New Komptech Combined Stone & Plastic Film Seperator for Biowaste Recycling Launched

Biowaste processing equipment manufacturer, Komptech, has launched its new Hurrifex – a machine which combines the functions of stone separator and wind sifter. The company said that the new machine enables stones, inert and light items to be economically removed from a wide variety of material streams in a single work step with a high degree of separation. According to Komptech, while recycling waste into valuable materials is one of the chief goals of the waste business, sometimes it’s easier said than done. Effectiveness, said the manufacturer, is often limited by inadequate technology and high costs, making the whole process uneconomical. As such, the company said that its research focus has been on the development of work-ready machines that deploy many different separation methods to open up new possibilities. One example cited by the firm is its Stonefex, which clears stones out of biomass fuels. Using differences in air resistance and density, the mobile machine removes stones from woody fraction like. Combining stone separation and wind sifting The company explained that in addition to stones, its customers have to remove light contaminants. To address the issue it developed a machine said to combine the functions of the Stonefex and the HurrikanS wind sifter. Dubbed the Hurrifex, the new machine is said to remove stones and light items from waste streams with a separation rate of up to 95%. According to Komptech the approach offers a number of advantages. Separation requires just one process on one machine, saving space, material handling effort, energy costs and transportation costs, which are naturally a major factor. The company added that service providers in particular appreciate being able to offer multiple material cleaning services with just one machine. Broad applications While the Hurrifex removes both stones and plastic film from biomass, the manufacturer said that it also separates film and wood materials out of stone fractions. Another application is cleaning up screen overflow from compost. The company explained that cleaned overflow can be returned to the compost as structure material, which helps prevent the accumulation of stones and plastic that often happens when material is returned multiple times. The cleaned screen overflow can also be used as a biofuel. Other promising applications were said to be waste wood processing and mixed construction waste processing. In the latter, wood and light fractions are said to be separated from the heavier mineral fractions, enabling subsequent processing of each specific fraction. Input material normally passes through a screener before entering the Hurrifex. The Hurrifex is designed for a 10 to 150 mm grain, and as long as the material feed is consistent its manufacturer said that it delivers excellent separation results. Depending on the material and target degree of separation, throughput can be as high as 60 cubic metres per hour, or higher in some cases. Suction fans set up an air flow and pull out the light materials, first and foremost plastic film. A Fan speed is controlled from the control panel. The stone fraction is removed to the side by a corrugated edge belt while light materials are blown into containers through flexible ducts. Green efficiency and the Hurrifex In accordance with its green efficiency® criteria, the company said that the Hurrifex is designed to get maximum performance from minimum energy. Komptech added that all components used in the Hurrifex are electrically driven. Further, the fans are aerodynamically optimised, and the entire machine is designed to run on grid electricity as standard. However, a low-emissions diesel generator is available as an option for users who need off-grid flexibility. Maintenance According to Komptech, easy maintenance access is a standard feature of the Hurrifex. For example, the outside panels function as doors, making the motor compartment and all other areas simple to get to, while the suction and conveyor fans can be accessed by a maintenance platform and folded upward for servicing. On the inside, the company said that the Hurrifex is built on a sturdy, torsion-resistant steel beam frame. Customers can choose between two chassis variants, a tandem centre-axle version and a semi-trailer. Read More VIDEO: Komptech New Machines – New Capabilities Komptech Launches Biowaste Shredders & Composting Equipment At this year's IFAT in Munich, Austrian environmental equipment manufacturer, Komptech launched four new machines, including biowaste shredding equipment and a windrow turning machine. Circular Economy Report: £140m Potential for Recycling Fish Food from Whiskey Wastes A new report by the Green Alliance has found that there is a £140 million opportunity to recycle wastes from whiskey into fish feed in Scotland – among a number of other industrial and economic opportunities of moving to a more circular economy.