Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
  • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
  • B29B17/04—Disintegrating plastics, e.g. by milling
  • B29B17/0412—Disintegrating plastics, e.g. by milling to large particles, e.g. beads, granules, flakes, slices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27N—MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL
  • B27N3/00—Manufacture of substantially flat articles, e.g. boards, from particles or fibres
  • B27N3/007—Manufacture of substantially flat articles, e.g. boards, from particles or fibres and at least partly composed of recycled material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27N—MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL
  • B27N3/00—Manufacture of substantially flat articles, e.g. boards, from particles or fibres
  • B27N3/08—Moulding or pressing
  • B27N3/10—Moulding of mats
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27N—MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL
  • B27N3/00—Manufacture of substantially flat articles, e.g. boards, from particles or fibres
  • B27N3/08—Moulding or pressing
  • B27N3/28—Moulding or pressing characterised by using extrusion presses
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
  • B29B17/00—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics
  • B29B17/0026—Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics by agglomeration or compacting
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C43/22—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor of articles of indefinite length
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/03—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion
  • B29C48/06—Rod-shaped
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/25—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
  • B29C48/36—Means for plasticising or homogenising the moulding material or forcing it through the nozzle or die
  • B29C48/475—Means for plasticising or homogenising the moulding material or forcing it through the nozzle or die using pistons, accumulators or press rams
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
  • B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
  • B29C70/40—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied
  • B29C70/50—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of indefinite length, e.g. prepregs, sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or cross moulding compounds [XMC]
  • B29C70/504—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of indefinite length, e.g. prepregs, sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or cross moulding compounds [XMC] using rollers or pressure bands
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B30—PRESSES
  • B30B—PRESSES IN GENERAL
  • B30B11/00—Presses specially adapted for forming shaped articles from material in particulate or plastic state, e.g. briquetting presses, tabletting presses
  • B30B11/22—Extrusion presses; Dies therefor
  • B30B11/26—Extrusion presses; Dies therefor using press rams
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/25—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
  • B29C48/285—Feeding the extrusion material to the extruder
  • B29C48/287—Raw material pre-treatment while feeding
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/25—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
  • B29C48/285—Feeding the extrusion material to the extruder
  • B29C48/288—Feeding the extrusion material to the extruder in solid form, e.g. powder or granules
  • B29C48/2888—Feeding the extrusion material to the extruder in solid form, e.g. powder or granules in thread form or in strip form, e.g. rubber strips
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2105/00—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped
  • B29K2105/26—Scrap or recycled material
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02W—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT
  • Y02W30/00—Technologies for solid waste management
  • Y02W30/50—Reuse, recycling or recovery technologies
  • Y02W30/62—Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling

Definitions

• This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufac ⁇ turing board-like and bar-like products from a thermoplastic and a fibrous material, the thermoplastic serving as the bind ⁇ ing agent, and a product manufactured thereby.
• the raw mate ⁇ rial used is, in particular, packaging waste which is diffi ⁇ cult to exploit and which may consist of paperboard, plastic- coated paper, plastic, and plastic-coated aluminum foil, such as drink containers, disposable plates and cups, fastfood packaging, paper, and mixed plastic waste.
• the proportion of plastic may range from 10 to 100 per cent by weight.
• Some examples of the products are building boards, concrete shuttering, and battens. These can often be used for replac ⁇ ing, for example, chip board, hardboard and plywood.
• Chip boards and the like are often manufactured by spreading particles cold, for example, onto a conveyor belt to form a mat, which is hot-pressed into a board.
• the press is often constructed so as to have multiple layers to increase capaci ⁇ ty. A plurality of boards are compressed and heated simulta ⁇ neously. The products are separated from each other by sepa ⁇ rating plates. The heating will require more time the thicker the product, since the material conducts heat poorly. The compressive force must be high, and the press must be of a sturdy construction.
• the first mentioned method is known as the “Mende method”
• the second method is known as the “Bison-Hydro-Dyn Method”
• the third method is known as the “Bison method” .
• Patent FI- 48496 describes a method in which board-like pro ⁇ ducts are manufactured from vegetable fibers and plastics, al ⁇ so waste plastics.
• the method refers to artistic handicraft, and it deviates from the present invention as regards the pro ⁇ duct, the method, and the manufacturing apparatus.
• Patent US-2 698 271 describes the forming of a fiber mat by the dry method by using vacuum in the manufacture of laminated multilayer boards, for example paperboard. It deviates somew ⁇ hat from the present invention as regards a) the type of the particles b) the distributing of the binding agent into the fiber pulp c) the delimiting of the mat thickness d) the warming and heating of the mat e) the molding of the blank into a product f) the cooling of the product
• Patent US-3 356 780 describes a method and apparatus for manu ⁇ facturing a textile cover by using vacuum, the heating being carried out by means of hot gas.
• the said invention differs from the present invention, especially in the following points a) the cotton-plastic product manufactured is lightweight and flexible b) the fibers are individual, whereas in the present invention they are mostly particles larger than an individual fiber c) the distribution of the binding agent into the pulp is car ⁇ ried out differently d) the forming and delimiting of the mat take place different ⁇ ly e) in heating the pulp to the molding temperature the present invention uses the warming up which has taken place during the comminuting and the countercurrent principle, which protects the fiber material f) in the present invention the mat is formed and heated using the same means, a factor which simplifies the structure of the apparatus g) the product is molded by extrusion, the binding agent seep ⁇ ing between the particles and onto the surface of the product h) the product is cooled differently
• the prior known methods and apparatuses for forming board- or bar-like products have some drawbacks in addition to the abo ⁇ ve-mentioned ones.
• the apparatuses are large-sized, and they are not constructed so as to be movable. It is difficult to realize an exploitation of waste, to achieve good energy eco ⁇ nomy, products usable for many purposes, and an emission-free production which involves few variables to be controlled.
• the apparatus of the present invention comprises a comminuting unit, a blank-forming unit, and an extrusion unit; a press unit can be used instead of the last-mentioned.
• the particle size and distribution must be advantageous con ⁇ sidering the strength and rigidity of the product and its per ⁇ meability to gas during the heating stage.
• the pulp is in the main made up of particles larger than an individual fiber. During the comminuting the plastic particles will adhere to the fiber material particles. It was observed that a conside ⁇ rable proportion of the thermal energy required for molding the product is left in the pulp already during the comminu ⁇ ting. When the pulp is fed warm into the process, an advantage in terms of heat economy is gained, since 20-60 % of the ther ⁇ mal energy required for the molding may be derived from the comminution stage. In order to achieve the effect described above, the invention is characterized mainly in what is stated in points A in Claims 2 and 4.
• the pulp, warm after the comminuting, is formed in the blank- forming unit into a continuous mat of even thickness, the den ⁇ sity of which is approx. 0.1 g/cm 3 and in which the particles are randomly distributed.
• the invention is characterized in what is stated in points B in Claims 2 and 4.
• a mat heated to the molding temperature is preliminarily com ⁇ pressed into a blank the strength of which is sufficient to withstand the further treatment in the manufacturing process.
• the particles are randomly oriented and mostly parallel to the surfaces of the blank.
• the invention is characterized in the main by what is stated in points D in Claims 2 and 4.
• pieces cut from the blank are combined with each other by extruding them into a product according to Claim 1, in which the fiber orientation is advantageous in terms of rigidity.
• the invention is characterized in the main in what is stated in points E in Claims 2 and 4.
• the mixture of fiber and plastic is homogen ⁇ ized as the particles move in relation to each other. It was observed, surprisingly, that a plastic layer seeps onto the surface of the product, making the surface smooth and water- repellent. It also serves as a binding agent when, for examp ⁇ le, it is desired to hot press a coating onto the surface or to combine a plurality of boards.
• a blank of one and the same thickness can be used for manu ⁇ facturing, by extrusion, products of different thicknesses by replacing the extrusion tool and the ram.
• the cross-sectional area of the nozzle determines the cross-sectional area of the product.
• the stroke of the ram is short and the stroke frequ ⁇ ency is hundreds of strokes per minute, which makes rapid pro ⁇ duction possible.
• the pressure in the extrusion tool is 20-150 bar.
• the cross-sectional area of the ram is relati ⁇ vely small and the force it is subjected to is moderate.
• the extruder is relatively small in size.
• the blank may be molded into a product by com ⁇ pressing instead of extruding.
• the method described above is characterized mainly by what is stated in Claim 3.
• the product is cooled im ⁇ mediately after being molded.
• the invention is characterized mainly in what is stated in points F in Claims 2 and 4.
• An embodiment of the invention is the manufacture of multilay ⁇ er boards.
• a plu- rality of hot boards manufactured by extrusion or of blanks compressed into boards are compressed into a thicker board.
• the invention is characterized mainly in what is stated in Claims 5-8.
• the strength and rigidity of a multilayer board can be inc ⁇ reased.
• the invention is characterized mainly in what is stated in Claim 9.
• the strength of a board and the properties of its surface can be improved by coating it, for example, with paperboard.
• the invention is characterized in what is stated in Claim 10.
• Figure 1 depicts a cross section of the apparatus of the manu ⁇ facturing process, when the product is molded by extrusion.
• Figure 2 depicts a cross section of the cutting of the blank taking place in the extrusion apparatus of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 depicts a cross section of the bending and swaging of a blank piece in the extrusion unit of Figure 1.
• Figure 4 depicts continuous-working combining of blanks, co ⁇ ming from a plurality of blank-making units, by compressing them between plane surfaces into a thicker multilayer board in a sequential-working press.
• Figure 5 depicts compressing of blanks, coming from a plura ⁇ lity of blank-making units, between rolls into a thicker mul ⁇ tilayer board on a continuous-working basis.
• Figure 6 depicts a cross section of the press unit.
• Figure 7 depicts a cross section of a product manufactured by extrusion and of the orientation of its fibers.
• zone 101 is the comminution unit
• zone 102 is the blank-making unit
• zone 103 is the extrusion unit. They constitute a compact entity.
• the pulp is directed to the conveyor 6, which spreads it over the width of the feeding shaft 7 and which has not been depic ⁇ ted in detail, but which may be, for example, a screw convey ⁇ or.
• the blank-making unit (102) replaceable end plates 9 are fastened to the ends of a perforated drum 8 rotating about its axis at a constant speed.
• the power source rotating the drum is not depicted.
• the non-rotating suction box 13 there prevails a vacuum of 0.1 bar, which sucks the pulp against the drum, on which the pulp is turned towards the blade 10, which runs in the direction of the drum axis.
• the blade mechanism can be moved in the radial direction of the drum so that it will be in alignment with the outer edge of the end plate.
• the blade detaches from the pulp compacted by the suction a mat 22 of even thickness, its thickness being 30 mm.
• the pulp de ⁇ tached by the blade 10 impinges against the surface 11 and curves in the direction indicated by arrow 12 back into the pulp flow.
• From the suction box 13 the gas sucked in and any particles possibly sucked in through the perforations of the drum are returned to the feeding shaft 7.
• the mechanical suc ⁇ tion device is not shown.
• the warm mat on the drum is heated to a molding temperature of 200°C in steps according to the countercurrent temperature, by blowing hot gas at 210°C into pressure box 14, by sucking it through the porous mat into suction box 15, from which it is directed to pressure box 16, is further sucked into box 17, etc., until the gas, having yielded part of its thermal ener ⁇ gy, is ultimately sucked from suction box 21, whereafter it is reheated and blown again into pressure box 14.
• the mat-heating time is 15 s.
• the slight overpressure in a pressure box closes the flap 65, hinged at its upper edge, Figure 1, which pre ⁇ vents the flow of gas from one pressure box to the next.
• the heater which heats the suction device and the gas is not shown in the figure, but they represent technology known per se.
• the amount of thermal energy is adjusted by regulating the amount of gas.
• the suction and pressure boxes are fixed, the drum 8 rotates. The number of boxes need not be the same as in the figure.
• the hot mat is compressed between the drum 8 and the roll 23 into a blank 24 having a density of approx. 0.7 g/cm 3 , and the blank is detached from the drum, whereafter it curves on the roll into the heated tunnel 25.
• the blank manufactured at a constant speed, is momentarily stored in the storage container 26 and is fed therefrom, one 35-mm-long piece at a time, into the extrusion unit (103) , which is made up of an extrusion tool 27, a punch 28, a ram 29, and a cooler 30. At the start ⁇ up stage the extrusion tool 27 is heated to the molding tempe ⁇ rature.
• the mechanism which feeds the blank 24 from the con ⁇ tainer 26 is not shown.
• Figure 2 shows how the punch 28 cuts a piece from the blank 24 and transfers it to position 32.
• Figure 3 the punch stops and the ram 29 continues its movement, trans ⁇ ferring the piece into position 33.
• the fibers are randomly oriented, but are in the main parallel to its surfaces.
• the ram stroke frequency is 180 strokes per minute.
• the fiber orientation 31, Figure 7 is in the vicinity of the product surface parallel to the surface and in the center of the product the fibers are mainly in a plane which is perpendicular to the surface and to the ext- • rusion direction.
• the product travels via the cooler 30, in which it is cooled to a temperature of 60°C.
• the appa ⁇ ratus turns out product at a rate of approx. 1500 mm/min, and the width of the product is determined by the width of the apparatus.
• hot blanks 36, 37 and 38 coming from a plurality of paral ⁇ lel blank-making units have, after preliminary compression, been compressed at high pressure into a board, for example, between two rolls, the rolls not being shown, and thereafter they are directed, while hot, one on top of another, and are compressed to form a multilayer board 44.
• the compression is carried out sequentially between two plane surfaces 43, Figure 4, or continuously between rolls 45, Figure 5.
• the blanks may be different in their composition, a net-like reinforcement 39, 40 may be placed between them, and one or both surfaces of the board may be provided with coatings 41, 42.
• the surface of the plane surfaces 43 may have an embossed pattern, in which case a negative of the pattern will be copied on the board surface.
• the plane surfaces in this case also serve as coolers of the board.
• the product In continuous-working compression the product is cooled in a separate cooler 46.
• the thermal energy which has transferred from the product to the cooler is removed from the system by using a liquid which flows through the cooler.
• the number of layers in a multilayer board need not be in ac ⁇ cordance with Figures 4 and 5.
• Figure 4 shows the principle of sequential and Figure 5 that of continuous compression.
• systems known per se such as single- or multiple-layer pressing, rolling, compression between two band-like conveyors, between two slat conveyors, or between a drum and a band-like conveyor.
• the product may be coated on one or both sides with, for example, paperboard, paper, plastic or textile.
• the method presupposes few variables to be controlled. The most important of these are the composition and quantity of the raw material, its particle size, and the mass flow and temperature of the gas used for the heating.
• the capacity of the comminuting unit is higher than that of the rest of the apparatus. When necessary, the feeding in of raw material is interrupted, while the rest of the apparatus operates conti ⁇ nuously.
• the mat-forming method used and the short heating time make a small-sized heating unit possible.
• the bending strength of the extruded product is almost the same in the direction of the extrusion and in the direction of the axis perpendicular to the extrusion direction.
• the advantages of the invention include the useful exploita ⁇ tion of waste difficult to recycle, good energy economy, small-sized movable apparatus, products usable for many pur ⁇ poses, and an emission-free manufacturing method which invol ⁇ ves few variables to be controlled.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Composite Materials (AREA)
• Dry Formation Of Fiberboard And The Like (AREA)
• Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8536175

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (7)

Citations (9)

• 1992
  • 1992-11-09 FI FI925063A patent/FI92566C/fi active
• 1993
  • 1993-11-08 EP EP93924625A patent/EP0674569A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1993-11-08 AU AU54224/94A patent/AU5422494A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-11-08 WO PCT/FI1993/000460 patent/WO1994011168A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (9)

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