The Solvent Recovery Units (DEC.SRU™), also known as Solvent Recovery Systems (SRS) or Solvent Recovery Plants (SRP), enable VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emission control by recovering solvent vapors extracted from the drying tunnels of printing machines (including flexographic presses), minimizing environmental impact and enhancing efficiency
DEC.SRU-Flexo™ directly controls VOC emissions by capturing solvents from the exhaust stream of flexographic printing machines. The solvents captured on activated carbon are then condensed and recovered for direct reuse as diluents for the flexo inks used in the printing process.
The significant value of DEC.SRU-Flexo™ lies in its cost-effectiveness: allowing for infinite reuse of solvents at a small fraction of their original purchase price, it eliminates the need to buy new solvents. This translates into substantial savings and a rapid return on investment (ROI).
Benefits | Solvent Recovery for Flexo
DEC Solvent Recovery Units stand out as the leading solution for flexographic printers seeking to minimize solvent (VOC) emissions sustainably. Unlike alternative VOC emission control technologies (thermal oxidizers RTOs), DEC.SRU-Flexo™ avoids the generation of greenhouse gasses (including CO2, NOx), contributing to a truly DECarbonized printing process.
In addition to environmental benefits, DEC.SRU-Flexo™ offers a wide range of additional advantages for flexographic printers:
- Reduced Operating Costs: by enabling continuous reuse of solvents, DEC.SRU-Flexo™ eliminates the need to purchase solvents; this results in significant savings on daily operating costs.
- Improved Air Quality: by capturing and reusing solvents, DEC.SRU-Flexo™ minimizes VOC emissions released into the atmosphere, contributing to cleaner air for your employees, neighbors, and the entire community.
- Regulatory Compliance and Reduced Environmental Impact: by helping flexographic printers stay ahead of increasingly stringent environmental regulations governing VOC emissions; by eliminating reliance on “virgin” solvents and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it decreases the overall (direct and indirect) environmental impact of your business. This allows a more sustainable printing practice and demonstrates your commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability.
- Quick Return on Investment (ROI): the combination of operational cost savings, improved efficiency, and environmental benefits makes DEC.SRU-Flexo™ a financially advantageous investment. The ROI is typically quick, within a few years, directly related to the total solvent usage (used as diluents and as a portion of the purchased inks). Higher solvent consumption translates into even faster returns due to greater savings on the “non-purchase” of solvents.
- Transition/Industry 4.0 and 5.0: DEC.SRU-Flexo™ is among the eligible equipment included in European and national plans and programs, allowing for significant benefits and subsidies on investments; DEC is fully available to assist its Customers in accessing these advantages.
Technology Evolution
DEC has a long history of providing Solvent Recovery solutions for the flexo industry, having introduced the first DEC.SRU-Flexo™ in the late 1990s: DEC has recently launched the 4th generation of DEC.SRU-Flexo™, featuring the latest available process technologies, making Solvent Recovery even more accessible and economical for printers of all sizes.
Modularity | Compact Footprint
DEC.SRU-Flexo™ is modular (easily expandable) and very compact, minimizing the space required and the time needed for installation. This translates into minimized total investment costs.
Dare to Dream Big
By applying the new DEC.SMS™ (Smart Modular System) platform, DEC has simplified the solvent recovery process, making it economical and efficient, allowing for a simpler and more cost-effective approach to solvent recovery, now available even for flexo industries of any size, including smaller ones.
The Process
Solvent-laden air (SLA) extracted from flexo printing machines is channeled through a multi-adsorber system (with Activated Carbon) to achieve high efficiency in VOC capture. Once the adsorbent is saturated (automatically monitored by a VOC analyzer), the system “cleans” (regenerates) the adsorbent automatically, through an inert gas (Nitrogen) regeneration cycle DEC.RSG™: the DEC system uses an exclusive DEC.PHD™ dehydration process (in gaseous phase), allowing for the direct recovery of an anhydrous solvent mixture (DEC.LHP™ process).
DEC.SRU-Flexo™ is equipped with DEC.THR™ thermal energy recovery modules, powered by DEC.ULP™ | DEC.UltraLoop™, resulting in the lowest operating costs on the market.
Recognition for Excellence
The DEC.SRU-Flexo™ technology, recognized for its exceptional environmental performance, was awarded last year in the “Operational Environmental & Sustainability” category by the UK Flexographic Industry Association (FIA), a member of the European Flexographic Technical Association (FTA). This prestigious award highlights the commitment of DEC to innovation and sustainability in the flexographic printing industry.
Consistent Performances
The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of DEC.SRU-Flexo™ dedicated to flexo printing has reached a high level of maturity, classified as TRL 9 (actual system proven in operational environment, according to ISO 16290:2013).
