VinyLoop

Last updated

VinyLoop is a proprietary physical plastic recycling process for polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It is based on dissolution in order to separate PVC from other materials or impurities. [1]

Contents

Background

A major factor of the recycling of polyvinyl chloride waste is the purity of the recycled material. In most composite materials, PVC is among several other materials, such as wood, metal, or textile. To make new products from the recycled PVC, it is necessary to separate it from other materials. Traditional recycling methods are not sufficient and expensive because this separation has to be done manually and product by product. [2]

VinyLoop is a recycling process which separates PVC from other materials through a process of dissolution, filtration and separation of contamination. A solvent is used in a closed loop to elute PVC from the waste. This makes it possible to recycle composite structure PVC waste, which would normally be incinerated or put in a landfill site. [3]

Process

The process consists of the following steps:

  1. Pre-treatment: waste plastics are cleaned, ground and mixed
  2. Dissolution: a specific solvent is used to selectively dissolve the PVC compound in a closed loop
  3. Filtration: impurities which have not been dissolved are removed through filtration—they are separated by type of material by filtration, centrifugation and decantation. After separation, the secondary materials are washed with pure solvent to dissolve all remaining PVC compounds
  4. Precipitation of the regenerated PVC compound: the solution of PVC is recovered in a precipitation tank, where steam is injected to evaporate the solvent and precipitate the PVC. The PVC compound is separated in the form of aqueous effluent. [4] [5] and dried.
  5. Drying: after recovering the excess water from the slurry, the wet PVC goes to a dryer.

Possible products made from recycled PVC are coatings for waterproofing membranes, pond foils, shoe soles, hoses, diaphragms tunnel, coated fabrics, and PVC sheets. It is an attempt to solve the recycling waste problem of PVC products. [6] [7] [8]

Ecological importance

VinyLoop-based recycled PVC's primary energy demand is 46 percent lower than conventional produced PVC. The global warming potential is 39 percent lower. [9]

The VinyLoop process has been selected to recycle membranes of different temporary venues of the London Olympics 2012. Roofing covers of the Olympic Stadium, the Water Polo Arena, the London Aquatics Centre and the Royal Artillery Barracks will be deconstructed and a part will be recycled in the VinyLoop process. [10]

Closure

Since the process could not remove low molecular weight phthalate plasticizers during recycling, tightening EU regulations meant the recycling plant based in Ferrara, Italy has closed as of 28 June 2018. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

Polyvinyl chloride Synthetic plastic polymer

Polyvinyl chloride is the world's third-most widely produced synthetic polymer of plastic. About 40 million tons of PVC are produced each year.

Extractive metallurgy is a branch of metallurgical engineering wherein process and methods of extraction of metals from their natural mineral deposits are studied. The field is a materials science, covering all aspects of the types of ore, washing, concentration, separation, chemical processes and extraction of pure metal and their alloying to suit various applications, sometimes for direct use as a finished product, but more often in a form that requires further working to achieve the given properties to suit the applications.

Thermoplastic Plastic that becomes soft when heated and hard when cooled

A thermoplastic, or thermosoft plastic, is any plastic polymer material that becomes pliable or moldable at a certain elevated temperature and solidifies upon cooling.

Nuclear reprocessing Chemical operations that separate fissile material from spent fuel to be recycled as new fuel

Nuclear reprocessing is the chemical separation of fission products and unused uranium from spent nuclear fuel. Originally, reprocessing was used solely to extract plutonium for producing nuclear weapons. With commercialization of nuclear power, the reprocessed plutonium was recycled back into MOX nuclear fuel for thermal reactors. The reprocessed uranium, also known as the spent fuel material, can in principle also be re-used as fuel, but that is only economical when uranium supply is low and prices are high. A breeder reactor is not restricted to using recycled plutonium and uranium. It can employ all the actinides, closing the nuclear fuel cycle and potentially multiplying the energy extracted from natural uranium by about 60 times.

Ultrafiltration (UF) is a variety of membrane filtration in which forces like pressure or concentration gradients lead to a separation through a semipermeable membrane. Suspended solids and solutes of high molecular weight are retained in the so-called retentate, while water and low molecular weight solutes pass through the membrane in the permeate (filtrate). This separation process is used in industry and research for purifying and concentrating macromolecular (103–106 Da) solutions, especially protein solutions.

Polyvinylidene fluoride Non-reactive thermoplastic fluoropolymer

Polyvinylidene fluoride or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) is a highly non-reactive thermoplastic fluoropolymer produced by the polymerization of vinylidene difluoride.

PET bottle recycling

Although PET is used in several applications,, as of 2022 only bottles are collected at a substantial scale. The main motivations have been either cost reduction or recycle content of retail goods. An increasing amount is recycled back into bottles, the rest goes into fibres, film, thermoformed packaging and strapping. After sorting, cleaning and grinding, 'bottle flake' is obtained, which is then processed by either:

Polyvinyl fluoride Chemical compound

Polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) or –(CH2CHF)n– is a polymer material mainly used in the flammability-lowering coatings of airplane interiors and photovoltaic module backsheets. It is also used in raincoats and metal sheeting. Polyvinyl fluoride is a thermoplastic fluoropolymer with a repeating vinyl fluoride unit, and it is structurally very similar to polyvinyl chloride.

Industrial wastewater treatment Processes used for treating wastewater that is produced by industries as an undesirable by-product

Industrial wastewater treatment describes the processes used for treating wastewater that is produced by industries as an undesirable by-product. After treatment, the treated industrial wastewater may be reused or released to a sanitary sewer or to a surface water in the environment. Some industrial facilities generate wastewater that can be treated in sewage treatment plants. Most industrial processes, such as petroleum refineries, chemical and petrochemical plants have their own specialized facilities to treat their wastewaters so that the pollutant concentrations in the treated wastewater comply with the regulations regarding disposal of wastewaters into sewers or into rivers, lakes or oceans. This applies to industries that generate wastewater with high concentrations of organic matter, toxic pollutants or nutrients such as ammonia. Some industries install a pre-treatment system to remove some pollutants, and then discharge the partially treated wastewater to the municipal sewer system.

An artificial membrane, or synthetic membrane, is a synthetically created membrane which is usually intended for separation purposes in laboratory or in industry. Synthetic membranes have been successfully used for small and large-scale industrial processes since the middle of twentieth century. A wide variety of synthetic membranes is known. They can be produced from organic materials such as polymers and liquids, as well as inorganic materials. The most of commercially utilized synthetic membranes in separation industry are made of polymeric structures. They can be classified based on their surface chemistry, bulk structure, morphology, and production method. The chemical and physical properties of synthetic membranes and separated particles as well as a choice of driving force define a particular membrane separation process. The most commonly used driving forces of a membrane process in industry are pressure and concentration gradients. The respective membrane process is therefore known as filtration. Synthetic membranes utilized in a separation process can be of different geometry and of respective flow configuration. They can also be categorized based on their application and separation regime. The best known synthetic membrane separation processes include water purification, reverse osmosis, dehydrogenation of natural gas, removal of cell particles by microfiltration and ultrafiltration, removal of microorganisms from dairy products, and Dialysis.

Ion exchange Exchange of ions between an electrolyte solution and a solid

Ion exchange is a reversible interchange of one kind of ion present in an insoluble solid with another of like charge present in a solution surrounding the solid with the reaction being used especially for softening or making water demineralised, the purification of chemicals and separation of substances.

Plastic wrap Thin plastic film used for sealing food

Plastic wrap, cling film, Saran wrap, cling wrap, Glad wrap or food wrap is a thin plastic film typically used for sealing food items in containers to keep them fresh over a longer period of time. Plastic wrap, typically sold on rolls in boxes with a cutting edge, clings to many smooth surfaces and can thus remain tight over the opening of a container without adhesive. Common plastic wrap is roughly 0.0005 inches thick. The trend has been to produce thinner plastic wrap, particularly for household use, so now the majority of brands on shelves around the world are 8, 9 or 10 μm thick.

Plastic recycling Processes which convert waste plastic into new items

Plastic recycling is the reprocessing of plastic waste into new products. When performed correctly, this can reduce dependence on landfill, conserve resources and protect the environment from plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Although recycling rates are increasing, they lag behind those of other recoverable materials, such as aluminium, glass and paper. The global recycling rate in 2015 was 19.5%, while 25.5% was incinerated and the remaining 55% disposed of to landfill. Since the beginning of plastic production in the 20th century, until 2015, the world has produced some 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste, only 9% of which has been recycled, and only ~1% has been recycled more than once.

Polyvinylidene chloride or Polyvinylidene dichloride (PVDC) is a homopolymer of vinylidene chloride.

Plastic pipework Tubular section or hollow cylinder made of plastic

Plastic pipe is a tubular section, or hollow cylinder, made of plastic. It is usually, but not necessarily, of circular cross-section, used mainly to convey substances which can flow—liquids and gases (fluids), slurries, powders and masses of small solids. It can also be used for structural applications; hollow pipes are far stiffer per unit weight than solid members.

A double-walled pipe is a secondary contained piping system. It is a pipe within a pipe, or encased in an outer covering, with an annulus between the two diameters. The inner pipe is the primary or carrier pipe and the outer pipe is called the secondary or containment pipe. The great majority of double-walled piping applications involve wastewater, groundwater, and process safety.

Plastic Material of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids

Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptability, plus a wide range of other properties, such as being lightweight, durable, flexible, and inexpensive to produce, has led to its widespread use. Plastics typically are made through human industrial systems. Most modern plastics are derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals like natural gas or petroleum; however, recent industrial methods use variants made from renewable materials, such as corn or cotton derivatives.

Membrane Thin, film-like structure separating two fluids, acting as a selective barrier

A membrane is a selective barrier; it allows some things to pass through but stops others. Such things may be molecules, ions, or other small particles. Membranes can be generally classified into synthetic membranes and biological membranes. Biological membranes include cell membranes ; nuclear membranes, which cover a cell nucleus; and tissue membranes, such as mucosae and serosae. Synthetic membranes are made by humans for use in laboratories and industry.

A separation process is a method that converts a mixture or a solution of chemical substances into two or more distinct product mixtures. In other words, it's a scientific process of distinguishing to two or more substance in order to obtain purity. At least one product mixture of the separation is enriched in one or more of the source mixture's constituents. In some cases, a separation may fully divide the mixture into pure constituents. Separations exploit differences in chemical properties or physical properties between the constituents of a mixture.

Industrial separation processes are technical procedures which are used in industry to separate a product from impurities or other products. The original mixture may either be a natural resource or the product of a chemical reaction.

References

  1. ↑ "VinyLoop - About us". VinyLoop Ferrara SpA. Archived from the original on 16 September 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ↑ moonlight dancer productions. "Roofcollect" (in German). Roofcollect. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Plastics Technology, 8 August 2001, p 58-61: New methods in PVC recycling
  6. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ↑ Machine Design, Cleveland, June 5, 2003. vol. 75, Iss. 11; pg. 79.
  8. ↑ "Vinyloop - Homepage". Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  9. ↑ "To Recycle or Not to Recycle – PVC Cable Waste is the Question7". July 2012.
  10. ↑ "Waste & Recycling News : Login". Archived from the original on 8 December 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  11. ↑ "Ferrra Plant Closure Press Release" (PDF). VinyLoop. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.