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Bühler Bottle-to-Bottle Process for PET-Recycling

From bottle-to-bottle: Bühler opens new markets for the PET recycling industry

At the present time, PET bottles are mainly recycled for technical applications. As food containers, however, the quality of such recycled material, especially as regards the visual aspects, is seldom satisfactory. Buhler has therefore developed an economical process by which the flaked material from used PET bottles is upgraded to standard quality pellets suitable for the production of food-contact bottles. 

PET Recycling

As already mentioned above, at the present time PET bottles are mainly recycled for technical applications. However, the quality of this recycled material in the past has rarely been satisfactory for food containers, especially regarding material decontamination and physical properties. Buhler has therefore developed an economical process to upgrade post consumer PET flakes to bottle grade PET pellets suitable for PET bottles for direct food contact such as PET bottles for soft drinks, mineral water or other food grade package materials. From an ecological point of view the recycling of post consumer PET bottles to new PET bottles offers clear advantages. This is evident from the energy balances. The production of virgin PET bottle grade pellets is tied to a higher energy consumption than the recycling of used PET bottles. Also compared to incineration the advantages are substantial. 

Description of the Bühler Bottle-to-Bottle Process

The Buhler bottle-to-bottle process converts washed PET flakes from post-consumer bottles into bottle grade pellets which are used as an alternative to virgin material for the production of new food compatible bottles. 

With the decontamination in the RingExtruder and the continuous polycondensation in the SSP system, two technologies optimally suited and tuned to each other, are integrated into a highly efficient functional unit. 

The result is a bottle grade PET pellet which fulfils food approval requirements. This includes a non-objection letter from the FDA and certification according to the European ILSI guidelines. 

A New Way to Recover Post-Consumer PET Bottles

Buhler has developed a comprehensive and economical technology for continuously upgrading of used PET bottle flakes into new pellets suitable for direct food contact. Excellent product quality at high throughputs can be achieved: 

Unique proprietary Bühler Process

The main process steps are the decontamination and the solid-state polycondensation. 

Virgin Material Quality

Regarding the required quality parameters, such as yellowness index, acetaldehyde content or intrinsic viscosity, the Buhler RingExtruder and the Buhler continuous SSP are the most efficient technology to produce bottle grade PET. 

Lowest Production Costs

The production costs of bottle feedstock from recovered PET bottles by using the presented technology are lower in comparison with virgin PET bottle material. 

Proven Expertise in Thermal Treatment of Recycled Polymers

Buhler supplies continuous-operation systems for heating cooling, crystallization, drying and solid-state polycondensation (SSP) of recycled polymers. All systems can be operated with either flakes or pellets. For applications in the field of technical fibres the SSP systems for recycled PET are designed to meet the higher IV requirements in the range of 1.0 dl/g. 

Highly Optimized Solutions, Greater Scale-up Experience

In the solid-state polycondensation of PET, Buhler gained in the recent past an outstanding market position. With over 50% market share of worldwide installed capacity, Buhler comes out on the top. Buhler sold more than 100 solid-state polycondensation plants, including the world's biggest one in Europe with a single line capacity of 600 metric tons per day. Practically all big PET resin producers employ the Buhler's SSP technology. 

Highly Efficient Bühler PET Bottle-to-Bottle Technology

With the decontamination in the RingExtruder, the continuous crystallization and polycondensation, the technologies optimally suited and tuned to each other, are integrated into a highly efficient functional unit. A wide range of product specifications, such as I.V. value, can be achieved. The products resulting from the Buhler process meet the specific requirements for food applications, such as FDA approval, or other country specific requirements. We will provide you with individual solutions according to your specific needs. 

© Bühler AG

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• Czech Gateway to the PET bottles Recycling

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