Solvent Recovery Rate
Installations Worldwide
Years of Experience
In flexographic and rotogravure printing, solvent emissions are continuous, predictable and high-concentration: the ideal conditions for recovery. We design SRU systems tailored to each plant layout, integrating activated carbon adsorption, nitrogen or steam regeneration and distillation sections. The purified solvent ethyl acetate, alcohols, MEK, and toluene return directly to the production line, turning a recurring cost into a measurable revenue stream year after year. BODY
The flexible packaging sector requires plants that operate continuously, adapt to changes in solvent mix and ensure regulatory compliance without interrupting production. We offer a complete portfolio: solvent recovery, thermal oxidation, and concentration systems designed to integrate with existing infrastructure and scale with plant growth. Every technology is selected after a thorough analysis of real emissions, not from a catalogue.
Activated carbon adsorption with steam, nitrogen or nitrogen + vacuum regeneration (X-CSR). Over 98% recovery efficiency.
RTOs, TOs and catalytic oxidisers for up to 99% VOC abatement, with recovery of excess heat.
LEL sensors, paramagnetic analysers, PLCs and remote monitoring integrated into the plant architecture.
Every plant is engineered to specification: layout, local regulation, operational constraints and the client's payback targets.
Every Donau Carbon Technologies plant for the packaging sector is engineered to comply with regulations from day one: IED, ATEX, REACH, and to remain within limits for its entire operational life, without corrective interventions after commissioning.
Our patent for solvent recovery with nitrogen and vacuum. Operating costs 40% lower than classic systems, zero CO₂ emissions, payback under 3 years.
SRS technology with Donau Carbon – Lurgi licence is the sector standard for toluene recovery. Adsorber, steam regeneration, decanter and stripping column: a process proven across 40 years of industrial-scale installations.
Regenerative thermal oxidisers for up to 99% VOC abatement. Capacity from 3,000 to 330,000 Nm³/h, thermal efficiency up to 95%. Available in Full Electric and H₂-burner versions.
Zeolite rotor and static concentrators to optimise low-concentration solvent airflows. They reduce the air volume to be treated by 10–15 times, cutting the operating costs of the downstream oxidiser.
Every Donau Carbon Technologies plant for the packaging sector is engineered to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, depending on the country and the process. We do not verify compliance once the plant has been built: we integrate it into the architecture from the outset. This means every component from the LEL sensor to the distillation column is dimensioned and certified to operate within current regulatory limits and to adapt as regulations evolve.
We design to comply with emission limits set by the Industrial Emissions Directive, including BAT-AEL values applicable to the packaging sector.
Solvents recovered by our plants are treated and certified in compliance with REACH and CLP requirements for reuse in production.
We design all plant components in ATEX-classified zones: adsorber, pipework, electrical systems and instrumentation included.
The questions clients ask before choosing a plant are always the same. The answers depend on the process. Here, we address the most frequent ones in the flexible packaging and printing sector.
The most common solvents are ethyl acetate, alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol), MEK and, in rotogravure lines, toluene. The mix composition varies by manufacturer: for this reason, we analyse your real process data before sizing the system.
Solvent recovery returns purified solvent directly to production, generating measurable revenue. Thermal oxidation destroys VOCs by converting them into CO₂ and H₂O, with no economic recovery. For flow rates above 300 t/year of solvent with stable composition, recovery is almost always the more economical choice
Payback depends on annual solvent volume, the purchase price of virgin solvent and plant operating costs. In the real cases in our reference list, payback is typically between 1.5 and 3 years, starting from 300 t/year of solvent.
The IED Directive (2010/75/EU) sets emission limits for printing activities. BAT-AEL values for the flexible packaging sector range between 10 and 50 mg/Nm³ depending on the solvent and process. We design to meet these limits from day one, integrating them into the initial calculation.
Yes. The modular design of our X-CSR and CX-CSR plants is engineered to minimise integration time. Workshop pre-assembly reduces on-site work, and connection to the existing line is planned to coincide with already-scheduled production shutdowns
Solvent recovery with vacuum nitrogen regeneration on a flexible packaging line. Solvent: ethyl acetate. Flow rate: 110,000 m³/h. X-CSR plant installed in 2024.
Solvent recovery on a flexible packaging printing line. Solvents: ethyl acetate and various. Flow rate: 110,000 Nm³/h. Installed in 2021.
Every printing line is different. Tell us about your process: we will respond with a personalised technical analysis and a dedicated contact.
