The production of polyester fibers for demanding textiles from recycled PET (rPET) granules, especially using an in-line spinning process, is an extremely challenging task. This requires processing technology and the experience of the spinning mill. The starting material must be continuously processed into a homogeneous spinning melt.
All processing steps must provide the desired properties of the melt and keep these properties stable throughout the process. For many textile applications, parameters such as viscosity and uniformity are decisive and must be influenced by the slightest fluctuations. In other words: The use of recycled polyester in the textile sector requires appropriate pretreatment processes and precise process control.
The heart of the process is the vacuum filter, which individually controls and controls the viscosity. To this end, the desired melt properties can be achieved online in a reliable and reproducible manner and monitored during operation.
The results of various spinning tests have shown that the new VacuFil technology is very efficient and produces superior quality pPET, comparable to virgin material.
Our customers are increasingly in need of recycled fibers and we certainly want to meet their requirements and needs. For this reason, we are expanding our product range “Satisfying this demand is an important step for us. Bottle recycling is still a niche market and we are determined to maintain our high quality standards. We have special requirements and we need an advanced partner for this project. The good thing is that the whole process is completely continuous. We can produce an extremely homogeneous rPET melt with a stable viscosity, AND spin it straight into high quality fibers.”
It is designed to be manufactured using recycled bottle flakes, recycled chips and virgin chips. On the one hand, this is possible because the drying system is suitable for chips and wood chips. Vacuum extruders, on the other hand, can be operated with or without vacuum and are therefore capable of melting recovered virgin feedstock. The experience acquired from >20,000 sold units has influenced the extruder design. The experience acquired from >20,000 sold units has influenced the extruder design. The experience gained after selling more than 20,000 units influenced the design of the extruder. The experience gained after selling more than 20,000 units influenced the design of the extruder. Thanks to its gentle melting, the BBE extruder creates the basis for an absolutely homogenous melt that meets the requirements of spinning mills. Single screw technology provides the reliability required for processing. Last but not least, special dosing systems for multiple components also provide flexibility for manufacturers: two additives can be added to the melt at the same time, or dosing units can be used to quickly change the colorant.
Whether fashion brands, sportswear and furniture manufacturers or automotive manufacturers, leading textile processors and companies are increasingly focusing on sustainable products and products made from recycled materials. Today, they told yarn, fiber and nonwovens suppliers that they will be switching from virgin polyester to recycled polyester – up to 100% in some cases – for the production of their textile products in the near future.