Aluminum foil tableware recycling and processing process

1. Treatment process before recycling
Aluminum foil tableware needs to be collected separately from other waste aluminum (such as cans, industrial waste), and is usually initially separated by manual sorting, magnetic separation or airflow sorting technology. The recycled aluminum foil tableware needs to be processed into small fragments (usually less than 5cm) by a crusher or cutting equipment to remove the surface coating and improve the efficiency of subsequent processing.

2. Removal of surface coating
Thermal decomposition method: At a high temperature of more than 700°C, the plastic film or ink coating on the surface of the aluminum foil is vaporized, and the residue is removed by hot air blowing. This method is efficient, but the temperature needs to be controlled to avoid aluminum oxidation.
Cold separation method: The aluminum foil and the composite layer are separated by physical and mechanical peeling (such as friction or centrifugation). It is suitable for aluminum foil tableware that is not seriously contaminated. The energy consumption is low but the separation accuracy requirements are high.
Chemical treatment: Some processes use alkaline solutions to dissolve organic matter, or remove residual pollutants through oxidation reactions, but the waste liquid needs to be treated to avoid secondary pollution.

3. Melting and Regeneration
After the coating is removed, the aluminum fragments enter the furnace, and the melt is evenly mixed by vibration stirring or pneumatic devices (such as air compressors driving vibrating rods) to reduce oxidation and burning. Refining agents (such as fluoride salts) are added during smelting to remove impurities, and finally form aluminum ingots. The molten aluminum liquid is treated in a holding furnace and cast into ingots. Each aluminum ingot can contain recycled materials from about 1.6 million cans or a large amount of aluminum foil tableware. Recycled aluminum ingots can be directly used to make new aluminum products, such as building profiles or automotive parts.