Kresco SRC Series Continuous-Flow Solvent Recyclers – 3 to 100 GPH Continuous Solvent Distillation

Description

The Kresco SRC Series is a line of continuous-flow solvent recyclers for plants that have outgrown batch distillation: used solvent is drawn into a 60° cone distillation vessel under vacuum, heated indirectly by thermal oil, condensed in a high-efficiency coil condenser and returned to production at 99.5% purity or better, while a self-adjusting scraper keeps the heated surface clean and concentrated residue is dropped out through a 6″ or 8″ bottom valve. Seven sizes from 3–5 to 80–100 gallons per hour, 316 stainless on all wet surfaces, PLC control with a color touch screen, and Class I Div. 1 explosion-proof construction. Skid-mounted, wet-tested at the factory in Quebec, Canada, and ready for single-point utility connections. Solvent Recycling Systems sizes, supplies and supports SRC systems across the United States.

Running more than a few hundred gallons of dirty solvent a week? Send us your solvent, volume and contaminant or call (847) 833-7010 and we’ll size a unit.

Specifications

Model	SRC 240	SRC 300	SRC 350	SRC 400	SRC 800	SRC 1000	SRC 1400
Output of still (GPH)	3–5	8–10	11–18	19–26	35–45	50–65	80–100
Vessel holding capacity to level sensor (US gal)	60	80	85	85	200	250	350
Heat transfer oil (US gal)	30	85	110–130	110–130	165–180	240–260	350
Power consumption (kW)	10	25	30	40	80	100	150
Amperage at 460 V, 3 Ph 60 Hz	14 A	32 A	38 A	51 A	101 A	126 A	188 A
Amperage at 600 V, 3 Ph 60 Hz	10 A	25 A	29 A	39 A	77 A	97 A	145 A
Water chiller size	25 tons				50 tons		100 tons
Chilled water (GPM @ psi)	10 @ 30	25 @ 30	40 @ 30	50 @ 30	120 @ 30	160 @ 30	200 @ 30
Working temperature	122–550°F

From the Kresco SRC Series brochure. Output varies with the solvent’s heat of vaporization and contaminant load.

How a Continuous-Flow Recycler Works

1. Auto fill. The standard vacuum system (or an optional pump) pulls used solvent from your dirty tank into the vessel. An electronic level sensor holds the operating level, backed by a PLC watchdog timer (about 10 minutes for the initial fill, 2 minutes for refills) so the vessel can never overfill.
2. Indirect heating. Thermal oil, heated by electric elements or steam, circulates through a jacket around the vessel. Preheated oil with even distribution means no hot spots and less oil volume.
3. Scraped distillation. Self-adjusting scraper blades with a flexible “wrist” design keep continuous contact with the heated wall, so the heat-transfer surface stays clean without external adjustment. The support hub sits above the discharge area and never interferes with residue removal.
4. Condensing. Solvent vapor leaves the vessel into a coil condenser whose heat-transfer area well exceeds a standard shell-and-tube design; clean solvent flows to your storage tank.
5. Sludge discharge. As residue thickens it sinks into the 60° cone, leaving the larger surface at the top distilling at full efficiency and keeping the sludge submerged in solvent, an extra safety margin with reactive materials such as nitrocellulose. RTDs in the sludge trigger an automatic cool-down and alert the operator to drain through the 6″ or 8″ bottom valve.

Standard Features

• Distillation rate controlled by a PLC with color touch-screen operator interface; all programs and listings made available to the user; set points password-protected
• 316 stainless steel on all wet surfaces; stainless outer shell, elevated stand, platform and ladder
• RTDs in the vapor space, thermal oil and sludge, accurate to 1–2°F
• Interlocking safety devices on every component; 5 psi pressure relief valve
• 6″ sludge discharge valve; elevated base with vent port
• Single-point utility connections; skid mounted, assembled and wet-tested before shipment
• Explosion-proof rating for Class I Div. 1
• Recycles most common solvents: mineral spirits, flexo and litho wash solvents, and many more. 99.5%+ purity.

Options

• Auto cool — in-line heat exchanger on the oil loop cools the sludge to a safe 100–150°F before discharge and gets the next batch started hours sooner.
• Vacuum system — 3 HP liquid-ring vacuum pump, decanter and sight glass under PLC control with a heat exchanger that virtually eliminates VOC emissions; lowers the boiling temperature for safety and efficiency and can double as the auto-load.
• Auto fill — vacuum or pump fill with level sensor and watchdog timer.
• Class I Div. 1 or ATEX package — air- or nitrogen-purged NEMA 4X control panel with pressure-differential sensor on a NEMA 7 junction box; loss of purge pressure shuts the unit down.
• Nitrocellulose package — required when nitrocellulose is present (typical in flexo and gravure printing) to prevent a nitrocellulose reaction.
• Fractionating column — higher purity when distilling solvent blends (see SRXC distillation columns).
• Inspection platform with stairs; automatic sludge pump; Ethernet or cellular PLC access for remote monitoring; explosion-proof package.
• Solvent tanks — conical-bottom vertical 304 stainless tanks with clean-out hatch, vent, sight glass and provisions for three level sensors; optional recirculating/fill pumps keep sludge from settling in the dirty tank.

Industries Served

Flexographic and litho printing (wash solvent, ink and nitrocellulose), industrial coating and paint, automotive, aerospace and aviation, petroleum and energy, and general manufacturing. An SR180 or SR240 batch recycler covers a single flexo press line; the SRC is the step up when wash-solvent volume outruns what a batch unit can turn in a shift.

Batch or Continuous?

A batch SR Series recycler (8 to 64 gallons per cycle, 4–6 hour cycles) suits most shops up to a few hundred gallons a week and needs no chilled water. An SRC runs around the clock, needs a chilled-water supply and three-phase power, and pays off when dirty solvent is measured in drums per day. We’ll help you work out which side of that line you’re on, including the solvent savings and disposal-fee math.

Pricing and Lead Time

SRC systems are engineered to order: solvent, flow rate, contaminant, heating method (electric or steam), hazardous-area classification and options all set the configuration. Request an SRC quote or call (847) 833-7010. Consumables, upgrade kits and thermal oil for all Kresco recyclers are stocked by Solvent Recycling Systems.