Windsifter ZZS - we get the future out of the waste

Eggs are a popular food in Germany. Every year germans consume around 236 eggs per capita (source: Statista). And that doesn't include eggs used by the food industry. In 2019 appx. 15 billion eggs were produced in Germany (source: Statista). But that doesn't even cover our total needs, imports e.g. from the Netherlands are necessary. And what is the supposed waste of an egg? The eggshell. Popular with (hobby) gardeners as fertilizer, 15 billion eggshells are a bit of a good thing. So what do you do with the big rest?

Not only housewives and cooks know that an eggshell consists roughly of two components: the hard shell and a soft, inner membrane. That's what's interesting about it - for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries and for machines from TRENNSO-TECHNIK^®. Because this is where our expertise in cutting and sorting this composite material comes into play. For further use, the shell must be separated from the membrane.

It's thin, inconspicuous, white and likes to stick to your finger at breakfast. But is the eggshell membrane also useful? Analyzes show that this protein-rich membrane contains high-quality ingredients for the cosmetics and pharmaceuticals industries. It is therefore a sought-after source of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin and collagen. These ingredients promote collagen formation and cartilage function, thus supporting our joints and other body functions that are subject to constant breakdown. A clean extraction of the eggshell membrane therefore is a goal.

And what about the eggshell? In addition to the use as fertilizer or limited fun, seasonal decorative items, according to a promising study, the eggshell may soon hit the big time. In search of new sources for environmentally friendly battery technology, the Helmholtz Institute in Ulm used eggshells for the first time as an electrode for energy storage. Whole, ground eggshells resulted in a conductive material that gives hope for an inexpensive lithium-ion capacitor. Of course, more research is needed, but a cornerstone has been laid. Source: See end of text

The ZZS wind sifter from TRENNSO-TECHNIK^® can be used excellently to extract usable raw material like eggshell membrane and pure eggshell from the supposed eggshell rubbish. In the dry separation process, our zigzagsifter separates the heavier shell from the light membrane. In this way, both components of the natural eggshell composite material can be used further. Whether as an additive in cosmetics or as a food supplement, as a fertilizer, in bio-ceramics or in the dye industry.

The ZZS wind sifter is recommended for the separation of eggshell membranes because pure air is used as the separation medium. The eggshells reach the zigzag sifter via a rotary valve. There the air from the fan flows through the eggshells and the zigzag arrangement of the separator walls causes the separation. Heavy pieces of shell fall down, light membranes are discharged with the air via a cyclone. The separated light and heavy fraction of the eggshells can be seen in the video: click here!

Wind sifter technology from TRENNSO-TECHNIK^® is part of our technology portfolio for separating and sorting recycling material, food and bulk goods. In addition to the ZZS air sifter, there is an alternative for larger bulk material, the QSS air sifter. Our team of experienced engineers and technicians knows which system configuration represents the optimal, customer-specific solution. For special questions about individual products, we also have the option of trials in our fully equipped technology center in Weißenhorn as a process component. From old tires to artificial turf to eggshells - systems from TRENNSO-TECHNIK^® separate what no longer belongs together.

Source: Bio-waste chicken eggshells to store energy. Minakshi, M.; Visbal, H.; Mitchell, D. R. G.; Fichtner, M.
2018. Dalton transactions, 2018 (47), 16828–16834