UNTHA creates waves in Europe
Published by Lucy Stewardson,
Editorial Assistant
World Cement,
The X-Cutter (XC) system is the newest engineering development to be released by UNTHA Shredding Technology. The system is for the XR waste shredder and was first revealed at the IFAT event in Munich in May.
The system is designed to achieve the next generation of performance for single-step SRF shredding or provide a direct replacement for existing high-speed shredders. It is able to transform varied input wastes, ranging from waste woof to pulper ropes. The technology is capable of producing either a homogenous 30 mm solid recovered fuel for cement production, or refined refuse derived fuel for WtE systems, which require a homogenous feed material.
Whether on the static or mobile XR-XC, the system is capable of achieving throughputs of up to 40 tph. The cutter evolution can run with a slow rotor speed of either 65 rpm for complex waste streams, or 85 rpm for cleaner input materials. Equivalent machinery often operating at higher speeds of 250 – 350 rpm, UNTHA has stated that it is striving for the lowest wear, most robust safety standards, and greatest energy efficiency on the market. The system is also able to deal with large unshreddable items without the excessive downtime that operators typically face with the need for major repairs on high-speed technology.
Following a European roadshow of the shredder, which allowed operators to trial the machine using their own materials, demand for the company’s XR-XC has spiked. For example, three trials in the UK saw the technology transform five different input waste streams into fuels with varying specifications. In one test, pre-treated residual waste was transformed at a rate of 30 tph into 80 mm fuel. In another, black bag MSW was converted into a less than 40 mm fuel, at a rate of 22 tph, while a third test achieved 12 tph when processing light cage material for SRF.
“This XR-XC is fast becoming a popular replacement for the industry’s existing high-speed waste shredders,” said Peter Streinik, Head of the Global Waste Shredding Division at UNTHA. “It is challenging the norm and making operators think differently about how to process waste into an energy resource.
“For example, the slower speed means reduced noise levels, which heightens operator wellbeing – crucial for organisations’ duty of care. It also means cutters have a longer lifespan, which lowers the whole life running cost of the machine, without jeopardising performance. And the flexibility to handle extremely varied and complex input materials addresses the increasing challenge that clients are facing – they need future-proofed technology that can evolve alongside market conditions.
“Without a doubt, trials play a huge part in the consequent demand for technology.”
The company’s future technological developments include a low-maintenance safety clutch and more powerful drive motors, to meet the ever-increasing performance requirements of clients.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/20112018/untha-creates-waves-in-europe/
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