POLYMER PLANT EQUIPMENT

Equipment handled by PED in a typical Polymer Plant

Centrifuge
Rotary dryer
Pneumatic Conveying System
Metering Package
Mixers (Homogeniser)
Extruder & Pelletiser
Delumper Dewatering Screen
Pellet Dryer
Classifier Screen
Bagging & Palletising Systems
 H2
POLYMER PLANT
ETHYLENE
SOLVENT (LIQ.) SOLVENT (VAP.)

EQUIPMENT
REACTOR
SOLVENT
POLYMER
SLURRY
CENTRIFUGE POLYMER
CAKE
ROTARY DRYER

CATALYST

HOMOGENISER METERING POLYMER POWDER

MIXER PACKAGE STORAGE

ADDITIVES
STABILIZER
S
EXTRUSION & DEWATERING SPIN DRYING CLASSIFICATION
PELLETISING

ELUTRIATION / PELLET STORAGE BLENDING

SCREENING

BAGGING STORAGE BAGGING & WAREHOUSING

PALLETISING
CENTRIFUGE
Purpose:
To separate polymer solids from polymer slurry
 Working Principle
The basic centrifuge idea is based on what happens in a
settling tank, in which particles, sediment and solids
gradually fall to the bottom, and the liquid phases of
different density separate due to the force of gravity.
However, such clarification is an extremely slow process
and is unable to meet industry's needs for rapid,
controllable results. The general idea behind centrifuges is
therefore to ensure that the mechanical separation of
different liquid phases and solids can be carried out on a
rapid, continuous basis in order to meet the demands
associated with modern industrial processes.
In essence, a centrifuge is a settling tank whose base is
wrapped around a centerline.
Rotating this entire unit rapidly means that the effect of
gravity is replaced by a controllable centrifugal force that
can have an effect upto 10,000 times greater.
This force is then used to separate liquids from other
liquids or solids.
SETTLING TANK SETTLING TANK DISC STACK
WITH DISCS CENTRIFUGE
CENTRIFUGE
Types:
• Horizontal • Vertical
• Atmospheric • Pressurised
• Solid Bowl • Screen Bowl
CENTRIFUGE
 Decanter centrifuges are generally used for greater
solids concentrations with larger particle sizes.
 Disc stack centrifuges, on the other hand, are ideal
for a wide range of separation tasks that involve
lower solids concentrations and smaller particle and
droplet sizes. This applies to both liquid­liquid and
liquid­solid separation.
CENTRIFUGE
Amount of Solids

Decanter
40% Centrifuges

30%

20%
Disc Stack
Centrifuges
10%
Filters
0.1 1 10 100 1000
Particle Size(µm)
Disc Stack Vertical Centrifuge

Inserting special plates (the "disc stack") provides

additional surface settling area, which contributes to
speeding up the separation process dramatically. It is
the particular configuration, shape and design of
these plates that make it possible for a disc stack
centrifuge to undertake the continuous separation of
a wide range of different solids from either one or
two liquids.
The concentrated solids phase formed by the particles can
be removed continuously, intermittently or manually,
depending on centrifuge type and the amount of solids
involved in the specific application.
The clarified liquid phase (or phases) overflow close to the
rotating axis, in the outlet area on top of the bowl. The
liquids then flow into separate chambers. Each separated
liquid phase then leaves the bowl due to the force of
gravity or by means of a paring disc, which is a special
pumping device. The chambers can be sealed off from
each other to prevent any risk
of cross-contamination.
How a disc stack centrifuge
works ?

A disc stack centrifuge separates solids and one or two

liquid phases from each other in one single continuous
process, using extremely high centrifugal forces. When the
denser solids are subjected to such forces, they are forced
outwards against the rotating bowl wall, while the less
dense liquid phases form concentric inner layers.
The area where these two different liquid phases meet is
called the interface position. This can be easily varied in
order to ensure that the separation takes place with
maximum efficiency.
CENTRIFUGE

Solid Retention Intermittent Solid Continuous Solid

Discharge Discharge
CENTRIFUGE (BOWL TYPE)
The separated solids are conveyed by the helical screw
conveyor along the bowl cylinder and over the conical
section of the decanter to the solids discharge. As they
pass over the cone, the solids dewater by a combination
of drainage and compression, the degree of which is
dependent on the nature of the solids, the adjustment of
the centrifuge, and the required degree of dewatering.
CENTRIFUGE
(SOLID BOWL)
CENTRIFUGE
(SCREEN BOWL)

 
Actually two machines in one combines the clarifying benefits
of the solid bowl centrifuge and adds a final dewatering screen
section to produce maximum dryness. Best suited for
crystalline or granular solids  with free-draining characteristics.
Unit capacities up to 100 tons/hr dry solids.
CENTRIFUGE
(SCREEN BOWL)
CENTRIFUGE
(VERTICAL)
POLYMER DRYERS
The wet slurry out of Centrifuge still has about 30%
solvent / water. This needs to be dried in Dryer.

Types of Dryers:

 Rotary Dryers
 Fluidised Bed Dryers
ROTARY DRYER
Type Of Rotary Dryers

Direct Fired Type

Steam Tube Type
ROTARY DRYER
(DIRECT FIRED TYPE)
Operating Principle

In direct fired dryers, hot air generated by firing of fuel is

made to pass through rotating drum with lifters. Hot air when
comes in contact with the wet slurry, dries the polymer
powder which is conveyed either pneumatically or through
rotating scroll

•
(STEAM TUBE TYPE)
This unit gives continuous
heating or cooling of solids in
an inert atmosphere, or in a
medium vacuum state or
under pressure. Indirect heat
transfer is effected by
conduction and convection,
and constant temperature can
be set by steam pressure. Unit
operation is closed. Complete
recovery is possible. Low
sweeping gas required.
(STEAM TUBE TYPE)

The wet feed which has free flowing granular form is made
to work over the rotating bundle of heated tubes.

Due to radiation and conduction effects, the moisture is

evaporated and the product becomes progressively dry as
it travels across the dryer and reaches final moisture level
at the discharge point.

Due to effective turbulence the solids are dried uniformly.

ROTARY DRYER
ROTARY DRYER
ROTARY DRYER (TYPICAL P&ID)
FLUIDISED BED DRYERS
Materials are treated in fluidized,
agitated and suspended conditions
by various gases. Heat is provided
directly by burning fuel or injecting
fuel to the fluid bed.

Heating elements for indirect heating

by steam can also be installed.

Spent off-gas can be recycled for preheating air to save fuel

costs. This is a relatively maintenance-free equipment.
METERING SYSTEMS
Metering Systems are required for feeding of
controlled and metered quantities of virgin Polymer
Powder and other additives to impart the required
properties to the end product.

Types of Metering Feeders:

 Volumetric Feeders
 Gravimetric Feeders
 Mass Flow Meters
 Belt Feeders
Typical Compounding in Polymer
Plant

Loss in Weight
Feeders
 Loss in Weight Feeder

Mass Flow Feeder

Loss in Weight Feeders
 How Loss in Weight Feeders
The Feeder and the supply bin are
work?
weighed with material supply.
From the Loss in Weight per unit
time of the bin, the actual flow rate
is compared with the set point and
the feeder is controlled in such a
way that the actual flow rate
corresponds accurately and
consistently with the set point.
During the refilling the feeder
operates volumetrically by the
control magnitude stored during the
gravimetric period of operation.
Types of Loss-in-Weight Feeders

Vibro Feeder For Granular Material

Single Screws For Powdery Non-Sticky

Material
Self Cleaning Double Screws For Powdery Sticky
Material
Spirals or Double Spiral For Mixture of Pellets &

Powder
Why Loss in weight as compared
to Volumetric Feeding?
SINGLE SCREW LOSS IN
WEIGHT FEEDER
Types of Feeding Devices
Installation
Some more Installations
Belt Weigh Feeder
 Working Principle of Belt
Weigh Feeder

Belt load and belt speed signals are routed to the microprocessor-
controlled measurement, control and regulation system, where
they are processed and the actual feed rate is continuously
compared with the set feed rate (set point) to assure that belt
speed is controlled such that feed rate is maintained at a constant
level.
Types of Feed Hoppers
Types of Feed Hoppers
 Coriolis type Mass Flow Meters
Measuring principle

The Coriolis force is a force, which

acts upon a moving mass on a rotation
wheel. This physical law is the basis of
Coriolis measuring systems. Feed
material is fed to a measuring wheel
running at a constant speed.

The Coriolis force acting upon the feed material is measured

with high precision by integrated load cell and it is exactly
proportional to the mass flow, even at varying bulk density and
grain size.
Coriolis type Mass Flow Meters
FZ = centrifugal force No impact to F
c
FR = friction force
FC = CORIOLIS force
M
P =
FR
•R2
FZ
FC
P = feed rate [t/h]
M = torque = FC · R
 = angular velocity [1/s]
R = radius of measuring wheel [m]
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
System Components:
• Extruder (Barrel & Screw)
• Diverter Valve
• Gear Pump
• Screen Changer
• Die Plate
• Underwater Pelletiser
• Hydraulic Oil Unit
• Hot Oil Unit / Barrel Cooling Water Unit
• Lube Oil Units
•Pellet Cutting Water (PCW) Unit
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
• Largest Power Consumer In A Polymer Plant

• High Operating/design Pressure (~350 Kg/cm2g)

EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
Parameters For System Design

• Capacity (Kg/h)
• Melt Flow Index (MFI) Range
• Feed Inlet Temperature
• Feed Volatile Content
• Max Allowable Processing Temperature
• Density
• Product Pellet Size. Finishing requirements
TYPES OF EXTRUDERS
BASED ON NUMBER OF SCREWS:
Single Screw Type
Twin Screw Type

BASED ON DIRECTION OF ROTATION

Co-rotating Type
Counter Rotating Type
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(MAIN DRIVE SYSTEM)

Reduction Gear

Process
Side

Distribution Gear

Main
Drive
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(MAIN DRIVE SYSTEM)
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(SPECIFIC ENERGY INPUT)
Specific Energy Input Vs Throughput

0.8 MFI
20 MFI
SEI
kWh/kg

Rate t / h
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(BARREL HEATING / COOLING)

Electrical
Heaters

Steam Water Water

~ 40 bar
 EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(BARREL HEATING / COOLING)

Barrel cooling circuit for Barrel heating circuit for

water cooling steam heating
 EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(BARREL HEATING / COOLING)
Barrel Heating / Cooling
Manifold
Barrel Heating / Cooling
Manifold
Barrel Heating / Cooling
Manifold
Barrel Junction Boxes
Barrel Junction Boxes
Heater shells
(wired up to
junction boxes)
Junction boxes
Cooling manifold
(mounted)
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(SCREW SHAFTS)
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(SCREW SHAFTS)
2 Flight & 3 Flight Screws
3-flighted profile (Do/Di= 1.22) 2-flighted profile (Do/Di= 1.44 – 1.8)
SLOT CONTROL
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(GEAR PUMP)
Gear Pump Cross section
Dual Pack Screen Changer
Filter Elements Product Inlet

Hydraulic Actuators
Dual Cylindrical Slide Bars
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(SCREEN CHANGER)
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(SCREEN PACK)
(SCREEN CHANGER & DIE
PLATE)
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(DIE PLATE & CUTTER)
Typical Die Plate Cross Section
Multiple Row Design Twin Row Design Single Row Design

More Heat
Transfer Area
EXTRUDER & PELLETISER
(UNDERWATER PELLETISER)
PELLETISER CROSS
SECTION
PELLETISER CUTTER
SETTING
SPIN DRYER
 Process Water is removed prior to the Product reaching the
SPIN DRYER
rotating impact stage resulting in less power consumption. The
two level design prevents the Rotor from agitating constantly in
water, reducing component stress and eliminating the need for
expensive and maintenance intensive shaft seals.

Once the majority of Process water is removed, the product

enters the rotor where it is picked up and conveyed upward
through the dryer

Air flow counter current to product flow is introduced in the

upper portion of the dryer. This prevents the moisture from
escaping with the product and further reduces the surface
moisture level. Surface moisture removal can be achieved upto
500 ppm level.
SPIN DRYER
SPIN DRYER
BLENDERS

During production, variation in properties of

product takes place due to various reasons. The
customers demand a homogeneous product.
Hence the need for Homogenising Blenders.

Types of Blenders:

 Fluidised Silo Blenders (for Powders)

 Static Multi Tube Blenders (for Pellets)
BAGGING & PALLETISING
Granular, Powder or Pellets Bagging & Palletisation for
Polymers

Types:
Fully Automatic
Semi Automatic
25 Kg. or 50 Kg. Bag
1000 Kg. Big Bag ( FIBC)
20000kg F IBC Bag inside containers
BAGGING & PALLETISING

Parameters For System Design

Design Basis Production Rate
No. of Days Per Year Operation
No. of Shifts Per Day
Effective Hours Per Shift
Weight Of Each Bag
Type Of System
Weighing Accuracy
Future Expansion Provision
BAGGING & PALLETISING

System Specifications

Capacity , Bph / Tph

Weight of Bag
Bag Specification / Type of Bag – Gussetted or Pillow Bag
Weighing Accuracy
Material Characteristics
Type Of Bag Closing - Sealing or Stitching
Palletiser Capacity
Wrapping Requirement
BAGGING & PALLETISING

Machine System Components

Weighing Cum Tipping M/c (Net Weigher)
Auto Bag Placer
Stitching / Sealing M/c
Check Weigher / Metal Detector
Ink Jet Printer
Belt Conveyors
Palletising M/c
Roller Conveyor
Fork Lift Trucks
Shrink / Stretch Wrapping
BAGGING & PALLETISING
BAGGING & PALLETISING
BAGGING & PALLETISING
(NET WEIGHER)
Type of Bag Closures
Bag Feed In Device
MOVIE CLIP
BAGGING & PALLETISING
(STICHING MACHINE)
Hand Stitching Machine
 BAGGING & PALLETISING
(CHECK WEIGHER)

Check weighers check packed goods as they run

through for compliance with the stated weight.
Incorrectly weighing packs trigger a signal for
removal.
 BAGGING & PALLETISING
(METAL DETECTOR)

Metal detectors are used for palletizing bags.

They check the bags approaching the Palletizer
for metallic foreign matter and if found positive,
direct them to a bag removal station.
 BAGGING & PALLETISING
(BAG REJECTION / REMOVAL)

Packages which are recognised as faulty are

separated from the conveyed stream of packages
via removal stations. They can be executed as
swivel-mounted belt sidings, as a baffle or reject
push-plate
 BAGGING & PALLETISING
(Bag Flattening)

Sack flattening stations are positioned upstream of the

Palletizers in order to produce the most evenly flat cuboid
shape. They are composed of a belt conveyor as bottom belt
and a height-adjustable, swivel-agitated pressure plate
positioned above it, "irons" smooth the passing sacks.
Depending on the bag fillings a model with vibratory bottom
belt and a weighted pressure plate can be used.
Labelling and
Labelling and coding Coding
units apply detailsUnits
of
contents, loads or regulations on to packed goods
or on to side surfaces of pallet-loads, mostly after
stretching or shrinking. Computer controlled
labelers print the labels and apply them as goods
run past. Ink-jet coders inscribe the packages
passing by with texts and markings using the ink-
jet process.
The imprints can be changed on-line by
appropriately equipped devices, also automatically
from package to package, e.g. for continuous
numbering.
Labelling and Coding Units
BAGGING & PALLETISING
(PALLETISER)
PALLETISER
PALLETISER
PALLETISER
PALLETISER
PALLETISER
BAGGING & PALLETISING
(PALLETISER)
Airated SlideAerated
Plate slide-plates and
preceding intermediate
balcony are used for
palletizing of bags with a high
sliding friction coefficient
such as film sacks.

The air ( from regulated pressure fan) emanating from

the perforated slide-plate surface forms a slide-air
film which relieves the positioning and depositing of
the bags.
Robotic Palletiser
Pallet Security through
Stretching and Shrinking

Pallet loads are often exposed to considerable

accelerative forces during transport and handling and
must be protected from deformation, scuffing with
adjacent loads and falling from the stacked load.

Stretching and shrinking of the pallets in plastic film

are proven safety processes, with which the shipping
goods are simultaneously protected against soiling and
dampness
 BAGGING & PALLETISING
(SHRINK WRAPPING)

The film cover, which becomes very stiff after shrinking,

especially in the case of greater film-thicknesses,
withstands considerable stress caused by accelerative
forces.
Glueing UnitsGpallet
lueing units serve to stabilise
loads.
By means of roll, brush or
spray gun they apply a strip of
glue on the packages as they
run through. The anti-slip glue
strengthens the palletized-
goods layers , but permits
depalletizing without damage
to packages.
the contour-hood shrink-
wrapping system
The palletless shrink-wrap packaging
replaces the pallet with the packaged
goods themselves which becomes a
self-supporting unit thanks to the shrink-
wrapped cover.
As a result not only is the significant
expense for pallet use spared, but
storage and transport space is also
gained. Such packages are shipping
units with integrated transport security.
They have great stability even under harsh transport conditions, can
be easily handled with the usual harnessing equipment and protect
their contents hermetically tight against moisture and dirt.
 Slip Sheet Applicator

Papersheet applicator Film applicator

Film applicators are used either for feeding of stacking films
as slip sheets or, in another version, for laying plastic films
on empty pallets to protect the first stack layer from ground
dirt and moisture. Another application is placing film or
cardboard between the layers to stabilise the stack.
 BAGGING & PALLETISING
(FIBC BAG)

FLEXIBLE INTERMEDIATE BULK CONTAINER

BAGGING & PALLETISING
(FIBC LAYOUT)
 Bag Loaders
Where bagged goods are to be loaded in the form of
individual containers, bag loading machines may be used in
order to attain economy and to control the physical
demands put on personnel. Bag-loading can be almost
completely automated with Autoloaders which stack the
bagged goods directly onto truck loading surfaces or onto
pallets placed on them.
 BAGGING & PALLETISING
(AUTO LOADERS)

Autoloader forms vehicle-wide layers of bags which are

transferred by a stacking conveyor and forwarded to the
loading head located over the vehicle loading surface.
The loading head deposits the layers of bags on the vehicle
and each time is lifted by one layer. After reaching the desired
number of layers the Autoloader reverses by one stack length
and positions the next stack.
 Moveable Truck-loading
Machines

Moveable truck-loading machines, for loading of vehicles

with fixed body and of containers, can drive their long booms
via the rear deep into the vehicle. The swivelling and
inclineable telescopic loading belt at the boom end conveys
the bags over the width of the vehicle to the depositing
points.
Off-the-floorToTruck-
load trucks in covered vehicle
loading Machines
zones, moveable off-the-floor
bag loading machines are
installed on the building's roof
located over the thoroughfare.
The lowerable loading belt is
moved down through a slit in the
ceiling onto the open vehicle..
Covered vehicles are loaded with a machine onto which a
linked conveyor is lowered through the ceiling slit, the conveyor
loading the horizontally moveable loading belt in a height-
adjustable belt-seat
 Single and double jointed
Wagon-loading Machines

For loading of covered railway wagons of the normal type, single

jointed loading machines are used. Double jointed large volume
loading-machines have a swivelling intermediate belt boom