A method of recycling a PET-containing material comprises: (1) providing an MRS extruder having an MRS section comprising a plurality of satellite screws and an outlet; (2) providing a vacuum pump in communication with the MRS section; (3) providing a spinning machine comprising an inlet, wherein the inlet is directly coupled to the outlet of the MRS extruder; (4) heating a plurality of PET-containing flakes in the MRS extruder to form a PET-containing melt; (5) increasing a surface area of the PET-containing melt by distributing the PET-containing melt across the plurality of satellite screws in the MRS extruder; (6) drawing off vapors from the PET-containing melt by reducing the pressure in the MRS section with the vacuum pump; (7) collating the PET-containing melt in the MRS extruder; and (8) extruding the PET-containing melt through the outlet of the MRS extruder into the inlet of the spinning machine.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) comprises: (1) splitting the PTT stream extruded from the primary extruder into a number of polymer streams, each of the plurality of polymer streams having an associated spinning machine; (2) adding a colorant to each split polymer stream; (3) adding PET to the extruded polymer stream downstream of the primary extruder; (4) using one or more static mixing assemblies for each split polymer stream to substantially uniformly mix each split polymer stream and its respective colorant and PET; and (5) spinning each polymer stream with its substantially uniformly mixed colorant and any additives into BCF using the respective spinning machine.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) providing an expanded surface area extruder; (B) providing a spinning machine having an inlet that is operatively coupled to an expanded surface area extruder outlet; (C) using a pressure regulation system to reduce the pressure within the expanded surface area extruder; (D) passing a plurality of flakes comprising recycled PET through the expanded surface area extruder to at least partially melt the plurality of flakes to form a polymer melt; and (E) substantially immediately after passing the plurality of flakes through the expanded surface area extruder, using the spinning machine to form the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament. In some embodiments, the method may include passing the plurality of flakes comprising recycled PET through a PET crystallizer prior to extrusion.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) providing an expanded surface area extruder; (B) providing a spinning machine having an inlet that is operatively coupled to an expanded surface area extruder outlet; (C) using a pressure regulation system to reduce the pressure within the expanded surface area extruder; (D) passing a plurality of flakes comprising recycled PET through the expanded surface area extruder to at least partially melt the plurality of flakes to form a polymer melt; and (E) substantially immediately after passing the plurality of flakes through the expanded surface area extruder, using the spinning machine to form the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament. In some embodiments, the method may include passing the plurality of flakes comprising recycled PET through a PET crystallizer prior to extrusion.

Disclosed are methods for forming and adhering an entrained polymer structure to a substrate. The methods include providing a substrate (114) configured to receive application of a molten entrained polymer (118). A mineral entrained polymer in molten form is applied in a predetermined shape, to a surface of the substrate, to form a solidified entrained polymer structure on the substrate. The entrained polymer includes a monolithic material formed of at least a base polymer (25) and a mineral active agent (30) to absorb excess moisture. The surface of the substrate is compatible with the molten entrained polymer so as to thermally bond with it. In this way, the entrained polymer bonds to the substrate and solidifies upon sufficient cooling of the entrained polymer. The polymer can have a channeling or foaming agent (35), eg polyglycol. To apply the polymer is provided a hot melt dispensing apparatus comprising: a feeder (102) (optionally an extruder or loader) for providing a flow of mineral entrained polymer in molten form; one or more hoses (104), each of which having an internal lumen in fluid communication with an exit (106) of the feeder to receive flow of the mineral entrained polymer in molten form, the lumen terminating at an applicator (110) to which the entrained polymer in molten form is conveyed; the applicator comprising a dispenser (112) for applying the entrained polymer in the predetermined shape to the surface of the substrate. The hose and the dispenser can be heated.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from recycled polymer. In various embodiments, the method includes: (1) reducing recycled polymer material into polymer flakes; (2) cleansing the polymer flakes; (3) melting the flakes into a polymer melt; (4) removing water and contaminants from the polymer melt by dividing the polymer melt into a plurality of polymer streams and exposing those streams to pressures below 5 millibars; (5) recombining the streams; and (6) using the resulting purified polymer to produce bulked continuous carpet filament.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from recycled polymer. In various embodiments, the method includes: (1) reducing recycled polymer material into polymer flakes; (2) cleansing the polymer flakes; (3) melting the flakes into a polymer melt; (4) removing water and contaminants from the polymer melt by dividing the polymer melt into a plurality of polymer streams and exposing those streams to pressures below 5 millibars; (5) recombining the streams; and (6) using the resulting purified polymer to produce bulked continuous carpet filament.

A method is disclosed for die coating a moving substrate with a high viscosity material such as a polymer. The method includes heating and mixing ingredients to form a homogenous mixture, pumping the mixture around a circulation loop with a first pump, maintaining a predetermined pressure of the mixture within the circulation loop, drawing mixture from the circulation loop with a second pump, delivering the mixture using the second pump to an extrusion die adjacent the moving substrate to coat the substrate, and controlling the second pump as a function of at least the speed of the moving substrate to maintain predetermined characteristics of the coating mixture applied to the moving substrate. An apparatus for carrying out the method also is disclosed.

According to the present disclosure, an apparatus for manufacturing advanced polymer composite including torpedo assembly includes a housing 16 supplied with a molten resin, a torpedo assembly 20 arranged on the inside of the housing 16 and having multiple resin channels 18 and 34 formed on a surface thereof in a longitudinal direction such that the molten resin flows, a dispersion portion 40 rotatably arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the torpedo assembly 20 and configured to uniformly disperse the molten resin and an additive by stirring the molten resin, a drive unit 50 for rotating the torpedo assembly 20 and the dispersion portion 40, multiple vent rings 22 in close contact with the outside of the dispersion portion 40 to discharge gas, and a head 24.

A molding apparatus comprises a first extruder and a second extruder and conduit fluidically connecting the extruders with a common mold wherein the at least one conduit has a conduit axis. The longitudinal axis of the first and second extruders extend at an angle of about 90° to a direction of flow in the conduit.