PETpla.net Insider 10 / 2010

PREFORM PRODUCTION 48 PET planet insider Vol. 11 No. 10/10 www.petpla.net enables lower consumption of energy in the drying process, compared to conventional dryers. The system combines zeolites in its range of X Max dryers with its Flowmatik control system. Modular design gives flexibility and reduced energy consumption Moretto says that its X Max dryers are designed to offer constant performance levels, within a modu- lar concept. X Max is a multi-tower system, which allows one or more dryers to be taken offline for servic- ing and maintenance, while the others continue in operation. By rotating servicing between the modules the system operates con- stantly at capacities up to 5,000kg/h, through a combination of between three and ten dryer units, connected to up to 32 hoppers. Air is automatically regulated according to need. Airflow to the units can be reduced in parallel, or one unit can be switched off while airflow is modulated between 50 and 100% among the units that continue to operate. This means it is not only possible to maintain production during essential maintenance, but also to flex capacity according to demand – which leads to lower overall energy con- sumption. A further benefit claimed by Moretto is better control of both ther- mal stress of the material being dried and reduction in variation of viscosity. The modular design of Flowmax means that the system achieves a constant average value, with a dew point of about -65°C. The Flowmatik control system calculates the airflow needed for each hopper. The cen- tral control unit collects the data on dryer need and manages airflow as required. Units that are not needed for production are put on standby. Different set-ups for different needs Moretto says that the Flowmax system can be installed with dif- ferent configurations, according to need. Combinations of Flomatik Uni, Twin and Multi units with the X Max dryers come together to make up the required process. Flowmax Uni is made up of a battery of X Max units with a single hopper and is used for dehumidifica- tion of large quantities of plastics, up to 12,000kg/h. Flowmax Multi configuration is, as is name sug- gests, designed for the treatment of a number of materials in an efficient and functional manner. The Flowmax PET configuration is a complete, cen- tralised system designed for process constancy, simple management and significantly reduced treatment costs. Where space is at a premium, Moretto says that it can develop PET systems with a dryer installed on board each single hopper. The control system uses a col- oured touchscreen panel with ‘intui- tive’ user interface, which requires input of only two parameters: the type of material and the throughput. The system then activates automatically and provides exactly the right quantity of process air. Higher capacity, recovered energy Conventional systems currently on the market have maximum capaci- ties of around 4,000m³/h and gener- ate throughout of up to 1,300kg/h, which corresponds to a 144-cavity machine – which means that, in effect, a single drying system will be dedicated to a single machine. Moretto says that Flowmax can proc- ess up to 8,000kg/h of PET, with a modular generator of 20,000m³/h. The company claims that a large, modular system has advantages over individual systems, including fewer working components and reduced risk of failure. Flowmax has been designed to make the most of its energy, by recovering and reusing every Watt. The major attraction of this, Moretto says, is that energy costs are reduced to the extent that ROI on each machine is achieved in two years; furthermore, as energy typi- cally represents 90% of total costs over ten-year lifetimes, total savings have been calculated as equal to a new injection moulding machine. The company has simulated these savings on a battery of five 72-cavity machines with output of 3,600kg/h, in tests equating to European condi- tions: ambient temperature 20°C and relative moisture at 80%. Production is based on six hours of treatment at 180°C with specific airflow of 2.5 m³/h on 8,500h of production per year. www.moretto.com