Cape Verde Goes Clean and Green with New Disposal System

As part of our regular update on technologies and programmes for sustainability in the cash cycle, we report this month on the news that Banco de Cabo Verde has invested in an HKU 4510 from Swiss company Hunkeler Systeme for the secure, clean and energy efficient disposal of banknotes.

The Banco de Cabo Verde (BCV), as the central bank of the island state of Cape Verde, issues the banknotes for the Cape Verde escudos. Unfit banknotes must be regularly removed from circulation and separated from the fit banknotes in a sorting process, which takes place via a 7000 sorter from Cash Processing Soultions (CPS) with an integrated shredder. The shredded material is removed from the process via the compact HKU 4510 suction unit.

The Banco de Cabo Verde was looking for a system that was designed to be as space-saving as possible and still offered options for later connection to other sorting machines, as well as for the integration of an offline shredder.

Hence its choice of the HKU 4510. The sorting and extraction technology is installed in a comparatively small room. The unit‘s fan, self-cleaning jet filters and two collection containers, each with a capacity of 0.4 cubic meters, are integrated into one system. Despite the compact design, the capacity is sufficient to connect up to three sorting machines to the compact extraction system.

The HKU 4510 operates according to the proven vacuum principle. Due to the suction effect achieved, the paper dust remains trapped in the ducts and cannot escape into the working environment. The transport air is cleaned in a jet filter and returned dust-free to the production room.

Another factor supporting the decision to instal the HKU 4510 was its economical energy consumption. The ESS energy-saving system regulates the energy consumption according to demand; at any given time, the fan only provides as much power as the air volume required in the extraction system.

The dynamic control of the power not only brings savings in electricity. Because the fan adjusts its speed to the current air demand, the mechanical load on the system is also reduced.

Over the entire service life of the HKU 4510, this results in comparatively cost-effective production operation, says Hunkeler.