Any fraction containing plastic, paper, or wood chips reduces the value of the entire material—no matter how efficient the sorting plant is. Air separation is the solution. It uses air as a separation technique and removes light contaminants with extreme precision, without disturbing the heavier materials. It is a module that may not be as visible as crushers and Screening plants, but whose contribution to the purity of the final product is invaluable. Two out of three recycling projects windshifter customers windshifter a windshifter . It is simply crucial for increasing the recycling rate and profitability in many of our projects.
How the wind gauge works
The material is fed into a single-layer system against a controlled air flow at the correct speed. Heavy particles—such as stones, gravel, metal, and wood chips of the appropriate density—fall through the air stream and are collected in one fraction. Light materials, such as plastic film, paper, leaves, and light organic matter, are carried along by the air flow and collected in a separate container.
The air velocity and dispersion are adjustable, which means the operator can fine-tune the separation threshold depending on the material being processed. This makes the air classifier flexible enough to handle everything from crushed construction waste to compost and biomass. There are five parameters to adjust, and the appropriate presets for the application are selected based on the material.
Why are pure fractions critical to business?
Material buyers are setting increasingly stringent requirements for the purity of incoming materials. Wood fractions containing plastic are not accepted for biochar production. Scrap metal mixed with paper and plastic fetches a lower selling price. Crushed concrete containing pieces of wood or plastic may be rejected.
Purifying the fractions upstream—right on the production line—is more cost-effective than removing impurities at a later stage or being forced to sell the material at a lower price.
The attic view as part of a complete system
Wind sifting is naturally combined with Screening plants crushers. A typical sequence might look like this:
- The crusher reduces the feed size
- Screening plants materials into size fractions
- windshifter light contaminants from relevant fractions
- A magnet or eddy current detector detects the metal content
- water bath be added for density separation if necessary
Norditek's wind sorters are designed to integrate seamlessly with the other modules in the product range. This results in shorter downtime, easier maintenance, and a more predictable production line.
Applications
- Recycled wood — separates plastic and light contaminants from the wood fraction
- Park and garden waste — separating the organic fraction for biochar production
- Construction waste — separates crushed concrete and brick from lightly contaminated material
- Excavated material — removes lighter organic matter
Summary
The windshifter is a simple yet powerful module. By investing in it, you’re investing in the quality of your final product—and in your ability to sell cleaner materials at better prices. Contact Norditek if you’d like to learn more about how a windshifter improve your production line.