The invention regards the recycling process of sports helmets which allows to separate and recycle all components of which the helmets are made.
| Patent title | Method and plant for the recycling of helmets |
|---|---|
| Thematic area | Industry, Digital and Security |
| Ownership | ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA' DI BOLOGNA |
| Inventors | Filippo Biagi, Alessandro Nanni, Marco Martini, Martino Colonna |
| Protection | Italy |
| Licensing status | Licensed |
| Keywords | Helmets recycle, Polystyrene, Limonene, Selective dissolution; |
| Filed on | 24 May 2021 |
Protective helmets generally consist of a layer of expanded polyester and one or more parts in plastic material (PC or ABS), as well as parts in metal and fabric. The composite structure of the helmets makes it impossible to recycle them effectively, and in general they are ground and the components separated using automatic recognition and separation systems based on the use of NIR and triboelectric sensors. However, the composite structure, containing parts glued or fused together, makes the application of these technologies complex and scarcely efficient.
The invention solves the economic and environmental problem linked to the non-recycling of sport helmets. The proposed system uses solvents (such as limonene) which are able to selectively dissolve the part of expanded polystyrene, leaving the outer shell unaltered. The system thus makes it possible to recycle all components of the helmets, to reduce the costs necessary for disposal and to ensure the recovery of materials with a very high purity, so that they can be reused in similar or other applications.
Applications
- Plants for the recycling of composite materials
Advantages
- Effective recycling of all components
- Low energy and low cost process
- Reduction of recycling times
- Reduction of the environmental impact