PET flakes are the ground and processed material made from recycled water bottles and other items manufactured from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This plastic is semi-pourous and has a tendency to absorb molecules of the liquid or food substance it had been in contact with. Also known by its brand name of Dacron, it is widely used as food and beverage containers, polyester fabric and clothing, as well as other applications for synthetic fiber. Depending on past thermal history and processing means, polyethylene terephthalate can either exist as a transparent or semi-crystaline polymer resin.
Plastic bottles
PET flakesPolyethyleneterephthalate have also become more popular for the production of carpets and other items which make use of recycled plastic material and anything requiring synthetic fiber. Until recently, recycled PET flakes could not be returned to the food industry due to FDA regulations. However, new plastics processing rules require chemical reactions and calcination have made that possible.
As post-consumer waste, PET bottles are gathered and taken to a recycling center. They are then sorted by color, since clear/blue colorations tends to be more valuable than green or dark blue PET bottles. Once sorted, the bottles are boiled and thoroughly cleaned, removing any lingering residue from their previous use. They are then crushed, and finally chopped and ground into small bits, or flakes. At this stage, the flakes are now considered to be suitable for carpet fiber and other non-food related applications. They can be dried, bagged or sold in bulk.
To get the flakes back to FDA standards, the flakes must first go through a chemical bath. This bath will not only cleanse the flakes of any leftover label residue, food particles or other contaminants, but it will actually dissolve away a microscopically thin layer of the surface. This is accomplished by running the processed flakes through a highly controlled bath of caustic soda. Such a bath takes place in carefully monitored stages, as all remaining contaminants removed and the plastic is properly treated. Once the chemical reaction is finished, the flakes are drained and hot air is passed through to partially dry them.
To complete the chemical reaction, the flakes must first pass through a calcinercalciners.aspx. This is a thermal processing machine that heats materials to a certain temperature to induce a reaction. Common examples include calcination of limestone to lime; the heating and separation of water from hydrated minerals such as gypsum and bauxite; the thermal decomposition of volatile matter from petroleum coke; and phase transformations forced by heat treatments, such as in the conversion of anatase to rutile and the devitrification of glass materials.
Heyl & Patterson Rotary Calciner
In PET flake calcination, the flakes are continuously rotated while being heated, sealing the corrosive acidic bath they were passed through and finalizing their processing. The flakes are passed through the rotary calciner, then bagged and readied to be returned to the market. These last two steps turn these flakes into rPET, which are flakes that the FDA has approved for reuse in food and beverage containers.
The specially treated plastics can be used for food applications such as films, coverings and water bottles. Untreated, uncalcined flakes cannot be used for food applications, and are more suited to other markets. These non-treated PET flakes are widely used in the creation of synthetic fiber carpet, garments, plastic lawn furniture, retail packaging and plastic straps.
Heyl & Patterson516 heyl patterson.htm manufactures rotary calcinerscalciners.aspx that are on the leading edge of thermal processing equipment and technology, and are the perfect machines for processing PET flakes. Their versatility makes them an ideal choice for a wide range of specialty applications, including this type of drying and calcining. The separation of the heat source from the process environment confers several distinct advantages, including maintenance of high-purity product with no contamination from the heat source, and multiple heating zones for the most uniform and tight temperature control.
Heyl & Patterson: PET Processing by Calcination
Heyl & Patterson:
PET Processing by Calcination
by David Phillips7310 david phillips.html
Heyl & Patterson, USA
PET flakes are the ground and processed material made from recycled water bottles and other items manufactured from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This plastic is semi-pourous and has a tendency to absorb molecules of the liquid or food substance it had been in contact with. Also known by its brand name of Dacron, it is widely used as food and beverage containers, polyester fabric and clothing, as well as other applications for synthetic fiber. Depending on past thermal history and processing means, polyethylene terephthalate can either exist as a transparent or semi-crystaline polymer resin.
Plastic bottles
PET flakesPolyethyleneterephthalate have also become more popular for the production of carpets and other items which make use of recycled plastic material and anything requiring synthetic fiber. Until recently, recycled PET flakes could not be returned to the food industry due to FDA regulations. However, new plastics processing rules require chemical reactions and calcination have made that possible.
As post-consumer waste, PET bottles are gathered and taken to a recycling center. They are then sorted by color, since clear/blue colorations tends to be more valuable than green or dark blue PET bottles. Once sorted, the bottles are boiled and thoroughly cleaned, removing any lingering residue from their previous use. They are then crushed, and finally chopped and ground into small bits, or flakes. At this stage, the flakes are now considered to be suitable for carpet fiber and other non-food related applications. They can be dried, bagged or sold in bulk.
To get the flakes back to FDA standards, the flakes must first go through a chemical bath. This bath will not only cleanse the flakes of any leftover label residue, food particles or other contaminants, but it will actually dissolve away a microscopically thin layer of the surface. This is accomplished by running the processed flakes through a highly controlled bath of caustic soda. Such a bath takes place in carefully monitored stages, as all remaining contaminants removed and the plastic is properly treated. Once the chemical reaction is finished, the flakes are drained and hot air is passed through to partially dry them.
To complete the chemical reaction, the flakes must first pass through a calcinercalciners.aspx. This is a thermal processing machine that heats materials to a certain temperature to induce a reaction. Common examples include calcination of limestone to lime; the heating and separation of water from hydrated minerals such as gypsum and bauxite; the thermal decomposition of volatile matter from petroleum coke; and phase transformations forced by heat treatments, such as in the conversion of anatase to rutile and the devitrification of glass materials.
Heyl & Patterson Rotary Calciner
In PET flake calcination, the flakes are continuously rotated while being heated, sealing the corrosive acidic bath they were passed through and finalizing their processing. The flakes are passed through the rotary calciner, then bagged and readied to be returned to the market. These last two steps turn these flakes into rPET, which are flakes that the FDA has approved for reuse in food and beverage containers.
The specially treated plastics can be used for food applications such as films, coverings and water bottles. Untreated, uncalcined flakes cannot be used for food applications, and are more suited to other markets. These non-treated PET flakes are widely used in the creation of synthetic fiber carpet, garments, plastic lawn furniture, retail packaging and plastic straps.
Heyl & Patterson516 heyl patterson.htm manufactures rotary calcinerscalciners.aspx that are on the leading edge of thermal processing equipment and technology, and are the perfect machines for processing PET flakes. Their versatility makes them an ideal choice for a wide range of specialty applications, including this type of drying and calcining. The separation of the heat source from the process environment confers several distinct advantages, including maintenance of high-purity product with no contamination from the heat source, and multiple heating zones for the most uniform and tight temperature control.
Heyl & Pattersonsearch?q=Heyl+%26+Patterson+site:bulk online.com&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch's experienced technical staff can help any client assess its process and product objectives. Applications and designs for calciners or other types of industrial drying equipmentrenneburg.aspx can be investigated at the company's pilot plant testing facilitylaboratorytests.aspx.
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