Presentation on Underwater Pelletizing System

1. Presentation onUnderwaterPelletizing System Perfect Solution forSpecific Applications

2. Neoplast - A legacy of experience • Since 40 years, Neoplast is known as the reliable and efficient partner for the plastics processing industry worldwide and it’s committed to expand this legacy, by continuously developing new products and processes. • Recently, Neoplast has added a feather in its success saga by introducing an Underwater Pelletizing System developed after substantial research and extensive field trials.

3. Neoplast - A legacy of experience • Neoplast Underwater pelletizer are designed to produce pellets from a wide range of thermoplastics and elastomers, partially filled plastics, virgin resins, and polymers having very low viscosity. • Neoplast UWPS incorporates numerous processing and mechanical innovations, which assure quality pellet output, lower energy cost and simplified maintenance.

4. Why Underwater Pelletizer !! • In plastic processing industry mainly three types of pelletizer are used: • Strand pelletizer • Water Ring Pelletizer • Underwater Pelletizer • In Strand Pelletizing System, the pellets are not consistent in dimensions and having inclination to carry moisture. The wastage is also very high. • In water Ring Pelletizing System, the material tends to smear over the die plate and cutting blades, due to dry cutting at the die face.

5. Why Underwater Pelletizer !! • In Underwater Pelletizing System, • The molten polymer emerges from the Die holes, cut into pellets by the rotating blades, under controlled temperature of water.

6. Why Underwater Pelletizing System !! • In underwater pelletizing system, the cut pellet is immediately quenched and solidified. In turn, the water transports the pellets to a centrifugal dryer where pellets are dried and discharged to the classifier. • The process water coming out from the drier is passed through a fines removal screen (FRS) to make the system free from impurities, which in turn pressurized, temperature regulated and returned to the pelletizer by the tempered water system. • The process water is contained in a closed loop so there is minimal water loss and very little housekeeping involved.

7. Die Plate • The design of the die plate has a major impact on the shape, quality and uniformity of the pellets. So, Die and cutter blades are made of specially treated material to ensure long life. • All water contact parts made from SS 304 to ensure corrosion & contamination free end products. • Ideal horizontal melt flow; hence no dead areas. Moreover, simple access to die plate and cutter hub. • Replacement possible in lowest down time. • With advantage of proven pelletizer design, we guarantee for the best quality of pellets, lowest energy costs and simplified maintenance.

8. Spring Loaded Cutter • Spring-loaded cutter to adjust blades against the die face. • Different springs are provided in order to properly match - blade, die and polymer combinations. • The MOC of the blade is S.S. 304 with 4 or 6 spokes cutter hub. • Hardness of the blade is 45 - 50 HRC. • The cutter blade RPM can be 100 to 3600 & easily controlled by AC variable frequency drive.

9. Tempered Water System (TWS) • The tempered water system is the internal conveying system of the pelletizing process. • As a rule, the tempered water system is made up of the following main components: • Centrifugal Dryer with Agglomerate catcher and exhaust fan • Water tank with heater • Heat exchanger • As an option, a fines removal sieve and a pellet diverter valve may be integrated.

10. Centrifugal Dryer with Agglomerate catcher • The Centrifugal Dryer is provided with Agglomerate catcher, Exhaust blower & Diverter Valve • A countercurrent airflow generated by an external fan removes residual surface moisture & produces a slight vacuum to remove humid air from pellets. The residual surface moisture (PPM) can be reduced to 0.05 % or less by virtue of specially developed dryer design. • An agglomerate catcher is included to remove oversized lumps of polymer before they enter the dryer. Agglomerates fall into the fines removal waste tray from the slurry inlet.

11. Rotor of Centrifugal Dryer • The Centrifugal drier rotor is rotated at the speed of 1500 rpm and with the rotor lifter elements design, the pellets are thrown against the screens. The centrifugal force moves them upward following a helical path. • While the water is separated through the screens, the pellets are continuously conveyed to the upper section of the dryer where they emerge at the pellet outlet. • Rotor is dynamically balanced and hence vibration free performance. • All water contact parts SS 304. • Hinged doors, leak proof screens, pellet free rotors and precisely fabricated components are some of the standard features.

12. Heat Exchanger with water tank • Heat exchanger of adequate capacity with automatic control which ensures a constant and desired process water temperature. • SS water tank with heater & temperature controller. • Automatic water level controller with solenoid valve & digital flow meter. • Tempered water system is supplied with By-Pass line to avoid freezing of die. • All process ball valves incorporated in the system are pneumatically actuated & controlled by PLC.

13. Fines Removal Sieve (FRS) • A fines removal screen is included for collection and disposal of fines particles during process run. • The process water contaminated with particles is first collected into a collection chamber & then flows evenly over curved screen to separate & collect fines. • The FRS removes all fine particles higher than 0.15 mm in size. • FRS is the neat & clean way to collect fines & impurities from process water. • Comb type SS construction processes water upto 30 m3/hr.

14. Control Panel • The Electric Control Panel is precisely pre-wired and labeled as per international standard IP 55 or equivalent & easy to plug in at the time of installation. • The cutter blades RPM controlled by AC variable frequency inverter drive and soft start up of the machine. • The control panel incorporates PID temp. controllers for die plate & adaptor, digital Amp meter for adopter, die & pelletizer drive, overload audio-visual alarm to shut down extruder. • PLC is incorporated with pre-programmed process interlocks for operators safety.

15. Advantages of Underwater Pelletizer • Ideal melt distribution • Direct introduction of the melt into the cooling circuit • Closed water cycle • Variable pellet size from 0.5 mm to 5 mm • Safe pelletizing process • Low downtime & low scrap through automation • Automatic tool readjustment • Uniform pellets • Smooth pellet surface • No product oxidization • Clean operation

16. Underwater Pelletizer system to process polymers like…. • Polyolefin ( LLDPE, LDPE, HDPE, PP, EPDM ) • Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) • Styrene Polymer (PS, SAN, ABS) • Acrylic resins (PMMA) • Polycarbonates (PC, PET, PBT, PEN) • Polyamide (PA 6, PA 66, PA 11, PA 12) • Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE-S, TPE-O, TPE-E, TPE-A) • Synthetic resins (Epoxy resin)

17. Applications

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