HK1200762B - Apparatus for processing plastic material - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device within the meaning of claim 1.

The state of the art has given rise to a number of similar devices of different types, including a receptacle or a cutting compressor for crushing, heating, softening and processing a plastic material to be recycled and a conveyor or extruder connected to it for melting the material so prepared.

For example, EP 123 771 or EP 303 929 describe devices with a reception tank and an extruder attached to it, whereby the plastic material fed to the reception tank is crushed by rotating the crushing and mixing tools and circulated in a drum and heated by the energy supplied at the same time. This results in a mixture with a sufficiently good thermal homogeneity. This mixture is then, after a suitable time, extracted from the reception tank into the screw extruder, and then extruded and plasticized or melted. The screw extruder is placed at about the height of the separation machine. This softening process is actively pushed by the plastic adhesive into the extruder.

EP 1 233 855 B1 discloses a device in accordance with the general concept of claim 1.

Most of these long-established designs are not satisfactory in terms of the quality of the plastic material processed at the end of the shell and/or in terms of the shell's exhaust. Studies have shown that the requirements for the shell following the container, usually a plasticizer shell, are uneven throughout the operation and that this is due to the fact that some batches of the good to be processed remain in the container longer than others. The average shelf life of the material in the container is calculated from the filling weight in the container divided by the shell's output per unit. This shelf life is - but is not to be mentioned - average for large parts of the material, which are generally different, such as the amount of oil and oil. These can be caused by the uncontrollable amount of oil and oil in the container, but also by the uncontrollable amount of oil and other residual materials.

For thermally and mechanically homogeneous materials, the quality of the product obtained at the end of the slurry is usually improved by keeping the depth of the slurry measuring zone very high and the slurry rate very low. However, if the emphasis is on an increase in slurry output or an improvement in performance, such as a shredder-extruder combination, the slurry rate must be increased, which means that the cutting rate is also increased. This increases the mechanical and thermal demand on the processed material from the slurry, i.e. there is a risk that the molecular chains of the plastic material will be damaged.

However, in both slow-running and deep-cut snails (high-running depth) and fast-running snails, the different quality of individual parts of the material fed to the snails, as mentioned above, e.g. different flake sizes and/or different temperature of the plastic material, has a negative effect on the inhomogeneities of the plastic material obtained at the snail outlet. In addition, in order to compensate for these inhomogeneities, the temperature profile of the extruder is increased in practice, which means that additional energy must be fed to the plastic, which results in the thermal damage of the plastic material and an increased energy loss. This has reduced the plastic material obtained in the extruder in its thin liquid, which in turn reduces the difficulties of further processing the plastic material.

It follows that the process parameters which are favourable for maintaining good material quality at the slurry outlet are in conflict with each other.

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However, despite their good functionality and high quality of recycled material, systems with containers or cutting compressors with large diameters, e.g. 1500 mm or more, and longer residence times are not optimally space-saving and efficient.

These facilities also caused problems in the collection of material and the quantity of snails sometimes proved difficult to ship.

The idea of putting the particles in the conveyor direction into the conveyor or extruder was also quite close and corresponded to the conventional notion of the professional, since the conveyor, in particular an extruder, did not have to change its direction of movement and thus no additional direction was needed for the extruder to move. This was done to create a high-speed, even in the case of extrusion, and to increase the radial force of the extruder, which was also used to create a more powerful and more powerful stop in the extrusion process, and to prevent the extrusion of the material from moving through the extrusion process.

Such devices are generally functional and work satisfactorily, although with recurring problems: For example, in the case of materials with a low energy content, such as PET fibres or films, or with an early adhesive or softening point, such as polylactic acid (PLA), it has been repeatedly observed that the effect of deliberately plugging the plastic material into the extruder or conveyor inlet under pressure leads to an early melting of the material immediately after or even in the single-sided area of the extruder or conveyor. This reduces the shredding effect of the conveyor and may also lead to a partial return of this melting into the conveyor or conveyor inlet, which results in the melting of the unfused mixture in a more stable manner, as this usually requires the first complete discharge of the melting mixture and the subsequent discharge of the mixture into the melting mixture, and in such cases the melting process can be completed and the final discharge of the mixture can be stopped and the resulting material can be removed and the mixture can be used in the most stable and stable form, and the resulting mixture can be used in the most difficult cases.

In addition, problems arise with polymer materials that have already been heated in the cutting compressor to close to their melting point, where the recess area is overfilled, the material melts and the recess slows.

Problems also arise in the case of materials, which are generally stretched, striped, fibrous, with a certain length extension and low thickness or stiffness, e.g. plastic films cut into strips, primarily because the elongated material is stuck at the outlet end of the screw inlet, with one end of the screw protruding into the receptacle and the other end into the inlet area. Furthermore, since both the mixing tools and the screw run in parallel or exert the same conveying and pressure components on the material, both ends of the screw inlet are subjected to poor pressure and screw inlet in the same direction and the throughput of the screw is no longer resolved. This can lead to further problems in the material's circulation in this area, which can result in a narrowing of the screw inlet and a further increase in the pressure of the screw inlet in this area.

The present invention is intended to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and to improve a device of the type described at the beginning so that even delicate or striped materials can be easily removed from the snail and processed or treated with high material quality, as much space as possible, as much time and energy as possible and with a high throughput.

This problem is solved for a device of the type mentioned at the beginning by the characteristics of claim 1.

This first provides that the intended extension of the central longitudinal axis of the conveyor, in particular the extruder, if it has only one conveyor, or the longitudinal axis of the conveyor nearest the inlet, if it has more than one conveyor, passes opposite the conveyor direction on the rotating axis without cutting it, the longitudinal axis of the conveyor, if it has only one conveyor, or the longitudinal axis of the conveyor nearest the inlet, being displaced one radial axis from the conveyor direction to the outer side of the container, downstream of the longitudinal axis parallel to the three-axis, of the axis of the mixing and/or cutting tool in the conveyor direction.

This means that the direction of the conveyor and the direction of the conveyor are no longer identical, as is known from the state of the art, but at least slightly opposite, reducing the stopping effect mentioned at the beginning. By deliberately reversing the direction of rotation of the mixing and crushing tools compared to previously known devices, the pressure on the inlet area decreases and the risk of overflow is reduced.

This prevents the material from melting in the inlet area, thus increasing operational efficiency, extending maintenance intervals and reducing downtime due to any repairs and cleaning measures.

The reduction in the transfer pressure makes the slides which are known to regulate the filling rate of the slug much more sensitive and the filling rate of the slug even more precise, making it easier to find the optimum operating point of the system, especially for heavier materials such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or PET.

It has also been found to be surprisingly advantageous that materials which have already been softened to close to the melt are better absorbed in the reverse operation according to the invention. In particular, when the material is already in a malleable or softened state, the screw cuts the material from the malleable ring which is adjacent to the wall of the container.

In addition, when working the striated or fibrous materials described above, the deposits or accumulations formed can be more easily dissolved or not formed at all, since on the edge in the direction of rotation of the mixing tools, on the downstream or downstream edge of the opening, the direction vector of the mixing tools and the direction vector of the conveyor show almost opposite or at least slightly opposite directions, so that a longer strip cannot bend and deposit around this edge, but is torn away by the mixing drum in the reception tank.

Overall, the design according to the invention improves the inlet behaviour and significantly increases throughput, making the overall system of cutting compressors and conveyors more stable and efficient.

In addition, the applicant has established and established through tests that there is a relationship between the capacity or material rotated by the blender in the form of a drum and the volume in front of the entrance opening to the screw. This volume in front of the entrance opening also depends on the diameter of the screw, since it determines the manner in which the material is introduced as well as the time value of the material. A relationship has been found between the active rotating cutter volume, which depends on the diameter of the cutter, and the volume of material in the screw at the height or area of the cutter opening available for extraction, which depends on the height of the cutter opening and significantly affects the cutter's resistance. This is a result of a significant improvement in the resistance of the material in relation to the specific direction of the cutter opening and the resultant material being extracted, which is significantly improved in relation to the specific direction of the cutter and the material being extracted.

It is useful if the height H of the inlet is sufficient for the formula H = k1d, where d is the mean diameter of the snail measured in the area of the inlet and k1 is a constant of 0,3 ≤ k1, ≤ 1,5, preferably 0,5 ≤ k1 ≤ 1,15. This can be correlated with the diameter of the snail. It is advantageous if the discharge volume of the container or cutting head to the snail volume in the area of the inlet is in the ratio VS to VS = BV / SE, where 20 ≤ VS ≤ 700, preferably 50 ≤ VS ≤ 450, where the snail volume is the ratio VS to VS = BV / SE, where the formula $\mathrm{SE}=L\frac{\pi }{4}\left(2,,\mathrm{dT},-,T^2\right)$ The length of the conveyor is defined and L is the effective length of the conveyor opening extending in the conveyor direction and T is the depth of the conveyor.

To establish a reference to the diameter of the snail, it may be envisaged that L is defined by the formula L = k2d and k2 is a constant of 0,5 ≤ k2 ≤ 3,5, preferably 1 ≤ k2 ≤ 2,8, and/or that T is defined by the formula T = k3d, where k3 is a constant of 0,05 ≤ k3 ≤ 0,25, preferably 0,1 ≤ k3 ≤ 0,25, in particular 0,1 ≤ k3 ≤ 0,2, thus allowing further beneficial relationships to be found that allow the intake behaviour to be optimized.

In order to take into account special materials, provision may be made for the effective length to be factored and $\mathrm{SE}=F\cdot L\frac{\pi }{4}\left(2,,\mathrm{dT},-,T^2\right)$ This factor F shall take into account, if possible, the large slope angles of the slope and special materials.

According to a further development of the invention, the conveyor is arranged on the reception vessel in such a way that the scalar product is oriented from tangential to the plane of the radial outermost point of the mixing and/or crushing tool or to the plastic material passing through the opening and normally to a radial of the reception vessel, in the direction of rotation or movement of the mixing and/or crushing tool (directional vector of rotation) and the directional vector of the reception vessel at each point or in the entire area of the opening or at each point or in the entire area immediately before the opening, radially zero or negative.In particular, the spatial arrangement of the mixing tools and the screw does not depend on the spatial arrangement of the screw, for example the axis of rotation does not have to be oriented normally to the ground surface or to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor or the screw. The directional vector of the direction of rotation and the directional vector of the conveyor are in a normal, preferably horizontal, or in a plane oriented normally to the axis of rotation.

Another advantage is that the directional vector of the rotation direction of the mixing and/or crushing tool includes an angle greater than or equal to 90° and less than or equal to 180° with the directional vector of the conveyor, measured at the intersection of the two directional vectors at the edge of the opening upstream of the direction of rotation or movement, in particular at the point furthest upstream of this edge or opening. This describes the angle range in which the conveyor must be positioned at the reception of the secondary reservoir to produce the desired effects.

A further advantageous design of the invention is that the directional vector of the direction of rotation or motion with the directional vector of the conveyor direction includes an angle between 170° and 180°, measured at the intersection of the two directional vectors in the centre of the opening.

To ensure that no excessive stopping effect occurs, it may be advantageous to provide that the distance or displacement of the longitudinal axis to the radial is greater than or equal to half the inner diameter of the conveyor or check case.

In this respect, it may also be advantageous to measure the distance or displacement of the longitudinal axis to the radials greater than 5 or 7%, or even greater than 20%, of the radius of the reception vessel. In the case of conveyors with an extended inlet area or a nut case or an extended pocket, it may be advantageous if this distance or displacement is greater than or equal to the radius of the reception vessel.

The outermost passages of the snail do not protrude into the container.

This is particularly advantageous if the conveyor or the conveyor-beam or the conveyor-beam nearest to the inlet or the inner wall of the housing or the casing of the check is tangential to the inside of the side wall of the container, preferably with the conveyor-beam on its front side connected to a drive and on its opposite front side to an exit opening, in particular an extruder head, located on the front of the housing.

In the case of conveyors which are radially displaced but not tangentially arranged, it is advantageous to provide that the intended extension of the conveyor's longitudinal axis in the direction of conveyance passes through the interior of the reception vessel at least in secant form.

It is advantageous to provide that the opening is connected to the inlet opening directly and directly and without any longer distance or transfer distance, e.g. a conveyor belt, allowing for an efficient and gentle transfer of material.

The reversal of the direction of rotation of the mixing and crushing tools in the container cannot be done by accident or accident, and neither in the case of the apparatus known nor in the case of the apparatus of the invention can the mixing tools be made to rotate in the opposite direction without further delay, especially because the mixing and crushing tools are arranged in a certain way asymmetrically or directionally so that they act only on one side or in one direction. If such an apparatus were deliberately rotated in this direction, neither a good mixing drum would be formed nor the material would be sufficiently crushed or heated. Each has thus fixed its own direction of rotation and cutting of the mixing and crushing machine.

In this context, it is particularly advantageous to provide that the front and front axes of the mixing and/or shredding tools acting on the plastic material in the direction of rotation or movement are differently formed, curved, positioned or arranged compared to the rear and rear axes in the direction of rotation or movement.

A favourable arrangement is to arrange on the mixing and/or shredding tool tools and/or blades which act on the plastic material in a rotational or motion direction to heat, shred and/or cut. The tools and/or blades may be either directly attached to the shaft or preferably mounted on, or formed or shaped into, a rotating tool holder or a supporting disc, especially parallel to the floor surface.

In principle, the effects mentioned are relevant not only for compressing extruders or agglomerators, but also for no-compressing or less compressing conveyor slugs.

Another particularly advantageous design provides that the reception tank is essentially cylindrical with a flat floor surface and a cylindrical sidewall oriented vertically to it. It is also simpler in design when the rotation axis coincides with the central axis of the reception tank. Another advantageous design provides that the rotation axis or the central axis of the reception tank is oriented vertically and/or normally to the floor surface. This particular geometry optimizes the intake behaviour in a structurally stable and easily constructed device.

In this context, it is also advantageous to provide that the mixing and/or crushing tool, or, if several mixing and/or crushing tools are provided in a stack, the lowest, nearest to the ground mixing and/or crushing tool, and the opening are placed at a short distance from the floor, in particular in the lower quarter of the height of the reception tank. The distance is defined and measured from the bottom edge of the opening or intake opening to the bottom of the tank in the periphery of the tank. Since the corner edge is usually rounded, the distance from the edge of the opening of the intended extension to the bottom of the tank is measured at a distance of approximately 400 mm from the intended extension to the outer edge of the tank.

It is also advantageous for machining if the radial outermost edges of the mixing and/or shredding tools reach close to the sidewall.

The container need not necessarily be cylindrical, although this is advantageous for practical and manufacturing reasons. Container shapes which differ from the circular shape, such as conical or cylindrical containers with an elliptical or oval base, must be converted into a cylindrical container of the same volume of barrel, assuming that the height of this fictitious container is equal to its diameter. Heights of containers which are significantly higher than the resulting mixing drum (taking into account the safety distance) are not taken into account, as these containers are therefore not overheated and no longer affect the material used.

The term 'conveyor' here refers to both systems with non-compressing or decompressing conveyor belts, i.e. pure conveyor belts, and systems with compressing belts, i.e. extruder belts with an agglomerating or plasticizing effect.

The term 'extruder' or 'extruder slug' is used in this context to refer to both extruders or slugs used to fully or partially melt the material and extruders used only to agglomerate the softened material but not to melt it. In the case of aggregate slug, the material is only briefly compressed and sheared, but not plasticized. The aggregate slug therefore produces at its output a soft material which is not volumicably molten but consists only of slugs fused at its surface, which are baked together as part of a sintering process. In both cases, however, pressure is applied to the material via the slug and this is compressed.

The examples given in the following figures show conveyors with a single conveyor, e.g. single-wave or single-wave extruders, but alternatively conveyors with more than one conveyor, e.g. double- or multi-wave conveyors or extruders, in particular with several identical conveyors having at least the same diameter d, may be provided.

Further features and advantages of the invention are shown by the following non-limiting examples of embodiments of the subject of the invention, which are shown in the drawings in a schematic and non-scale manner:Fig. 1 shows a vertical section through a device of the invention with an extruder connected tangentially.Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section through the embodiment of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 shows another embodiment with minimal displacement.Fig. 4 shows another embodiment with greater displacement.

The design of the containers, the snails and the mixing tools is not in scale, either as such or in relation to each other.

The advantageous cutting compressor-extruder combination for processing or recycling plastic material shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 has a cylindrical container or cutting compressor or shredder 1 with a flat horizontal floor area 2 and a normally oriented vertical cylindrical sidewall 9.

At a small distance from floor 2, at a maximum height of about 10 to 20 per cent, or less if applicable, of the sidewall 9 - measured from floor 2 to the upper edge of the sidewall 9 - is a flat support disc or tool holder 13 aligned parallel to floor 2 which is arranged around a central pivot axis 10 which is also the central axis of the container 1 into which the direction of rotation 12 marked by an arrow 12 can be attached. The support drive 13 is driven by a 21 motor located below the container 1. On the top of the support disc 13 are the cutters or cutters, which together with the supporting disc 13 and the cutting tool 13 form the 14 small cutters.

As shown in the diagram, the blades 14 on the supporting disc 13 are not symmetrically arranged but are specially trained, positioned or arranged on their front edges 22 pointing in the direction of rotation or movement 12 to have a specific mechanical effect on the plastic material.

The container 1 has a filling opening at the top through which the product to be processed, e.g. portions of plastic foil, is thrown in towards the arrow, e.g. by means of a conveyor. Alternatively, container 1 may be closed and evacuated to at least a technical vacuum, with the material being introduced via a locking system. This product is captured by the circulating mixing and/or shredding tools 3 and rotated upwards in the form of a mixing drum 30, whereby the product is raised along the vertical sides 9 and crushed upwards in the area of the mixing container by gravity and back downwards in the area of the mixing container. The height of the mixing device is reduced to 12 without any special adjustment of the height of the mixing device. The material can therefore only be rotated upwards in the direction of its rotation, and therefore the material cannot be moved upwards in the direction of the mixing container 12 or 12 without any special adjustment of the height of the mixing device.

The plastic material is crushed, mixed and heated and softened by the mechanical friction energy applied, but not melted, by the circulating mixing and shredding tools 3 and after a certain period in container 1, the homogenised, softened, but not melted, ductile material, as discussed in detail below, is released from container 1 through an opening 8 and brought into the intake area of an extruder 5 where it is collected by a snail 6 and subsequently melted.

At the level of the single crushing and mixing tool 3 in the present case, the opening 8 is formed in the sidewall 9 of tank 1 through which the pre-treated plastic material can be extracted from the inside of tank 1. The material is passed to a single-screw extruder 5 located tangentially on tank 1, the housing 16 of the extruder 5 having a cowl opening 80 in its casing for the material to be extracted from the screw 6. Such an embodiment has the advantage that the screw 6 can be extracted from the bottom of the screw in Figure 6 by only a widely represented drive, so that the drive in the upper part of the screw is extracted from the screw without the use of a screw engine. This is not possible for plastic material, which is not cut in the shape of the screw 6 shown in Figure 3 or 6 and therefore cannot be extracted from the top of the screw without the use of a screw driven by the screw driven by the screw.

The intake opening 80 is connected to opening 8 for the conveyance or transfer of materials and is in this case directly, directly and without any longer interval or distance connected to opening 8 and only a very short transfer area is provided.

In case 16, a compressing slug 6 is stored rotatively around its longitudinal axis 15. The longitudinal axis 15 of slug 6 and extruder 5 converge. Extruder 5 moves the material in the direction of the arrow 17. Extruder 5 is a well-known conventional extruder in which the softened plastic material is compressed and thereby melted down, and the melt is then released on the opposite side at the extruder head.

The mixing and/or crushing tools 3 and the cutters 14 are at approximately the same height and level as the central longitudinal axis 15 of the extruder 5.

In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2, the extruder 5 is connected tangentially to the container 1 or runs tangentially to its cross section, as mentioned above. The intended extension of the central longitudinal axis 15 of the extruder 5 or the screw 6 in the direction of conveyance 17 of the extruder 5 is carried backwards in the drawing alongside the rotation axis 10 without cutting it. The longitudinal axis 15 of the extruder 5 or the screw 6 is parallel downstream to the longitudinal axis 15 and the rotation axis 10 of the mixing and/or separation tool 3 is passed in the direction of conveyance 17 of the extruder 5 to the outer radial axis 11 of the container 1 by a distance of 18 knots. In the present case, the extension of the container 15 is not directed to the longitudinal axis 15 but to the rear.

The distance 18 is slightly larger than the radius of the container 1. This slightly displaces the extruder 5 outwards or the intake area is slightly lower.

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In other words, the scalar product is composed of a directional vector 19 of the direction of rotation 12 tangential to the circumference of the outermost point of the mixing and/or crushing tool 3 or tangential to the plastic material passing through the opening 8 and having a direction of rotation 12 of the mixing and/or crushing tool 3 and a directional vector 17 of the extruder's direction of delivery 5 parallel to the central longitudinal axis 15 in the direction of delivery at each point of the opening 8 or in the radial area immediately in front of the opening 8, everywhere negative or positive, but nowhere positive.

In the inlet aperture in Figures 1 and 2, the scalar product from the direction vector 19 of the direction of rotation 12 and the direction vector 17 of the direction of conveyance at each point of the aperture 8 is negative.

The angle α between the direction vector 17 of the conveyor and the direction vector 19 of the rotor, measured at the point 20 of aperture 8 and at the edge of aperture 8 which is the furthest upstream of the direction of rotation 12, is approximately 170°.

If you go downwards along the opening 8 in Fig. 2 in the direction of rotation 12, the blunt angle between the two directional vectors will become larger and larger. In the middle of the opening 8 the angle between the directional vectors is about 180° and the scalar product is at its maximum negative, further below it the angle even becomes > 180° and the scalar product decreases slightly again, but always remains negative.

An angle β between the direction vector of the direction of rotation 19 and the direction vector of the direction of conveyance 17 measured at the centre or centre of the opening 8 and not shown in Fig. 2 is approximately 178° to 180°.

The device described in Figure 2 is the first limit or extreme value. Such an arrangement allows a very gentle stopping effect or a particularly advantageous feeding and is particularly advantageous for sensitive materials which are processed near the melting point or for long-range goods.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment in which the extruder 5 is not tangential but is connected to the container 1 by its front side 7. The screw 6 and the housing 16 of the extruder 5 are aligned and repositioned at the bottom to the outline of the inner wall of the container 1 in the area of the opening 8. No part of the extruder 5 protrudes through the opening 8 into the interior of the container 1.

The distance 18 corresponds here to about 5 to 10% of the radius 11 of the container 1 and about half the inner diameter d of the housing 16. This embodiment thus represents the second limit or extreme value with the smallest possible shift or distance 18 in which the direction of rotation or movement 12 of the mixing and/or crushing tools 3 is at least slightly opposite to the conveyor direction 17 of the extruder 5 over the entire area of the opening 8.

The scalar product is exactly zero in Fig. 3 at the limiting point 20 at the furthest upstream point 20 at the furthest upstream edge 20' of aperture 8. The angle α between the direction vector 17 of the conveyor direction and the direction vector 19 of the rotation direction is exactly 90° as measured in Fig. 3. If one goes downwards along aperture 8, i.e. in direction 12, the angle between the direction vectors increases and becomes a blunt angle > 90° and the scalar product simultaneously. At no point or in no region of aperture 8 can the scale product or the angle be positive or negative than 90°.

It is also a crucial difference from a purely radial arrangement, since at point 20 or at the edge 20', if the extruder 5 were fully radial, there would be an angle α < 90° and those areas of the opening 8 which are above radials 11 or upstream or downstream in the drawing would have a positive scalar product, so that local molten plastic material could accumulate in these areas.

In Fig. 4 another alternative embodiment is shown, in which the extruder 5 is slightly further out than in Fig. 3 but not yet tangential as in Fig. 1 and 2. In this case, as in Fig. 3, the rearward-facing extension of the longitudinal axis 15 of the extruder 5 penetrates the interior of the container 1 in a secant fashion. This results in the opening 8 being wider than in the embodiment of Fig. 3 as measured in the perimeter direction of the container 1. The gap 18 is also correspondingly larger than in Fig. 3, but slightly smaller than the radius 11.

Figures 1 to 4 show the diameter D of the container or of the cutting compactor 1, the diameter d of the screw 6 and the effective length L of the inlet 80; it is noted that these parameters D, d and L are illustrative only and not true to scale and not represented in actual terms.

A series of tests has shown that the active volume of the container SV, i.e. the active volume of container 1, should be in a ratio V of V = SV / BV to the dispatch volume BV of container 1, in particular to the volume in front of the inlet (80) where 4 ≤ V ≤ 30, preferably 5 ≤ V ≤ 25, with the active volume SV being given by the formula $\mathrm{SV}=D^3\frac{\pi }{4}$ is fixed and D is the inside diameter of container 1 and the dispatch volume BV according to the formula $\mathrm{BV}=D^2\frac{\pi }{4}\cdot H$ The parameter H is selected in such a way that H corresponds to the formula H = k1d, where d is the diameter of the snail 6 and k1 is a constant of 0,3 ≤ k1 ≤ 1,5, preferably 0,5 ≤ k1 ≤ 1,15.

It is also provided that the dispatch volume BV of tank 1 to the snail volume SE in the range of the inlet 80 is in the ratio VS to VS = BV / SE, where 20 ≤ VS ≤ 700, preferably 50 ≤ VS ≤ 450, where the snail volume SE is given by the formula $\mathrm{SE}=L\frac{\pi }{4}\left(2,,\mathrm{dT},-,T^2\right)$ L is the effective length of the inlet 80 extending in the conveyor direction 17 and can be determined by the formula L = k2d, where k2 is a constant of 0,5 ≤ k2 ≤ 3,5 , preferably 1 ≤ k2 ≤ 2,8, and T is the channel depth 6 and is determined by the formula T = k3d, where k3 is a constant of 0,05 ≤ k3 ≤ 0,25 , preferably 0,1 ≤ k3 ≤ 0,2.

Finally, it is useful if the effective length L is given a factor F and $\mathrm{SE}=F\cdot L\frac{\pi }{4}\left(2,,\mathrm{dT},-,T^2\right)$ The test shall be carried out on the test vessel with the test vessel in the centre of the test vessel.

The constants indicated allow the device to be adapted to different materials or to different compositions of materials to avoid blockages and to increase the pressure rate.

The container 1 is preferably designed as a cutting compressor with an extruder attached as a conveyor.

For a container 1 which does not have a circular cross-section, the diameter D is determined by converting the cross-sectional area of the container into a circular area and using the diameter of this circle as the container diameter, so that D is the inside diameter of a circular cylindrical container 1 mm or the inside diameter of a fictitious circular cylindrical container of equal height converted into mm at the same volume of container.

Claims (15)

1. Apparatus for the pretreatment and subsequent conveying, plastification or agglomeration of plastics, in particular of thermoplastics waste for recycling purposes, with a container (1) for the material to be processed, where the arrangement has, in the container (1), at least one mixing and/or comminution implement (3) which rotates around an axis (10) of rotation and which is intended for the mixing, heating and optionally comminution of the plastics material, where an aperture (8) through which the pretreated plastics material can be removed from the interior of the container (1) is formed in a side wall (9) of the container (1) in the region of the level of the, or of the lowest, mixing and/or comminution implement (3) that is closest to the base, where at least one conveyor (5), in particular one extruder (5), is provided to receive the pretreated material, and has at least one screw (6) which rotates in a housing (16) and which in particular has plastifying or agglomerating action, where the housing (16) has, located at its end (7) or in its jacket wall, an intake aperture (80) for the material to be received by the screw (6), and there is connection between the intake aperture (80) and the aperture (8), where the ratio (V) of the active container volume (SV) to the feed volume (BV) of the container or of the cutter compactor (1), where V = SV l BV, is one where 4 ≤ V ≤ 30, preferably 5 ≤ V ≤ 25, where the active container volume (SV) is defined by the formula $\mathrm{SV}=D^3\frac{\pi }{4}$ and D is the internal diameter of the container (1), and where the feed volume (BV) is defined by the formula $\mathrm{BV}=D^2\frac{\pi }{4}\cdot H,$ where H is the height of the intake aperture (80) and where the imaginary continuation of the central longitudinal axis (15) of the conveyor (5) or of the screw (6) closest to the intake aperture (80), in a direction opposite to the direction (17) of conveying of the conveyor (5), passes, and does not intersect, the axis (10) of rotation, characterized in that, on the outflow side or in the direction (12) of rotation or of movement of the mixing and/or comminution implement (3), there is an offset distance (18) between the longitudinal axis (15) of the conveyor (5) or of the screw (6) closest to the intake aperture (80), and the radius (11) that is associated with the container (1) and that is parallel to the longitudinal axis (15) and that proceeds outwards from the axis (10) of rotation of the mixing and/or comminution implement (3) in the direction (17) of conveying of the conveyor (5).
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the height H of the intake aperture (80) complies with the formula H = k ₁ d, where d is the diameter of the screw (6) and k₁ is a constant, where 0.3 ≤ k ₁ ≤ 1.5, preferably 0.5 ≤ k ₁ ≤ 1.15.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ratio (VS) of the feed volume (BV) of the container (1) to the screw volume (SE) in the region of the intake aperture (80), where VS = BV / SE, is one where 20 ≤ VS ≤ 700, preferably 50 ≤ VS ≤ 450, where the screw volume (SE) is defined by the formula $\mathrm{SE}=L\frac{\pi }{4}\left(2,,\mathrm{dT},-,T^2\right)$ and L is the effective length of the intake aperture (80) extending in the direction (17) of conveying and T is the flight depth of the screw (6).
4. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that L is defined by the formula L = k ₂ d and k₂ is a constant, with 0.5 ≤ k ₂ ≤ 3.5, preferably 1 ≤ k ₂ ≤ 2.8
5. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that T is defined by the formula T = k ₃ d, where k₃ is a constant, with 0.05 ≤ k ₃ ≤ 0.25, preferably 0.1 ≤ k ₃ ≤ 0.25, in particular 0.1 ≤ k ₃ ≤ 0.2.
6. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the effective length (L) has been provided with a factor (F), and $\mathrm{SE}=F\cdot L\frac{\pi }{4}\left(2,,\mathrm{dT},-,T^2\right),$ where 0.85 ≤ F ≤ 0.95, preferably F = 0.9.
7. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, for a conveyor (5) in contact with the container (1), the scalar product of the direction vector that is associated with the direction (19) of rotation and that is tangential to the circle described by the radially outermost point of the mixing and/or comminution implement (3) or that is tangential to the plastics material transported past the aperture (8) and that is normal to a radius (11) of the container (1), and that points in the direction (12) of rotation or of movement of the mixing and/or comminution implement (3) and of the direction vector (17) that is associated with the direction of conveying of the conveyor (5) at each individual point or in the entire region of the aperture (8) or immediately radially prior to the aperture (8) is zero or negative.
8. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the angle (α) included between the direction vector that is associated with the direction (19) of rotation of the radially outermost point of the mixing and/or comminution implement (3) and the direction vector (17) that is associated with the direction of conveying of the conveyor (5) is greater than or equal to 90° and smaller than or equal to 180°, measured at the point of intersection of the two direction vectors (17, 19) at the inflow-side edge that is associated with the aperture (8) and that is situated upstream in relation to the direction (12) of rotation or of movement of the mixing and/or comminution implement (3), in particular at the point (20) that is on the said edge or on the aperture (8) and is situated furthest upstream.
9. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the angle (β) included between the direction vector (19) that is associated with the direction (12) of rotation or of movement and the direction vector (17) that is associated with the direction of conveying of the conveyor (5) is from 170° to 180°, measured at the point of intersection of the two direction vectors (17, 19) in the middle of the aperture (8).
10. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the distance (18) is greater than or equal to half of the internal diameter of the housing (16) of the conveyor (5) or of the screw (6), and/or greater than or equal to 7%, preferably greater than or equal to 20%, of the radius of the container (1), or in that the distance (18) is greater than or equal to the radius of the container (1) or that the imaginary continuation of the longitudinal axis (15) of the conveyor (5) in a direction opposite to the direction of conveying is arranged in the manner of a secant in relation to the cross section of the container (1), and, at least in sections, passes through the space within the container (1) or that the conveyor (5) is attached tangentially to the container (1) or runs tangentially in relation to the cross section of the container (1), or in that the longitudinal axis (15) of the conveyor (5) or of the screw (6) or the longitudinal axis of the screw (6) closest to the intake aperture (80) runs tangentially with respect to the inner side of the side wall (9) of the container (1), or the inner wall of the housing (16) does so, or the enveloping end of the screw (6) does so, where it is preferable that there is a drive connected to the end (7) of the screw (6), and that the screw provides conveying, at its opposite end, to a discharge aperture which is in particular an extruder head and which is arranged at the end of the housing (16).
11. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that there is immediate and direct connection between the aperture (8) and the intake aperture (80), without substantial separation, in particular without transfer section or conveying screw.
12. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the mixing and/or comminution implement (3) comprises implements and/or blades (14) which, in the direction (12) of rotation or of movement, have a comminuting, cutting and heating effect on the plastics material, where the implements and/or blades (14) are preferably arranged or formed on or at a rotatable implement carrier (13) which is in particular a carrier disc (13) and which is in particular arranged parallel to the basal surface (12).
13. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the manner of formation, set-up, curvature and/or arrangement of the frontal regions or frontal edges (22) that are associated with the mixing and/or comminution implements (3) or with the blades (14), act on the plastics material and point in the direction (12) of rotation or of movement, differs when comparison is made with the regions that, in the direction (12) of rotation or of movement, are at the rear or behind and/or that the container (1) is in essence cylindrical with circular cross section and with a level basal surface (2) and with, orientated vertically in relation thereto, a side wall (9) which has the shape of the jacket of a cylinder, and/or the axis (10) of rotation of the mixing and/or comminution implements (3) coincides with the central axis of the container (1), and/or the axis (12) of rotation or the central axis are orientated vertically and/or normally in relation to the basal surface (2).
14. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the lowest implement carrier (13) or the lowest of the mixing and/or comminution implements (3) and/or the aperture (8) are arranged close to the base at a small distance from the basal surface (2), in particular in the region of the lowest quarter of the height of the container (1), preferably at a distance of from 10 mm to 400 mm from the basal surface (2).
15. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the conveyor (5) is a single-screw extruder (6) with a single compression screw (6), or is a twin- or multiscrew extruder, where the diameters d of the individual screws (6) are all identical.