Pp Sorting Machine | AISORT
Application Overview — Plastic Recycling
PP Sorting in Modern Recycling Facilities
Polypropylene (PP) is the fastest-growing commodity plastic in recycling markets, driven by increased collection of PP packaging (tubs, pots, trays, bottle caps) and demand from automotive and appliance manufacturers for recycled PP compounds. PP sorting separates PP from HDPE (both float, making sink/float ineffective), removes PET contamination, and sorts by color and grade.
Material Characteristics and Sorting Challenges
PP sorting challenges: separating PP from HDPE without density-based methods (both SG 0.90-0.97); handling thin-wall PP packaging that deforms and overlaps on sorting conveyors; distinguishing food-grade from non-food-grade PP; and sorting complex PP compounds and filled PP grades (talc-filled, glass-filled) that have different NIR signatures from unfilled PP.
Recommended Sorting Technology Stack
NIR (PP vs HDPE vs PET identification — the critical separation) + RGB (color sorting: natural, white, colored) + optional 3D laser for film/rigid separation. Two-pass NIR is typical: first pass separates PP+HDPE from PET, second pass separates PP from HDPE. Throughput: 3-8 t/h for flake, 5-12 t/h for whole containers.
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| PP Purity | >97% |
| HDPE in PP | <2% |
| Throughput | 3-12 t/h |
| Form | Rigid containers & flake |
These benchmarks represent achievable performance with modern sensor-based sorting equipment, assuming properly sized, well-maintained equipment operating on representative feedstock. Actual results depend on specific material composition, throughput, and operating conditions.