Highly economical process and technology solution for recycling PMMA

Coperion supplies plant for chemical recycling of PMMA to Renov8

Phil Black - PII Editor 20/12/2022

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Coperion is supplying a complete system for the chemical recycling of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) to Renov8, a subsidiary of just right® based in JAFZA, Dubai, one of the leading manufacturers in plastics processing and manufacturing, specialising in sustainable solutions.

The Coperion system for the chemical recycling of PMMA will be installed at the KEZAD Polymers Park in Abu Dhabi, which is among the most popular vertically integrated Polymers downstream manufacturing eco-systems in the region. It will thermally convert PMMA into liquid rMMA in a continuous process. The system includes material handling, two ARW discharge agitators with discharge screws and two Smart Weigh Belt (SWB) feeders, as well as a ZSK 92 Mc¹⁸ twin screw extruder with 92 mm screw diameter, a vacuum system and a condenser. Key components of the system are produced in-house by Coperion.

Coperion solution for the chemical recycling of PMMA

The PMMA recyclate is conveyed via a discharge agitator ARW and a discharge screw to a Smart Weigh Belt (SWB) feeder. This low-headroom gravimetric feeder weighs large quantities of bulk material with at high accuracy and feeds it reliably into a ZSK twin screw extruder.

In the Coperion ZSK Mc¹⁸ twin screw extruder a great deal of mechanical energy is quickly introduced into the PMMA via the co-rotating twin screws thanks to the very high torque of 18 Nm/cm³. The temperature of the melt rises very energy-efficiently in a very short time. The material depolymerises. Gaseous MMA is produced, which is reliably extracted via the degassing domes of a vacuum system and then converted into liquid rMMA in a condenser. Coperion’s solution for chemical recycling takes place with significantly lower energy consumption than pyrolysis processes without extruders or compared to recycling with single screw extruders.

The chemical recycling system for Renov8 will allow the processing of two separate product streams. Thanks to its very good self-cleaning properties, PMMA with different light transmittances can be recycled on the same ZSK 92 Mc¹⁸ twin screw extruder in a very short time without any loss of quality.

Phone +49 (0)711 897 25 07
kathrin.fleuchaus@coperion.com
www.coperion.com