eFactor3 adds infrared dryer demo line

Efactor3 LLC has installed a demo infrared (IR) drying line from its partner of seven years Kreyenborg at its facility in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The IR-Batch dryer allows for discontinuous heating, crystallization, drying and coating of batches of different plastics and other bulk materials in minutes instead of hours, according to eFactor3. The equipment can be used to crystallize and dry polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pellets and flakes, to crystallize and dry polylactic acid (PLA) and to dry and heat polyethylene (PE) pellets to remove odors and volatiles. The system uses a combination of IR heating and a rotating drum with an internal spiral that is equipped with mixing elements to ensure constant mixing, avoiding material clumping and ensuring that the material is heated evenly throughout the process eFactor3 says.

The machine is available for small demos and trials at the Charlotte facility and also will be available for short-term rentals.

The stainless-steel rotary drum is filled via a pneumatic shut-off valve, and the bulk material is heated by the internal IR module. The mixing elements in the rotary drum are adapted to the bulk material, and the drum is emptied by reversing the direction of rotation.

The IR module and its accessories are mounted on a sliding frame that is pulled out for cleaning and maintenance purposes. The exhaust air is discharged from the rotary drum via a blower. The installed Siemens S7 PLC control has the flexibility to set the residence time, mixing and temperature profile, the distributor adds.

Efactor3 Plastic Processing Division Sales Manager Gerd Radke says, “Use IR light to your advantage in drying/crystalizing polymers.”