Methods for manufacturing bulked continuous filament from recycled PET
AssigneeAladdin Manufacturing Corporation
InventorThomas R. Clark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament that includes providing a polymer melt and separating the polymer melt from the extruder into at least eight streams. The multiple streams are exposed to a chamber pressure within a chamber that is below approximately 25 millibars, or another predetermined pressure. The streams are recombined into a single polymer stream. Polymer from the polymer stream is then formed into bulked continuous carpet filament.
Claims27
A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the method comprising:
- providing a polymer melt;
- increasing a surface area of the polymer melt by dividing the polymer melt into at least eight streams;
- passing the at least eight streams of polymer melt into an interior of a chamber such that a respective surface area of each of the at least eight streams is exposed to a chamber pressure within the chamber of between about 0.5 millibars and about 12 millibars;
- recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream;
- and
- forming the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament, wherein:
- the chamber pressure corresponds to a desired moisture level or a desired intrinsic viscosity associated with a single polymer stream comprising the at least eight streams of the polymer melt.
A method for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the method comprising:
- providing an extruder;
- providing a plurality of polymer flakes to the extruder;
- melting the plurality of polymer flakes within the extruder to create a polymer melt;
- increasing a surface area of the polymer melt by dividing the polymer melt into at least eight streams of polymer melt;
- passing the at least eight streams of polymer melt through an interior of a chamber while the interior of the chamber is maintained within a pressure range of between about 0.5 millibars and about 12 millibars;
- after passing the at least eight streams of polymer melt through the chamber, recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream;
- and
- forming the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament.
A method for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the method comprising:
- providing an extrusion means;
- providing a plurality of polymer flakes to the extrusion means;
- melting the plurality of polymer flakes within the extrusion means to create a polymer melt;
- using a dividing means to increase a surface area of the polymer melt by dividing the polymer melt into at least eight streams of polymer melt;
- passing the at least eight streams of polymer melt through an interior of a chamber while the interior of the chamber is maintained within a pressure range of between about 0.5 millibars and about 5 millibars;
- after passing the at least eight streams of polymer melt through the chamber, using a recombining means to recombine the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream;
- and
- forming the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.