Polyester Recycling
EverPET® technologies are the newest developments in the field of polyester recycling and are unique technologies of AQUAFIL Engineering. EverPET® is the brand name for a number of different recycling systems which are customized to companies needs and includes solutions for mechanical as well as for chemical recycling.
The products made with EverPET® -internal / industrial and -consumer technology have highest quality and are equal to virgin material.
Depending on the quality of waste, that have to be recycled, there are different EverPET® recycling systems:
- EverPET® – internal
clean PET waste of fixed IV without color, additives, metallization or lamination
- EverPET® – industrial
clean PET waste of different IV without color, additives, metallization or lamination
- EverPET® – consumer
clean PET waste of different IV and color, additives, metallization or lamination
- EverPET® – IV lift
increase of viscosity after extrusion in melt or solid stage
EverPET® – internal
EverPET® – internal is able to handle clean PET waste of fixed IV (intrinsic viscosity) without color, additives, metallization or lamination. EverPET® – internal recycling technology including the feedback to the polycondensation plant (applied for patent) is an advancement of already proven recycling process of AQUAFIL Engineering.
Advantages
- EverPET® internal produces a uniform high quality polymer, whereas the old conventional process generates a low quality polymer due to thermal and hydrolytic degradation
- EverPET® internal reduces energy costs for recycling by minimum 30%, because of less process steps, no remelting / extrusion systems
- EverPET® pellets has higher bulk density and reduces required storage volume dramatically (in same cases by 20 times)
- EverPET® pellets can be used in-house and/or sold as raw material to other polyester producer
- EverPET® pellets allow higher recycling rates in polyester production
The final EverPET® pellets can be used in different ways like:
- in continuous or batch polycondensation process
- in extrusion and compounding process
- in sales as raw material for other polyester producers
EverPET® – industrial / -consumer
EverPET® – industrial and consumer is able to handle different polyester viscosities including impurities. EverPET® – consumer can even recycle metallized, laminated and colored materials which is unique in the market (applied for patent). Therefore there is no limitation for the sourcing of the polyester (PET) waste.
Advantages
- EverPET® – industrial / consumer process uses as raw material PET waste of different viscosity / with lamination, metallization and/or color
- EverPET® – industrial / consumer process reaches highest decontamination rate (due to soft glycolysis)
- EverPET® product is a glycolized PET which can be used in a virgin polyester plant
- EverPET® product reduces the energy consumption in virgin PET plant
- there is no difference in final polyester product, no matter whether it was produced from 100 % PTA or 100% EverPET® product
EverPET® – IV lift
The viscosity of polyester is decreased during a normal extrusion process, even by using a vacuum system.
EverPET® – IV Lift allows not only to hold the intrinsic viscosity, but to increase it after the extruder. The IV lift can be made in liquid or solid phase according to the requirements. Additionally the EverPET® – IV Lift reaches a much higher decontamination yield than known systems.
The required viscosity will be reached by using the AQUAFIL Engineering High Viscosity Reactor (HVR). The reactor design differs from liquid to solid phase. The viscosity will be increased to the normally required level between I.V. 0,78 to I.V. 0,85. The reactors can be designed for viscosities up to IV 1,2.
The complete EverPET® – IV Lift system including HVR, heating circuit, polymer discharge gear pump and vacuum system can be assembled up to a certain capacity in a steel frame or container (Plug and Work Modul).
The HVR unit is equipped with all instruments, valves and piping to operate the unit. A power and control panel is provided for the HVR unit. The panel is completely wired.
Due to the long experiences of AQUAFIL Group in extrusion and compounding area, AQUAFIL Engineering is in the position to offer the complete recycling line starting from belt conveyor over polymer waste shredder, extrusion, filtration, EverPET® – IV lift and cutter.
Advantages
- proven AQUAFIL Engineering technology since years
- IV increase in liquid or solid phase up to IV 1.2
- high decontamination rate (due to higher residence time and high surface area)
- produces a uniform quality and viscosity
- low energy consumption in liquid phase
- low space requirement – plug & work design
(HV reactor, vacuum system and piping completely installed in a container)
