UNIQUE UNDERWATER PELLETIZING TECHNOLOGY TO STRENGTHEN TPE/TPU-PROCESSING

The innovative Austrian company ECON is offering a unique technology in underwater pelletizing. Basis of this technology is a special design layout of the die plate on the heated die head. During start-up process and the continuous operation, a previously unattained thermal stability is guaranteed and therefore "freezing" of single nozzle holes can be avoided effectively. Due to this thermal insulation, a constant temperature profile within the whole die head is reached and the melt consitency stays constant until leacing the nozzles. Consequently, the koe pressure build-up and the prevention of thermal overstressing of the melt assure a gentle processing of the materials like Thermoplastic Elastomers and Thermoplastic Urethanes.  

The decisive functional criterion of underwater pelletizing systems is thermal control in the die head, mainly of the contact surface with the process water. An excessively high cooling down from the water to the nozzles causes individual freezing of them. As a result, the cross-section for the melt flow is reduced. Melt pressure increases and changes the flow quantity through the remaining open nozzles, which in turn results in undesirable variations in pellet quality.

At conventional systems the cooling down effect from the (cold) process water to the nozzles is very high and results freezing in of numerous die holes and non-uniform pellet shape.

With the insulated die plate design “freezing” of single nozzle holes can be avoided effectively, even if the process water temperature is at a very low level (below 10°C). This configuration - with constant melt consistency until the cutting surface (die plate surface) and cold process water temperatures – offers a wide process variety and best pellet quality.

Besides energy efficiency and high process stability (no freezing, constant pellet shape), the thermally insulated die plate layout offers further striking advantages compared to conventional underwater pelletizers.

The thermal efficiency of the ECON system provides savings in heating energy consumption of typically 70% in comparison to conventional systems, which in turn leads to a drastically reduced requirement for cooling of the process water.

Start - ups are fast and reliable, without the need for process water bypass-piping, start-up waste is minimized dramatically. Without the risk of freezing of the die plate, starting-up is possible with just 20 - 40% of rated output - merely with ine single process step. This crucial easy, reliable start-up reduces the start-up cost by 50 - 70% with the additional benefit of correspondingly low cost for scrap processing.

Summary:
ECON underwater pelletizing system could imressively fulfill the requirements for the processing of various kinds of TPE / TPU- materials. Pelletizing unit an pellet dryer are arranged as a compact function module. Paricular value was set on operation and service quality. The unique principle of the tehrmally insulated die plate design assures hifg process stability with simulatneously increased flexibility and leads to a considerable increase in efficiency for TPE / TPU - Compound plants.

In case of questions, please do not hesitate to contact us! << back