GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE, VALSAD

REPORT :- RECYCLING & REUSE OF POLYMERS.

UNDER SUBJECT OF- DESIGN ENGINEERING -1A
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
THIRD SEMESTER
SUBMITTED BY:

GROUP
SR NAME OF STUDENT ENROLLMENT SIGN
NO. NUMBER
1. GIRI VIKAS 160190105024
2. GOHIL HARDIK 160190105025
3. GONDALIYA HARNIL 160190105026
4. GONDALIYA HIREN 160190105027
5. JAY GHADIYA 160190105028

PROF. A.H PRAJAPATI

(FACULTY GUIDE) (HEAD OF DEPARTMENT)

1
 ACADEMIC YEAR

(2017-2018)

CERTIFICATE

Date: / /

This is to certify that the project report entitled “RECYCLING & REUSE
OF POLYMERS " has been carried out by GIRI VIKAS, GOHIL HARDIK,
GONDALIYA HARNIL, GONDALIYA HIREN, JAY GHADIYA under my
guidance in fulfilment of the subject Design Engineering (2130005) of Bachelor Of
Engineering in CHEMICAL ENGINEERING (Semester III) of Gujarat
Technological University, Ahmadabad during the Academic year 2017-2018.

Prof. A.H PRAJAPATI

Internal Guide Head of Department

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 INDEX
SR CONTENTS PAGE
NO. NO.

 INTRODUCTION 4

 WHAT IS POLYMER RECYCLING? 5

 EMPATHY MAPPING 8

 IDEATION CANVAS 12

 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CANVAS 15

 AEIOU CANVAS 18

 OVERVIEW OF MANUFACTURING 22
PROCES

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INTRODUCTION
Our group “GRIPEN” have five members in it. Everyone have their own thinking.
But we all have creative mind. We have done a great creative work in “Design Engineering
– 1”. You can see our work in canvas work. At first when we heard about to make a canvas
sheet and report we don’t have any idea about it. First of all we were provided with a group
and with a topic . When we went for guidance with topic of “RECYCLING & REUSE OF
POLYMER” our madam gave us some instruction about Design Engineering – 1A, canvas
work and give some document about mind mapping, AEIOU summery and some snapshot of
canvas work. After registration we gathered at canteen. At there with a cup of tea we discus
about it. Everybody give there advise for prepare canvas work.

Design engineering is an initiative taken by Gujarat Technology University in this

direction with the help and guidance of the professors of IITs and the GTU innovation
council we are looking ahead in moving on the path of innovation.

Design engineering is a general term that covers multiple engineering disciplines

including chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aeronautical
engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, information technology and structural/
building/ architectural engineers. The uniting concept is a focus on applying the
“Engineering design process, in which engineers develop new product or process with a
primary emphasis on functional utility.”

While industrial designers may be responsible for the conceptual aesthetic and
ergonomic aspects of a design, the design engineer usually works with a team of engineers
and other designers to desktop conceptual and detailed designs. They may work industrial
designers and marketers to develop the product concept and specification, and may direct the
design effort.

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  WHAT IS RECYCLING OF POLYMER?

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into reusable materials and
objects. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help
lower greenhouse gas emissions (compared to plastic production, for example). Recycling
can prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw
materials, thereby reducing: energy usage, air pollution and water pollution (from land
filling).

Polymer recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste polymer and reprocessing
the material into useful products. Since plastic is non-biodegradable, recycling it is a part of
global efforts to reduce plastic in the waste stream, especially the approximately eight million
metric tonnes of waste plastic that enter the Earth's ocean every year. This helps to reduce the
high rates of plastic pollution.
Polymer recycling includes taking any type of plastic sorting it into different polymers and
then chipping it and then melting it down into pellets after this stage it can then be used to
make items of any kind such as plastic chairs and tables. Soft Plastics are also recycled such
as polyethylene film and bags. This closed-loop operation has taken place since the 1970s
and has made the production of some plastic products amongst the most efficient operations
today.
Compared with lucrative recycling of metal , and similar to the low value of glass, plastic
polymers recycling is often more challenging because of low density and low value.

There are also numerous technical hurdles to overcome when recycling plastic.

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  BARRIERS TO RECYCLING:-
When different types of plastics are melted together, they tend to phase-separate, like oil and
water, and set in these layers. The phase boundaries cause structural weakness in the resulting
material, meaning that polymer blends are useful in only limited applications.

Another barrier to recycling is the widespread use of dyes, fillers, and other additives in
plastics. The polymer is generally too viscous to economically remove fillers, and would be
damaged by many of the processes that could cheaply remove the added dyes. Additives are
less widely used in beverage containers and plastic bags, allowing them to be recycled more
often. Yet another barrier to removing large quantities of plastic from the waste stream and
landfills is the fact that many common but small plastic items lack the universal triangle
recycling symbol and accompanying number. An example is the billions of plastic utensils
commonly distributed at fast food restaurants or sold for use at picnics.

The percentage of plastic that can be fully recycled, rather than downcycled or go to waste
can be increased when manufacturers of packaged goods minimize mixing of packaging
materials and eliminate contaminants. The Association of Plastics Recyclers have issued a
Design Guide for Recyclability.

POLYMER TYPES:-
Melting-
(°C)
Plastic Young's
Type of plastic Common Packaging and Glass
Identification Properties Modulus
polymer Applications Transition
Code (GPa)
Temperatur
es

Polyethylene Clarity, strength, Soft drink, water and salad

Tm = 250,
terephthalate toughness, dressing bottles; peanut
2-2.7
barrier to gas and butter and jam jars; small
Tg = 76
(PET, PETE) moisture. consumer electronics.

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 Stiffness,
strength, Water pipes, hula
High-density
toughness, hoop rings, five gallon Tm = 130;
polyethylene
resistance to buckets, milk, juice and water 0.8
moisture, bottles; grocery bags, some Tg = -125
(HDPE)
permeability to shampoo/toiletry bottles.
gas.

Blister packaging for non-

food items; cling films for
non-food use. May be used
Versatility, ease for food packaging with the
Tm = 240;
Polyvinyl of blending, addition of the plasticisers
2.4-4.1
chloride(PVC) strength, needed to make natively rigid
Tg = 85
toughness. PVC flexible . Non-packaging
uses are electrical cable
insulation; rigid piping; vinyl
records.

Ease of
processing,
Low-density Frozen food bags;
strength, Tm = 120;
polyethylene squeezable bottles, e.g.
toughness, 0.17-0.28
honey, mustard; cling films;
flexibility, ease of Tg = -125
(LDPE) flexible container lids.
sealing, barrier to
moisture.

Strength, Reusable microwaveable

toughness, ware; kitchenware; yogurt
Polypropylene resistance to containers; margarine tubs; Tm = 173;
heat, chemicals, microwaveable disposable ta 1.5-2
(PP) grease and oil, ke-away containers; Tg = -10
versatile, barrier disposable cups; soft
to moisture. drink bottle caps; plates.

Tm = 240
Egg cartons; packing (only
Polystyrene peanuts; disposable cups, isotactic);
Versatility, clarity,
plates, trays and cutlery; 3-3.5
easily formed
(PS) disposable take-away Tg = 100
containers. (atactic and
isotactic)

Beverage bottles; baby milk

bottles. Non-packaging uses
Polycarbonate
Dependent on for polycarbonate: compact Polycarbona
Other : 2.6;
polymers or discs; "unbreakable" glazinh; te: Tg =
(often polycarbo
combination of lenses including sunglasses, 145; Tm =
nateor ABS) ABS plastics:
polymers prescription glasses, 225
2.3
automotive headlamps, riot
shields, instrument panels.[48]

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 Canvas 1:- Empathy Mapping

This is the first step of our project. In this Canvas which type of users can use this product ,
stakeholders, their different activities and there is some stories of this product how person
happy or sad.

 User:-
 In this stage, we can find users which are directly of indirectly connected with
our project.
 Our users are as under,
 Plastic industries
 Municipalities
 Toys industry
 Wire and cable manufacturing industry
 Furniture industry
 Pharmaceutical industry (for packaging of medicines

 Stakeholders:-
Stakeholders means a person or an organization with an interest.
In this stage, we can find the user who will directly or indirectly related to this project.
Stakeholder who are related with user for this project are as under,
Examples:-
 Small-scale Industries
 Municipal corporation
 Polymer Industries

 Activities:-
Activities are directly or indirectly related to stakeholders.
An activities which are done by stakeholders are as under:-

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Examples:-
 Collecting different types of polymer
 Transport the goods to be recycled
 Separation of different types of polymers
 Plan a design for recycling
 Implementation of our plan
 Hiring employees
 Formation of research department
 Create awareness
 Advertisement
 Marketing
 Output
 Supply of product

4. Story Boarding:-
There are some happy and sad stories are given under:

Happy Story:-
It is a story of some kids who used to play near or on the dump yard as it was next to
their houses. An Industry comes up with an idea of Recycling these dumped garbage. They
took the garbage from there for recycling. After sometime, this big garbage dump yard was
cleaned. Then, this Industry decided to build a garden over there for everyone. Kids were
very happy to find a new hygiene place to play.

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Happy Story:-
This story is about a businessman Mr. Ramanlal shah, who owns a business of toys. He
always demanded for good quality plastic to build toys. But soon he realises that the waste
created by his toys after use is harmful for environment. So, he decides to recycle different
types of plastic(polymer) ,which will ultimately proves to be economical to his industry.

Sad Story:-
There was a Farmer, who owns five cattle. He used to take them to field for grazing.
Suddenly, two of his cattle died. The Farmer becomes sad after that his both cattle dies by
grazing plastics instead of grass.

Sad Story:-
This story does not belong to one person but the whole world. It is a story of an old
man, Mr. Joseph. His health was very good. Once ,the dump yard caught fire polymer waste
( like plastic bags , plastic bottles , rubber ,etc. ) which was near his house . Gradually, his
health started to degrade. When he consulted Doctor, he was sad to know that he was
suffering from respiratory disease.

The reason is quite obvious i.e. firing of polymer waste.

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 

 2:- IDEATION CANVAS

These is the second step of the project, from first canvas, you have an idea what
are the people? In the ideation canvas, you have to carry out which type of activities is related
to your project? What is situation and location regarding to activities? Then after you find the
possible solutions, it depends or not depends to your activities.

1. PEOPLE:-
Pin down distinct people you can think of or you are interested to solve problems for.
You can segment them as much as possible on basis of any parameters. Create multiple

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segments to enable extended boundaries to your idea. This section answers
to “WHO” centered questions coming across any problem.
Who may be the various set of people benefited by your idea?
Who may be the various stakeholders to your concept?
Who might use your product?
Who might invest in your product?

Examples:-
 Chemical Engineer
 Athletes
 Workers
 Businessman
 Citizens

2. Activities:-
The activity block answers to the “WHAT” centered questions raised before the People
section.
What are the multiple activities being done by the people?
What are the hobbies of the above segmented people?
What works do the aforementioned people do?

Examples:-

 Understanding recycling
 Google it
 Share information
 Take Guidance
 Management
 Creating awareness
 Understanding problems

3. Situation/Context/Location:-
Examples:-

 Plastic industry
 Polymer industry

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  Research laboratories
 Tourist places
 Residential areas
 Goods packaging
 Public dustbin
 Dump yards

4. Props/Possible Solution:-
This includes the objects, technologies or solutions which may be possible
outcomes to any idea/challenge. Not necessary that it would be a solution to your
defined problem. The prop need not be related as it is always randomness that helps in
finding new ideas. Stick down any technical prop relative or non-relative to your field
of ideation. The more the randomness in the listing of the props, more is the scope of
turbulence during the iterations.
Examples:-

 Magazines
 Various types of cables
 Non recyclable glasses
 Sticky notes
 Sheets
 Belt/shoes

Reference:- http://blog.openfuel.org/2014/09/27/ideanaut-ideation-canvas/

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CANVAS 3 :- PRODUCT DEVLOPMENT

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 Third step is development of product. From possible solutions, you have idea about
what is product? In this canvas, We shows you which people are use this product, their
activities, where they do their activities and possible solutions of their problems.

1. Purpose:-
a. In this stage we give the purpose for developing this product.
b. Purpose for developing this product is given as under,

 Stop land dumping

 Reduce pollution
 Save ecology
 Quality product
 Save animals from direct consumption of polymer

2. People:-
a. In this stage people come who use this product
b. People are given as under
 Sports person
 Citizens
 Industries
 Doctors
 Craftsmen
 Student

3. Product Experience:-
a. In this stage we show the experience of people who use this product.
b. Their experiences are given below

 It is quite DURABLE
 It possess good STRENGTH
 It is also of high QUALITY

4. PRODUCT FUNTIONS:-
a. In this stage we give you information about product function.
b. For example,

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  Reduce waste
 Uses scrap polymers
 Replaces old polymers
 Water bottle scrap

5. Product Features:-
a. In this stage we give you information about product function.
b. For example,

 Reduces energy consumption

 Creates green jobs
 Protect environment
 Conserve natural resources

5. Product Component :-
a. In this stage we give the info about product components which are used
in this product.
b. Components which are,

 Plastic Bags
 Cable Waste (covering)
 PVC
 Plastic Bottles
 Crusher
 Used Toys
 Collector funnel
 Driver

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  CANVAS - 4 :- AEIOU
AEIOU Design Thinking Worksheets developed by Mark Baskinger and Bruce
Hanington is an interrelated framework that guides designers in thinking through a problem

17
or scenario from a variety of perspectives: activities, environments, interactions, objects, and
users. They are useful in organizing thoughts, observations, and ideas into distinct categories.
AEIOU differs from our Drawing Ideas Quick-Start Worksheets in its formality and strict
adherence to these five dimensions of a design space.

“One of our principal analytic frameworks for looking at and understanding a situation is
the AEIOU framework. What is important is not only understanding and describing each
element of the framework, but also understanding the interactions between the elements. [E-
Lab 1997]”.

A – ACTIVITY:-

Activities are goal-directed sets of actions. What are the pathways that people
take toward the things they want to accomplish, including specific actions and processes?
How long do they spend doing something? Who are they doing it with?
Activities like learning music, eating, reading, sleeping, playing games, and
watching video is done by user in recycling process
Examples:-
 Collecting information
 Google it
 Discussing topic
 Taking professional guidance
 Creating awareness
 Management

E – ENVIRONMENT:-
Environments include the entire arena where activities take place. For example, what
describes the atmosphere and function of the context, including individual and shared spaces?

Examples:-
 Reduces soil pollution
 Reduces air pollution
 Reduces water pollution
 Conserve natural resources

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  Save fuel
 Create space for better infrastructure

I – INTERACTION:-
Interactions are between a person and someone or something else, and are the
building blocks of activities. What is the nature of routine and special interactions between
people, between people and objects in their environment, and across distances?
Examples:-

 Professional consultation
 Pollution board
 Municipality
 Plant Operator
 Chemical engineers
 Maintenance officer
 Employees
 Quality control officer

O – OBJECTS:-

 Objects are building blocks of the environment, key elements sometimes put to complex or
unintended uses (thus changing their function, meaning and context). What are the objects
and devices people have in their environments and how do they relate to their activities?

Examples:-

 Plastic bottles
 Used toys
 Hand bags
 Magazines
 Cables
 Plastic packaging
 Mobile/laptop cases

U – USERS:-

Users are the people whose behaviours, preferences, and needs are being observed. Who
is there? What are their roles and relationships? What are their values and prejudices?

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Examples:-

 Polymer industry
 Carpet and cloth industry
 Toy industry
 Crafting industry
 Pharmaceutical industry
 Hospitals
 Institutes
 Shopkeepers and vendors

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RECYCLING PROCESS

21
 Plastic industry is a well-established industry that globally processes and resells
several million tons of used plastic material each year. Rather than operating merely out of
environmental necessity, plastic material recovery services can be both cost-efficient and
productive, saving resources for a range of different manufacturing applications. The
recycling and reclamation field also encompasses the industrial processes by which plastic
materials are separated into their base monomers and made available for further
polymerization at secondary and tertiary levels.

While the plastic recycling industry was originally focused on recovering

manufacturing scraps and byproducts left over from initial plastic fabrication, present-day
recycling services are capable of reclaiming heterogeneous post-consumer goods as well. The
methods employed by material recovery systems tend to vary according to the type of plastic
being processed, but there are some essential practices common to most recycling services.
Stages such as sorting, cleaning, size reduction, separation, and pelletizing can be found in
most plastic recycling operations. Likewise, the machinery used to achieve these processes
generally falls into a handful of equipment categories.

For more information on the current state of plastic recycling, see the ’s resources on the
subject.

Sorting Equipment

Sorting and grouping plastic materials according to resin type is an important first step in the
recycling process because contamination can render a batch of material un-reusable. The
most frequently recycled resins, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density
polyethylene (HDPE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), must be carefully separated from one
another in order to enable further processing. Contaminants within each type of plastic must
also be removed from the base resin to ensure stock purity.

Sorting machines must rapidly identify and categorize large volumes of post-consumer
plastic, often under continuous input. Although there are varying degrees of technical
sophistication and capacity, an advanced sorting machine can be equipped with some or all of
the following features:

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• Sensors: These devices detect specific polymers within a mixed stream of plastic materials.
They can be equipped with x-ray or infrared sensing that registers a polymer’s unique
signature along the spectrum. Some sensors also incorporate color detection technology that
sorts material according to tint and transparency.

• Ejectors: Mechanical or precision air ejection units physically group different plastic
materials according to resin types. Depending on their capacity, ejectors can often handle
very high rates of input.

• Computing Systems: Computer processing technology supplies the algorithms that are
used to identify and sort different materials. These systems provide the controlling
parameters for both sensor and ejector operations.

• User Interfaces: An operator’s interface can provide machine controls and diagnostic tools
for technicians. In addition, interfaces can also offer networking abilities to help integrate a
sorting machine and make rapid adjustments to its functions.

Size Reduction Machines

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Plastic materials usually need to be cut into smaller sizes in order to allow further processing
and to provide easier packaging, transportation, and distribution of recycled stock. This
cutting presents certain challenges, as many plastics are abrasive to metal blades and can
have wide variation in their hardness, weight, and thickness. Most standard size reduction is
performed by single or multi-shaft shredders, and granulators. Multi-shaft shredders perform
scissor-like cutting with a series of rotating blades that can handle moderately dirty or
contaminated material, but are somewhat imprecise in the size of the cuts. Single shaft
shredders perform more of a tearing motion, and have slower motors that lengthen blade
lifespan. They can also handle dirty or abrasive material and usually have adjustable or
replaceable blades.

Granulators are composed of a rotor attached to blades that rotate within a chamber
containing a grid floor. Their capacity for processing plastic material depends on the speed of
the rotor, angle of the cutting blades, spacing of the grid, and the shape of the
rotor. Granulators are usually sturdy machines, capable of relatively rapid cutting rates, and
the presence of the grid allows for more precise control over the size of cuts. Granulator
blades typically need to be replaced regularly over the course of operations.

Washing Equipment

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After the plastic has been cut into smaller pieces, or “flakes,” the stock usually needs to be
washed in order to remove lingering dirt or attachments. Paper, glue, sand, and grit are some
of the common elements targeted in the washing process, which can be accomplished using
water baths, friction washers, or a washing line. The washing line applies a continuous hot
spray over a stream of plastic material, removing some or all of the labels and dirt attached to
the plastic surface. Detergents and disinfecting agents are often included in this process to
improve the level of cleaning.

Separating Equipment

To reduce the potential for stock contamination most recycled plastic undergoes separation
treatments, which work to remove any attachments or non-reusable materials that may be
present in a batch of flakes. Most separation processes can be categorized as “wet” or “dry”
methods. Float tanks are the most common wet method, separating material based on density
and whether it sinks or floats, while hydrocyclones use centrifugal force to divide material
according to weight.

Among dry methods, air classification differentiates between types of plastic based on the
ratio of flake surface area to mass, meaning thicker materials are sifted away from thin ones.
Mechanical separators usually divide flakes according to size, and sometimes shape. These
machines can be designed with flat, circular, or inclined configurations. Laser spectral
analyzers are most advanced machines that use spectroscopic detection to determine precise
levels of contamination in a given batch. Alternative devices can employ ultraviolet or
fluorescent light to separate plastic according to color or light absorption levels. Melt
separation machines move plastic flakes along a conveyor or hot roller while heat is applied
to separate material according to melting point.

Pelletizing Machines

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Pelletizing reclaimed plastic is the final step in most recycling processes. Converting post-
consumer plastic into pellets allows for easier distribution and remanufacturing, and
ultimately benefits the speed and effectiveness of reintroducing recycled plastic into
industrial manufacturing. After sorting, drawing, separating, and drying the reclaimed
material, the flake stock is ready to be extruded into pellets.

Typically, single or double screw extruders are used at this stage. The ratio between the
length of the extruder screw and its diameter, as well overall screw design, can vary
depending on the type of resin being processed. Single screw extruders rely on pumping
action and shear to shape plastic, while double screw extruders perform more of a mixing
function with lower shearing force to create a compound material. Ventilation and vacuum
pumps may be required to regulate the degassing effects. Once the reclaimed plastic has been
pelletized, it is ready for distribution and remanufacturing.

REFERENCE:

https://www.thebalance.com/an-overview-of-plastic-recycling-4018761

http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/plastics-rubber/plastic-recycling-
equipment

THANK YOU

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