The invention describes a method for the manufacture of a plasticized polyvinyl alcohol polymer mixture including the steps of introducing a polyvinyl alcohol or a blend thereof having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of 93% to 98% or more into a mixing reactor; adding a processing agent, and a plasticizer to form a reaction mixture; wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of the following compounds and mixtures thereof: (a) sugar alcohols selected from the group consisting of: diglycerol, triglycerol, fructose, ribose, xylose, D-mannitol, triacetin, and mixtures thereof; polyols selected from the group consisting of: pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, and mixtures thereof; (b) diols selected from the group consisting of: methyl pentanediol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 2-hydroxy-1,3-propanediol, 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol, 3,3-dimethyl-1,2-butanediol, and mixtures thereof; (c) glycols selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene glycol 300, polyethylene glycol 400, alkoxylated polyethylene glycol, and mixtures thereof; (d) caprolactam, tricyclic trimethylolpropane formal, rosin esters, euricamide, and mixtures thereof; reacting the reaction mixture in a reaction zone to form plasticized polymer; and allowing the plasticized polymer to pass from the reaction zone.

A production method for a low molecular weight polymer suitable for a melt-blown non-woven fabric and a production device for melt-blown non-woven fabric, with which a high molecular weight polymer can be reduced in molecular weight by applying a shear force to the high molecular weight polymer without adding an additive. The low molecular weight polymer and the melt-blown non-woven fabric are produced using a continuous high shearing device that applies a shear force to the high molecular weight polymer serving as a raw material by rotation of a screw body to reduce the molecular weight of the high molecular weight polymer so as to obtain a low molecular weight polymer, and cools the low molecular weight polymer by passing the low molecular weight polymer through a passage arranged in the axial direction inside the screw body.

An extruder screw includes a screw main body, conveyance portions, barrier portions, and paths. The raw materials, the conveyance of which is limited by the barrier portions, flow in from the entrance. The raw materials flowing in from the entrance flow through the paths in an opposite direction to a conveyance direction of the conveyance portions. The exit is opened in the outer circumferential surface of the screw main body at a position on an upstream side in the conveyance direction in the conveyance portions in which the entrance is opened.

A screw includes a screw main body, a conveyance portion conveying a raw material, and a passage provided in the screw main body. The passage includes a first passage element, a second passage element, and a third passage element. The screw main body has a plurality of cylindrical bodies arranged in an axial direction of the rotating shaft. At least a portion of the conveyance portion is formed on outer peripheral surfaces of the cylindrical bodies adjacent to each other, and the passage is formed in the cylindrical body so as to cross over between the adjacent cylindrical bodies.

A system comprising: (1) a grinding unit configured to receive and grind recycled PET bottles into a group of polymer flakes comprising up to about ten percent colored polymer flakes and balance substantially clear polymer flakes; (2) a washing unit configured to wash the group of polymer flakes; and (3) an extruder configured to extrude material in a plurality of different extrusion streams. The extruder may be further configured to: (1) receive a concentrate-polymer mixture comprising a mixture of the polymer flakes and a color concentrate; (2) melt the concentrate-polymer mixture to produce a polymer melt; (3) reduce a pressure within the extruder; and (4) pass the polymer melt through the extruder so that the polymer melt is divided into the plurality of extrusion streams. The system may then filter the polymer melt through at least one filter and form the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament.

An extruder screw includes a screw body. The screw body is rotated about an axis parallel to a direction of conveyance of a raw material. A conveyance portion having a flight is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the screw body. The flight is configured to convey the raw material along the axis of the screw body when the screw body is rotated. A passage for permitting the raw material fed by the flight to pass therethrough to the outer peripheral surface of the screw body is provided in the screw body in a position deviated from the axis of the screw body.

1. A plasticizing device includes a barrel including a resin material supply port portion and a fiber supply port portion which is formed on a distal side from the resin material supply port portion; and a screw that comprises a shaft body and a flight, and is received in the barrel. The barrel is disposed with a posture in which its axial line intersects a gravitational direction. A maximum length of an opening in the barrel of the fiber supply port portion along an axial direction of the barrel is 1 time or more and 2 times or less as much as a pitch of the flight disposed in a portion of the screw which faces the opening in the barrel of the fiber supply port portion in a direction perpendicular to the axial line of the barrel.

An extruder includes a screw for extruder provided with a screw element for kneading a raw material, and a barrel including a cylinder portion in which the screw is inserted so as to be rotatable. A plurality of screw elements identical with the screw element are provided in a longitudinal direction of the screw under a certain rule. The barrel is integrated by combining a plurality of barrel blocks blocked. Each of the plurality of barrel blocks is configured in accordance with a length of the screw element provided in the longitudinal direction of the screw.

A method for producing a foamed extrudate comprises a device containing a main melting device and an auxiliary melting device. A first melt is generated in the main melting device, a second melt is generated in the auxiliary melting device from a meltable starting material. At least one reactive additive is added to the meltable starting material, wherein the at least one reactive additive being selected from the group consisting of a chemical blowing agent and an active nucleating agent is mixed in the auxiliary melting device with the second melt, so that an additive-containing second melt is obtained in the auxiliary melting device which is added to the first melt.

In particular embodiments, a process for producing bulked continuous carpet filament from recycled polymer utilizes two vacuum pumps (140A, 140B) in combination with a single extruder (100). In various embodiments, the dual vacuum arrangement (e.g., at least two vacuum pumps (140A, 140B)) operably coupled to the single extruder (e.g., MRS extruder (100)) may be configured to remove one or more impurities from recycled polymer as the recycled polymer passes through the extruder.