The main function of a waste sorting plant is to separate the different types of recyclable materials present in the mixed waste of urban solid waste. In this way, the different fractions of paper, plastic, metals, and so on can be properly separated and sent to appropriate recycling facilities.
The separation process begins by distributing the mixed waste on a conveyor belt, which can be above ground or below ground, to facilitate loading operations. Once loaded onto the conveyor belt, the waste slowly rises to the selection station, usually located on a raised platform. In this way, operators can easily separate the different materials by simply dropping them into the appropriate containers placed below the platform. The non-recyclable component of the waste continues its journey on the conveyor belt, before being unloaded and sent to the incinerator or landfill.
The task of transport systems, however, is not only to move waste along its path within the sorting plant: if properly designed, conveyor belts can also become real sorting systems that move waste and, at the same time, automatically separate some components. This simplifies the work of operators, who are left to separate waste that has already been partially freed from smaller components, and allows for obtaining better-separated and higher-quality recyclable materials.
CAMEC offers a variety of conveyor belts and sorting systems, designed to meet the specific needs of different waste sorting plants. Here are some examples:
- Conveyor belts with metal mesh: this type of conveyor belt, made of metal tubes and electro-welded high-strength steel, is designed to have high resistance over time, even under heavy loads. The individual belts are equipped with side rails of various heights, which allow for transporting products of different types and sizes, and the various components (chains, motor, etc.) are positioned to simplify maintenance activities.
- Rubber conveyor belts: these conveyor belts are made of black three-ply rubber and are equipped with systems that ensure proper alignment and tensioning of the belt. The side rails and any loading buckets can be customized according to the type of material being transported, and the feet can also be adjusted in height to make the belt more versatile and flexible.
- PVC conveyor belts: for transporting light materials, PVC conveyor belts are usually used, which, thanks to their particular structure, can reach high speeds. In this case too, the conveyor belts can be equipped with loading buckets and side rails to facilitate loading and channeling of the material, and can also be equipped with a magnetic drive roller that allows for separating the ferrous material from the waste mass and discharging it separately, using an appropriate chute, while the other components of the waste continue their journey.
- Conveyor belts with rubber-coated metal mesh: these conveyor belts are made of a frame consisting of electro-welded high-strength steel tubes, covered with a three-ply rubber coating. Their particular structure makes them suitable for withstanding heavy loads and, at the same time, retaining small waste particles, channeling them towards the next stage of treatment.
- Disc screener: the particularity of this type of screener is the presence of polygonal discs - inserted on a constant-pitch roller - which are able to shake, move and aerate the loaded material, favoring its uniform distribution on the entire available surface and allowing for the easy elimination of the smaller components of the waste (under-sieve material). A conveyor belt of this type is particularly useful in the first stage of separating the mixed waste, as it allows for advancing the material to be separated and, at the same time, efficiently and quickly eliminating the smaller waste particles, simplifying the work of the operators.
- Rotating screener: this screener is also useful for eliminating the smaller component of the waste, but this result is achieved through the use of perforated sheets. Once the screener is activated, its motor - electric or hydraulic - generates a rotating motion that shakes the waste, separating the components with a diameter smaller than that of the holes.
- Vibro screener: this type of screener uses an oscillating and shaking motion to achieve two results: distributing the material uniformly on the entire available surface, to facilitate the subsequent stages of separation, and separating the light and volatile components of the waste, such as dust and shavings.
All CAMEC transport and sorting systems can be made in different lengths and widths and can be equipped with different loading and unloading systems: this makes them easily adaptable to the specific characteristics of the individual waste sorting plant in which they are installed, ensuring maximum efficiency in every situation.