Energie AG - Umwelt Service GmbHAutomatic baler APK-ES 135 used by Energie AG ensures efficient waste management

Energie AG Umwelt Service (a 100% subsidiary of Energie AG, an Austrian energy supply and infrastructure supplier) offers waste disposal services to local communities, businesses and manufacturers throughout Austria. The whole of the value creation chain is covered – in other words, collection, sorting and, where possible, recycling. What is required is what is provided – careful handling of potential resources and the avoidance or reduction of associated emissions.

The task: the processing of 1000 tonnes of material each month

At their site at Ötztal Bahnhof in Austria’s Tyrol, some 1000 tonnes of material are processed every month. This consists of 900 tonnes of cardboard and paper, 70 tonnes of film and 30 tonnes of hard plastics. Cardboard and paper waste collected from businesses and local communities is pre-compacted. The plastic materials take the form of pre-sorted industrial waste of manufacturers, including hard plastics, films, recyclable waste and HDPE. The cardboard and paper bales – in other words, the larger proportion of the bales – are loaded directly onto trains from the adjoining loading platform and thus provided with environmentally-friendly transport. The bales of film and the stable bales of hard plastics suitable for transport are carried by truck to the recycling plant.

The baling press then in use was unable to cope with the growing volume of material and the associated required bale weights. It was no longer possible to process materials such as the hard plastics effectively. What was required was a system that would efficiently produce bales of greater weight, provide a higher throughput rate (with integration of the existing conveyor system) and ensure adaptability to the range of materials. Not to forget the fact that the energy efficiency of this system was to be outstanding!

The solution APK-ES135: rapid and reliable in operation, stable bales without the need for cross binding and with ease of handling

After a detailed review of the situation and the requirements, the fully automatic Austropressen APK-ES135 baling press providing 5-fold vertical binding of the bales was selected as the optimal solution. The existing conveyor belt was retrofitted with a state-of-the-art personnel protection system and connected to the new channel baling press.

What the customer has to say:

“The machine operates well, completely fault-free and rapidly! The new press has made it possible to achieve greater weight utilisation in the output with significantly reduced running hours. So it is now possible to compress the various segregated different types of plastics separately with no need for cross binding! The recipe control system makes it easy for our personnel to set the machine and thus operate it without extensive prior training in its use. In addition, the key transfer system in combination with the personnel protection module provides for the maximum level of safety at the workplace.” (Christoph Prantl, Regional Manager Energie AG Tyrol/Vorarlberg)

The technical parameters of the APK-ES135:

• With a pressure force of 1350 kN, a cutting force of 1480 kN and theoretical output of 585 m³/h – depending on material – bales of weights of up to 880 kg (with a length of 1.2 - 1.3 m) are produced.

• Two 55 kW drives with sensor-controlled switch-off in case there is no material infeed also guarantee the efficient use of energy.

• Ease of processing of mixed waste – pre-compacted cardboard, recyclables, PET, aluminium and tinplate, HDPE canisters and hollow body waste.

• Energy consumption even when processing pre-compacted cardboard is just 4 kW/h per cardboard bale with a bale weight of 700 kg and a length of 1.1 m.

• The DRILLFIX 5-fold vertical bale binding system provides for stability even in the case of hard plastic bales and is more efficient, resource-saving and uses less wire than a cross tie system.

• Replaceable HARDOX base and side plates reduce wear and increase the service life of the channel baling press.

• Specially developed hydraulic units and an oil care system (cooling, heating and cleaning, all-in-one) ensure energy-efficient operation and serve to extend the service life of the hydraulic equipment and fluid.

• Installed branded products: hydraulic equipment by Rexroth/Parker, electrical equipment by Siemens.

• The patented cutting system minimises jamming of material, energy consumption and cutting tool wear.

• Ideally designed knives with optimum cutting angles and an automatic clear-pressing system guarantee uninterrupted trouble-free operation.

• Fully automatic 5-fold vertical bale binding using the Austropressen DRILLFIX 2.0 system ensures smooth, trouble-free and sure-fire operation with minimal use of wire.

• Maximum safety thanks to the key transfer system for door monitoring.

• Automatic control system with pump shut-down, automatic press channel control and user-friendly display panel providing for ten different program settings.