Past, Present and Future. MRF Equipment

Transcription

1 Professional Recyclers of PA 2017 Conference Past, Present and Future of MRF Equipment Nathiel G. Egosi, P.E., President July 27, 2017 RRT Design & Construction Melville, NY- Milwaukee, WI- Baltimore, MD -Orlando, FL Syracuse, NY- Vestal, NY- Philadelphia, PAwww.rrtenviro.com 1

2 RRT DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION We build solid waste processing & recycling businesses For nearly 30 years, over 400 successful plants including over 80 complete greenfield operations Experts in MRF plant operations, equipment, process engineering & construction Ocean County, NJ Single Stream MRF New York, NY Container & Paper MRF 2

3 What is the future? More Commingling More Materials More Lightweighting Integration with Collection Automation Private vs Public Economic Drivers Market Yin Yang

4 State of MRFs /20 Rule Players Self Driven 4

5 Core Issues Huge investments need to be spent/recovered Half of the people operating MRFs still lack confidence in the business 70% of our waste is unprocessed 50% of the waste processed is done poorly Relying on revenues to offsets costs confuses a fee based structure The PR of zero waste adds more confusion 5

6 Business Parameters Collection Processing Logistics Marketing 6

7 Business Parameters Generator Curb Collect Process Ship Market End User 7

8 Business Parameters Processing Throughput Recovery Rates/Residue Rates Staffing Maintenance Safety Material Grades & Quality System Availability Equipment Efficiency 8

9 MATURITY OF THE INDUSTRY AGING OF THE PROCESS AND PROCESSING METHODS INNOVATION

10 Business Challenges External Education Most places virtually non existent Mix Changes Less Fiber, Fiber Compositions, More Plastics, More non recyclable plastics..lighter & more complex ton

11 Business Parameters Generator 11

12 Business Parameters Collection Vehicle Types transfer trailers, staging and yard tractors Automated incoming contamination out of control Moisture increasing issue for certain markets 12

13 Business Response Throughput slowing down lines to improve quality/running more hours or running lines faster to save money. Recovery Rates 90% was the standard, then 95% and now moved to 98.5% Staffing adding labor and/or equipment to improve quality..or cutting labor/closing plants to save money. Maintenance & Safety improving but the differences can be significant between plants.not enough 13

14 Education Fee Basis Technology Industry Needs 14

15 Business Frustrations Complexity & Size Fascination, justifications are weak Reliability 85~90%, low Screens Plateaued or declining Quality of Equipment Unsubstantiated claims Fire and Safety Greatly improved but Environmental (Noise/Dust) Significant work is needed 15

16 Business Challenges Markets Business Parameters Market Trends Effort to Market Increasing! Marketing demands more time such a deductions for quality and moisture News will continue to be less available, ONP grade is gone RMP Mixed paper grade is growing (hard or soft mix) Cross Contamination of Products Loss of $ most cases 16

17 Business Parameters Markets How to make a bale look good 17

18 Business Parameters Markets Glass problems everywhere 18

19 Current Measures Plant audits and performance evaluations Moving toward a processing fee based model Shift away from sorting screens, modify what we have Re balancing lines for the changes of the evolving ton Looking for betters ways to deal with film Hub and spoke, transfer tons long distances Removal and simplification of equipment Removal and replacement with better equipment MRF closures and MRF stalls 19

20 Game Changers: The real examples Game Changer Technology Impact Commingling Containers Light Heavy Separators (AirSort) Collection Automated Collection Sideloaders Collection Batch Baling Bale Doors Processing Automation Eddy Current Separators Processing Automation Optical Sorters Processing Single Stream Paper Screens Processing RMP OCC Screens Processing RMP Mixed Paper Grade Market Metering Drum Feeder Processing 20

21 A Quick Look Back in Time & Game Changers

22 22

23 An elevated sort System

24 A Quick Look Back in Time & Game Changers 24

25 The AirSort TM 25

26 Where we re not going Generator Collector?? 5 stacked bins Compartmentalized trucks 5 gallon bucket with stacked bundled news Blue bin Blue bag Large cart with internal compartments/trays Large cart for recyclables Pickups with trailer Dual routes Alternating day pickups Rear end loader Semi automated side loaders Manual Sort at Curb Manual Sort on Running board Automated sideloaders Optical Sorting (glass, plastic & paper)

27 Batch Baling

28 28

29 Life Before Metering Drums

30 30

31 OCC Screen

32 A Quick Look Back in Time & Game Changers

33 33

34 Single Stream Paper Screen 34

35 Single Stream Paper Screen

36 How we see the MRF trend... 36

37 Fun Fact April 1988 Pennsylvania s first municipal MRF was in 1988 at Bucks County, PA designed and built by RRT and operated by RRT Empire Returns. 37

38 Fun Fact Fun Fact 1989 PA s first commingled container line was designed and built by Count (RRT affiliate) and owned/operated by Otter Recycling, Bristol, PA. 38

39 Fun Fact April 1989 WM s 1st MRF to process commingled containers was at Gray s Ferry Rd, Philadelphia designed/built by RRT, manufactured by RRT s affiliate Count. 39

40 Fun Fact st Eddy Current Separator in the US for MRFs was manufactured by Eriez in Erie, PA and supplied to RRT for installation at RRT s Ocean County, NJ MRF and Palm Beach, FL MRF. 40

41 Fun Fact Fun Fact 1991 The popular McMRF was first commercialized at BFI/O Hara Sanitation in King of Prussia. 41

42 Fun Fact st OCC Screen in the US was installed at WM Forge, Philadelphia. 42

43 Game Changers at MRF that didn t take (examples) Game Changer Technology Impact Ferrous Containers Shredders/Delabelers Markets Glass Color Sorting Optical Sorters Glass Markets Plastic Direct to Market Granulators Plastic Markets Bagged Recyclables at Debagger Collection Curb Plastic Densification Perforators Shipping Adding Textiles Manual Sort Processing Adding Wood Manual Sort Processing 43

44 What is the future? More Commingling More Materials Integration with Collection Automation Vertical Integration Private vs Public Economic Drivers

45 The MRF of Tomorrow Technology Game Changers! Optical Sorters for Fiber, Flexible Packaging Robotics for Containers to compliment Optical Ballistic Separators for better 2D/3D separation 45

46 Optical Sorting - Why? Manual Labor Reduction Quality Improvement Throughput Improvement Consistency Improvement Worker Safety Improvement Value Addition

47 Color, NIR + Metal Detection Credit: MSS/CP Group

48 Optical Sorting Configuration Credit: TOMRA/VanDyk

49 Optical Sorting Configurations Credit: MSS/CP Group

50 Why New Developments? Maximize Final Product Quality Minimize Good Product Loss New Substrate and Label Materials New/Improved Applications: Flexible Packaging Smaller Packaging

51 Robotics in Recycling Who: 4 companies so far What: QC Sorting Where: At end of the lines When: Next 5 10 years Why: Improve processing How: Combines metal sensors, 3D laser cameras and spectroscopic (NIR) sensors with memory programming to select and grab the targeted items off the conveyor belt using suction or grippers with consideration of material orientation and location and the drop chute. 51

52 Robotics Technology Unit based (just like manual) so TPH claims are not an accurate measurement Capital intensive with results cost neutral? Complicated Not ready for prime time yet, but getting there A good commodity run will drive this game changer so long as MRFs can simultaneously increase throughput 52

53 ZenRobotics Helsinki, Finland, founded 2007 ZenRobotics Recycler two robotic arms suspended above a conveyor belt ZRR uses a gripper to pick up and then toss material into chutes Each robot 2000 picks/hour (approx. 33 picks/minute) up to 11 lbs. Maximum weight lifted is 44 lbs. Purchase price: $1M (2 robotic arms + sensor enclosure + control system)

54 ZenRobotics

55 ZenRobotics

56 ZenRobotics ZenRobotics

57 Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions Appingedam, Netherlands based company Represented by VAN DYK Recycling Solutions RoBB detection module, sorting module and conveyor belt Laser guided system to detect the height of waste and suction tool One robot: 4,000 picks/hour (approx. 66 picks/minute) Typical installation comes with four robot arms (12,000 picks/hour) Purchase price: $1M (2 robotic arms + sensor enclosure + control system)

58 Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions

59 Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions Few units installed in Europe

60 SADAKO Technologies Wall B Source: Sadako Technologies

61 SADAKO Technologies Wall B

62 MAX AI 62

63 AMP Robotics Boulder, CO startup founded in 2015 Delta and SCARA robots robotic arms which can work with suction tools or grippers SCARA (suction): 50 picks/minute Delta (gripper): 80 picks/minute Recognizes and separates: cardboard, brick, wood, PET, HDPE and cartons Grippers customized for different materials and interchangeable

64 AMP Robotics

65 AMP Robotics Suction uses up to 30 CFM of compressed air during one pick ( 15 CFM average) Maximum weight the robot can lift: 13 lbs. (below 6 lbs. optimum) SCARA belt speed: 80 feet/minute Delta belt speed: 200 feet/minute 1 pilot unit in the US installed in 2016

66 Robotics- Why? Maximize Final Product Quality Minimize Good Product Loss Manual Labor Reduction Worker Safety Improvement

67 Robotic technologies at MRFs (today) Company Zen Bollegraaf MAXUS AI AMP Technology Gripper Suction Suction Suction/Gripper Picks/min per robot /80 Type of waste Cost (packaged as 2 robots) C&D, Rigid Plastics Plastics Containers & Paper Plastic Containers C&D, Rigid Plastics, Plastic Containers, Paper $ 1 million $ 1 million Unknown NA Cost excludes installation and balance of plant

68 Robotics Summary Model is following the route of optical Sort speed per robot matches human; 50% of the time not sorting Well suited for quality control after optical sorting Higher purity results than optical Grippers and suction prone to wear and tear Expectation: We will see these as soon 68

69 Robotics Applications PET QC Sorter HDPE QC Sorter PP Sorter Aseptic Sorter OCC Sorter on Fiber Line Last chance sorter on residue line 69

70 Disc/Star Screens Reduce Dependency Safety Downtime Parts Costs Dust Efficiencies Declining Need Declining 70

71 Screen Alternatives? Reduce angle to horizontal less agitation, size driven Make one paper grade Optical Sorters Ballistic Separators 71

72 72

73 Ballistic Separators: Early Applications Brini System 1994 Bezner Inclined Sorting Machine 1996 KWS circa 1998 Stadler SIMS/Hugo Neu

74 Simple Inclined Belt 74

75 Advanced Inclined Belt 75

76 City of Phoenix 76

77 Ballistic Separators Today Source Hartner 77

78 Ballistic Separators Today Individual Paddles or Slats Eccentric crankshaft Substantial agitation Includes screening capability 78

79 Ballistic Separators Today Can be stacked Can be angle adjusted NO WRAPPING NO DUST Throughput limitations 79

80 Vendors Stadler Germany Machinex Canada Eggersmann (BRT Hartner) Germany Lubo/Van Dyk Netherlands McLanahan Pennsylvania Komptech Austria 80

81 81

82 82

83 83

84 Ballistic Separator Features Angle Adjustment Fans Covers Stacking 3 sorts Screening sizes of 2 inches to 4 inches. Widths of 5 ft. to 17 ft. Different paddle styles, widths and numbers 84

85 Final Thoughts Huge Investments need to be spent 70% of our waste is unprocessed 50% of the waste processed is done poorly Heavy reliance on revenues to offsets costs confuses a fee based structure The PR of zero waste adds confusion Commodity markets reacting to the evolving ton 85

86 86

87 Professional Recyclers of PA 2017 Conference Past, Present and Future of MRF Equipment Nathiel G. Egosi, P.E., President July 27, 2017 RRT Design & Construction Melville, NY- Milwaukee, WI- Baltimore, NY -Orlando, FL Syracuse, NY- Vestal, NY- Philadelphia, PAwww.rrtenviro.com 87