Solids Handling Reclaim High-throughput Reclamation

High-throughput Reclamation

Improving Yield and Reducing Material Loss When Product Recovery Events Occur

Continuous-process operations and plants running high-volume package filling lines recognize, when a recovery event occurs, that high-throughput recovery of packaged contents and packaging material can contribute much to overall process effectiveness. NBE high-throughput product reclaim systems are engineered-to-application (ETA), ensuring that unique application requirements are identified and leveraged to reduce loss and optimize yield. NBE high-throughput reclaim systems are designed, engineered, and built to exceptionally rigorous specifications to deliver exceptionally reliable performance in the most demanding operating environments.

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Application Selections

NBE high-throughput product reclaim systems provide continuous-duty, as well as high-capacity batch product and packaging recovery. Performance requirements and materials of construction specifications are determined by NBE throughout the engineered-to-application project execution sequence. From infeed and package opening, through product and package separation, to material takeaway and package compacting, every stage of an NBE high-throughput reclaim system will deliver a sustained and optimal run rate.

Automated Package Loading: High-throughput reclaim applications introduce unique and complex process requirements that reach beyond just the functions of separating product from its packaging. Upstream factors such as material handling methods and logistics efficiencies make necessary the bulk material processing expertise and project management clarity inherent in NBE engineered-to-application project execution.
- Bulk Container Discharger: Unsalable packaged product that is stretch-wrapped, pallet-wrapped, or kept in intermediate bulk containers, makes manual package loading and conventional, automated package loading prohibitively slow and costly. In a single discharge cycle, NBE bulk container discharging systems unload full pallets, gaylords, or totes of unsalable packages into the package infeed conveyor. The bulk container, pallet, or slip sheet is retained and returned for re-use or recycling.
- Robotic Package Loading: For high-throughput reclamation events where package types or material handling methods are not conducive to container discharge package loading, NBE engineered-to-application project execution will implement for the project owner the necessary engineering, factory acceptance tests, and site acceptance tests to ensure robotic package loading systems provide optimal process performance.
Package Infeed Conveyor: Packages loaded into the infeed conveyor are first received into the conveyor’s high-capacity staging hopper. The staging hopper enables the automated package-loading sequence to continue uninterrupted while packages are automatically fed from the staging hopper to the package infeed conveyor to be processed for reclamation.
- High-torque Compression Screw Conveyor: Some packaging material characteristics, and some packaged contents require pre-conditioning to ensure effective package opening and thorough contents release during reclamation. The compression action of the 18-inch diameter screw conveyor, within the screw enclosure bulkhead, ruptures the packages and breaks-up the packaged contents in preparation for final processing through the package opener and rotary separator.
- Incline Belt Conveyor: Application-specific engineering of the conveyor framework, together with proper conveyor belt design and materials of construction ensure reliable process performance. Packages being processed for reclamation and recovery are automatically fed by the incline conveyor to the package opener; operators are kept safely away from the package opener infeed. Optimal run rate for the reclamation and recovery sequence is controlled by the variable frequency drive of the incline conveyor.
Vertical Infeed Package Opener: Fed by the package infeed conveyor, this automated package opening system is engineered to application-specific requirements for package shape, size, and process feed volume. The high-speed, beveled-edge rotating blade sets are vertically oriented to ensure all packages are sufficiently opened prior to content separation and package recovery stages.
Rotary Separator: Opened packages, prepared for product reclamation and package recovery, enter the rotary separator from the vertical infeed package opener. The tumbling action of the packages in the rotary separator drum removes contents from the opened packages. Angled flights in the separator drum ensure thorough material release from the packages and draw the empty packaging materials out of the drum. Reclaimed product contents are screened through the separator drum and collected in the reclaim hopper. Emptied packaging material is discharged from the rotary separator and collected for recycling.
Reclaimed Product Takeaway: Removed and separated from its package, the reclaimed contents are collected into the product reclaim hopper. Based on downstream product supply requirements, NBE will design, engineer, and integrate process-specific mechanical systems and automation, including: screw conveyors, bi-directional screw conveyors, belt conveyors, bucket elevators, or pneumatic conveying.
Recovered Packaging Handling: Efficient collection and preparation of the recovered packaging material adds sustainability, recyclability, and disposal cost reduction to the performance advantages of NBE high-throughput reclamation. Due to the volume of packaging material recovered during high-throughput reclamation events, integrated collection and compaction systems function within the controls architecture of the NBE project to keep pace with processing rates.
Dust Collection: At the processing rate of NBE high-throughput reclamation systems, the material characteristics of some packaged products, and packaging material itself, can create dust during the reclamation and recovery process. The process-specific design and engineering of NBE dust collection systems collects and filters product and packaging dust from the air to help protect labor from airborne dusts and reduce dust-related facility and equipment maintenance concerns.