Washing and Pelletizing Line

Polyolefin pelletizing lines (LDPE, HDPE, PP) are one of the most popular products in the waste recycling business. They account for more than 70% of all pelletizing lines (meaning pelletizing lines for PVC, PET, PC, PS and others).

Choosing a polymer pelletizing line should start with determining the required capacity and the input material, as well as your budget.

Lines can be divided in many ways; let us look at the main ones:

1. Division by extrusion type (single screw or co-rotating screws). In most cases single-screw machines are used. In rare cases pelletizers with co-rotating screws (2 screws in 1 barrel) are used; this design makes it possible to obtain good mixing (homogenization) of the polymer. To create compositions (colorants, fillers, compounds), specialized lines — compounders — are used.
2. Division by cutting type (hot cutting / "underwater" or "in air"). Hot cutting is the most common and economical method. "Underwater" cutting is used to obtain pellets of a more regular shape, for example in stretch film production. "In air" cutting (or strand cutting) is used to obtain larger pellets, for example for producing large-diameter pipes. The choice of cutting system directly affects the final product and its characteristics.
3. Capacity. The capacity of pelletizing lines can vary from several tens of kilograms to several tonnes per hour. The choice of capacity depends on the volume of raw material processed and the planned volume of finished product.
4. Automation. The degree of automation of the line affects its cost and the complexity of maintenance. Fully automated lines require less operator involvement but cost more. Manual or semi-automatic lines are cheaper but require more staff involvement.
5. Configuration. A pelletizing line may include various additional components, such as raw material feeding systems, melt filters, pellet cooling systems, additive dosing systems, and so on. The choice of configuration depends on the requirements for the final product and the technological process.
6. Modularity. Modular pelletizing lines make it easy to change the configuration and add new components as needed. This is especially important for enterprises that plan to expand production or to process various types of plastic.
7. Service and availability of spare parts. Reliability and availability of service, as well as the availability of spare parts, are an important factor when choosing a pelletizing line. You should choose suppliers who can guarantee prompt delivery of spare parts and quality service.

Besides choosing the pelletizing line itself, it is also important to consider the need for preliminary preparation of raw material, which may include washing, drying, shredding and sorting. The quality of the input raw material directly affects the quality of the pellets obtained and, consequently, the quality of the final product. Therefore, before buying a pelletizing line, you should carefully analyze all stages of the technological process and choose equipment that best meets your needs and budget.