Albert Waalkens, MSc., Pure Infinity
The Dutch company Pure Infinity has developed the BONCUS, a biological technology for solvent recycling in the flexo printing industry. Solvents emission treatment in the flexographic printing industry is conventionally done by incineration with the use of Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTO’s). This method is counterproductive (cost/effect ratio) and may cause health issues for operators who work with older machines. Furthermore, there are strict legal limits on the solvent emission to the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the flexo printing industry continues to grow fast, making solvent emission a big and costly problem in the industry. The BONCUS solves this issue.
The BONCUS: converting solvents into sustainable energy
The BONCUS cleans the air by capturing the solvents and subsequently converts them by anaerobic biological conversion into bio-methane (also referred to as greengas). Green gas is a 100% sustainable fuel. The BONCUS technology can therefore be considered a paradigm shift in the flexo printing industry.
Instead of being a problem, the solvent-based inks become the fuel to convert the flexo industry towards CO2 neutrality, fully in line with the Paris Agreement and the Green Deal. Flexo printing with solvent-based inks has the lowest energy usage of all flexo print technologies, due to easy evaporation of the solvents in the ink. The BONCUS, in combination with solvent-based inks, thus enables not only CO2 reduction at the “end of the pipe” but also keeps the energy usage during printing at its lowest possible level.
Installation of BONCUS system at flexoprinting company Altacel
After years of developing and prototyping, Pure Infinity is proud to announce that they are building the first full scale BONCUS system at Altacel, a modern flexo printing company in Weesp, the Netherlands. This installation serves as the ultimate demonstration unit for the flexo industry and from mid 2022 the flexo industry is invited to visit the installation. Weesp is close to Schiphol airport and is therefore easily reachable.
At Altacel the BONCUS will convert 100 ton of solvents into 60.000 Nm3 of green gas. The gas will be used as fuel to heat the drying air in the printing presses. As a result, the factory saves 600.000 kWh per year on its energy bill and saves 144.000 kg CO2 per year. This is enough to replace 100% of the fossil fuel needed for heating the drying air for the presses. Of course, the BONCUS reaches the lowest emission levels to meet the emission regulations.
The BONCUS installation at Altacel has been financially supported by the European Union and GasTerra. The BONCUS is developed in very close co-operation with the University of Valencia. Pure Infinity and the University of Valencia are both equally owner of the patent of the BONCUS technology.
Please contact Pure Infinity, Albert Waalkens for more information: +31650622288 or a.waalkens@pureinfinity.nl