Impact Air Systems launches a next-gen material drum separator

Impact Air Systems, an England-based provider of air conveyance and separation systems, has developed a suite of advanced systems to assist with recycling challenges. The newly upgraded Air Drum Separator (ADS) was engineered through a full redesign process, which Impact says sets a new standard for flexibility and efficiency.

Recycling operations are under pressure to deliver cleaner, higher-value materials while managing costs and staying ahead of regulations. According to Impact, the refined ADS was built to meet these challenges head-on.

The ADS was designed to separate mixed material streams into lights and heavies, offering high-capacity performance while being simple to operate and maintain.

According to Impact, its design engineers work closely with customers and plant designers to ensure that each system performs reliably and efficiently across varying material streams and operating conditions.

With three standard widths—900 millimeters (35 inches), 1,200 millimeters (47 inches) and 1,500 millimeters (59 inches)—and throughput capacity from 20 to 250 cubic meters per hour (706 to 8,800 cubic inches), the ADS is tailored for performance.

Advanced features of the ADS include: 

• adjustable drum movement for flexible separation; 
• variable-angle air nozzles for precision control; 
• energy-efficient primary fan with VFD control;
• ATEX-compliant integrated dust control;
• self-cleaning drum and belt scrapers; and
• secondary vacuum fan for optimal pressure balance.

The versatility of the ADS makes it ideal for a wide range of recycling and recovery applications, according to Impact Air Systems. Whether separating plastics, light paper, foils, insulation or similar light materials, the system delivers robust performance across the board.

The ADS can be used for a wide range of recycling and recovery applications:

• municipal solid waste (MSW): to separate valuable recyclables from fines and organics;
• construction & demolition (C&D) to remove insulation, films, and packaging from rubble; 
• commercial & industrial (C&I) to improve recovery of flexible plastics and papers; 
• solid recovered fuel (SRF) & refuse-derived fuel (RDF) to enhance calorific value by removing contaminants including aggregates; 
• biomass: to clean wood streams for efficient combustion or processing; and 
• automotive shredder residue (ASR) to preclean for downstream recovery or processing.

"The new ADS is the result of months of iterative development and real-world testing," says Dave Lansdell, technical sales director at Impact. "Our goal was to simplify operation while enhancing precision—especially for difficult or variable feedstocks."

According to Impact, this input from frontline engineers and industry partners has shaped a system that not only works better but also smarter.

At Enva’s plastics recovery facility based in Bourne Lincolnshire, the ADS proved its value fast.

"Impact’s ADS has been a fantastic addition to our process," says Bernard McCulloch, engineering services manager at Enva. "It’s significantly improved the purity of our plastic streams and runs consistently with minimal intervention. The results have been nothing short of spectacular."

According to the company, ADS helped Enva move closer to its zero-waste goals while improving operational efficiency.

To support customer decision-making, Impact offers a fully equipped in-house test facility. Customers can bring or send material samples to see the ADS in action.

"When clients see the ADS run their material, they immediately understand its value," says Andrew Vicary, technical sales manager. "It’s a game-changer."