Fluff Feeder Offers Higher Film-Scrap Capacity, Better Reclaim Efficiency

Conair has redesigned its ScrapSaver fluff feeder to reportedly make high-volume film-scrap reclaim easier by feeding granulated film fluff into a stream of virgin material and delivering the mix to an extruder. Designed for use with in-line granulation systems, the feeder features an enlarged and strengthened main hopper and top plate for greater fluff surge capacity. The unit also has a beefed-up auger to deliver higher fluff-to-virgin ratios to the extruder, an integral control panel, and mounting adapters for varied extruder feed throats from 2 to 8 in. diam.

The special twin-chamber hopper of the redesigned ScrapSaver feeder holds granulated fluff in a large main chamber and virgin material in a smaller side chamber, keeping both separate until just before they are introduced into the screw flights. To prevent fluff from bridging and keep it flowing smoothly downward, the new unit employs a longer, stronger, one-piece auger, capable of driving higher fluff refeed ratios to the extruder throat. Virgin pellets feed in by gravity on one side at the base of the auger, maintaining a smoother infeed and a steady fluff-to-virgin ratio.

The enlarged fluff auger is mounted on a new, solid-core auger shaft and powered by a variable-speed drive (1.5 or 5 hp) through a 20:1 reduction gearbox. Other optional motors (3 and 7.5 hp) and gearboxes (10:1 or 30:1) are available to handle varying mass-flow rates and bulk densities. The standard feeder enables users to set maximum fluff re-feed ratios of up to 28% of extruder output, but can be factory-modified to provide even higher fluff ratios if required.

The ScrapSaver mounts directly atop the extruder feed throat. The unit is powered and controlled by wiring it through a new, integral control panel that is equipped with displays showing auger speed and drive load. This panel can also be equipped with an option to support remote network communications using the Modbus TCP/IP protocol.

The speed of the motor and auger drive are regulated by a signal from the extruder control. The feeder uses this signal to automatically adjust to any change in extruder rate, maintain the specified scrap/virgin ratio and ensure consistent, surge-free feeding. The drive system comes equipped with current overload protection and status alarms to prolong drive life.