There are two types of irrigation systems made from plastic:
These distribute water through emitters. In thin-walled irrigation hoses, (150-250 µm) LLDPE injection moldings are installed at regular intervals of about 20 cm. In thick-walled irrigation pipes (> 300 µm), the emitters are also fitted with a silicone membrane for pressure compensation.
Irrigation systems have to meet high quality requirements. This is because the hoses installed are designed to provide a constant flow of water over several kilometers.
To ensure this, thin-walled drip tapes are subjected to strict quality controls. Even a small flaw immediately leads to rejection. Because the disposal as well as the purchase of new drip tapes involves costs, it makes sense to recycle the irrigation hoses.
At first glance, however, the process does not seem easy. The large-volume and bulky input materials and the different types of plastic that go into manufacturing irrigation systems often present major challenges in the recycling process.
Saves costs
Energy efficient
High quality recycled pellets
The ISEC evo from PURE LOOP with double degassing and an EREMA Laserfilter is particularly suitable for recycling irrigation hoses. Manufacturers that recycle their drip tapes and irrigation pipes using PURE LOOP's technology achieve refeeding quotas of up to 20 percent without sacrificing quality.
The advantages become clear as soon as the materials are fed in:
- the ISEC evo is extremely flexible in terms of material feed
Water is used in the quality control of drip tapes. This often makes it difficult to recycle irrigation hoses.
To counteract possible loss of quality in the recyclate, a recycling machine with extruder degassing is required. This configuration processes hygroscopic materials and plastics with a total moisture content of up to 4% or other impurities.
Machines with degassing technology remove moisture at two points.
The ISEC evo can process a wide selection of different types and shapes of plastic:
The ISEC evo recycling machine can recycle clumps from the production of irrigation hoses. This enables later reuse of the material for the production of drip tapes and thick-walled pipes.
Previously, one of PURE LOOP’s European customers used only new material in the production of irrigation hoses. With a view to possible cost minimization, they requested a trial using their own material at PURE LOOP's test center. During the trial, irrigation hoses (110 µm) in the form of rolls and blocks were recycled using the ISEC evo. In a subsequent 46-hour production test, the recycled pellets produced were added to the virgin material at a proportion of 10 percent. The prospective customer was impressed by the result. The knowledge that the high quality of the recyclate would allow it to be fed back into production led to them investing in PURE LOOP technology.
Read our article "The Best Recycled Pellets for Irrigation Pipes" to find out more about recycling irrigation hoses and pipes. Read now.