Overview
The Fib3r project, which led to the construction of the plant owned by the Herambiente Group, is the result of an important three year experiment carried out in collaboration with the Toso Montanari Department of Industrial Chemistry of the University of Bologna and its technological partner Curti, a leading manufacturer of automatic machines for industrial applications. The Imola carbon fibre recovery plant can process different types of carbon fibre composite material waste, such as: machining offcuts, prepregs, finishing scraps, moulds and end of life items. The facility consists of 2 independent pyrogasification lines, which treat 1,100 kg per day of incoming waste (550 kg per line), with the related energy recovery of the process gases formed during treatment, by feeding them to the burners of the pyrolysis section, in order to reduce methane consumption. The plant, which will operate continuously 24/7, will be able to produce 160 tonnes (80 tonnes per line) per year of recycled fibre (rCF recovered carbon fibre). Starting from the study and optimisation of the process on a pilot plant in collaboration with the University of Bologna and Curti S.p.A., the best technologies were selected for the industrial plant built by Herambiente, paying particular attention to the criteria of maximum guarantee of environmental protection, reliability and safety of operation, technological innovation of process and product, and high energy efficiency. By ensuring maximum sustainability and full traceability of the production process, it is possible for our customers to close the loop of the circular economy. A fully traced supply chain guarantees transparency and quality of the entire process, from the collection of waste materials at the customer's plant to the treatment and return of recycled carbon fibre to the company, ready to be processed again.
Form
Environmental compatibility in compliance with current legislation (Legislative Decree 152/06)
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Number of pyrogasification lines
2 -
Site surface area
3.500 m2 -
Input waste capacity
320 tons/year -
Recycling technology
thermal pyrolysis and gasification -
Average operation per year
7,000 hours -
Recovery operation
R3, R13
WASTE CATEGORY | EUROPEAN WASTE CATALOGUE   | WASTE DESCRIPTION |
Composite material wastes | 040209_PRE | Pre-impregnated composite waste (prepreg) |
Composite material wastes | 040209_CUR | Cured composite material waste |
Composite material wastes | 040209_FV | End of life composite material waste |
Plastic | 200139_PRE | Pre-impregnated composite waste (prepreg) |
Plastic | 200139_ CUR | Cured composite material waste |
Plastic | 200139_ FV | End of life composite material waste |
Plastic | 170203_PRE | Pre-impregnated composite waste (prepreg) |
Plastic | 170203_ CUR | Cured composite material waste |
Plastic | 170203_ FV | End of life composite material waste |
Plastic | 160119_PRE | Pre-impregnated composite waste (prepreg) |
Plastic | 160119_ CUR | Cured composite material waste |
Plastic | 160119_ FV | End of life composite material waste |
Plastic and rubber | 191204_PRE | Pre-impregnated composite waste (prepreg) |
Plastic and rubber | 191204_ CUR | Cured composite material waste |
Plastic and rubber | 191204_ FV | End of life composite material waste |
Plastic wastes | 070213_PRE | Pre-impregnated composite waste (prepreg) |
Plastic wastes | 070213_ CUR | Cured composite material waste |
Plastic wastes | 070213_ FV | End of life composite material waste |
Organic wastes | 160306_PRE | Organic waste other than those mentioned in 160305 |
Organic wastes | 160306_ CUR | Organic waste other than those mentioned in 160305 |
Organic wastes | 160306_ FV | Organic waste other than those mentioned in 160305 |
Plastic material filings and chips | 120105_PRE | Pre-impregnated composite waste (prepreg) |
Plastic material filings and chips | 120105_ CUR | Cured composite material waste |
Plastic material filings and chips | 120105_ FV | End of life composite material waste |
The recovery plant located in Imola allows the thermal treatment of a wide range of carbon fibre-reinforced composite material scraps and, downstream of the process, it is possible to obtain the recycled carbon fibres deprived of the polymeric matrix (End of Waste), which will be reinserted within the production cycle and reused for the manufacture of new products.
- Waste reception and storage
- Waste pick-up:
- Treatment:
- Energy recovery:
- Flue gas treatment:
Finally, the flow is conveyed to the bag filter located outside the building before being aspirated by the dedicated fan and subsequently expelled through the stack.
Documents of the facility:
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Safety documents to access the facility:
406Kb - pdf