At IFAT 2024, Westeria will showcase the AirStar evolution air separator to the general public for the first time. It utilizes a completely redesigned air guidance system that offers a high degree of flexibility in fulfilling specific tasks, the new control panel facilitates adjustment and process monitoring, and the design is optimized for ease of maintenance. Energy consumption is significantly lower than before. Available in working widths from 1,000 to 3,000 millimetres, the AirStar evolution is suitable for throughputs of up to 400 cubic metres per hour. Thanks to its modular design, it can be adapted to the task at hand, transported, and assembled on-site in just one day.
An essential part of almost all recycling processes, windsifting enables highly efficient separation of the components contained in waste streams based on their weight and ballistic properties. Westeria air classifiers are used for applications ranging from household waste, plastics, waste wood, refuse-derived fuels, mixed construction waste, waste glass, industrial waste, and scrap recycling. The AirStar is based on 40 years of development history.
The NotusAir air management system
The air management system of the air classifier plays a decisive role in the efficiency and precision of the process and therefore the sorting quality. Accordingly, Westeria has invested in the development of this component of the AirStar evolution. The result of numerous simulations, flow analyses, and tests with different materials is the new NotusAir air management system. Its newly designed, controllable fan enables precise control of the airflow and can therefore reduce energy consumption by over 30 percent compared to a conventional air throttle valve, which is also noisier. To optimize results, the separator drum can be adjusted horizontally, the feed belt vertically, and the nozzle angle fully electrically. The air routing and a large-area hood over the light material chamber also work to optimize the separation process. This makes it possible for the first time to return a large proportion of the process air to the separation blower, reducing the amount of air to be extracted by two-thirds. This makes the overall system very compact and reduces the investment volume.
Features from previous generations staying on this iteration of the AirStar air separator include the downward angle in the integrated acceleration conveyor, which prevents heavy parts with a larger surface area from being carried into the light material fraction, and the shaftless separating drum as a measure against material jamming or winding between the drum and housing. The automatic misalignment control in the acceleration belt helps enable belt misalignment correction thanks to an improved sensor and new algorithm.
Intuitive operation
For the first time, the AirStar evolution enables the electrical adjustment of all separation parameters from a central control unit as standard. On delivery, the ideal settings determined for the recycler's material in Westeria's TechCenter are already preset. Saving individual separation recipes enables the system to be set quickly and precisely for changing materials. The separation process and its adjustment can be observed directly through the large viewing windows on the machine. The system can also be connected to the operator's central system control via the usual interfaces.
The new design of the AirStar evolution includes a maintenance concept. The signal lights, visible from all sides, provide recognizable information about critical machine statuses. In the event of faults, all critical points can be reached easily and in the shortest possible time. Large swing doors allow access to the separation unit from both sides, while additional doors at the rear provide access to the feed conveyor. Maintenance flaps in the material chamber also help facilitate easy access.
Numerous options for many applications
Several possible extensions make the AirStar evolution a stationary cross-flow air classifier for many applications. Thanks to the DiscSpreader material distribution system, narrow, irregular material feeds can be distributed across the entire belt width without additional installation space. To create a third fraction, the new air separator can be equipped with the DuoDrum system, which uses two separating rollers arranged one behind the other. Alternatively, the AirLift overband extraction system, which has also been optimized, can be integrated into the lightweight material chamber to remove ultra-light materials.
