New shredder helps Turkish recycler move forward

Turkey – Smarter and more efficient technology can make a huge difference – as has been proved by Modern Enerji, a major Turkish recycler and waste-to-energy producer. The company has boosted production following the recent commissioning of a new shredder at its facility in Corlu in the north west of the country.

The company had been looking for a more effective shredding approach for its high-calorific material stream. Modern Enerji processes so-called pulper ropes from the neighbouring paper mill, operated by sister company and Turkey’s largest corrugated fibre board producer Modern Karton. When handled effectively, pulper rope waste provides an excellent refuse-derived fuel (RDF) feedstock but this paper manufacturing by-product is not easy to shred. The company’s two dual-shaft machines had been encountering problems in separating metals from the blend of plastics and paper.

Now, an XR3000C single-step RDF shredder from recycling equipment manufacturer UNTHA of Austria has transformed Modern Enerji’s approach to metals recycling and boosted RDF production. With a three-metre cutting chamber and two knife rows, the XR3000C can handle six tonnes of pulper ropes and 10 tonnes of pre-shredder paper reject per hour. The result, in one sophisticated operation, is the new-found production of a high-quality, 50 mm RDF for Modern Enerji’s own power generation, and the segregation and extraction of saleable metals for recycling.

‘Modern Enerji is one of Turkey’s most renowned brands when it comes to sustainable thinking and environmentally progressive electricity generation,’ UNTHA’s waste-to-energy specialist Andreas Neureiter comments. ‘It is therefore no surprise that, at the same time as producing power for the country, the team is constantly evaluating how to improve the efficiency of their waste handling, recycling and alternative fuel production.’

The new shredder is projected to handle 45 000 tonnes of waste per year.