Séparateurs à lame d'air

Looking for a cleaner, more efficient way to separate lightweight materials from your process stream?

Precise air flow separation improves product purity and material recovery

Adjustable operating parameters allow processing of a wide range of material sizes and densities

Continuous, low-maintenance operation supports higher throughput and reduced downtime

Custom-engineered designs integrate seamlessly into existing recycling or processing systems

Separate Debris from Aluminum Beverage Container Scrap

The Carrier air knife system provides an efficient means of separating heavy metal, stone, plastics, paper and other debris from aluminum beverage container (UBC) scrap, construction and demolition debris (C&D), and other low-density materials. Our air knife separator systems can be customized to meet your needs and processes, and are recognized for industry-leading results.

Carrier’s laboratory system is available for demonstration and testing on actual product. Contact us for more details.

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How it Works

The process reduces residual contaminant build-up in the recycled alloy and furnace melt loss while recovering other recyclable materials from the aluminum – such as lead, copper, paper, plastic, etc. The principle involves air separation of lighter materials from heavier free-falling materials.

A vibratory feeder is used to transport the material over a high-velocity air knife or curtain. The vibrating action causes finer, heavier materials to migrate to the bottom of the conveyed bed, where they fall through the air curtain and are collected below. Aluminum and lighter materials are blown across into a separation hopper, where the aluminum falls out onto a collection belt. Dust, paper, plastic and other lighter materials are collected in an exhaust system consisting of a cyclone and/or after-filter. The concept provides a 95% efficient means of cleaning the aluminum scrap and recovery of contaminants with very low energy consumption and low front-end capital expense.

Features & Benefits

Conçu pour traiter les UBC déchiquetés ou les boîtes entières.

Standard high-efficiency systems for 15,000, 30,000, and 45,000 PPH.

Permet également d'éliminer les plastiques, le papier et les saletés de la ferraille UBC.

Le fonctionnement ne met aucune pièce mobile en contact avec le matériau.

System design minimizes loss of UBC scrap.

Buse réglable pour un réglage précis sur le terrain.

Equipment Options & Accessories

Adjustable Nozzle Assemblies

Allow fine tuning of the airstream in the field to adapt to different material properties.

Contamination Control

Minimizes loss of valuable scrap while reducing residual contaminants to improve overall bale quality.

Processing Capacity

Like all Carrier equipment, air knife separators are customized to meet specific throughput requirements.

Custom Controls

Minimize field commissioning work with customized PLC-based controllers complete with remote startup and engineering services.

Applications

Aluminum Beverage Container (UBC)

Separates lightweight aluminum containers from heavier contaminants using a controlled, high-velocity air stream. Adjustable airflow provides precise density-based separation while supporting high-throughput recycling operations.

Construction & Demolition (C&D) Debris

Uses controlled air velocity to separate lightweight materials from dense C&D debris. The process improves recovery of valuable fractions while reducing contamination in downstream sorting and recycling equipment.

Waste-To-Energy (WTE) & MRF Lines

Removes lightweight contamination from mixed domestic or commercial waste streams to improve the overall quality and purity of recyclable bales.

Heavy Materials (Bottom Stream)

Allows dense materials with higher terminal velocities to resist the air stream and discharge through the bottom fraction. This concentrates metals, glass, stone, and other heavy materials for further processing.

Light Materials (Top Stream)

Uses a high-velocity air stream to lift and redirect low-density materials into the top fraction. This efficiently separates paper, cardboard, plastic films, foil, wood, and loose dirt or dust from heavier contaminants.

Brochures

Screeners Brochure

Carrier Capabilities Brochure

CPEG Capabilities Brochure

Galerie

Air Knife Separator FAQs

What materials can an air knife separator handle?

Air knife separators are effective for removing lightweight contaminants from bulk solids such as plastics, wood, paper, rubber, metal scrap, aggregates, and agricultural products.

How does an air knife separator work?

The system uses a controlled, high-velocity air stream to separate materials based on density and aerodynamic properties. Light fractions are lifted and diverted, while heavier product drops to a separate discharge.

What level of separation efficiency can I expect?

Efficiency depends on material characteristics, feed consistency, and setup, but properly tuned air knife systems commonly achieve high recovery rates and reduced contamination.

What maintenance does an air knife separator require?

Routine inspections of blowers, ducts, filters, and splitter alignment are typically all that’s required. The system has very few moving parts, minimizing downtime.

Does Carrier offer testing for air knife applications?

Yes. Material can be tested in the CPEG lab to confirm separation performance and determine proper sizing and configuration.