Flexographic printing presses are often equipped with an automatic cleaning system. For each printing press wash-up cycle, the cleaning system requires a certain amount of clean solvent. The need for cleaning solvents increases according to the number of color and printing job changes. The operator is then necessarily required to consider cost-effective and efficient means to supply these wash solvents.
An expedient recycling concept for contaminated solvents is introduced to the printing market, consisting of the ASC-150 solvent recovery unit, combined with solvent storage tanks. The ASC-150 with a heat power of 24 kW has been successfully used in packaging printing for many years and continuously cleans ethanol / ethyl acetate. The solvent recovery is supplied directly from the flexographic printing press. Two high-grade stainless steel 1000-litre tanks of approved design buffer the contaminated and recycled solvent mixture. The tanks are also available in plastic as a low-cost alternative. Powered by an integrated, high-performance steam heating system, the ASC-150 is able to distill 300-600 litres (80 – 160 gal) of printing solvent per 8-hr shift.
The entire recycling process is electronically monitored by a process control system and ensures a reliable supply to the flexographic printing presses. A nitrocellulose safety package is optionally available for printing inks containing nitrocellulose. This enables safe distillation of nitrocellulose-containing contaminated solvents.
