Engineering review: updated 14 August 2026. This guide is intended to help project owners compare technically complete proposals rather than brochure claims.
1. Why evaluate decoating?
Used beverage cans contain aluminum plus paint, ink, internal lacquer, labels, paper, plastics, moisture and other contamination. When organic material enters the melting furnace with the metal, it can increase smoke, flame, gas-treatment load, slag formation and metal oxidation. Decoating moves part of this work upstream.
A practical line must prepare the feed, transfer heat consistently, manage released volatile material, control gas and dust, and deliver material compatible with the downstream furnace.
2. Start with feed characterization
| Information | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Material form and dimensions | Influences feeding, shredding, bulk density and heat transfer. |
| Coating and contamination | Changes thermal load, volatile release and gas-treatment requirements. |
| Moisture and oil | Affects safe handling, preheating and thermal stability. |
| Mixed alloys and attachments | May require sorting before or after size reduction. |
| Feed variation | Determines the control range and buffer capacity required. |
Recommended starting package
- Photographs from several representative deliveries.
- Typical and maximum piece dimensions.
- Available composition or contamination analysis.
- Hourly, daily and annual target throughput.
- Representative sample availability for testing.
3. Define the complete process
Receiving and preparation
Define bale breaking, inspection, tramp-material removal, storage and controlled feeding. Irregular input creates irregular operation downstream.
Size reduction and separation
Shredding can improve conveying and heat transfer. Required fragment size depends on the equipment route, contamination and furnace feed requirement.
Controlled thermal decoating
Temperature, oxygen level, residence time, bed movement and feed consistency must work together; higher temperature alone is not a complete process specification.
Gas and heat management
Released volatile material must be handled safely. The project may evaluate combustion, heat reuse, gas residence, dust collection and connection to local emission-control equipment.
Remelting interface
Discharge temperature, storage time, conveying, oxidation exposure and furnace feeding should be defined with the melting operation.
4. Confirm plant interfaces early
| Interface | Questions |
|---|---|
| Layout | Footprint, height, maintenance access, material routes and expansion. |
| Utilities | Electrical supply, fuel or heat source, compressed air and control network. |
| Environmental system | Dust collection, gas treatment, monitoring and local permit basis. |
| Furnace | Furnace type, feed method, target condition, schedule and buffer needs. |
| Automation | Recipes, alarms, data recording and plant-system integration. |
5. Questions to ask a supplier
- Which feed assumptions support the proposed capacity?
- Which equipment and interfaces are included and excluded?
- How are moisture, contamination and feed variation handled?
- How are volatile organics, dust and abnormal conditions managed?
- What tests are required before performance can be guaranteed?
- Where is the measurement boundary for energy and metal recovery?
- How will the line connect to the furnace and environmental system?
- Which acceptance tests will be used before handover?
6. Technical proposal checklist
- Company, plant country and project contact.
- Feed description, photographs and sample availability.
- Coating, moisture, oil and foreign-material condition.
- Hourly throughput, operating hours and annual tonnage.
- Current preparation and melting route.
- Required material condition after decoating.
- Available area and elevation constraints.
- Electrical, fuel, heat and compressed-air conditions.
- Environmental equipment and local requirements.
- Target schedule and expected supplier scope.
Buyer questions answered
What information is needed to size a UBC decoating line?
Provide representative feed photos and samples, bulk density, coating and moisture condition, hourly throughput, operating schedule, utilities and furnace interfaces.
Should recovery and energy use be guaranteed from a brochure?
No. Guarantees should be tied to an agreed feed basis, measurement boundary, operating conditions and acceptance test.
When should gas treatment be defined?
Gas and dust handling should be defined during process engineering, together with volatile load, local requirements and existing environmental equipment.
Send the project basics to Chouno
Use the structured inquiry page so the engineering team receives the feed, capacity, country and source information in one message.
Open project inquiryEmail: Chounoks@163.com · Phone: +86 180 5112 9563