PET recycling - Polymer Processing

With the growing level of pollution especially those from plastics which are non-degradable by natural means, there is need for recycling. There are special equipment designed for this purpose which include PET recycling line. The PET recycling line price vary according to their capacity, models and other factors.

But before we go into that, let's look at the processes involved in the PET recycling.

Generally, plastic recycling process can be divided into several phases:

1. Receipt of raw materials

A wide range of plastic raw materials can be recycled (HDPE, PEBD, PP, PET, PS, ABS). However, the material must be grouped for quality and can proceed from industrial, post-consumer and agricultural wastes. These materials can get to recycling facilities in boxes, bags, Big Bags, crushed, in containers (Bulk) or in pellets. 

2. Selection process

Once received, the raw materials undergo a rigorous selection process where the following phases are carried out:

Separation of materials

Those different plastic materials are separated from those that at the time of consumption correspond to the quality in process, labels, ferrous materials, earth ... etc. With this process we guarantee optimum quality, increase production capacities, avoid inefficient production, and it will help us keep track of the raw material supplied by our sources of supply. 

Segregation of colors of the plastic 

Thanks to this phase we achieve a lower consumption of dyes, which gives us a greater economic and environmental benefit, as well as a greater variety in the finished products offering different ranges of colors.

3. Crushing

The pieces are broken and shredded through crushers of great productive capacity, by means of a set of rotating blades, reducing them to small pieces according to the diameter of the sieve. With the crushing we achieve that the granulometry of the plastic is homogeneous, which facilitates the subsequent transport, washing and drying tasks.

4. Washing

Once crushed, the plastic is introduced into industrial laundries. Some blades remove the water so that the plastic is completely wet and in the bottom of the washbasins will be deposited possible impurities such as dirt, stones, metals, cardboard, PVC and any other material denser than water. In the market, there are a wide range of PET bottle washing line for sale. Your choice would depend to a large extent on your budget and the efficiency of the process. 

5. Drying and spinning

The material extracted from the sinks passes to the centrifuges where in addition to performing the drying functions they will completely eliminate any impurity that could still escape from the sinks.

6. Homogenization

Once crushed, washed and dried, the plastic is stored in a large silo, where it will be mixed by a mechanical process, until a homogeneous material in color, texture and behavior is achieved, being prepared for extrusion. 

The PET recycling line plays a major role in the PET recycling process. The equipment is at the center of the entire recycling process. However, the plastic recycling line price is an essential factor to consider when setting up a recycling plant.