Achieving 95 per cent FOGO purity: Komptech Hurrikan S trial results

A real-world trial demonstrated how the Komptech Hurrikan S removes lightweight contaminants to deliver a market-ready product.

As state and federal mandates push for increased diversion of food organics and garden organics (FOGO) across Australia, the volume of material entering facilities is surging. With it comes a persistent challenge: contamination.

Plastic films, foil, and lightweight debris are increasingly entering the waste stream, threatening the commercial viability of the final product.

For a sector that prides itself on “closing the loop”, contamination is more than an aesthetic nuisance; it is a barrier to market confidence.

The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) has long noted that contamination is “one of the most significant threats to the future success of recycling and the circular economy.” But turning raw green waste into a high-value agricultural asset requires a level of purity that traditional screening often fails to reach.

Jimmy Murphy, Sales Manager for Forestry and Organics for Lincom Group, says the Komptech Hurrikan S separator offers a solution for operators at every stage of the adoption curve.

Following a series of trials across eight sites in Queensland and New South Wales, the results have been consistent.

“Across a couple of different feedstocks, we were achieving between 90 and 95 per cent recovery,” Jimmy says. “It was doing what it said on the tin.”

The Hurrikan S uses the physics of air and gravity to strip away light fractions. The machine works by drawing material across a pressure-vacuum section where lighter contaminants are sucked upward, while the heavier, clean compost continues down the main conveyor.

Jimmy says the efficiency of the Hurrikan S stems from its patented airknife technology and twin-fan system.

“The twin fans have variable speed controls, so we can adjust and set according to the in-feed material,” he explains. “If fan number one is extracting too much dust, we can slow it down to get better recovery. That flexibility is vital when you’re dealing with material that might be fibrous, small, or quite moist.”

The challenge with plastic is often its density; once it is shredded or processed below 15 millimetres, it mimics the weight of organic fines. However, for fractions above 15 millimetres, the Hurrikan’s airflow technology is a game changer.

Jimmy says one trial participant who already owned an older, single-fan Hurrikan noted a huge difference in the recovery levels achieved by the additional fan in the S-model.

Beyond the technology, Lincom, the exclusive distributor of the Komptech equipment, is addressing a common industry hurdle: capital availability.

While many large-scale processors have an ongoing need for decontamination, others may be at the end of a contract or working through seasonal surges. To bridge this gap, Lincom has invested in a dedicated rental fleet.

“Rental of processing equipment isn’t new for Lincom, but offering this level of decontamination equipment as a rental solution is somewhat new to the sector,” Jimmy says.

“It gives customers an OPEX (operating expenses) solution where the capital budget might not be in place. We can offer these on a campaign basis for a few months or longer.”

This flexibility is paired with onsite technical support. Lincom provides technical experts to refine the process and train operators on the tips and tricks of the machine.

For one Queensland trial, the Hurrikan S was integrated with a mobile trommel screener and stackers, processing up to 600 cubic metres per day.

Consuming just six litres of diesel per hour – or running on mains power for lower costs – the system proved that high-purity output doesn’t have to come at a high operational price.

“Ultimately, the Hurrikan S is about giving operators the confidence that their product is market-ready,” Jimmy says. “If we can recover 90 per cent of what was bound for landfill, it makes a huge difference to the bottom line and ensures those contaminants aren’t just circulating back through the process.”

For more information, visit: www.lincom.com.au