Advanced fiber-to-fiber recycling

Polyester is known for its tendency to absorb moisture, which can degrade its molecules during extrusion and weaken the polymer. The MRS multi-rotation extruder by Gneuss Kunststofftechnik GmbH, Bad Oeynhausen/Germany, removes moisture during the process and preserves the properties of the polymer, providing an efficient solution to this challenge. Reintegrating recycled PET fibers into extruders often becomes complicated due to the fibers’ low “bulk density” and residual moisture and spin finish oils.

During the exhibiton, Gneuss presents the Omnimax recycling system, a robust, integrated solution that efficiently processes waste fibers. Omnimax brings together several Gneuss products and technologies to form a system tailored to specific recycling requirements, including a 3C rotary feeder, a finely tuned vacuum system, an improved MRS extruder, an automated RSFgenius melt filtration system and an online VIS viscometer.

The Omnimax recycling line is highly compact, reducing the required operational space and lowering energy consumption massively. Its design allows for integration into existing production setups and direct adaptation to a fiber production line, eliminating the need for intermediate pelletizing steps. This efficient operation not only decreases electricity and gas usage but significantly shrinks the CO2 footprint of the recycling process. MRS extrusion process and Rotary Filtration Systems are appreciated worldwide for their effectiveness in contamination removal, ensuring that recycled materials adhere to stringentquality standards. The brief material residence time in the system preserves the chemical properties of the recycled materials, making them nearly identical to virgin materials.

With its innovative Omnimax system, Gneuss has created a compact solution for direct fiber recycling that can be combined with existing fiber systems, thus considerably saving on labor and energy costs.