A process and a system for producing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) granules by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol or by esterification of (fiber) purified terephthalic acid with ethylene glycol suitable for further processing to form packaging films and bottles, comprising the steps of polycondensation, granulation and latent heat crystallization, aftertreatment of the crude granules to adjust the polymer quality values required for the further processing, in particular the intrinsic viscosity, the acetaldehyde content and the moisture content, wherein the aftertreatment is carried out in multiple moving bed tubular reactors operated in parallel.

A process for reducing the amount of volatile and semi-volatile organic substances of a polypropylene composition to below 150 μg/g (VOC, VDA 278 October 2011) and below 350 μg/g (FOG, VDA 278 October 2011).

An apparatus for drying granular resin material in a hopper including a first sub-system, including a membrane and a heater receiving drying gas from the membrane to be heated, the first sub-system supplying dried heated gas to a first portion of the hopper; and a second sub-system, including a mixing device and a heater for receiving drying gas from the mixing device to be heated, the mixing device inducing withdrawal of gas from the hopper and mixing the withdrawn gas with gas supplied from the first subsystem, the mixed gases being heated and supplied to a second portion of the hopper, the improvement comprising a gas separation membrane for separating inert gases from air supplied to the apparatus and providing the separated inert gas in the first subsystem; a heater for heating air supplied to the apparatus; and a thermostat for controlling the heater and thereby maintaining the supplied air at a selected temperature.

The present invention describes a process to convert non-biodegradable polymeric raw materials or pellets/granules into biodegradable raw materials/pellets/granules by applying enzyme-based coating, in water or suitable solvent or combination thereof, on their surfaces, before construction of the components from them.

A deodorization method and apparatus are disclosed to eliminate, reduce or correct the odour of incoherent plastics, i.e. in the form of granules and/or microgranules and/or powder and/or flakes or the like, with a container of the incoherent plastics, an actuator for generating a process gas flow from a gas inlet to a gas outlet of said container, an olfactory sensor arranged to detect odorous emissions in the process gas exiting from said container, a controller configured to control at least one parameter of the process gas on the basis of an odour intensity measured by said olfactory sensor, with the aim of eliminating the substances that cause undesired odours from the incoherent plastics that is usable in a transformation process to make an end product.

Systems and methods are provided for making aggregate from comingled waste plastics. For example, there is provided a method of making a preconditioned absorptive resin aggregate, the method including: obtaining a supply of granulated mixed plastic waste treated with a preconditioning agent that comprises at least one of calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide; mixing the supply of granulated mixed plastic waste treated with the calcium oxide preconditioning agent with one or more additives to form a plastic waste mixture, the one or more additives comprising pozzolans; hot extruding the plastic waste mixture to form an extruded product comprising waste plastic material; cooling the extruded product; and processing the extruded product to form an aggregate. Products incorporating such aggregates, such as, for example, lightweight construction blocks, are also provided. Also provided are methods of forming a waste plastics feedstock.

A continuous granulation system for obtaining conditioned granules is disclosed. The system comprises a processor configured to produce a continuous flow of granules at an outlet of the processor. The system also comprises a collection chamber positioned downstream from the processor and configured to collect the granules from the outlet. Further, the system comprises an air displacement device coupled to the collection chamber and configured to create a unidirectional flow of air at the outlet in a direction of the granules exiting the processor and away from the outlet. The unidirectional flow of air conditions the granules obtained in the collection chamber. A continuous granulation method and a continuous granule collection system for obtaining the conditioned granules is also disclosed.

A process for treating polymer granular material (2) comprising the steps of heating and drying the polymer granular material in a drying hopper (10) by means of a drying gas, discharging a portion of the polymer granular material into an extruder (101), inside which the polymer granular material is brought to a molten or semi-molten state and transported along the extruder by a rotating screw (104) in order to be injected into a mould (102) or caused to pass through an extrusion head. The process provides for measuring a control parameter which is correlated with the rotation of the screw inside the extruder and regulating the flow rate of the drying gas on the basis of the control parameter.

A method of reclaiming used tennis balls and transforming the material reclaimed from the tennis balls into soles for footwear. This multi-step process requires acquiring used tennis balls, grinding the tennis balls into ground rubber bits (usable elements) and tennis ball “fuzz” (unusable elements). The rubber and fuzz are passed through a screen which allows the rubber bits to exit the screen but retains the fuzz. The rubber is then mixed with an H.sub.2O and Polyurethane mixture to form a rubber mixture. This mixture is then pressed into a shape using a mold, cured, and then used to manufacture footwear.

A process comprising polymerizing olefin monomers and optionally comonomers in a first reactor vessel, thereby forming a raw product stream comprising polymerized solids, unreacted monomer and optionally comonomer, the polymerized solids comprising olefin polymer, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and catalyst system. Then the polymerized solids are contacted with a catalyst poison selected from carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, alcohols, amines, or mixtures thereof, thereby forming a passivated stream. The passivated stream is maintained in an agitated state within a second reactor. The passivated stream within the second reactor is then contacted with a circulating gas comprising unreacted monomer for a residence time, thereby reducing the concentration of VOC in the polymerized solids by at least 10 wt % compared to the level before entering the second reactor, thereby forming a purified olefin polymer solids stream.