The new SEPARATE Waste SystemQuality products from waste through efficient waste separation – challenges and potential

SEPARATE Workshop

Peterborough, 13/05/2015

Karl Dirkes

db technologies BV

The potential of efficient waste separation

Strong potential to produce a range of competitive products:

• Recyclables of high quality

• Non-organic fraction that is really dry and suitable for production of high-quality RDF

• Organic fraction that is clean and suitable for use in anaerobic digestion and as fertilizer thus preventing the loss of the valuable material in landfilling and incineration

To date, the potential of recycling organic waste is in its infancy and remains largely untapped

The challenge: Efficient waste separation

• Real challenge is to separate organics from the rest

• Current solutions:

1. Separation at source or so-called “kerbsidecollection”

• Still a lot of contamination

• Hard to implement for urban areas

1. Mechanical separation at centralised wastetreatment facilities

• Relatively low separation efficiency (60-65%)

• A lot of organics in non-organic fraction and vice versa

Organic fraction

Non-organic fraction

SEPARATION

98% efficiency

Clean separation is key to high-value use of waste

How is the OREX press working?

• Organic extruderpress for MSW andSSO

• High-pressure extrusion into two valuable waste streams that are each more valuable with the absence of the other

wet organic fractiondry non-organic

Waste separation with OREX press

Principle: Soluble organic matter behaves like a liquid and is separated from dry non-organic fraction

Feed phaseLow pressure

Expulsion phase

Low

pressure

Result of the extrusion process

• High-quality RDF• Recyclables

Wet Fraction

Liquid biogenicfraction

= raw material for

Dry Fraction

Plastic & Textiles

Paper & Cardboard

Minerals & metals

• Anaerobic Digestion• Fertilizer

Physical properties of the dry fraction

• Upstream density: 0.7/0.8 t/m³ approx.

• Residual humidity: about 18-20%

• Average caloric level: >14-16,000 kJ/kg

• Organic: (except wood) <4-5%

Physical properties of the wet fraction

• Upstream density: 0.8/0.9 t/m³ approx.

• Residual humidity: about 60-65%

no flotation of material

• In case of AD: Biogas yield >180m³/h

CH4 approx. 60%

• Low fiber level and very low contaminant level

Waste separation with OREX press

Advantages wet fraction

• Solid organic material breaks up allowing for a more rapid fermentation process;

• Extruder functions as screen allowing only small material to reach wet fraction;

• No mechanically hazardous material will end up in wet fraction (e.g. steel knives) less

downtime in later fermentation process

Depending on input material and products needed the biogenic fraction can be further cleaned.

Waste cleaning with Cyclone

• Cyclone is used to further clean biogenic fraction 2-step cleaning process

• 1st phase: Biogenic fraction is rotated at high speed pushing organic material through a perforation and separating it from material that is bigger than the perforation (e.g. plastic film);

• 2nd phase: biogenic fraction is moved into sink tank in which material sets to rest small stones and glass sink down

Waste cleaning with Cyclone

Cyclone with infeed hopper and sink tank

Waste cleaning with Cyclone

Result of waste cleaning

• A biogenic fraction with <0.5% of plastic and inertsin organic fraction;

• Biogenic fraction perfectly suitable for anaerobic digestion;

• Removal light fraction reduces risk of floating layer in digesters improved digester performance;

• Removal of grit reduces risk of grit accumulation in digesters lower maintenance and higher long

term reliability;

• Increased value from clean digestate for fertilizer.

Achieving high-quality organic feedstock for anaerobic digestion and composting through innovative separation technologies (2013-2015)

Four European partners:

• db technologies, The Netherlands

• Greenovate! sprl, Belgium

• Opportunity Peterborough, UK

• EGW, Germany

SEPARATE – Country grouping

Short-term and long-term tests

• Three waste streams

• MSW

• Separately collected bio-waste

• Mono-streams

• Test hydraulic press and cleaning system are installed at EGW

• Short-term tests in UK

SEPARATE VIDEO

THANK YOU!

db technologies BV Greenovate! sprlKarl Dirkes Astrid Severin

k.dirkes@dbtechnologiesbv.nl Astrid.severin@greenovate.eu

www.dbtechnologiesbv.nl

www.separate-wastesystems.eu