Recycling solutions

ABS-PS separation at Elektro Recycling, spol. s.r.o:

Elektro Recycling, the largest Slovakian electronic waste recycler, recently commissioned a large-scale plant for processing mixed plastics from electronic waste. The centrepiece of the plant is a hamos electrostatic separation line for separating plastics: after several pre-treatment steps such as shredding, separation of foreign matter and float-sink separation, a hamos KRS electrostatic plastics recycling system is used to produce high-quality ABS and PS recyclates.

Recyclable plastics through electrostatic separation

An upstream float-sink system separates all unwanted plastics, including the flame-retardant materials, and produces a mixture of ABS and PS as a good product fraction. The downstream hamos KRS electrostatic separation system then separates the plastic mixture into pure ABS and PS.

Peter Matula, Operations Manager at Elektro Recycling, explains:

"With our electrostatic separation system, we now produce clean PS and ABS fractions, which we then compound. Our end customers are delighted with the high quality of our ABS and PS pellets. It is very important for us that we can also separate the black plastics without any problems."

With Elektro Recycling, the mixed regrind in the size range < 10 mm is separated electrostatically in a 2-stage process. Clean ABS is produced in the first stage and clean PS in the second stage. It is even possible to separate unwanted PP impurities. Elektro Recycling uses the plastics recycling plant to process around 3 tonnes per hour in three-shift operation to produce high-quality re-granulates.

Separation of black plastics

Mixed plastics from electronic waste consist of 60 - 80 % black plastics. For this reason, sorting processes such as near-infrared separation are only suitable for processing such mixtures to a limited extent. Only a small percentage of the good products can be separated, while the majority cannot be separated due to the black colour.

The ideal processing method for electronic waste plastics is therefore electrostatic separation, as electrostatic separators work independently of the colour, specific weight and conformity of the particles.

How electrostatic separation works

A so-called tribo-electric process is used for the electrostatic separation of mixed plastics. In a special charging unit, the different plastics are selectively charged through intensive particle contact - one plastic takes on positive charges, the other plastic negative charges. The plastics can then be separated into individual fractions using high-voltage electrodes.

Convince yourself of the electrostatic plastic separation

Are you interested in an electrostatic recycling system for separating mixed plastics? We would be happy to show you a suitable system in operation, test your mixed plastics in our technical centre for separability and possible added value and, based on this, work out technical details and an offer for you.