Depolymerization
Virgin grade raw materials are essential to produce polymers with clearly defined properties. By depolymerizing end-of-use plastics virgin grade monomers can be obtained. For this purpose, polymers with polar covalent bonds are specifically suited.
Single-step depolymerization
Suitable polymers can be converted into monomers by single-step (bulk-)depolymerization. In this process, the polymer is disintegrated with catalysts in its own melt without adding liquid reaction agents. Operating under vacuum, the monomer is simultaneously evacuated, to be condensed outside of the reactor afterwards. The recovery rate can achieve >90%.
Your Task
- PA
- PET
- PMMA
- PS
- PU
- Silicone
Our Solution
- Process intensification: Efficient continuous depolymerization of polymers without addition of liquid reaction agent
- Dosing and heating of the polymer; stoichiometric mixing of the catalysts
- Efficient reaction and evaporation due to enforced interfacial renewal.
- Fouling-free reactor design and trouble-free continuous discharge of various residuals
- High evaporation rates without product entrainment resulting in simple and stable process control
- Extensive testing facilities in our test centers in Switzerland and Korea, for targeted process development
- Industrialization experience for scales up to 10 t/h polymer
Two-step depolymerisation
Solvent-based processes allow it to recycle plastics back to monomer by using an additional liquid reaction agent. The Kneader makes it possible to reduce the amount of liquid agent to a minimum.
In a first step polymers from Polycondensation are depolymerized by adding an excess of condensate and by mixing in catalysts. In a second step, the monomer is separated from the reaction mixture.
Your Task
- PET
- PU
- PA
- Silicone
- Cross-linked polymers
Our Solution
- Efficient continuous depolymerization of polymers while minimizing amount of liquid co-reactants
- Dosing and heating of the polymer and stoichiometric mixing of the catalysts
- Optimal reaction conditions and accessibility of liquid co-reactant to polymer due to high interfacial renewal
- Fouling-free kneader design and continuous discharge of reaction mixture
- Extensive testing facilities in our test centers in Switzerland and Korea, for targeted process development
- Industrialization experience for scales up to 10 t/h polymer
Depolymerizer single-step
- interconnected gas headspace, large vapour cross sections
- large heated surface
- vacuum design
- fouling-free, self cleaned
- robust all-phase design
- viscous screw and solid weir discharge
Depolymerizer two-steps
- viscous screw and liquid weir discharge
- large heated surface
- over pressure design
- forced viscous mixing
Evaporator two-steps
- interconnected gas headspace, large vapour cross sections
- large heated surface
- robust all-phase design
- vacuum design
- fouling-free
More Information
Contact the author:
Roland Kunkel
Product Manager
roland.kunkel@list.ch
T +49 170 2127181
