Method for solvent removal from a polymer solution by integrated drum-drying and extrusion

Abstract

The invention relates to a continuous method for removing a solvent from a suspension or solution comprising a dissolved target polymer by integrated drum-drying and extrusion of said suspension or solution comprising the dissolved target polymer. The invention also relates to a plastic waste recycling system for recycling a target polymer. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a polymer material obtained by this recycling method.

Claims

1. A continuous method for removing at least one solvent from a liquefied form comprising a dissolved target polymer, wherein said method comprises the following steps: evaporating at least one solvent from said liquefied form in a drum-dryer comprising at least one heated rotary drum, wherein said liquefied form contacts a shell surface of the at least one heated rotary drum at a temperature of up to 75° C. at a pressure of <500 mbar, and wherein a drum-dryer dried film comprising the target polymer is produced at the shell surface of the at least one heated rotary drum, detaching the drum-dryer dried film from the shell surface of the at least one heated rotary drum, and transferring the detached drum-dryer dried film from the drum-dryer to an extruder through a vacuum seal between the drum-dryer and the extruder, wherein continuous transfer of the detached drum-dryer dried film to the extruder is facilitated by means of a guiding mechanism that continuously directs the detached drum-dryer dried film from the drum-dryer shell surface into the extruder.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said liquefied form contacts a shell surface of the at least one heated rotary drum at a temperature of up to 65° C. at a pressure of <300 mbar.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the guiding mechanism comprises the use of a guiding surface that is juxtaposed to the blade such that said guiding surface contacts and directs the detached drum-dryer dried film to the outlet opening of the drum-dryer that is downstream with the inlet opening of the extruder.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detached drum-dryer dried film contains solvents in an amount of <3 wt %.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquefied form is additionally purified, in particular by means of mechanical solid-liquid separation, optionally using a centrifuge, thereby obtaining a purified liquefied form.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the drum-dryer comprises a plurality of rotary drums, the plurality of rotary drums comprises at least two counter-rotating drums constituting a linear slit along the outer shell surfaces of the counter-rotating drums, through which the liquefied form is transferred by the counter-rotation of said counter-rotating drums, thereby producing the drum-dryer dried film at the outer shell surface of the at least two counter-rotating drums.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the linear slit has a width of ≤1000 μm.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the width of the drum-dryer dried film is up to 100% of the total drum length.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drum-dryer dried film has a width of ≤1000 μm.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inlet opening of the drum-dryer comprises a seal, and wherein the seal stabilizes the pressure of the drum-dryer and is provided by means of at least one intermediate valve, wherein the at least one intermediate valve is connected to at least one vacuum pump.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extruder is a screw extruder.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquefied form is a polymer suspension, melt or solution.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is for recycling plastic waste and is carried out in a plastic waste recycling plant.

14. A plastic waste recycling plant, in particular for implementing the method according to claim 1, comprising the following stations: A) optionally a station that comprises a downsizing device for plastic waste, that optionally is a cutting or shredding device for plastic waste, and optionally a plastic particle size classification device for classifying the downsized plastic waste; B) optionally a station for optionally washing downsized, optionally classified, plastic waste produced in station A); C) a station that comprises a vessel, wherein the vessel comprises an agitator and/or a heating system and/or an organic solvent for dissolving the at least one target polymer, optionally derived from downsized, optionally classified, plastic waste produced in station A), or optionally derived from washed plastic waste produced in station B); D) optionally a station that comprises a centrifuge for solid-liquid separation; E) a station that comprises the drum-dryer for solvent evaporation from a liquefied form and the extruder for extrusion of the detached drum-dryer dried film for production of polymer pellets, and further comprising the guiding mechanism that continuously directs the detached drum-dryer dried film from the drum-dryer shell surface into the extruder; wherein the plastic waste recycling plant has a transfer system that transfers materials from each station to the next in the above listed order.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detached drum-dryer dried film contains solvents in an amount of <1 wt %.

16. The method according to claim 6, wherein the linear slit has a width of 100 μm to 1000 μm.

17. The method according to claim 6, wherein the linear slit has a width of <300 μm.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the width of the drum-dryer dried film is up to 90% of the total drum length.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drum-dryer dried film has a width of <300 μm.

20. The plastic waste recycling plant according to claim 14, wherein said method includes: A) the station that comprises the downsizing device for plastic waste, that optionally is a cutting or shredding device for plastic waste, and optionally the plastic particle size classification device for classifying the downsized plastic waste; and wherein in station C) the at least one target polymer is derived from the downsized plastic, optionally classified, waste produced in station A).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a plastic waste recycling plant 100 comprising several stations. The plastic waste recycling plant is only a possible implementation for the method. Also plastic production plants for producing polymers by polymerization may use the described method for solvent-based recycling a plastic material comprising at least one target polymer with an integrated extraction step. A shredding device 108 for plastic waste 109 is comprised in a first station 101. Said plastic waste may be transported by a first conveyor belt 110 into the shredding device 108 and by a second conveyor belt 112 shredded plastic wastes 111 may be transported out of the shredding device 108. Preferably in some embodiments the plastic waste recycling plant 100 comprises a second station 102 for washing the shredded plastic waste 111. Said second station 102 may comprise a container 113 with a washing liquid 114 such as water, wherein shredded plastic waste 111 is purified. The purified shredded plastic waste 111 may be transported, e.g. by another conveyor belt 124, to a third station 103 comprising a vessel 118, wherein the vessel 118 comprises an agitator 117 and/or a heating system 115, e.g. as part of the vessel 118. In some embodiments the shredded plastic waste 111 is directly transported from the first station 101 to the third station 103. The third station preferably contains a solvent 116, wherein the target polymer is dissolved in said solvent thus forming a solution or a suspension 119. A fourth station 104 may comprise a centrifuge 120 for solid-liquid separation. A fifth station 105 comprises a drum-dryer for solvent evaporation from a liquefied form comprising a dissolved target polymer integrated with an extruder 121 for extrusion of the solvent-free liquefied polymer mass comprising the target polymer optionally for the production of polymer pellets 122.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the unit 121 in more detail.

(3) The preceding examples can be repeated with similar success by substituting the generically or specifically described reactants and/or operating conditions of this invention for those used in the preceding examples.

(4) From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.