Alutrade Ltd recovers 99% pure aluminum thanks to TOMRA’s new X-TRACT™
Alutrade is the first company in the world to reap the benefits of the sophisticated new sensor-based sorting solution.
Alutrade, the UK’s largest independent aluminum recycling company and extrusion specialist, is the first company in the world to reap the benefits of X-TRACT™, the sophisticated new sensor-based sorting solution from TOMRA Recycling Sorting.
The X-TRACT™, TOMRA’s most advanced x-ray metals sorting unit, has enabled Alutrade to achieve 99% pure aluminium for use in secondary aluminium production.
The new X-TRACT™ unit was installed in March 2021 at Alutrade’s Oldbury recycling plant in Birmingham which processes 42,000 tons of waste annually. The plant’s infeed material comprises metal extrusions from different types of post-consumer construction waste, such as windows and doors, as well as aluminum cans.
A combination of mechanical and sensor-based sorting
Following magnetic separation, a combination of TOMRA sensor-based sorting units is used to process, sort and recover the target fraction of aluminum. Two of the earlier edition TOMRA X-TRACT™ units – which were installed in 2017 and 2018 respectively – are programmed to capture a larger aluminum fraction of >30mm and the new machine targets a smaller 10-30mm aluminum fraction, removing any heavy metal content from the aluminum. Both the earlier and new edition X-TRACT™ units sort metals based on the difference in atomic density, separating out any heavy metals.
Meeting industry demand for premium recycled aluminum
Alutrade’s customers are remelts based all over the world who demand the highest purity grade of aluminum product for their remelting process as any heavy metal content affects the melt specifications.
Andrew Powell, Director at Alutrade LTD, explains: “Over the past five years, we have worked closely with TOMRA and our main customer, and have undertaken a lot of research to achieve this milestone of recovering an aluminum end fraction that meets the exceptionally high purity levels required to go straight into the remelt process. The smaller 10-30mm grain size captured by the new machine is 99% pure aluminum which means we can sell it on at a much higher price to our customers for use in the production of new aluminum products. What’s more, the new version of X-TRACT™ has opened up new international market opportunities for Alutrade as we can now source different infeed material, as well as sell on the ejected heavy metal products.”However, thanks to a new x-ray sensor design, the new X-TRACT™ can separate fractions down to 5mm at even higher purity levels.
TOMRA’s new X-TRACT™ uses the same process of separating metals by atomic density as the earlier edition but offers far superior x-ray capabilities. The software-based solution can guarantee premium remelt quality recycled aluminum by ejecting the heavy metal contaminants.
The new generation X-TRACT™ unit boasts a number of new innovative features, including much faster sorting (up to 3.8 meters per second) and an increased capacity per meter width.
A new high-acutance XRT sensor ensures sharper detection and shorter integration times for higher throughout, while a high-power (up to 1,000w) x-ray source is capable of processing multiple applications and grain sizes. An extended separation chamber reduces material loss by improving the trajectory of sorted objects and a new catcher hood ensures safer access and faster maintenance.
Alutrade’s X-TRACT™ unit is connected to TOMRA Insight, TOMRA’s secure, nearly real-time and on-demand cloud-based data monitoring platform. The platform enables customers to turn their sorters into connected devices and to transform sorting from an operational process into a strategic management tool. Generating high value data, TOMRA Insight helps to maximize plant throughput, boost sorting performance and optimize output quality.
“Investing in the new X-TRACT™ has enabled us to close the loop on the recycling process as much as possible, converting aluminum back into aluminum for use in high-grade aluminum products so that in effect, a window frame can be recycled into a new window frame. With low operational costs, improved safety and superior sorting capabilities, the new X-TRACT™ definitely stands out in terms of the aluminum recycling solutions available in the global metals recycling market.”
Terence Keyworth, Segment Manager Metal Recycling North/East Europe, adds: “TOMRA and Alutrade have worked together for more than ten years so Alutrade’s Oldbury plant was an ideal plant for us to test and prove the capabilities of our new X-TRACT™. As the first prototype of this unit in an industrialized environment, it has been a very exciting project. We’re delighted that Alutrade has been so impressed with the sorting capabilities of this new technology and look forward to rolling out further installations over the coming months.
For more information visit TOMRA at booth 6F19 at Aluminium Düsseldorf trade fair, taking place from September 27 to 29 at Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre. TOMRA’s metal recycling experts are at hand to answer any questions you might have.