pp15-18.
qxd 10/03/2004 11:04 Page 16
EQUIPMENT
News
Coperion Werner & Pfleiderer builds largest
polypropylene compounding system
German company Coperion
Werner & Pfleiderer has
secured an order for the
world's biggest ever
polypropylene compounding
and pelletizing system. The
company says that the
system is designed for a
throughput rate of 55-60
tonnes/hour. The system
includes a twin-screw
MEGAcompounder ZSK
380 Mc powered by a motor
with more than 14 MW. The
Plastics Additives & Compounding March/April 2004
system also has an automatic
non-stop screen pack
changer, as well as the largest
polypropylene underwater
pelletizer with an intensively
heated die plate. The
compounding and
pelletizing system will be
installed in Plock, Poland.
The complete polypropylene
plant will be erected and
operated by Basell Orlen
Polyolefins, a joint venture
between Polish company
16
PKN Orlen SA and Basell
Polyolefins, the world's largest
producer of polypropylene
and the licensor of many
polymerization technologies
and catalysts.
Coperion Werner & Pfleiderer
says that with the approval of
the licensor it has been
possible to eliminate a gear
pump without a risk of
overshearing the different
polypropylene grades. The
company adds that this
compounding and pelletizing
system allows the economic
production of different
polypropylene grades within a
wide viscosity range. The
variable speed drive of the
compounding extruder is said
to be a major factor. The
Suprex gearbox is a
superpositioning planetary
gearbox, which adds the
power and speed of a fixed-
speed motor to a variable-
speed motor. According to the
company, the drive allows
variable operating screw
speeds that permit stress-free
compounding and pelletizing
of the complete range of
polypropylene grades within a
wide viscosity range, with low
energy input and high
throughput rates.
Commissioning/start-up of
the compounding and
pelletizing system is scheduled
for early 2005.
Contact:
Coperion Werner & Pfleiderer
Tel: +49 711 897 25 07
Fax: +49 711 897 39 81
E-mail:
doris.glogovec@coperion.com