COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF PRODUCTION, POWER SYSTEMS
AND
COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINERRING
A
PROJECT REPORT
ON
DESIGN AND FABRICATION
OF
A POLYTHENE RECYCLING MACHINE
(WITH AN EXTRUDER)
SUBMITTED
BY
OLORI OVIE (U2008/3025307)
UCHENDU STANLEY (U2008/3025347)
IN
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD
OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING (B.ENG)
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
JUNE 2014
CERTIFICATION
We certify that this project on the design and fabrication of a
polythene recycling machine was carried out by OLORI OVIE
(U2008/3025307) of the Department of mechanical engineering,
faculty of engineering, university of Port Harcourt. We have
examined it and found it acceptable for the award of the bachelor
of engineering (B.Eng) in Mechanical Engineering
Engr. Dr. T. A Briggs
(Project supervisor)
Dr. H. U Nwosu
Head of Department
Prof. Ndubuisi S. N
(Dean of Faculty)
...............................
Project Coordinator
...............................
External Examiner
............................. ................................
Signature
Date
............................. ................................
Signature
Date
.............................. ................................
Signature
Date
............................... ..............................
Signature
Date
............................. ................................
Signature
Date
ii
DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to the almighty god for his grace,
protection strength and ability given to me during my research to
successful completion of this work.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My profound gratitude goes to Almighty God for his protection,
guidance, wisdom and blessings.
My gratitude also goes to my supervisor Eng. Dr. T. A Briggs who
made remarkable contributions on my final year project. I want
to thank him for his positive response, explanation, guidance and
advice in completing this project. I owe many thanks to my Head
of Department Dr. H.U Nwosu
I would also like to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts and
knowledge imparted to me by the lecturers of mechanical
engineering department. My profound gratitude goes to Mr
Ihejirika in providing the necessary information needed for this
project and his full commitment in guiding me through this
project.
Special mention must be made of my beloved parents Mr and Mrs
Obi and my wonderful siblings, my friends Harry Iyomahan,
Omotoke Okeyemi.
iv
ABSTRACT
This research involves the design and fabrication of a polythene
recycling machine that minimizes the limitations of the already
existing. The machine employs the principle of conveying and
heating to effect shredding and melting of the materials fed
through the hopper through a screw conveyor chamber. The
screw conveyor was driven by a 1.5HP single phase electric motor
that rotates at a predetermined speed. The hot zone was heated
with a resistance heating element and the heat being regulated
by a thermocouple. The barrel was insulated with rock mat and
aluminium surface jacketing to prevent heat loss. The results of
experimental analysis show that for every plastic fed into the
hopper, a temperature of about 200C, Khanna O. P (2005) is
required to melt it. The performance test analysis carried out
defines the characteristics of the machine and shows that at a
speed of 53rpm, the machine functions effectively in performing
its task with a high finishing recycling efficiency of 95.6% which
translates to a significant time. The resulting soft material was
extruded through the die at the end of the chamber.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page.....................................................................................i
Certification................................................................................ii
Dedication.................................................................................iii
Acknowledgement......................................................................iv
Abstract......................................................................................v
Table of content.........................................................................vi
List of figures............................................................................vii
List of tables............................................................................viii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background..........................................................................1
1.2 Statement of the problem......................................................2
1.3 Aims and objectives..............................................................3
1.4 Scope of the project..............................................................3
1.5 Significance of study............................................................ 4
1.6 Limitations...........................................................................5
1.7 Project outline......................................................................5
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Early development................................................................6
2.2 Recent development..............................................................8
vi
vii
viii
APPENDIX
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1: Plastic identification codes.....................................14
Figure 3.1: Frustum of a cone for the hopper............................23
Figure 3.2: Belt and pulley........................................................27
Figure 3.3: Shaft support in bearing and carrying pulley...........29
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1: Properties of HDPE and LDPE...................................15
Table 3.1: Mechanical properties of steels used for shafts.........20
Table 3.2: Coefficient of friction between belt and pulley...........21
Table 3.3: Design specification.................................................34
Table 3.4 Components specification.........................................35
Table 4.1: Performance test for machine..................................38
Table 4.2: Bill of engineering measurement and estimation.......41
xi
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
Recycling is an aspect of environmental engineering that
deals with the development of technically reasonable solutions to
environmental problems by designing, building and maintaining
systems to control wastes produced by municipalities and private
industries. Plastics are one of the most commonly used materials
in the world today and their inert nature renders them resistant
to bio-degradation which leads them to an increase in the
amount of plastic wastes in dump sites. The manufacturing of
pure plastic raw material consumes large quantities of energy
and
plastics
are
not
degradable
materials,
therefore
its
and
plastic
waste
recycling
will
complement
the
xii
xiii
xiv
2012).
The
economic
importance
of
waste
This
project
directly
contributes
to
sustainable
1.6 LIMITATIONS
As a result of pressure from other activities, the problems
encountered during the period of developing and writing this
project include:
1. Difficulty of sourcing for needed materials
2. financial constrain
3. Struggling to meet supervisors demand on proper write up
1.7 PROJECT OUTLINE
The full project is divided into five progressively linked
chapters in the order: (1) Introduction, (2) Literature Review, (3)
Materials
and
Methods,
(4)
Results
and
Discussion,
(5)
xvi
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 EARLY DEVELOPMENT
Polythene Recycling came to fruition during the environmental
revolution of the late 1960's as plastic is one of the most popular
building materials of modern human culture, but its widespread
use brought us many problems and caused environmental
danger of unprecedented scale. Since its mass adoption in the
1950's, discarded plastic products have filled landfills and
contained seas and earth with materials that will not break down
for
centuries
and
centuries.
To
combat
this
problem,
recycling
transforming
plastic,
discarded
established
plastic
industrial
into
useful
processes
materials
for
and
blow
moulding
method,
extrusion
method
to
xviii
(2010)
designed
and
developed
low
density
xix
xx
of
manufacturing
of
the
the
technology
recycling
used
in
machine
designing
to
enhance
and
its
xxi
and
high
output
offers
many
basic
design
xxiii
xxv
sense,
reusing
strategies
include
buying used
xxvii
programme
administration,
many
(SAP)
by
Nigerians
the
looked
Babangida
inwards
for
of
Plastics
Industry
(SPI)
in
1998
and
is
used
xxviii
produced
in
1933
by
Imperial
Chemical
Industries (ICI).
xxx
2.1:
Properties
of
HDPE
and
LDPE(Source:
Academia.edu)
Properties
HDPE
LDPE
Melting Point
135C
115C
Crystallinity
High
Low crystallinity(50-
Crystalline(>90%
60%).
crystalline).
Flexibility
More
rigid
as
Useful
above
strong
as
due
to
irregular packing.
100- Retains
110C
toughness
but
density
drops
off
dramatically
above
room temp.
Transparency
Less
transparent Good
than LDPE.
since
transparency
it
is
more
amorphous.
Density
0.95-0.97g/cm
Chemical Properties
Chemically Inert
Tensile
Strength 12.4
0.91-0.94g/cm
26.5
(MPa)
xxxi
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1
DESCRIPTION
OF
THE
POLYTHENE
RECYCLING
MACHINE
This machine is an ideal equipment for recycling plastics e.g
High density polyethylene and Low density polyethylene. The
main components of the machine are: frame, extruder barrel,
heating
compartment,
screw
shaft,
hopper,
drive
shaft,
xxxiii
xxxiv
xxxv
Standard Ultimate
Designation
Strength, MPA
40 C 8
560-670
320
45 C 8
610-700
350
50 C 4
640-760
370
50 C 12
700 Minimum
390
xxxvi
Pulley Material
Cast Iron, Steel
Wood
Dry
Wet
Greasy
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.3
0.35
0.32
0.22
0.4
0.45
0.48
0.50
0.20
0.15
0.12
0.23
0.25
0.27
0.30
0.22
0.15
0.12
0.25
0.28
0.27
0.30
0.30
0.32
0.18
0.20
0.32
0.35
0.35
0.38
0.40
0.40
0.42
0.42
drilled through it) since the pressure at this point could be very
high. The breaker plate assembly also serves to create back
pressure in the barrel. Back pressure is required for uniform
melting and proper mixing of the polymer, and how much
pressure is generated can be tweaked by varying screen pack
composition. After passing through the breaker plate, the molten
plastic enters the die. The die is what gives the final product its
profile and was designed so that the molten plastic evenly flows
from a cylindrical profile, to the product's
xxxix
3d=0.54m
B
h
h=0.22m
y
E
d= 0.18m
y
0.09
0.22 + y
0.27
= 0.11
Hence the volume of the hopper = Volume of the big cone - the
Volume of the small cone
(Vh)max=
=[
------------------------------------------------(3.2)
]-[
] =0.0176m3
= [0.0167-0.000933]
= 0.0158m3
Assuming LDPE of the plastic type is to be gravity fed, then mass
of the polythene to fill the volume of 0.0176 is given by
Mp=Vh [Density of LDPE is 0.91-0.94g/cm3]--------------------(3.3)
=9200.0158=14.53kg
Weight of the polythene material required to fill the hopper is
thus Wp=Vhg---------------------------------------------------------(3.4)
=14.539.81=142.59N
3.4.2 LENGTH OF BELT
Diameter of driver pulley= 0.1m
Diameter of driven pulley= 0.065m
Pitch distance between driving shaft X=?
Length of belt L =
+2 +
"
# ---------------(3.5)
xli
X=(
d1 + d2
)+ d1 : X is the distance between the centre of 2 pulleys2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------(3.6)
Source: Khurmi and Gupta (2009) Theory of Machines
X=
0.1 + 0.065
+ 0.1
2
=0.1825m
Length of belt (in terms of pulley diameter)
+
L=
=
+2 +
"
0.1 0.065
3.142
0.1 + 0.065 + 2 0.1825 )
*
4 0.1825
2
=0.625m
, d3--------------------------------------------------------(3.7)
=201.15N
Tmax=1.2Tmean----------------------------------------------------------(3.8)
Tmean=
. /
=167.6N
xlii
!1
!1
-------------------------------------------------(3.9)
100
0.065 + 0.01
N2= 1500
sin 7 =
8
"
(in radians)-------------------------------------------(3.10)
Where,
r1 is radius of driver pulley=0.05
r2 is radius of driven pulley=0.0325
xliii
0.05 0.0325
=0.0959
0.1825
(360= 2:;<
rad------------------------------------------------(3.11)
= 180 2 3.05
=3.04 rad
3.4.7 POWER TRANSMITTED BY BELT DRIVE
slack side
tight side
Driven pulley
Driving pulley
Figure 3.2 Belt and pulley
Power is transmitted by P=(T1 T2)vW---------------------------(3.12)
Where,
T1 is tension in the tight side of the belt
T2 is tension in the slack side of the belt
Torque exerted on driver pulley
TA=(T1 T2)r1--------------------------------------------------------(3.13a)
Torque exerted on driven pulley
xliv
TB=(T1 T2)r2-------------------------------------------------------(3.13b)
Where r1 and r2 are radius of the driver and driven pulley
respectively
V= Linear velocity of the belt
V=
@A B
+
-----------------------------------------------------(3.14)
=7.86m/s
Power of electric motor= 1.5HP=1.5746=1119W
C
T1T2= -----------------------------------------------------(3.15)
D
T1T2=
1119
7.86
T1T2=142.36N
E
E
=J
. /
=2.117
T1=2.117T2
2.117T2T2=142.36N
T2=127.45N
xlv
T1=2.117127.45=269.81N
From equation 12: Power transmitted P=(T1 T2)vW
=(269.81127.41)7.86
=1119W
From equation 3.13a & 3.13b:
Torque on the driving pulley TA=(T1T2)r1
= (269.81 127.41)0.05
=7.12N
Torque on the driven pulley TB= (T1 T2)r2
= (269.81 127.41)0.0325
= 4.63N
3.4.8 ANALYSIS OF SHAFT
pulley
bearing
shaft
Fig 3.3 Shaft support in bearing and carrying pulley
It is necessary to identify the forces acting on the shaft. The
various shear forces and bending moment are calculated as
follows:
xlvi
WL
----------(3.19)
4
WL
397 .22 0.704
=
= 69.9N
4
4
N + K N OP + Q O1 --------------------------------(3.21)
Me=
UVWX Y.
+
------------------------------------------(3.22)
/.
= 0.023m
xlviii
- .
Y
= 0.022m
xlix
Radial ball bearings were used for the drive shaft and stiff
bearings for the loader to permit relative motion between shaft
and pulley.
The heating element was then attached to the cylindrical barrel
(heating chamber), it is insulated with rock mat and aluminium
surface coating to prevent heat loss.
The machine was sprayed green, reason being that recycling
represents green technology.
Finally, the motor was mounted and the machine ready for use.
li
605mm
Base length
700mm
Base width
415mm
704mm
23mm
65mm
100mm
70mm
Height of hopper
220mm
75mm
650mm
Feed throat
100mm by 40mm
1.5HP
1500rpm
Steel used
84MPa
42MPa
62mm
Volume of hopper
0.0158m3
lii
DESCRIPTION
SPECIFICATION MATERIAL
Angle iron
3 full length
Mild Steel
Steel plate
1 full length
Mild steel
Driver pulley
D 100mm
Cast iron
Driven pulley
D 70mm
Cast iron
Shaft
Extruder
3 inches
Stainless steel
12 and 10mm
Mild steel
Barrel
G
liii
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 SOURCES OF WASTE
The most abundant of these wastes were the table water sachets,
these were followed by poly bags and other nylon wrappers. Since
it was difficult to pick up the waste from sewers and drainages
where they constitute a nuisance, they were recovered from road
side,
domestic
bins
and
dumpsites
around
the
school
for about 1hr10mins . The hot zone of the barrel was maintained
at this temperature. Then, the sorted polythene materials were
fed into the machine through the hopper, the 1.5HP single phase
electric motor which is the prime mover was simultaneously
switched on, the feed material was conveyed through the barrel
by means of the screw positioned inside it. The material
eventually got softened and came out of the die's orifice at the
end of the chamber. The material came out in strips and dropped
into a bucket of water kept in place. The water medium helped to
cool the resulted material fast. On subsequent testing of the
recycling machine, it was discovered no remnant of the softened
polythene inside the heating chamber had caked on cooling to
impede the rotation of the conveyor screw. In comparison to
existing recycling machines, the chamber had to be heated to
soften the remaining material before resuming operation and still
not much progress was made. In an effort to effectively discharge
the recycled polythene and improve output of yield, stainless
steel barrel was used as opposed to mild steel because of its
corrosion resistance properties. Another added advantage over
mild steel is that it does not stick to the polythene in its molten
state. It takes about 3mins to recycle a batch of plastics and the
lv
+ C
z
1tPp 1Zupv
Cmsp C ItPp 1
wn1jn1 PZ22 x
--------(4.1)
----------------(4.2)
-------------------------------------------------(4.3)
+ z{|x
z1
---------------------------------------------------(4.4)
lvi
285kg/hr. The test runs were carried out 6 times to obtain the
performance of the machine in table 4.1
Table 4.1: Performance test for the machine
S/N
Input
Continuous
Responses
mass
variables/parameters
(kg) (I)
Screw
Torque
Time
SME
Total
Recycling
speed
(Nm)
(secs)
(kj/kg)
mass
efficiency
(rpm)
(T)
(t)
output
(%) (RE)
(kg) (Q)
1
53
201.51
105
17.80
6.6
95.6
106
100.79
116
23.60
5.5
83.5
106
100.79
120
24.86
5.4
81.0
106
100.79
113
22.18
5.7
87.3
53
201.51
110
19.23
6.4
90
106
100.79
108
18.59
6.5
92.4
lvii
barrel and the higher the mixing of the polythene inside the
barrel.
To save running cost and high energy consumption, figure
4.1(appendix) illustrates that the higher the output mass, the
lower the SME at low speed(S1). Similarly, experiments show that
for a batch process in fig 4.2 (appendix), the effect of recycling
time on the efficiency on the efficiency of the machine under the
influence of the screw speed(rpm) and torque. Decreasing screw
speed and increasing the torque while maintaining a constant
temperature results to a plot of increase in efficiency with
corresponding decrease in recycling time. This shows that the
dependence of the efficiency could be examined as a function of
time.
4.4 DISCUSION OF RESULT
During the testing of the project, it was observed that the
recycling efficiency was higher with the shaft maintaining a
steady and uniform speed as compared to previous work by Odior
et
al
where
knife
penetration
first
causes
compaction
lviii
II.
III.
lix
ITEM
UNIT
QTY
DESCRIPTION
UNIT
TOTAL
PRICE
PRICE
(N)
(N)
Shaft
3000
3000
Angle iron
1900
5700
Sheet
of 1
5000
5000
plates
4
Stainless pipe
3500
3500
Bearing
500
1500
Electric motor 1
30000
30000
Pulley
1500
4500
Belt
700
1400
Heating
3500
3500
10
Thermocouple 1
4000
4000
11
Labour
20000
20000
12
Miscellaneous
9000
15000
element
Total
97,100
lx
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 CONCLUSION
A low technology, low cost machine designed specifically for
recycling low-density polythene for use in particular applications.
The
low-density
polythene
recycling
machine
performs
and
cheap
to
maintain. These
features
make
it
the
machine
is
well
maintained,
its
durability
is
II.
III.
The
machine
is
lxii
employment
in
developing
countries
like
ours.
lxiii
REFERENCES
Anaekwe E. N, (2010), Nylon and Plastic Recycling Plants in
Nigeria, development report, 29th July.
Babajide. K (2004): ''Polythene Products and our Environment''
Vanguard Newspaper, 15th July, P. 20.
Bamisaiye O. P (2010) Design and Development of a Low Density
Polythene Recycling Machine, P. VIII.
Callister W. D JR. & Rethwisch D. G, (2012) fundamentals of
Materials Science and Engineering: An Integrated approach, 4th
Edition, John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Friedman L. S,
lxiv
lxv
APPENDIX A
Belts
Electric motor
lxvi
APPENDIX B
lxvii
lxviii