Glass fibre recycling Layman s report Reinforced thermoplastics Demonstration of a process to recycle glass fibre wastes to produce polipropilene composites BEFESA BEFESA - LIFE+ project LIFE07-ENV-E-802
LIFE07-ENV-E-802 Layman s report Summary of project scope Innovative recycling process, in a demonstration plant to recycle glass fibre wastes (GFW) coming from glass fibre production and consumption markets, using them to reinforce thermoplastics with specific formulation. 150.000 tons per year of different types of GFW go to EU landfills. This project is a new way to introduce them in the market, as part of a plastic compound or composite. The process allows the recycle of reinforced plastics wastes coming from out of use cars and automotive sector. The final product is a recycled glass fibre reinforced plastics granules (rgrp), with adjusted properties for defined applications on automotive and appliance sectors mainly. Main objectives of the project To develop an industrial process on a demonstration scale for the recycling of glass fibre wastes, producing polypropilene composites, in such a way that allows the evaluation of its technical and economic feasibility to introduce it on large scale. To reduce the environmental impact of glass fibre production, as well as the deposition of these wastes on UE landfills. To recycle parts coming from the dismantle of out of use cars. To disseminate the result of the project in EU in order to optimize the environmental imprevement of the Project objectives 2
Glass fibre wastes examples LIFE07-ENV-E-802 Layman s report BEFESA LIFE recycle compounding process PP+rGF granules 3
BEFESA Life+ project Actions 1. Aditives study 2a. Lab formulation 3. Plant design Plant construction 4. Plant starting up Machinery installations No load staring up load staring up Production trials. Samples for potential customers 2b. Specify formulation 5. Validation The project ends with the ok of potential customers to samples. Not entail commercial commitments The material is able to use for defined applications 4
The process Thermoplastics matrix Polypropilene 1 st or recycled + Out of use cars parts Aditives Futures R+D Polyamide GRP wastes Mix Extrusion Glass fibre recycled reinforced PP Reinforcement Recycled glass fibre Futures R+D Natural fibres Carbon fibres The pocess is the main innovation of the project. Recycling think up. Admit differents types of wastes by differents presentations Main machinery technologic development to glass fibre wastes processing will allow futures developments. Production capacity 2.000 Tm x line x year. 5
BEFESA LIFE demonstration plant 6
BEFESA LIFE demonstration plant Zone A. Zone C. Storage Zone B. Compounding Glass Fibre management Safety Burning System Raw mnaterials & aditives Others recycled materials and GF Load unload Silos QC Packaging Future L3 Future L2 Production L1 Raw materials feeding & control Meeting room Changing room Silo PP Out of Use Vehicles plastic wastes Transport to production Storage Homogenize Control Classify Bulk unloading GF 1 GF1 2 GF 3 GF 4 7
BEFESA LIFE demonstration plant Raw materials & aditive dosification Recycle compounding unit Main figures Total investment: 6 mill Glass fibre dosification Capacity 250 kg/h x line Total surface: 6.400 m2 Built surface: 2.400m2 Extension surface: 1.200 m2 Mix Maximum high: 18m Production structure weight: 50 Tons Extrusion 8
BEFESA LIFE project results GF+PP granules mechanical properties Mechanical properties Tensile Flexural Impact Other properties adjusted R&D previous results LIFE project technical objectives BEFESA-LIFE project Lab stage results BEFESA-LIFE project final results First quality PP + virgin GF Density Melt flow index The mechanical properties of the recycled GF reinforced PP granules produced by this new process are between 85 and 95 % of the common virgin materials 9
BEFESA LIFE project ENV- benefits Glass fibre production energy consumption 17 GJoules / GF ton 150.000 tons of glass fibre wastes per year 10% of production 2,5 mill GJoules The energy of 60.000 tons of crude oil 500.000 PP+rGF tons 25% of the total market GF wastes management cost 10-15% of virgin glass fibre price PP+rGF granules economic competitive 15% - 30% This recycled compound gives a way to automotive and appliance sector to reduce raw material costs and improve their environmental objectives 10
BEFESA LIFE project emissions saving Inputs % formula average Origin Recycled GF Tm CO 2 /Tm Virgin GF Tm CO 2 /Tm Glass fibre wastes 30% 150.000 tons/year generation of GF wastes 0 0,78 PP mix recycled 55% + virgin 15% Industrial and agriculture plastics wastes Thermoplastics market. R 55 / V 15 100 % V 0,66 1,34 Process Same energy consumption kg CO 2 /kwh 0,38 0,38 Total The first demonstration line will reduce the emission of 2.920 Tm CO 2 yearly (1.46 x2.000 Tm) The plant is designed for 2 more lines 1,04 2,5 Reduction Tm Co2/Tm Sources: SimaPro glass fibre at plant/rer/s 2005, European Platform on LCA, mix eléctrico español, inventario emisiones Befesa. 1,46 11
BEFESA LIFE project location Glass fibre wastes recycled during project execution Alhama de Murcia Demonstration plant 12