Method and system for recovering cellulose acetate from cellulose acetate-containing post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters, in particular HT products
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CERDIA INT GMBH
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-01
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-06
AI Technical Summary
The recycling of cellulose acetate-containing mouthpieces and filters, particularly from HT products, is challenging due to the presence of various interconnected materials and toxic impurities, which complicates the recovery and reuse of cellulose acetate in an environmentally sound manner.
A method involving mechanical pretreatment to separate foreign substances, followed by cleaning with a hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent, and subsequent pelletization to produce a recyclate suitable for thermoplastic materials, ensuring high purity and safety for reuse.
The method effectively recovers cellulose acetate with high purity, allowing it to be reused in various applications, maintaining quality and safety standards, and reducing environmental impact.
Smart Images
Figure EP2025078253_06082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] October 1, 2025
[0002] Cerdia International GmbH A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0003] TR
[0004] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING CELLULOSE ACETATE FROM CELLULOSE ACETATE-CONTAINING POST-CONSUMER MOUTHPIECES AND / OR POST-CONSUMER FILTERS, IN PARTICULARLY HT PRODUCTS
[0005] Description
[0006] The present invention relates generally to the material recycling of materials containing cellulose acetate.
[0007] In particular, the invention relates to a plant and a method for the material reuse of mouthpieces and / or filters containing cellulose acetate, especially of HT products (HT = heated tobacco).
[0008] Product responsibility is playing an increasingly important role in the manufacture and distribution of mouthpieces for tobacco products, particularly cigarette filters or mouthpieces for HT products. Product responsibility encompasses the development, manufacture, and marketing of these products. The goal is for them to be manufactured using minimal resources, to be reusable, technically durable, and, after use, suitable for proper, safe, and high-quality recycling as well as environmentally sound disposal.
[0009] The first priority in the hierarchy of circular economy law is and remains avoidance. Eliminating packaging materials, minimizing resources used, and reusing materials save the most money and are therefore also economically preferable for the manufacturer. The second priority is the highest possible quality of recovery – recycling.
[0010] A suitable circular economy strategy can minimize climate change and achieve greater environmental sustainability by preventing the continuous loss of biodiversity due to increasing pollution and other environmental pressures. This strategy, MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0011] 2, which was adopted by the European Commission in March 2020, is an important milestone of the so-called “European Green Deal”.
[0012] The main goal is to create industrial and commercial models that view waste as a valuable resource. This not only leads to cost savings and increased revenue, but can also contribute to the creation of new local jobs.
[0013] The present invention relates in particular to the material recycling of cellulose acetate-containing mouthpieces and / or filters, especially those from HT products. Over 700,000 tons of used filters and / or mouthpieces from tobacco products are generated annually. A problem with the material recycling of this waste is that it consists of various interconnected materials and, depending on its intended use, contains impurities that may also be toxic.
[0014] There is therefore a particular need for a solution for a process and a system for the material recycling of mouthpieces and / or filters containing cellulose acetate, especially from HT products, in order to enable the recycling-compliant reuse of cellulose acetate in particular. The aim is to keep the materials used in production within a material cycle so that new materials can be created from a product after its disposal. This goal is to be achieved through a suitably designed system and recycling processes.
[0015] The invention therefore relates in particular to a method for recovering cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate, especially from HT products. However, the method does not exclusively relate to post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters from HT products, but also to corresponding mouthpieces or filters from "classic" tobacco products, such as cigarettes in particular.
[0016] In the process according to the invention, the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters serving as starting material are first mechanically pretreated. The mechanical pretreatment is designed such that foreign substances and / or foreign bodies are at least partially removed and / or separated from the starting material. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0017] 3
[0018] The pre-treated starting material is then cleaned.
[0019] For this purpose, the pre-treated starting material is treated with a cleaning agent in such a way that at least some of the remaining impurities are washed off and / or extracted from the pre-treated starting material.
[0020] Optionally, the cleaning agent can be recovered, particularly by distillation.
[0021] The mechanical pretreatment of the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters serving as starting material is preferably carried out in such a way that at least one of the following foreign substances and / or foreign bodies is at least partially removed and / or separated from the starting material:
[0022] • Paper or paper-like material;
[0023] • Metal, especially in the form of heating elements such as induction metal plates or heating mandrels, and / or in the form of heating cups;
[0024] • Adhesives; and
[0025] • Tobacco.
[0026] In particular, the inventive method is suitable for recovering cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate, wherein these mouthpieces or filters have at least one cellulose acetate element which is encased in paper.
[0027] The mechanical pretreatment is carried out in particular by separating the paper which encloses the at least one cellulose acetate element, in particular by slitting at one or more places, preferably in the longitudinal direction of the at least one cellulose acetate element.
[0028] In particular, the mechanical pretreatment is carried out such that foreign substances and / or foreign bodies are at least partially separated from the cellulose acetate element(s) by a single- or multi-directional airflow. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0029] 4
[0030] In a further development of the latter embodiment, it is provided that, prior to mechanical pretreatment, the cellulose acetate-containing post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters are arranged between two or more sieve grids, the mesh size of which is selected so that the cellulose acetate elements and foreign substances and / or foreign bodies of the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters are spatially separated after mechanical pretreatment by the sieve grids and are classified in particular according to size and flow resistance.
[0031] It is therefore particularly preferred that, for mechanical pretreatment, the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters or components thereof are exposed to a single- or multi-directional airflow in such a way that foreign substances and / or foreign bodies are at least partially separated from the cellulose acetate material of the post-consumer mouthpieces or post-consumer filters.
[0032] In this context, it is particularly preferred that, before and / or during the mechanical pretreatment, the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters are subjected to a walking motion by the single- or multi-directional airflow, in particular by mechanical actuators, wherein the sequence of the walking motion is preferably selected such that it corresponds at least substantially to the sequence of movements in manual separation.
[0033] To clean the pre-treated starting material, at least one cleaning agent is used which is suitable to at least partially wash away and / or extract the remaining impurities in the pre-treated starting material.
[0034] Preferably, the cleaning agent comprises a water-based cleaning agent or is a water-based cleaning agent.
[0035] Alternatively or additionally, the cleaning agent is a hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent or comprises a hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent which preferably includes at least one alcohol, one carboxylic acid ester and / or one ether. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0036] 5
[0037] Particularly preferably, the hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent comprises one or more of the following solvents: methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, diethyl ether, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, isopropyl acetate and butyl acetate, in particular methanol, ethanol and / or isopropanol, particularly preferably methanol and / or ethanol.
[0038] According to implementations of the inventive process, after cleaning the pretreated starting material with the cleaning agent, the cleaning agent is at least partially and preferably completely recovered separately from the washed-off and / or extracted impurities, in particular by distillation. Preferably, the recovered cleaning agent is returned to the cleaning process step, in particular in a closed circuit.
[0039] In principle, it is preferred that the proportion of cleaning agent remaining in the cleaned starting material is reduced by drying, in particular to a content of < 1 wt.% (based on the total mass of the starting material), wherein the cleaning agent removed from the cleaned starting material is preferably returned to the cleaning process step.
[0040] According to further developments of the inventive method, it is provided that the purified starting material is transformed into an intermediate product, in particular in the form of pellets.
[0041] In this context, it is advantageous to transform the cleaned starting material into an intermediate product by pelletizing the cleaned and processed starting material in a pelleting press and converting it into pellets, whereby the converted pellets have a higher density than the starting material, and whereby the cleaned and processed starting material, the pellets and / or intermediate material stages are cooled at least temporarily during pelletizing.
[0042] In particular, during the cooling of the cleaned and processed raw material, the pellets and / or material intermediates, the cleaned and processed raw material, the pellets and / or the material - MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0043] 6
[0044] Intermediate stages are kept below a critical temperature, where the critical temperature corresponds to the vitrification temperature of cellulose acetate.
[0045] According to particularly preferred implementations of the inventive method, pelletizing is carried out by means of a roller and a die, wherein the die is preferably made of a thermally conductive material and cooling is preferably carried out via the die.
[0046] Preferably, the recovered cellulose acetate is used as a recyclate to produce a thermoplastic material, preferably in granular form.
[0047] Alternatively, the recovered cellulose acetate is further processed, particularly for non-woven applications, for example for air filters, or thermal insulation material.
[0048] In this context, it is advantageous to use the recovered cellulose acetate to produce a bi-component fabric with sandwich geometry, in which the layers alternate between the recovered cellulose acetate and another fiber material.
[0049] Alternatively, it is conceivable that the recovered cellulose acetate is compartmentalized in another material, in particular in fresh cellulose acetate.
[0050] In this context, it is advantageous to use recovered cellulose acetate for compartmentalization by constructing it as a sandwich fabric, and in particular as a meltblow fabric, wherein the outer layers of the sandwich fabric consist of fresh fiber material, in particular cellulose acetate material, or have corresponding fresh fiber material, while the middle layers consist of the recovered cellulose acetate or have the recovered cellulose acetate.
[0051] The present invention further relates to a method for producing a thermoplastic recyclate, wherein in this method cellulose acetate is first extracted from post-consumer mouthpieces containing cellulose acetate and / or MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0052] 7
[0053] recovered using post-consumer filters, in particular using a method of the type described above.
[0054] The recovered cellulose acetate is then optionally dried.
[0055] The recovered and optionally dried cellulose acetate is then introduced into a plastics processing plant, with the recovered and optionally dried cellulose acetate being introduced into the plastics processing plant as the main polymer matrix.
[0056] Finally, the recovered and optionally dried cellulose acetate is mixed with at least one plasticizer and optionally other functional additives, as well as optionally with foreign polymers, in particular post-consumer, pre-consumer or post-industrial polymers, in the plastics processing plant.
[0057] In realizations of the inventive process for producing a thermoplastic recyclate, it is provided that after the mixing process step, the mixture obtained in the mixing process step is homogenized, particularly under temperature- and shear-optimized conditions, in such a way that a homogenized melt mixture is obtained.
[0058] The homogenized melt mixture is then granulated or pelletized to obtain a processable thermoplastic recyclate in granular form.
[0059] Finally, the recycled material is processed using at least one forming process. This forming process could be, for example, extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, spunbond, or meltblow.
[0060] The plasticizer used in the mixture is, in particular, a citrate, adipate, and / or sebacate ester in a concentration of preferably 5–45% by weight based on the total polymer mixture. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0061] 8
[0062] The ratio of recovered and optionally dried cellulose acetate to foreign polymers is in particular in the range of 30 : 70 to 90 : 10 wt.% (based on the total polymer mixture).
[0063] According to implementations of the inventive method, it is provided that, in order to homogenize the mixture obtained in the mixing process step, the mixture is processed in a melt compounding unit, preferably with a co-rotating or counter-rotating twin-screw extruder.
[0064] It is advantageous for the melt compounding unit to be assigned one or more degassing zones in which remaining alcohol and water vapors and volatile by-products are removed from the mixture under negative pressure.
[0065] Particularly preferably, an antioxidant and / or UV stabilization system is added to the recycled material during compounding, in order to ensure, in particular, resistance to aging during second use.
[0066] The invention relates in particular to a thermoplastic recyclate obtained by a process of the aforementioned inventive type, wherein the recyclate has a melting index of 2 - 20 g / 10 min (190 °C / 2.16 kg) and consists of at least 30 wt.% purified cellulose acetate.
[0067] Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of the aforementioned recycled material for the production of packaging films, injection-molded articles, blow-molded hollow bodies or nonwovens, wherein the products thus obtained can be recycled again after use.
[0068] Finally, the invention relates to a system for recovering cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate, and to a corresponding system for producing a thermoplastic recyclate.
[0069] Details of the invention are explained further below:
[0070] Mechanical pretreatment MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0071] 9
[0072] In the process according to the invention, the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters serving as starting material are first subjected to a targeted mechanical pretreatment in order to separate foreign substances and / or foreign bodies such as paper, induction plates, adhesives, tobacco, and other undesirable components from the cellulose acetate as completely and homogeneously as possible. It is essential that the mouthpieces and / or filters are collected as cleanly and homogeneously as possible. Pre-washing or comminution (e.g., shredding) of the material is expressly not carried out.
[0073] The mechanical pretreatment preferably takes place in several coordinated steps: First, the filters are slit using a special device or in a fully automated handling system, so that the material surrounding the cellulose acetate elements, which usually consists of paper, is separated. This separation is preferably achieved by slitting, which can be done at various points, particularly in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical structure and at one or more points, preferably at two to four points.
[0074] When slitting, the coating of the cellulose acetate elements is cut through as much as possible across its entire thickness, while the cellulose acetate elements themselves are not cut through in order to retain their size as much as possible after the coating is removed.
[0075] In a further step, the previously isolated mouthpieces and / or filters are largely freed from adhering paper and tobacco residues, as well as other foreign matter, by a directed airflow between two or more screens. Compressed air or an air blower with fixed and variably arranged air nozzles is used for this purpose. The airflow can be single- or multi-directional. The mesh size of the screens is selected so that the cellulose acetate elements and the foreign matter and / or foreign matter are spatially separated after pretreatment by the screens, i.e., classified according to size and flow resistance. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0076] 10
[0077] Before or during mechanical pretreatment by a single- or multi-directional airflow, the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters can be subjected to walking movements by mechanical actuators, which already lead to a partial detachment of the foreign substances and / or foreign bodies and / or bring them into a better position for separation with airflow.
[0078] The separation of the components is fully automated and relies on both the high shear forces of the airflow and pressure fluctuations resulting from the Bernoulli effect. This creates a negative pressure that reliably detaches particles, promotes their removal, and prevents them from re-adhering to the filter surfaces.
[0079] As numerous manual trials have shown, this approach is extremely effective, cost-efficient, easily automated, and delivers results that are significantly superior to previously known and / or considered alternatives, such as shredding and / or washing and separation in aqueous media, in terms of cleanliness and purity. This is particularly evident in the fact that significantly fewer tobacco residues and other non-cellulose acetate particles penetrate the structure of the cellulose acetate elements, from which they are subsequently almost impossible to remove.
[0080] The cellulose acetate elements, which are initially separated and purified purely mechanically, are then subjected to the cleaning or washing process described below.
[0081] In numerous trials, the final result surpasses all previous comparable methods and can be achieved fully automatically with manageable effort using devices and special machines for the regional and local recovery of the valuable biopolymer for mass production.
[0082] Further course of the process:
[0083] After mechanical pretreatment, the processed starting material is purified of the impurities remaining on and in the cellulose acetate-containing material. This is preferably achieved through treatment with a MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I.
[0084] 11
[0085] Use a cleaning agent that is particularly suitable for washing off or extracting the remaining impurities.
[0086] This can be an aqueous-based cleaning agent, but also a hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent, which preferably contains an alcohol, a carboxylic acid ester or an ether.
[0087] Preferably, the hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent comprises one or more of the solvents methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, diethyl ether, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, isopropyl acetate and butyl acetate, in particular methanol, ethanol and / or isopropanol, and especially preferably methanol and / or ethanol.
[0088] The cleaning process can be carried out, for example, using a continuous solid-liquid extraction method.
[0089] The use of a non-aqueous cleaning agent has the advantage that the recovery of cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate does not generate large quantities of contaminated water that would otherwise require complex purification. In particular, it is conceivable that after treating the cellulose acetate-containing material with the cleaning agent, it could be processed in a closed loop, especially by distillation, and then reintroduced into the recovery process.
[0090] Filters or mouthpieces, if they have already been used, contain a variety of chemical substances, depending on the tobacco product, that have the potential to be carcinogenic or mutagenic and therefore highly toxic. Some of these substances are, for example, nicotine and its derivatives, phenols, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
[0091] Therefore, it is necessary that the process according to the invention includes appropriate processing / purification so that the recycled material can be safely reused, and in particular so that the aforementioned chemical substances can no longer escape. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0092] 12
[0093] The cleaning agent remaining in the cleaned starting material is reduced by drying, in particular to a content of < 1%, and the cleaning agent removed from the cleaned starting material is preferably returned to the cleaning process step.
[0094] If required, the purified starting material is transformed into an intermediate product for further processing, in particular a pellet-shaped intermediate product.
[0095] After purification, the pure cellulose acetate recyclate obtained according to the patented process is primarily prepared for two main applications:
[0096] Material in granular form, consisting of: a) a single-type post-consumer cellulose acetate recyclate; and / or b) a single-type post-consumer cellulose acetate recyclate with the addition of plasticizers, additives and fillers; and / or c) a post-consumer cellulose acetate recyclate with the addition of plasticizers, additives and fillers, as well as pre-consumer and / or post-industrial cellulose acetate recyclates; and / or d) a post-consumer cellulose acetate recyclate with the addition of plasticizers, additives and fillers, as well as virgin cellulose acetate; and / or e) a post-consumer cellulose acetate recyclate with the addition of plasticizers, additives and fillers, as well as other compatible polymers, primarily biopolymers.
[0097] The purified polymer is compounded to produce a pure, recyclable product. This is preferably done through a continuous process such as extrusion, but can alternatively be done discontinuously using a batch process in which the material is plasticized, the polymer melt is homogenized, and compounded with the addition of additives. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0098] 13
[0099] The resulting recyclate has similar physical and chemical properties to compounds produced using virgin cellulose acetate. Therefore, the recyclate is almost equivalent to a compound based on virgin cellulose acetate and is suitable for a wide range of applications.
[0100] Alternatively, the purified polymer can be blended with a mixture of plasticizers, additives, and other compatible polymers. These additional materials can be either virgin or also recycled. Through the targeted selection and dosage of these additives, a novel compound is created that exhibits specific properties optimized for second-life applications, such as improved flexibility, UV resistance, or impact strength.
[0101] The resulting compound can be adapted to the requirements of various applications, for example, for use in the automotive industry, construction, or consumer goods. The quality of the starting material is maintained throughout the entire process, ensuring that the recycled material meets the technical requirements of virgin material.
[0102] The compound can be further processed using methods common for thermoplastic materials. These include extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, thermoforming, rotational molding, calendering, pultrusion, and 3D printing.
[0103] Main application 2: Reuse of purified post-consumer cellulose acetate fibers as a building block and filler in non-woven sandwich fabrics:
[0104] As an alternative to or in addition to the main application 1, it is also possible to compartmentalize the starting material with another material, in particular fresh cellulose acetate. The bi-component fabric has a sandwich geometry, with the layers consisting alternately of the fresh material and one or more layers of the processed starting material.
[0105] In this application, the resulting fiber material is particularly suitable for non-woven applications, such as air filters, or thermal insulation material. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0106] 14
[0107] Instead of a bi-component sandwich fabric made of post-consumer fibers and fresh non-woven layers, other compartmentalizations of the starting material with pre-consumer or post-industrial cellulose acetate fabrics are also conceivable.
[0108] Such compartmentalization has the advantage that the starting material does not need to be processed or only needs to be cleaned to a minimal extent.
[0109] In particular, it is conceivable to produce a meltblown fabric, for example for a non-woven product such as a filter mat, as a sandwich fabric, with the outer layers consisting of the fresh cellulose acetate material, while the middle layer consists of the processed starting material.
[0110] According to implementations of the inventive process, the purified starting material is pelletized in a pelletizing press and converted into pellets. These pellets then serve as an intermediate product.
[0111] The converted pellets have a particularly higher density than the starting material.
[0112] In this context, it is advantageous that the cleaned and processed raw material, the pellets and / or corresponding intermediate material stages are cooled at least temporarily during pelleting.
[0113] The intermediate product obtained in this way, particularly in pellet form, can then be further developed into a final product.
[0114] The process according to the invention therefore constitutes a very advantageous recycling of components of cigarette or HT waste or cigarette or HT mouthpiece and filter materials, in which practically all of the originally present cellulose acetate is recovered in purified form.
[0115] The invention further relates to a corresponding system for recovering cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate, particularly from HT products. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0116] 15
[0117] The system according to the invention particularly comprises a processing station for mechanical pretreatment of the cellulose acetate-containing mouthpieces and / or filters serving as starting material in order to separate and / or remove foreign substances and / or foreign bodies from the starting material, a cleaning station for cleaning the processed starting material, and optionally a forming station for forming the cleaned and processed starting material into granules.
[0118] In this context, it is conceivable that the processing station has the following substations: a separation station for separating and / or removing any paper and adhesives present, for separating and / or removing any induction metal plates that may be present in the starting material, and / or for separating and / or removing any tobacco contamination that may be present in the starting material; and / or a cleaning station; and / or a forming station.
[0119] In particular, the cleaning station is designed to clean the processed starting material using a cleaning agent. In this context, it is advantageous for the cleaning station to be designed to clean the processed starting material using a cleaning agent, especially a hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent comprising an alcohol, a carboxylic acid ester, or an ether. Preferably, the hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent comprises one or more of the solvents methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, diethyl ether, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, and butyl acetate, particularly methanol, ethanol, and / or isopropanol, and most preferably methanol and / or ethanol.
[0120] In a further development of this design variant, the system is provided with a recovery unit which is designed to process the starting material after it has been treated with the cleaning agent in a closed loop, in particular by distillation, and to return it to the recovery process. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0121] 16
[0122] According to implementations of the inventive system, the forming station has at least one pelletizing press which is designed to pelletize the cleaned and processed starting material and convert it into pellets, wherein the converted pellets have a higher density than the starting material, and wherein at least temporarily during pelletizing, cooling of the cleaned and processed starting material, the pellets and / or intermediate material stages takes place.
[0123] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0124] They show:
[0125] FIG. 1 schematically shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive method for recovering cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate; and
[0126] FIG. 2 schematically shows a flowchart to explain an exemplary embodiment of the inventive process for producing a thermoplastic recyclate.
[0127] FIG. 1 schematically shows a flowchart to explain an exemplary embodiment of the inventive method for recovering cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate.
[0128] In the first process step, the post-consumer mouthpieces or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate to be recycled are provided (process step O').
[0129] In process step 1, the provided material is then mechanically pretreated to at least partially remove or separate foreign substances and foreign bodies from the starting material. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I
[0130] 17
[0131] In the subsequent process step 2, the pretreated starting material is cleaned by treatment with a cleaning agent in such a way that at least some remaining impurities are removed and / or washed out and / or extracted from the pretreated starting material.
[0132] The cleaning agent can then be recovered, in particular by distillation (process step 3Y).
[0133] FIG. 2 schematically shows a flowchart to illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the inventive process for producing a thermoplastic recyclate.
[0134] First, cellulose acetate is recovered from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate. This is preferably done using a process as shown in the flowchart in FIG. 1 (process steps 0 to 3Y).
[0135] The recovered cellulose acetate is then optionally dried (process step 4Y).
[0136] The recovered and optionally dried cellulose acetate is then fed into a plastics processing plant and mixed there with one or more plasticizers and, if necessary, other additives such as reinforcing agents or fillers (process step 5Y).
[0137] After mixing, the mixture is homogenized to obtain a homogenized melt mixture (process step 6Y). The homogenized melt mixture is then granulated or pelletized to obtain a processable thermoplastic recyclate in granular form (process step 7Y).
[0138] The recycled material can then be processed using at least one shaping process.
[0139] The invention is not limited to the flowcharts shown in the drawings, but results from a combination of all the features disclosed herein.
Claims
October 1, 2025 Cerdia International GmbH A / RDA-195-PC / I TR METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING CELLULOSE ACETATE FROM CELLULOSE ACETATE-CONTAINING POST-CONSUMER MOUTHPIECES AND / OR POST-CONSUMER FILTERS, IN PARTICULARLY HT PRODUCTS Patent claims 1. A method for recovering cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate, in particular from HT products, wherein the method comprises the following process steps: mechanical pretreatment of the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters serving as starting material in order to at least partially remove and / or separate foreign substances and / or foreign bodies from the starting material; Cleaning the pretreated starting material by treatment with a cleaning agent such that at least some remaining impurities are removed and / or washed out and / or extracted from the pretreated starting material; and optionally recovering the cleaning agent, in particular by distillation.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the mechanical pretreatment of the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters serving as starting material, at least one of the following foreign substances and / or foreign bodies is removed and / or separated from the starting material: Paper or paper-like material; Metal, especially in the form of heating elements such as induction metal plates or heating mandrels, and / or in the form of heating cups; Adhesives; and Tobacco. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I 2 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cellulose acetate-containing post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters comprise at least one cellulose acetate element which is encased in paper, wherein the mechanical pretreatment is carried out such that the paper which encases the at least one cellulose acetate element is separated, in particular by slitting at one or more places, preferably in the longitudinal direction of the at least one cellulose acetate element.
4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and in particular according to claim 3, wherein the cellulose acetate-containing post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters comprise at least one cellulose acetate element which is encased in paper, wherein the mechanical pretreatment is carried out such that foreign substances and / or foreign bodies are at least partially separated from the cellulose acetate element or elements by means of a single- or multi-directional airflow.
5. Method according to claim 4, wherein for mechanical pretreatment with airflow the cellulose acetate-containing post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters are arranged between two or more sieve grids, the mesh size of which is selected such that the cellulose acetate elements and foreign substances and / or foreign bodies are spatially separated after pretreatment by the sieve grids and are classified in particular according to size and flow resistance.
6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein for mechanical pretreatment the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters or components thereof are exposed to a single- or multi-directional airflow in such a way that foreign substances and / or foreign bodies are at least partially separated from the cellulose acetate material. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I 3 7. Method according to claim 6, wherein, before and / or during the mechanical pretreatment, the post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters are subjected to a walking motion by means of a single- or multi-directional airflow, in particular by means of mechanical actuators, wherein the sequence of the walking motion is preferably selected such that it corresponds at least substantially to the sequence of movements in manual separation.
8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one cleaning agent is used to clean the pretreated starting material, which is suitable to at least partially wash off and / or extract the remaining impurities.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cleaning agent comprises or is a water-based cleaning agent.
10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the cleaning agent comprises or is a hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent which preferably comprises at least one alcohol, one carboxylic acid ester and / or one ether.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the hydrocarbon-based cleaning agent is one or more of the following solvents or comprises one or more of the following solvents: methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, diethyl ether, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, isopropyl acetate and butyl acetate, in particular methanol, ethanol and / or isopropanol, particularly preferably methanol and / or ethanol.
12. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, after cleaning the pretreated starting material with the cleaning agent, the cleaning agent is at least partially and preferably completely separated from the washed-off and / or MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I 4 extracted impurities are recovered, especially by distillation.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the recovered cleaning agent is returned to the cleaning process step, in particular in a closed circuit.
14. Method according to claims 1 to 13, wherein the proportion of cleaning agent remaining in the cleaned starting material is reduced by drying, in particular to a content of < 1 wt.%, and wherein the cleaning agent removed from the cleaned starting material is preferably returned to the cleaning process step.
15. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the purified starting material is transformed into an intermediate product, in particular in the form of a pellet.
16. Method according to claim 15, wherein, to transform the purified starting material into an intermediate product, the purified and processed starting material is pelletized in a pelletizing press and converted into pellets, wherein the converted pellets have a higher density than the starting material, and wherein, at least temporarily during pelletizing, the purified and processed starting material, the pellets and / or intermediate material stages are cooled.
17. Method according to claim 16, wherein, during the cooling of the purified and processed starting material, the pellets and / or material intermediates, the purified and processed starting material, the pellets and / or the material intermediates are kept below a critical temperature, wherein the critical temperature corresponds to a vitrification temperature of cellulose acetate. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I 5 18. Method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the pelleting is carried out by means of a roller and a die, wherein the die is preferably made of a thermally conductive material and the cooling is preferably carried out via the die.
19. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the recovered cellulose acetate is used as a recyclate for the production of a thermoplastic material, preferably in granular form.
20. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the recovered cellulose acetate is further processed, in particular for non-woven applications, for example for air filters or for thermal insulation material.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the recovered cellulose acetate is used to produce a bi-component fabric with sandwich geometry, wherein the layers alternately consist of the recovered cellulose acetate and another fiber material.
22. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the recovered cellulose acetate is compartmentalized in another material, in particular in fresh cellulose acetate.
23. Method according to claim 22, wherein, for compartmentalizing the recovered cellulose acetate, it is designed as a sandwich fabric and in particular as a meltblown fabric, wherein the outer layers of the sandwich fabric consist of or comprise fresh fiber material, in particular cellulose acetate material, while the middle layer consists of or comprises the recycled material.
24. A process for producing a thermoplastic recyclate, wherein the process comprises the following process steps: MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I 6 Recovery of cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate, in particular from HT products, using a method according to any one of claims 1 to 23; optionally drying of the recovered cellulose acetate; Introducing the recovered and optionally dried cellulose acetate into a plastics processing plant, wherein the recovered and optionally dried cellulose acetate is introduced into the plastics processing plant as the main polymer matrix; and Mixing the recovered and optionally dried cellulose acetate with at least one plasticizer and optionally further functional additives, as well as optionally with foreign polymers, in particular post-consumer, pre-consumer or post-industrial polymers, in the plastics processing plant.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises the following process steps after the mixing process step: Homogenizing the mixture obtained in the mixing process step, particularly under temperature- and shear-optimized conditions, such that a homogenized melt mixture is obtained; Granulating or pelletizing the homogenized melt mixture to obtain a processable thermoplastic recyclate in granular form; and Processing the recycled material into second-life products using at least one shaping process, in particular selected from extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, spunbond or meltblown technology.
26. Method according to claim 24 or 25, wherein a triglyceride, a citrate, adipate and / or sebacate ester is used as a plasticizer in a concentration of 5 - 45 wt.% based on the total polymer mixture. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I 7 27. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the ratio of the recovered and optionally dried cellulose acetate to foreign polymers is in the range of 30 : 70 to 90 : 10 wt.% (based on the total polymer mixture).
28. Method according to one of claims 25 to 27, wherein, to homogenize the mixture obtained in the mixing process step, the mixture is processed in a melt compounding unit, preferably with a co-rotating or counter-rotating twin-screw extruder.
29. Method according to claim 28, wherein the melt compounding unit is / are assigned one or more degassing zones in which remaining alcohol and water vapors and volatile by-products are removed from the mixture under negative pressure.
30. Method according to any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein an antioxidant and / or UV stabilization system is added to the recycled material during compounding, in particular to ensure resistance to aging during reuse.
31. Thermoplastic recyclate obtained by a process according to one of claims 24 to 30, wherein the recyclate has a melt flow index of 2 - 20 g / 10 min (190 °C / 2.16 kg) and consists of at least 40 wt.% purified cellulose acetate.
32. Use of the recycled material according to claim 31 for the production of packaging films, injection-molded articles, blow-molded hollow bodies or nonwovens, wherein the products thus obtained can be recycled again after use.
33. Plant for recovering cellulose acetate from post-consumer mouthpieces and / or post-consumer filters containing cellulose acetate, in particular from HT products, wherein the plant is configured to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 23. MEISSNER BOLTE A / RDA-195-PC / I 8 34. Plant for the production of a thermoplastic recyclate, wherein the plant is configured to carry out the process according to any one of claims 24 to 30.