Aerosol Can Recycling: EVAC II Aerosol Can Crusher from Beacon Engineering

EVAC II AEROSOL CAN CRUSHER / AEROSOL CAN RECOVERY SYSTEM

For the aerosol can manufacturer and waste disposal firms, a means of dealing with reject aerosol cans safely and efficiently is critical. In addition, the contents must be handled and the can itself reduced. Workers must be protected and the VOCs contained to protect the environment.

HISTORY

Our Evac aerosol can crushers along with the Tube Taper and Aerosol Can Orienter/Labeler are in operation worldwide.

The Evac Aerosol Can Crusher Systems have been in use and refined for more than 30 years to safely and efficiently capture, enclose, and retain more than 95%+ of the entire contents for safe disposal or recycling.

OPERATION

The aerosol cans are fed automatically into the machine from a FEED TABLE with a stainless top and plastic table-top chain. Cases of aerosol cans are opened on the stainless portion of the table, cans uprighted and pushed onto the slow-moving table-top chains, which transfers the cans into the Pre-Loader chamber. One chain section has a start-stop feature with each cycle; the other three chains move slowly, continuously crowding the cans forward to the feed chain. The Feed Table is powerd from the EVAC hydraulic system. Cans of varying diameters and lengths are randomly handled without the need for changing or adjusting parts.

SEQUENCE OF OPERATION (see dwg #E2-OP1)

1.	Aerosol cans are fed into Pre-Loader from Feed Table.
2.	The Pre-Loader moves cans upright over piston head.
3.	Aerosol cans are lowered into hydraulically powered Compaction Cylinder. Seal cap moves into place, hermetically sealing cans in the chamber.
4.	As the piston rises, cans rupture and are crushed into a wafer 1/2" thick. The contents go through check valves in the piston, which close at the top of the stroke.
5.	A vacuum scavenger system removes any propellant vapors and concentrate from around crushed cans before the cylinder seal. This material is pumped into the pressure tank, called the primary receiver.
6.	At pre-set amount of vacuum, the seal cap moves away and wafer of cans is discharged into a well-ventilated "drying" conveyor which has its own drive, drain, and pump for further drainage and release of any remaining propellant.
7.	The propellant and concentrate are forced into a pressure tank as the piston lowers the next charge of cans.
8.	The wafer of metal cans is discharged into customer's container for recycling.
9.	An exhaust fan driven hydraulically, removes up to 2,500 cfm of air and vapors from the compaction cylinder enclosure and crushed can drying. Propellant from accidental spills are quickly exhausted and mixed with excess air for safety. The propellant can be removed as a gas or liquefied for use as a fuel, incinerated, or recycled. The concentrate can be pumped as a liquid without foaming problems to the appropriate disposal system or reused.

HANDLING OF CONTENTS

The propellant and concentrate from aerosol cans are transferred to the primary receiver (pressure vessel). The propellant gas is lighter than the propellant liquid and the propellant liquid is usually lighter than the concentrate. Propellant can be drawn off as a gas using a pressure regulator to (1) be vented to atmosphere, (2) an open flare (thermal oxidizer), (3) to a furnace or boiler as a supplemental fuel, or (4) reliquefied for concentrated storage or transport. When the tank pressure is lowered to 3 psi or less, the concentrate can be transferred to standard barrels for handling to an appropriate disposal sites (heavy foams, such as mousse, shaving cream, rug cleaner, etc. no longer foam.)

Hydrocarbons can be reliquefied into a 250 lb. test tank. When full, it can be moved to a cement plant, for instance, and off-loaded into their bulk storage tanks.

EVAC ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

If propellants can be released to the atmosphere, low pressure tanks (barrels) can be substituted for high pressure tanks and the propellant directed into the exhaust fan for positive mixing with adequate air, for safety, as it is released.

PRIMARY RECEIVER

Must conform to local codes for hydrocarbon storage vessels with safety valve, etc. Size from 250 to 2500 gallons, depending upon operation. If concentrates are to be reused, several small tanks may be desirable.

VACUUM SYSTEM

This is a secondary scavenger function to pick up any residual propellant left in and around the crushed cans, before releasing the cans to atmospheric pressure. The tank is the surge so the vacuum can be performed in a minimum amount of time. A piston pump works continuously to hold a vacuum in a tank. The vacuum pump delivers this material into the main line to the pressure vessel.

CLEANING

Cleaning after use is recommended, using a solvent that effectively combines with the product being processed. Running the machine through 4 or 5 cycles with some solvent will clean the check valves, cylinder walls, etc. It is recommended that oil be left on all working surfaces when the machine is not in use.

ELECTRICS

Parts furnished explosion proof, Class 1, Group D: Pump motor (optional), heat exchanger and tank heater. The machine control is by air logic (no electricity) so it is explosion proof. Electricity required is about 40kw for the power unit.

EXCLUDED ITEMS

Plumbing, storage tank, vacuum tank, crushed can receptacle and any extensions to infeed and outfeed conveyors.

SYSTEM FEATURES

1.	Hydraulic Power Unit with 50 HP TEFC motor, complete with Falk coupling guard, Hydura pumps, (plumbed and tested), and oil to air heat exchanger, low oil-hi temp safety sensors, and 2000 watt oil heater and filters.
2.	Hydraulic Valves, air controlled with automatic check valves for safety, pilot operated check valves and pressure reducing valve to generate the desired sequence of events to perform each cycle.
3.	Compaction Cylinder, complete with 12" ID chrome plated cylinder with 12" stroke, seal cap and control cylinder, powered by an 8" diameter heavy duty press cylinder. Top ring of the compaction piston is constructed of brass.
4.	Pre-Loader assembles (10) #300 cans, (12) #211 cans, or (20) #202 cans or any combination of can diameter, height, and product; fully loads the cmpaction cylinder and is attached to the seal cap of and fed off the side of the infeed chain (normally 3-4 cycles per minute).
5.	Infeed Conveyor and Turntable driven with hydraulic motors, "start-stop" sequenced in the cycle as a part of a stainless top feed table with three slow moving plastic tabletop chains that move cans onto the feed chain, and section where cans are emptied from barrels or boxes and uprighted. The feed table will hold 400-600 cans.
6.	Vacuum System to scavenge concentrate and propellants, liquids, and gases from around crushed cans before releasing the compaction cylinder seal. A Beacon hydraulically driven pump with 8" ID chrome plated cylinder wall x 18" stroke, check valves, controls and line check valve forces scavenged materials to a primary receiver line. Residual liquid in cans to average less than .25 ounces/can.
7.	A 120 (+/-) gallon capacity vacuum tank as part of the vacuum system.
8.	Drying Conveyor for crushed cans, with hydraulic drives, stainless steel chains, drain, and pump. Cans are retained for further drainage and release of any remaining propellant.
9.	16" Fan hydraulically driven, to remove 200 cfm +/- of air and vapors from compaction cylinder enclosure and crushed can drying conveyor.
10.	Air Programmer with operator control panel, conveniently arranged for manual or automatic operation, with emergency stop and other safety features.
11.	Fixed hydraulic lines will be plumbed with tubing, and flexible connections will be plumbed with hose. Flexible hydraulic hose sections at power unit and compaction cylinder for connection to high pressure hydraulic tubing will be included. Customer will furnish the primary receiver tank, installation, and all plumbing, electrical wiring, etc.
12.	Accommodates 202-300 daimeter cans X up to 13" height.