Biomass

seramat ag trades different kinds of biomass such as: 

- wood (untreated)

- woodchips

- green waste 

- organic waste

- sewage sludge

- byproducts of the agricultural industry (e.g. sunflower shells, straw, etc.)

The potential applications for biomass are diverse but mainly we differ between energetic and material use. If biomass is used to generate energy, the bound carbon is released as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Also during the process of composting, greenhouse gases such as methane are released. This is why we prefer to use biomass in our catalytic conversion plant which produces high calorific gases and a solid residue with a high carbon content, also known as biochar.

If you want to learn more about biochar follow this link. 

Shredded tires

Tires are among the largest and most problematic sources of waste, however tires are also one of the most reusable types of waste materials, as the rubber is very resilient and can be re-used in many ways. This resilience can also cause problems in case of improper handling. Most of the tires used in Europe are shredded at the end of their lifetime which reduces volume and simplifies handling. seramat ag has access to a large network of recyclers and can provide the most suitable solution depending on the characteristics of the shredded material.

Shredder light fractions (SLF)

Other names for SLF are Automotive Shredder Residue, Auto fluff or just fluff. The treatment of these materials requires compliance with a growing number of regulations and at the same time, cost-effectiveness for operators must be assured. The composition of SLF is not constant. Shredder companies do not exclusively process end-of-life vehicles but also white goods, mixed scrap and other types of waste. The portion of end-of-life vehicles ranges between 27 to 85 % and also the composition of passenger cars is changing. In addition, the processing conditions of the shredder aggregate can be altered. This influences the composition of SLF, in particular the metal content. In conclusion, SLF consists of the following compounds whose percentages can significantly vary:

- Plastics (thermoplastics, duroplasts, elastomeres); predominantly in form of bulk but also fibers, films and foams;

- Other organic compounds (wood, paper, lacquer residues, etc.);

- Metals (iron, copper, aluminum);

- Minerals (glass, ceramics);

- Others (sand, dust, rust, lead, zinc, etc.). 

Mixed plastics and Refuse-derived fuel (RDF)

RDF consists largely of combustible components of such wastes, such as non recyclable plastics, paper cardboard, Labels and biomass. These fractions are separated by different processing steps, such as screening, air separation, ballistic separation, separation of ferrous and non ferrous materials, glas, stones and other foreign materials and shredding into a uniform grain size, in order to produce a homogenous material which can be used as substitute for fossil fuels in cement plants, lime plants, coal fired power plants or as reduction agent in steel furnaces.  RDF can (after conditioning) also be used in the process of Catalytic Conversion in order to reduce CO2 emissions and generate other outputs than only heat.