Abstract: A method for processing a mixture of recycled polyester material and a polyester prepolymer from a polyester manufacturing process, wherein a recycled polyester material is mixed with a polyester prepolymer, from a polyester manufacturing process, and treated in a bulk thermal treatment reactor (7) with a process gas which flows in a counter-current or a cross-current flow direction to the flow direction of the mixture. In this process, the process gas, before entering a catalyst vessel (14), is passed through a protective bed (11) containing a solid adsorbent material that removes high-boiling organic substances or organic substances, with a high combustion temperature, from the process gas stream.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for continuous production of partly crystalline polycondensate pellet material, comprising the steps of forming a polycondensate melt into pellet material; separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material in a first treatment space, wherein the pellets after exit from the first treatment space exhibit a temperature TGR, and crystallizing the pellet material in a second treatment space, wherein in the second treatment space fluidized bed conditions exist, and in the second treatment space the pellets are heated by supply of energy from the exterior by means of a process gas.

Abstract: A process for recycling polyolefins comprising the steps of extruding used polyolefin material, producing granules from the polyolefin material exiting from the extrusion into a liquid cooling medium, separating the cooling medium to obtain a dry polyolefin granulate, and treating the dry polyolefin granulate in a treatment space with a treatment gas, preferably by counter-current flow, immediately after separation of the cooling medium, the dry polyolefin granules still have a granule temperature (T2) which is above a temperature (T1) of the liquid cooling medium and in the range of 71° C.-200° C., preferably 80° C.-160° C., but below the melting point of the granules, and at least 75% of the dry polyolefin granules, in the treatment space, have a dry temperature (T3) which is in the range of granule temperature (T2)±20° C., but below the melting point of the granules.

Abstract: A method for processing a mixture of recycled polyester material and a polyester prepolymer from a polyester manufacturing process, wherein a recycled polyester material is mixed with a polyester prepolymer, from a polyester manufacturing process, and treated in a bulk thermal treatment reactor (7) with a process gas which flows in a counter-current or a cross-current flow direction to the flow direction of the mixture. In this process, the process gas, before entering a catalyst vessel (14), is passed through a protective bed (11) containing a solid adsorbent material that removes high-boiling organic substances or organic substances, with a high combustion temperature, from the process gas stream.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for continuous production of partly crystalline polycondensate pellet material, comprising the steps of forming a polycondensate melt into pellet material; separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material in a first treatment space, wherein the pellets after exit from the first treatment space exhibit a temperature TGR, and crystallizing the pellet material in a second treatment space, wherein in the second treatment space fluidized bed conditions exist, and in the second treatment space the pellets are heated by supply of energy from the exterior by means of a process gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for continuous production of partly crystalline polycondensate pellet material, comprising the steps of forming a polycondensate melt into pellet material; separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material in a first treatment space, wherein the pellets after exit from the first treatment space exhibit a temperature TGR, and crystallizing the pellet material in a second treatment space, wherein in the second treatment space fluidized bed conditions exist, and in the second treatment space the pellets are heated by supply of energy from the exterior by means of a process gas.

Abstract: A process for recycling polyolefins comprising the steps of extruding used polyolefin material, producing granules from the polyolefin material exiting from the extrusion into a liquid cooling medium, separating the cooling medium to obtain a dry polyolefin granulate, and treating the dry polyolefin granulate in a treatment space with a treatment gas, preferably by counter-current flow, immediately after separation of the cooling medium, the dry polyolefin granules still have a granule temperature (T2) which is above a temperature (T1) of the liquid cooling medium and in the range of 71° C.-20020 C., preferably 80° C.-160° C., but below the melting point of the granules, and at least 75% of the dry polyolefin granules, in the treatment space, have a dry temperature (T3) which is in the range of granule temperature (T2)±20° C., but below the melting point of the granules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for continuous production of partly crystalline polycondensate pellet material, comprising the steps of forming a polycondensate melt into pellet material; separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material in a first treatment space, wherein the pellets after exit from the first treatment space exhibit a temperature TGR, and crystallizing the pellet material in a second treatment space, wherein in the second treatment space fluidized bed conditions exist, and in the second treatment space the pellets are heated by supply of energy from the exterior by means of a process gas.

Abstract: A process for continuous production of partly crystalline polycondensate pellet material which comprises the step of crystallizing the pellet material in a second treatment space (6a) under fixed bed conditions by supply of energy from the exterior by means of a process gas, wherein the process gas has a temperature (TGas), which is higher than the sum of the pellet temperature (TGR) and the temperature increase (TKR) which occurs due to heat of crystallization released hi the second treatment space (6a), i.e., (TGas>(TGR+TKR)). The pellets at the exit from the second treatment space (6a) have an average temperature (TPH), which is 10 to 90° C. higher than the sum of the temperature of the pellets (TGR) and the temperature increase (TKR) which occurs due to heat of crystallization released in the second treatment space (6a), i.e., (TGR+TKR+90° C.)?TPH?(TGR+TKR+10°).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for solid-state polycondensation of polyesters, preferably polyethylene terephthalate and/or copolymers thereof. The method and apparatus are both characterized by a solid-state polycondensation being performed with polyester prepolymer particles in a reaction chamber in which an absolute pressure is in the range from 10 mbar to 200 mbar, and a process gas flow in the range of an R-value of 0.005 to 0.05. The polycondensation is carried out over a time of from 2 to 30 hours and at a temperature of from 180° C. to 5° below a crystalline melting point of the polyester prepolymer particles in order to achieve an intrinsic viscosity of from 0.70 to 0.95 dl/g. The R value is defined as a ratio of an hourly amount of process gas (in kg) flowing through the reaction space to an hourly amount of polymer (in kg) flowing through the reaction space: R = m ? ( gas ) ? / ? h m ? ( polymer ) ? / ? h .

Abstract: An apparatus for continuous pelletization and crystallization of a polymer includes a unit for forming a polymer pellet material and cooling the pellet material in a liquid cooling medium. An after-connected drying unit has an exit opening for exporting gas and a crystallizer for crystallizing the pellet material. The crystallizer communicates via a connection line with the pre-connected unit for separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material and drying the pellet material. The crystallizer communicates with an inert gas tank, whereby the pressure in the crystallizer can be increased relative to the pressure in the drying unit. A related process is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for continuous production of partly crystalline polycondensate pellet material, comprising the steps of forming a polycondensate melt into pellet material; separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material in a first treatment space, wherein the pellets after exit from the first treatment space exhibit a temperature TGR, and crystallizing the pellet material in a second treatment space, wherein in the second treatment space fluidized bed conditions exist, and in the second treatment space the pellets are heated by supply of energy from the exterior by means of a process gas.

Abstract: The method for the production of a polyester with improved melting properties and crystallization properties comprises the steps of (a) production of a pre-polyester melt with an average molecular weight (Mn) of 2000 to 16000 g/mol, (b) solidifying and shaping the melt into pre-polyester particles, and (c) thermally treating the pre-polyester particles in a solid phase in the presence of a transesterification catalyst whereby a molecular weight increase (?Mn) of more than 2000 g/mol occurs. In addition, the prepolyester particles have a carboxyl end group content (XCOOH) of between 0.25 and 0.6 before step c and during the thermal treatment step c, the proportion of the esterification reaction (E) to the polycondensation reaction (E+T) is between 0.5 and 1.

Abstract: A device for obtaining a material from a mixed fraction (including particles of a desired material and particles of another material with different optical properties) has a first sorting apparatus and at least two further sorting apparatuses below the first sorting apparatus. From the first sorting apparatus, a major fraction is introduced into a first further sorting apparatus and purified further there, while a minor fraction is passed into a second further sorting apparatus and processed further there.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method as well as an apparatus for fixed phase polycondensation of polyesters, preferably polyethylene terephthalate and/or copolymers thereof, characterised in that the fixed phase polycondensation is performed with polyester prepolymer particles in a reaction chamber in which an absolute pressure predominates in the range from 10 mbar to 200 mbar, preferably 20 to 150 mbar, and a process gas flow in the range of an R-value of 0.005 to 0.05.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a semicrystalline polymer, said method comprising the following steps: producing a polymer melt from a crystallizable polymer; shaping particles and solidifying the polymer melt, the step of shaping the particles being carried out before or after solidification; cooling the particles; treating the particles to reduce their tendency to agglomerate; crystallizing the particles. The invention is characterized in that the treatment is carried out by shaking at a temperature T1 which is below the glass transition temperature of the polymer plus 10° C., i.e. T1<Tg+10° C.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuous pelletization and crystallization of a polymer includes a unit for forming a polymer pellet material and cooling the pellet material in a liquid cooling medium. An after-connected drying unit has an exit opening for exporting gas and a crystallizer for crystallizing the pellet material. The crystallizer communicates via a connection line with the pre-connected unit for separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material and drying the pellet material. The crystallizer communicates with an inert gas tank, whereby the pressure in the crystallizer can be increased relative to the pressure in the drying unit. A related process is also disclosed.

Abstract: A device for obtaining a material from a mixed fraction (including particles of a desired material and particles of another material with different optical properties) has a first sorting apparatus and at least two further sorting apparatuses below the first sorting apparatus. From the first sorting apparatus, a major fraction is introduced into a first further sorting apparatus and purified further there, while a minor fraction is passed into a second further sorting apparatus and processed further there.

Abstract: Polyamide particles are introduced into the upper region of a reaction space and are removed from a lower region. As they fall through the reaction space, the particles are countercurrently contacted by a process gas initially having a water content of 0.8% to 20% by weight, and a temperature of 100 to 200° C. The ratio of the superficial space velocity of the process gas to the loosening velocity of the polyamide particles is in the range from 0.7 to 1.5 in the lower region. Other flow parameters are controlled such that the process gas does not condense out in the upper region of the reaction space.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the continuous production of semicrystalline polycondensate pellets. Said method comprises the following steps: producing a polycondensate material; shaping polycondensate pellets and solidifying the polycondensate melt in a liquid cooling medium, wherein the shaping of the pellets can be carried out prior to or after solidification; separating the pellets from the liquid cooling medium once the polycondensate pellets have cooled down to an average temperature that lies within the crystallization temperature range of the polycondensate; and crystallizing the pellets in a treatment chamber, the treatment gas being led in said treatment chamber in a countercurrent to the polycondensate pellets, the flow rate of the treatment gas being above the incipient fluidization point of the polycondensate pellets and the polycondensate pellets having a narrow dwell time spectrum in the treatment chamber.