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Recycling of electrical cables - With focus on mechanical recycling of polymers. A project funded by Vinnova
RISE - Research Institutes of Sweden (2017-2019), Materials and Production, IVF.ORCID iD: 0009-0008-8699-7425
2014 (English)Report (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Swerea IVF has been coordinating the Vinnova sponsored project “Recycling of electrical cables with focus on mechanical recycling of polymers in end-of-life cables” with partners from the cable business. This report briefly summarizes the work performed and results from the project. Detailed documentation and results from the project are found in the project reports accessible for the partners on the project web site. The public reports and articles are found in the public part on the project web site; http://extra.ivf.se/cable_program/template.asp The main objective of this project was to develop know-how and technology for mechanical recycling of electrical cables with focus on recycling the various polymers in the cable waste; polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) and halogen free flame retardant (HFFR). Sorting models and separation methods for selected waste flows have been developed and tested practically within the project. Processability and possibilities to upgrade and optimize the material properties have been investigated by optimizing the particle size, by mixing with suitable compound and quality, by use of additives like compatibilizers and optimizing the process parameters. Recycling experiments have been conducted in collaboration with Nexans, AB Volvo, Hellermann Tyton, Riflex Film, Norner and Axjo Plastic. Products produced are: cables with recycled PVC in the jacket, PVC foil, cable channels for trucks with recycled XLPE and HDPE (high density polyethylene) compound and cable packaging with recycled XLPE and PP (polypropylene) compound. Demonstrators produced are: electrically conductive foil with XLPE (possible use is under floor heating) and rotational molded containers. The environmental benefits of increased sorting and recycling were quantified with environmental system analysis. Also cost analyses of different recycling options have been performed. In order to facilitate the assessment of recycling options in the cable manufacturing industry tools for environmental system analysis and cost analysis have been developed.. Results from the project show that the light weight cable plastic, which consists mainly of XLPE and some PE, can be recycled in compound with PE or PP. Both XLPE from manufacturing (cable scrap and extruder lumps) and end-of-life (EOL) cables can be recycled in high quality products. The most promising method is injection moulding of XLPE in compound with HDPE alternatively PP. Still, the light weight plastics are sent for incineration with energy recovery, but most likely this will change soon and the main part of the light weight plastic produced at Stena Recycling will be recycled. Automotive PVC wires scrap collected at Nexans has been successfully recycled into high quality products like cable jackets and in PVC foils. A drying system and an electrical separator have been installed at Stena Recycling in line with the output ”PVC fraction" from the PlastSep. The separation of metal residues from the plastic has thus been improved and conductive plastic/rubber is also separated. It has led to increased mechanical recycling and the majority, about 95%, of the "PVC cable plastic" can be recycled into products like hoses, pallets and traffic products. However, it is uncertain if the recycling of EOL PVC can continue due to the presence of environmentally and health hazardous additives in some of the PVC plastic waste. The sorting of cables needs to be improved to avoid spreading of hazardous substances, and to improve the purity and quality to enable quality recycling of PVC plastic. A difficulty has been to avoid mixing of PVC and HFFR cable waste. PVC is not very sensitive to contamination but HFFR are and only a few percent of PVC in HFFR would drastically reduce the mechanical properties. Therefore, it is challenging to recycle HFFR but also because of high filler content and filler decomposing.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Swerea IVF , 2014. , p. 35
Series
Swerea IVF-report 21813
National Category
Chemical Engineering
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ri:diva-74978OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ri-74978DiVA, id: diva2:1894467
Available from: 2024-09-03 Created: 2024-09-03 Last updated: 2025-09-23Bibliographically approved

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Boss, Annika

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