CP Group technology featured in 'largest and smartest' residential recycling center in North America
Single-stream system capable of processing two million pounds of recyclable material per day
CP Group, in partnership with Republic Services, Inc., unveiled a new, state-of-the-art recycling center at a grand opening ceremony on November 12. The 110,000 square foot Southern Nevada Recycling Center has been dubbed by Republic Services as “the largest and smartest residential recycling center in North America.” The grand opening reception welcomed over 450 attendees to tour the facility and education center.
Site development constructed by Cambridge Companies and equipment installation by CP Group was completed in a remarkable 12 months, from the groundbreaking in November 2014 to the grand opening at the end of 2015. CP Group engineered the residential and commercial single-stream processing system, capable of processing two million pounds of recyclable material per day, or 70 tons per hour. This capability is expected to double recycling capacity throughout Clark County, Nevada.
Engineered Solutions
The facility features dual 35 TPH sorting lines. The dual lines system provides operational flexibility. Republic is able to process one or both lines, and is capable of bypassing certain parts of the system when running different material types. The center will largely process residential recycling and has the capability to process commercial and industrial streams. This built-in flexibility allows the system to adapt as the composition of the recycling stream continues to evolve.
“There are scales throughout the system,” says Terry Schneider, CEO of CP Group. “[The incoming tonnage] can be calculated on a constant basis.” Schneider adds that shaft speeds and screen angles can also be modified based on this information. “It gives you a lot of flexibility.”
The MRF also processes material very quickly. “In 30 minutes, we can process as much recycling as 155 households will generate in a year,” says Len Christopher, general manager for post-collection at Republic Services. “And, we can process [a route truck that travels through the neighborhood] faster than you can order a latte at your favorite coffee shop, in about 2½ minutes.”
State-of-the-Art Equipment
Republic's new system in Southern Navada features multiple 2 OCC screens, 3 scalping screens, 2 glass breaker screens, 2 NEWScreens, as well as 4 CPScreens separating 2D from 3D material. These screens ensure maximum separation efficiency and provide other flexible sorting capabilities for Republic Services as the ton evolves.
The Southern Nevada Recycling Center also includes five state-of-the-art MSS CIRRUS optical sorters that make material separation decisions in milliseconds, maximizing the recovery of all containers, including PET, HDPE, and aseptic containers/cartons. The first CIRRUS optical sorter negatively separates any remaining fiber materials or particles. The remaining optical sorters recover plastics.
Another key feature of the system is the new CP Glass Cleanup Trommel, the first installed in the industry.
“The testing has been fantastic,” Schneider says. “We believe we will be able to recover somewhere in the 90 to 95 percent range at the back end. It’s the cleanest we’ve ever gotten glass.”
The Most Intelligent Recycling Center in North America
Republic Services has called this “the largest and smartest recycling center in North America.” The system features highly automated data acquisition and system control solutions provided by Advanced MRF, the electrical and controls division of CP Group, and a Siemens Solution Partner. Key features include 5 touch-screen Human Machine Interface (HMI) control panels, as well as 2 wireless control panels, Supervisory Control, Data Acquisition monitoring, and remote access to continually monitor operations for optimal performance. The Office Interface System (OIS) allows users to monitor MRF production real-time from any smart device using a secured network.
The operators are able to reset screens, adjust sorters and change the speeds of motors, all from a wireless tablet. There are also sets of pre-programmed equipment settings, or “recipies,” that can be selected based on the material being processed.
“It’s convenient for the supervisor to have this information in front of them,” says Christopher. “Previously, you had to do things like send employees with walkie-talkies on each side of a screen to adjust them. Now we will be able to adjust those needs through a hand-held device from anywhere in the facility.”
Prioritizing Safety
Safety was also a major consideration in the facility’s design. The system was designed to exceed American and international standards for safety, including OSHA and NFPA compliance.
Whether the system is running at full process or in a reduced capacity, all safety circuits throughout the facility remain active.
The system design allows easy access to maintenance areas. CP equipment includes safeguards built in to protect workers such as trap key systems, hydraulic platforms, and lanyard connections. All sorters are on the same platform level for safety and operator supervision.
A single emergency stop system provides 100% equipment control while maintaining maximum uptime. Intelligent controls know exactly when and where an e-stop is triggered, allowing quick identification and correction to resume production. The operators can see where the system was stopped on their HMI or tablet, pull up a live report and be able to reset the system.
