Aimplas advocates energy reduction in the transformation of plastics by supercritical CO2

Aimplas participates in the FlowFree, whose main objective is to use CO₂ supercritical as aid for the processing of plastics. The specific characteristics of the CO₂ supercritical allow to reduce the viscosity of the polymer materials, thereby facilitating its transformation and reducing energy consumption, at the same time that manages to increase production.

The most significant achievement of the project so far has been the design, commissioning and optimization at the laboratory of technology of injection of CO₂ supercritical as aid for the processing of plastics. This development is carried out mainly at Queen's University in Belfast, with the support of other participants in the project as Aimplas technology centres and the English Rapra Centre.

In this last year of the project, work will focus on scaling the technology industrialist. Industrial tests will be carried out at the premises of the companies participating in the project: the Spanish Plastire and Reboca, the Cesap Italian and the German Agor. This fact means that the technology of use of CO₂ supercritical prove industrially in different processes such as pipe extrusion, profile extrusion and co-extrusion; as well as in different materials such as the polyolefins, PVC or thermoplastic elastomers. The first phase of the industrial scaling is focused on the modification of the industrial equipment to allow the injection of CO₂ supercritical. Aimplas, along with other technology centres, will oversee and assist companies in these industrial tests.

In addition to these activities, the project includes various activities of dissemination and training, in which different European associations participate actively, the Spanish AVEP, the BPF English, the Turkish PAGEV, Italian Assocomaplast and of European level, EuPC.