Pyrolysis – BMW is collaborating with the German startup DeepDrive to develop dual-rotor electric motors for new electric cars 06-08-2024

Pyrolysis

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BMW is collaborating with the German startup DeepDrive to develop dual-rotor electric motors for new electric cars

Unlike traditional electric motors that have a single rotor and stator, DeepDrive’s innovative design features both an internal and an external rotor. This dual-rotor configuration is being tested by BMW in various electric car prototypes.

DeepDrive’s motors are being evaluated in two configurations: one that powers an entire axle and another that powers individual wheels via hub motors. BMW began working with DeepDrive in 2021 and has been impressed with the performance of the sample motors provided. Pyrolysis

According to Karol Virsik, head of BMW’s research and development center, the motors have exceeded expectations, which is rare for new technologies at this stage.

Initial bench tests have shown promising results, and road tests are set to begin soon. BMW believes these dual-rotor motors are scalable and could significantly advance electric vehicle technology. DeepDrive is also working with other major manufacturers, including Continental, which has developed a brake system for DeepDrive’s wheel hub motors. This technology won the German Innovation Award in 2024. Pyrolysis

The collaboration with BMW is part of the “BMW Startup Garage” initiative, which supports young companies in developing cutting-edge technologies. Felix Pörnbacher, co-founder and co-CEO of DeepDrive, views this partnership as a crucial step towards bringing their innovative motors to market.

Pyrolysis

Mitsubishi and Goldwin Partner for Sustainable Polyester Supply Chain

Mitsubishi Corporation and Goldwin, the operator of the North Face brand in Japan, are leading a consortium to create a sustainable PET polyester fiber supply chain. This initiative uses a mass balancing approach to ensure credible traceability of material streams. The polyester will be produced from renewable and bio-based materials, including paraxylene derived from carbon capture and utilization (CCU).  Pyrolysis

The consortium includes Mitsubishi, Goldwin, Chiyoda Corporation, Toyobo, Indorama Ventures, SK geo centric, India Glycols, and Neste. Goldwin will initially use these fibers in sports uniforms, with plans for further product launches.

Neste will supply renewable naphtha from bio-based waste, Chiyoda will provide CCU paraxylene from CO2, and SK geo centric will also supply renewable paraxylene. Indorama Ventures will produce PTA using these monomers, India Glycols will provide bioethylene glycol, and Toyobo will manufacture the renewable bio-CCU PET polyester. Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis

How is Plastic Recycled? Exploring the Different Plastic Recycling Processes

1/ Mechanical Recycling

2/ Chemical Recycling

3/ The Anellotech Process

Plastic recycling involves several methods tailored to the specific type of plastic being processed. With approximately ten different types of plastics, each composed of varying elements and additives, not all plastics can be recycled similarly. Thierry Gauthier, Circular Economy Advisor at the French Institute of Petroleum (IFPEN) Chemistry for Industry Center in Lyon, shed light on the current recycling processes. He also highlighted IFPEN’s innovative methods to indefinitely recycle plastics like PET and integrate biomass into recycling processes.  Pyrolysis

1/ Mechanical Recycling

Mechanical recycling of plastic is a process where plastic waste is transformed into new materials or products without altering their fundamental chemical structure. This process involves several key steps:

Plastic waste is collected, often through yellow bins, then sorted by type and color. Once sorted, plastics are cleaned to remove impurities such as labels, food residues, or other contaminants.

The cleaned plastics are then shredded into small pieces or flakes. These flakes are melted and extruded to form plastic pellets or new finished products. Pyrolysis

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How is Plastic Recycled? Exploring the Different Plastic Recycling Processes

Continental Tire commits to recycled content in Europe

Tire maker reaches what it calls long-term supply agreement with recycled carbon black producer in Germany.

Continental says its tires already contain recycled materials, including rubber from mechanically processed end-of-life tires, recycled-content steel and recycled polyester from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.

Hanover, Germany-based Continental AG says its Continental Tires business unit has reached a long-term purchase agreement with Pyrum Innovations for the latter firm to provide Continental with recycled-content carbon black (rCB) to be used in tire production.

Continental describes Germany-based Pyrum as “a specialist in the thermolysis technology of end-of-life tires” whose process can create “particularly high-quality rCB recovered from end-of-life tires.” Pyrolysis

The tire maker says it intends to use rCB in the production of passenger car tires. Continental says previously it had signed a development agreement with Pyrum in 2022. That same year, Pyrum announced a joint venture agreement to build a pyrolysis-based tire recycling plant in southern Germany.

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Continental Tire commits to recycled content in Europe

Plastics Recycling Show Middle East & Africa 2024

The Plastics Recycling Show Middle East & Africa (PRS ME&A) is scheduled for September 10-12, 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE. This exclusive three-day event is dedicated to the burgeoning field of plastics recycling in the region.

PRS ME&A aims to bridge the gap between delegates and the latest advancements in plastics recycling technology. It is a hub for thought leaders, innovators, and technology providers to exchange insights and propel the industry forward. Pyrolysis

The event will feature an extensive exhibition displaying cutting-edge market solutions and technologies. Concurrently, a comprehensive conference will delve into critical themes such as the circular economy, regulatory landscapes, industry challenges, opportunities, innovations, technologies, and trends.

Renowned international experts will lead conference sessions, sharing valuable insights and experiences from various segments of the plastics sector. The discussions will encompass the latest industry trends and developments, recent legislative changes, and emerging challenges and opportunities. Pyrolysis

PRS ME&A aims to unite the entire value chain, promoting collaboration and accelerating the shift towards a sustainable and circular plastics recycling industry. This gathering is poised to be a pivotal moment for stakeholders committed to driving progress in plastics recycling across the Middle East and Africa.

Registration for PRS ME&A 2024 is free of charge.4

Plastics Recycling Show Middle East & Africa 2024

TotalEnergies Corbion CEO: Scaling bioplastics in the face of geopolitical uncertainties

TotalEnergies Corbion is one of the world’s biggest producers of polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-based polymer with contested environmental benefits. The company claims its Luminy PLA material brand, which is developed from sugarcane, has a 75% lower footprint than conventional plastics. But the sector is facing myriad challenges.

PLA is used for various applications, including flexible packaging and nonwovens to durable goods and 3D printing. TotalEnergies Corbion is working with stakeholders, including Novolex, PepsiCo, Sansu and Danone. Pyrolysis

We speak to Thomas Philipon, CEO of TotalEnergies Corbion, about the company’s R&D, business expansion, PLA’s human and environmental health impacts, geopolitical affairs and other issues.

What are the challenges in scaling PLA and making it competitive with conventional plastics?
Philipon: We already have a 75,000-ton annual production capacity for Luminy PLA, which is significant. However, the bioplastics sector still faces some challenges. Awareness is a critical factor for both consumers and brand owners. We have an important job to do in educating the public about the benefits of bioplastics. Pyrolysis

More… TotalEnergies Corbion CEO: Scaling bioplastics in the face of geopolitical uncertainties

EV Cars – CARBIOS and SASA Discuss Licensing Agreement for PET Biorecycling Facility in Turkey 05-08-2024

Pyrolysis

Biorecycling – Many EU Member States not on track to meet recycling targets for municipal waste and packaging waste 08-08-2024

Biorecycling

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Axial Flux Electric Motors: Pioneering the Future of Electric Mobility

Axial flux electric motors are revolutionizing the electric vehicle industry with their superior efficiency, power, and compact design. These motors offer benefits like faster acceleration and enhanced energy efficiency, though their complex construction currently leads to higher production costs. As the technology evolves, it promises greener and more efficient mobility solutions. Biorecycling

A New Frontier for Electric Vehicles

Axial flux motors are gaining traction among engineers and EV enthusiasts due to their distinctive features. Unlike conventional motors where the magnetic flux traverses the rotor perpendicularly, axial flux motors have the flux aligned parallel to the axis. This configuration boosts energy efficiency and provides higher torque at lower speeds, making them ideal for electric vehicles that require quick acceleration and optimal performance.

Advantages and Challenges

The innovative design of axial flux motors reduces resistive and eddy current losses, enhancing overall efficiency. They also produce greater torque at low speeds, essential for rapid acceleration in EVs.  Biorecycling

Their compactness allows for reduced size and weight, perfect for applications with limited space. However, their intricate construction leads to higher manufacturing costs and potential noise issues, with reduced torque at high speeds.

Applications and Future Prospects

Beyond automotive use, axial flux motors are well-suited for drones and robots, where space and weight are critical. Biorecycling

In industrial applications, their high torque and precision make them ideal for driving pumps, compressors, and machine tools. As technology advances and production costs decline, axial flux motors are poised for widespread adoption, enhancing the efficiency and performance of various electric systems.

Biorecycling

Many EU Member States not on track to meet recycling targets for municipal waste and packaging waste

Europe aims to become a circular economy. To encourage this, the EU has set targets for the 27 Member States (EU-27) to increase recycling and reduce landfilling. Specifically, by 2025, 55% of municipal waste and 65% of packaging waste must be prepared for re-use or recycled. This briefing assesses Member States’ prospects of meeting these targets and its findings constitute the basis of the European Commission’s 2023 early warning report.

Key messages

  • 10 Member States are at risk of missing both the municipal waste (55%) and the total packaging waste (65%) recycling targets in 2025. Biorecycling
  • Eight Member States are at risk of missing the municipal waste (55%) recycling target but on track to meet the total packaging waste target in 2025.
  • Nine Member States (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovenia) are likely to meet the recycling targets for both municipal waste and total packaging waste, but only four of them are likely to also meet all material-specific packaging targets in 2025.
  • 12 Member States are at risk of missing at least two material-specific packaging recycling targets in 2025. Biorecycling
  • Plastic packaging is the most demanding packaging waste stream to recycle. 19 Member States will struggle to meet the 50% recycling target in 2025.
  • Many Member States need to significantly step up their efforts and better monitor the effectiveness of policy measures to address the risk areas identified in this assessment.

Biorecycling

CARBIOS and FCC Environment collaborate on UK-based PET biorecycling facility

CARBIOS says recycling has plateaued in the UK in recent years, but UK government policy supports a continual move to a more circular economy, which FCC Environment supports. Biorecycling

Achieving a circular economy requires innovation and investment to deliver real environmental change, CARBIOS says, and exploring biorecycling is one way of doing this.

FCC states it is keen to understand this technology better by seeking an evidence-based view on the advantages of using enzymes for the treatment of PET, such as lower energy consumption and better circularity of the polymers back into the PET production lines. The depolymerization process developed by CARBIOS also facilitates the recycling of all kinds of PET waste, including problematic fractions such as polyester textiles, into high-quality recycled PET. Biorecycling

In order to tackle the plastic waste crisis, CARBIOS says it has developed a revolutionary enzymatic depolymerization technology that enables efficient and solvent-free recycling of PET plastic and textile waste into virgin-like products. As well as the ‘world’s first’ industrial-scale enzymatic PET recycling plant currently under construction in Longlaville, France, the UK-based plant would process PET waste that is currently not recyclable using conventional recycling technologies, such as coloured, multilayered or textile waste. Biorecycling

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CARBIOS and FCC Environment collaborate on UK-based PET biorecycling facility

Brindisi Under Review by LyondellBasell

The Brindisi petrochemical plant is under review by LyondellBasell for potential investments, rationalizations, or divestments, among six European assets being evaluated. These sites include Berre in France, Muenchmuenster in Germany, Tarragona in Spain, Carrington in the UK, and Maasvlakte in the Netherlands (in partnership with Covestro). Notably, the Brindisi site experienced the closure of a polypropylene plant at the end of last year. Biorecycling

Ferrara in Italy remains a strategic asset, with planned investments in catalysis systems. This review program, part of LyondellBasell’s European activities assessment announced last May, was highlighted during the presentation of the financial results for Q2 2024.

From April to June, LyondellBasell reported a net profit of $924 million and an EBITDA of $1.4 billion, attributed to increased production and improved demand. In North America, sales volumes of olefins and polyolefins rose, supported by favorable costs of ethane and natural gas. European polyethylene margins improved due to increased LPG usage at favorable conditions. Biorecycling

To enhance profitability, LyondellBasell sold its Ethylene Oxide & Derivatives (EO&D) business to Ineos for $700 million and invested approximately $500 million to acquire a 35% stake in the Natpet joint venture in Saudi Arabia. The company also plans to exit refining by Q1 2025, converting its Houston refinery, a strategy reiterated last year.

Brindisi Under Review by LyondellBasell

Emirates Biotech: Revolutionizing the PLA Bioplastics Sector

SS Royal Kit Emirates Investment and Global Biopolymers Industries have launched Emirates Biotech, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming the PLA bioplastics sector across the Middle East, Africa, and India. Biorecycling

This venture focuses on producing and promoting PLA biopolymers as a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuel-based plastics.

Emirates Biotech is dedicated to offering high-quality, renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable PLA biopolymers, aligning with circular economy principles. Strategically positioned to cater to the growing demand for eco-friendly products, the company not only supplies PLA biopolymers but also provides expertise in application development, recycling, and sustainable end-of-life solutions. Biorecycling

Shaikh Suhail Ali Saeed Rashed Al-Maktoum emphasized that this collaboration reflects a strong commitment to advancing sustainability both regionally and globally. By investing in PLA bioplastics, Emirates Biotech aims to foster a more environmentally conscious society, aligning with the UAE’s Green Agenda 2030 vision.

Emirates Biotech plans to commence commercial operations in early 2025 and aims to begin constructing its first PLA production facility in the UAE by 2026. Biorecycling

This initiative underscores a significant step towards sustainable development, offering a viable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastics and contributing to a greener future.

Emirates Biotech: Revolutionizing the PLA Bioplastics Sector

Innovia launches new in-mold film

Semi-cavitated labeling film is designed for large format containers typically used in the paint, food and industrial markets.

Innovia Films, a major producer of BOPP films, has launched RayoForm ELR70, a new film for large-format in-mold labeling containers.

This five-layer semi-cavitated film, with one side matt and one side gloss, offers a reduction in density versus standard white films. Biorecycling

The two-side treatment allows for the control of anti-static levels for the high-speed sheet feeding and molding process, giving optimal print and molding performance.

‘The high stiffness of the film allows for bigger labels and larger sheet conversion. This product performs excellently on both PP and PE containers,’ said Paul Watters, product manager for labels at Innovia Films. Biorecycling

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Innovia launches new in-mold film

Bioplastic – Can private value chains boost polyolefin recycling? 07-08-2024

Biorecycling