Profitable Solvent Recovery for Flexographic Printing Presses

OFRU Recycling presents complete solvent recycling concepts for new or existing flexographic printing presses.

Flexographic printing presses are often equipped with an automatic cleaning system. For each printing press wash-up cycle, the cleaning system requires a certain amount of clean solvent. The need for cleaning solvents increases according to the number of color and printing job changes. The operator is then necessarily required to consider cost-effective and efficient means to supply these wash solvents.

An expedient recycling concept for contaminated solvents is introduced to the printing market, consisting of the ASC-150 solvent recovery unit, combined with solvent storage tanks.

The ASC-150 with a heat power of 24 kW has been successfully used in packaging printing for many years and continuously cleans ethanol / ethyl acetate. The solvent recovery is supplied directly from the flexographic printing press. Two high-grade stainless steel 1000-litre tanks of approved design buffer the contaminated and recycled solvent mixture. The tanks are also available in plastic as a low-cost alternative. Powered by an integrated, high-performance steam heating system, the ASC-150 is able to distill 300-600 litres (80 – 160 gal) of printing solvent per 8-hr shift. The entire recycling process is electronically monitored by a process control system and ensures a reliable supply of the flexographic printing presses. A nitrocellulose safety package is optionally available for printing inks containing nitrocellulose. This enables safe distillation of nitrocellulose-containing contaminated solvents.