed results; reporting (including meeting minutes, milestone report and regular reports); organisation of project meetings and regular telephone conferences; organisation of the dispatch of hazardous substances between Aachen, Bayreuth and Cologne; and observation of parallel approaches to the raw material recycling of polystyrene.

WP 2 Procurement of waste samples and development of a recycling concept

Contact person
Prof. Dr. Thomas Pretz, RWTH Aachen University, Department of Processing and Recycling, Wüllnerstraße 2, 52056 Aachen, e-mail: pretz@ifa.rwth-aachen.de

Project partner
INEOS Styrolution

Short description
In dialogue with relevant waste disposal companies, the most important material flows were detected and samples procured. These were examined, processed and evaluated with regard to their suitability for chemical recycling. Specific logistics concepts were developed for these material flows so that a high recycling rate could be achieved. In addition, existing contacts with other research groups dealing with the collection of marine plastic waste were used. Other contacts were established to integrate the availability of material flows from the environment into the logistics concept.

WP 3 Depolymerisation of pure polystyrene granules with targeted variation of relevant material parameters

Contact person
Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Schmidt, Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH, Gottlieb-Keim-Straße 60, 95448 Bayreuth, e-mail: hans-werner.schmidt@uni-bayreuth.de

Project partner
RWTH Aachen University IKV, INEOS Styrolution, INEOS Köln

Short description
The aim was to gain basic knowledge about the type of products resulting from the depolymerisation of polystyrene. For this purpose, depolymerisation was carried out on model substances on a laboratory scale. Parallel to this, a suitable extruder arrangement with separator was set up and depolymerisation was carried out in order to determine achievable yields and parameter influences. The reaction products were investigated by means of GC-MS. First experiments with real samples were carried out and the distillative separation of styrene was demonstrated. The by-products were evaluated for their suitability for the cracking process and the process parameters were optimized in both depolymerisation plants.

WP 4 Depolymerisation of pure polystyrene granules with targeted variation of relevant impurities

Contact person
Maximilian Adamy, RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Plastics Processing, Seffenter Weg 201, 52074 Aachen, e-mail: maximilian.adamy@ikv.rwthaachen.de

Project partner
RWTH Aachen University I.A.R., INEOS Styrolution, Neue Materialien Bayreuth

Short description
The material to be recycled generally contained a wide range of different impurities. These were characterized and their influence on the depolymerisation process of PS was investigated. Possible sources of polystyrene waste are: the polystyrene fraction from household waste (dual system), polystyrene from commercial waste collection, and samples of marine plastic waste. The next steps included: pre-sorting, conditioning of the waste, depolymerisation process in the piston and in the extruder, adaptation of the real samples to the optimum process conditions, and determination of the optimum operating mode depending on the material source.

WP 5 Fractionating distillation and utilisation of styrene monomers and by-products

Contact person
Dr. Ralf Gesthuisen, INEOS Köln GmbH, Alte Straße 201, 50769 Köln, e-mail: ralf.gesthuisen@ineos.com

Project partner
Neue Materialien Bayreuth, INEOS Styrolution

Short description
Depolymerisation does not produce a pure monomer stream, but rather a mixture of monomers, oligomers and other volatile components. For repolymerisation, the monomers must be separated from this mixture by fractionated distillation. Further fractions remain, which can be converted into recyclable substances by a suitable steam cracking process. The resulting products were examined qualitatively and quantitatively. Based on this, the cracking process was optimised by adjusting the process parameters and possibly adding naphtha and/or hydrogen.

WP 6 Economic and ecological considerations of the recycling concept

Contact person
Dr. Hannes Kerschbaumer, INEOS Styrolution Group GmbH, Mainzer Landstraße 50, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, e-mail: hannes.kerschbaumer@ineos.com

Project partner
RWTH Aachen University I.A.R.

Short description
The knowledge gained in the project was used to adapt the logistics concept developed in WP 2. The costs of the entire value chain, including collection and recycling, were determined. The question of the location of a depolymerisation plant had a major influence on the overall calculation: the provision of raw materials in sufficient quantity and quality could be realized with varying ease regionally and nationally. A special case took into account whether collected plastic from the environment is also suitable for economic use. An ecological assessment (CO2 footprint) of the depolymerisation was carried out.

Coordinator

Dr. Hannes Kerschbaumer
INEOS Styrolution Group GmbH
Mainzer Landstraße 50
60325 Frankfurt am Main
Phone: +49 69 509550-1322
e-mail: hannes.kerschbaumer@ineos.com

Website

https://depolymerisation.com

Partner Institutions

INEOS Köln GmbH

RWTH Aachen University

Department of Processing and Recycling / I.A.R.

Institute of Plastics Processing / IKV

Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH / NMB

Duration Period

August 2017

July 2020