Trommel screen Tornado

A trommel screen for recycling is a specialised machine that is used in the recycling industry to separate and classify materials of different sizes and types. It is an essential part of the recycling process, especially in plants where urban solid waste, construction and demolition debris, industrial waste and other recyclable materials are recycled.

A trommel has a cylindrical and horizontal design, and is mainly composed of a robust steel structure that supports the rotating cylinder, called a drum. Sieves or screen meshes with differently sized holes are placed on the surface of the drum, which let certain materials through, while retaining others. The rotational speed of the drum and the size of the holes on the meshes are adjusted according to the specific classification requirements.

The recycling process with a trommel usually follows these steps:

Feed. The recyclable materials are fed into the trommel on a conveyor belt or a feed hopper.
Classification by size. While the drum is rotating, the smallest materials pass through the mesh and fall into a compartment or conveyor belt designed to collect them. The largest materials are retained and continue to move forwards inside the drum.
Separation of materials. Depending on the design and the mesh used, the trommel can separate different types of material, such as paper, cardboard, plastic, glass and metals.
Elimination of unwanted waste. The trommel can be equipped with bars or rotating blades that help separate unwanted objects, such as plastic bags or non-recyclable materials, and divert them to a different discharge outlet.
Discharge of classified materials. Once the materials have been appropriately separated and classified, they move towards different compartments or conveyor belts to be subsequently processed and treated.

The main advantages of using a trommel in the recycling process are the efficient separation of materials, the capacity to process large volumes of waste and the automation of the process, which reduces the need for workforce. Furthermore, it helps improve the quality of the recycled material and increases the overall yield of the recycling process, therefore contributing towards a more sustainable waste management and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill sites.