Abstract: A process for treating polyethylene terephthalate comprises comminuting the polyethylene terephthalate to prepare particles having an average mean particle size of about 300 microns or less, and solid-stating the polyethylene terephthalate particles.

Abstract: A method for treating extremely small particles of plastic comprises providing a quantity of plastic particles having an average mean particle size ranging from about 0.0005 inch to about 0.05 inch in diameter, heating the plastic particles to a temperature sufficient to cause at least a portion of the plastic particles to adhere to one another, and forming the adhered plastic particles into pellets, said pellets having substantially the same average surface-to-volume ratio as the bulk, un-adhered plastic particles.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating RPET containing dense contaminants comprises a manifold positioned within a chamber, said chamber adapted to contain a fluidized bed, said manifold adapted for conveying a bed fluidizing fluid there through, a plurality of apertures in said manifold for communicating a fluid from said manifold to said chamber, said apertures positioned below the midline of said manifold, and a plurality of concave surface features on said manifold, said concave surface features positioned above the midline of said manifold, said concave surface features adapted to receive and retain dense contaminants from a fluidized bed.

Abstract: A process for treating RPET flakes comprises providing a quantity of RPET flakes, comminuting the RPET flakes to prepare RPET particles having an average mean particle size less than about 300 microns, and treating the RPET particles utilizing a low energy process selected from the group consisting of simultaneously melting and mixing the RPET particles by means of a low energy melting device to prepare an RPET melt, and thermally treating the RPET particles to dry or crystallize the RPET particles.

Abstract: A process for preparing extremely small RPET particles comprises proving a quantity of RPET flakes, increasing the crystallinity of the RPET flakes, separating a portion of the RPET flakes having the lowest particle density from the remainder of the RPET flakes, and comminuting the remaining RPET flakes, to prepare RPET particles having an average mean particle size less than 500 microns.

Abstract: A process for treating RPET flakes comprises providing a quantity of RPET flakes having melting contaminants, comminuting the RPET flakes to prepare RPET particles having an average mean particle size less than about 300 microns, melting the RPET particles to prepare an RPET melt, and mixing the RPET melt.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for monitoring the production of blow molded plastic containers (20) includes a columnator (26) and sound detector (24) responsive to a defect sound of pressure fluid escaping from a container being formed in a mold cavity (14). The columnator is effective to filter the defect sound from ambient noise. An output signal generated by the sound detector is processed to generate a control signal used to reject a defective container. Preferably, the open end of the columnator is positioned between 20° and 150° from the preform loading station in a rotary platform (12) blow molding machine.