Methods for manufacturing bulked continuous filament

• US 10,532,496 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2019
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aladdin Manufacturing Corp. (China) (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Clark, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B
• Application Number:
  US16/402,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20190255740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 264 401, 264 78, 264101, 264102, 2641761, 26421121, 26421122, 26421123
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/0095 Flat filtering elements B01D25/12, B01D25/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 2501/0036 Sorting out metallic particles
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/00 Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics; volume reduction of waste plastics, e.g. by mechanical compacting or melting disposal of solid waste B09B; chemical recovery C08J11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/02 Separating plastics from other materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2013/002 Extracting undesirable residual components, e.g. solvents, unreacted monomers, from material to be moulded
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2013/005 Degassing undesirable residual components, e.g. gases, unreacted monomers, from material to be moulded
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0015 Washing, rinsing
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0203 Separating plastics from plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0224 Screens, sieves
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/427 with independently driven screws rotating about the same axis, e.g. oscillating axially; with axially oscillating screws B29B7/423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/485 with three or more shafts provided with screws
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/486 with screws surrounded by a casing provided with grooves or cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/726 Measuring properties of mixture, e.g. temperature or density B29B7/724 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/7466 Combinations of similar mixers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/003 Making articles of indefinite length B29C53/48 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/006 Using vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/922 Viscosity; Melt flow index [MFI]; Molecular weight
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9238 Feeding, melting, plasticising or pumping zones, e.g. the melt itself
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9239 Screw or gear
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92514 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92876 : Feeding, melting, plasticising or pumping zones, e.g. the melt itself
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/006 : Degassing moulding material or draining off gas during moulding venting means in moulds B29C33/10
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/05 : Filamentary, e.g. strands
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/144 : at the plasticising zone
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/145 : at a venting zone
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/255 : Flow control means, e.g. valves flow dividers B29C48/695
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/2552 : provided in the feeding, melting, plasticising or pumping zone, e.g. screw, barrel, gear-pump or ram
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/38 : using two or more serially arranged screws in the same barrel
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/385 : using two or more serially arranged screws in separate barrels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/40 : using two or more parallel screws or at least two parallel non-intermeshing screws, e.g. twin screw extruders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/425 : using three or more screws serially arranged screws B29C48/38, B29C48/385
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/43 : Ring extruders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/435 : Sub-screws
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/44 : Planetary screws
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/70 : comprising means for dividing, distributing and recombining melt flows
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/765 : in the extruder apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/766 : in screw extruders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/767 : through a degassing opening of a barrel
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/92 : Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0078 : Producing filamentary materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 : PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0067 : Melt
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/26 : Scrap or recycled material
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 11/04 : of polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 11/06 : without chemical reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2367/02 : Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds; C08J2367/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 1/103 : De-aerating
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 1/106 : Filtering
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/00 : Formation of filaments, threads, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/08 : Melt spinning methods D01D5/0023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/62 : from polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2503/04 : Floor or wall coverings; Carpets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/143 : the feedstock being recycled material, e.g. plastics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 : Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/64 : Paper recycling

Abstract

A method for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the method comprising: (1) reducing a chamber pressure within a chamber to below about 5 millibars; (2) after reducing the chamber pressure to below about 5 millibars, providing a polymer melt to the chamber; (3) separating the polymer melt into at least eight streams; (4) while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are within the chamber, exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure of below about 5 millibars; (5) after exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure of below about 5 millibars, recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream; and (6) forming polymer from the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the method comprising:

providing a polymer melt from an extruder to a chamber;

separating the polymer melt from the extruder into at least eight streams such that each stream is at least partially exposed to an interior of the chamber and such that a respective surface area of each of the at least eight streams is exposed to a chamber pressure within the chamber, the chamber pressure being below about 5 millibars;

after the at least eight streams are exposed to the chamber pressure, recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream; and

forming polymer from the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the chamber pressure is below about 1.5 millibars.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the chamber pressure is below about 1 millibar.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the chamber pressure is between about 0.5 millibars and about 5 millibars.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the chamber pressure is between about 0.5 millibars and about 1.2 millibars.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring an intrinsic viscosity of the single polymer stream; and

in response to determining that the intrinsic viscosity of the single polymer stream is below a predetermined level, substantially automatically lowering the chamber pressure in order to achieve a higher intrinsic viscosity within the polymer melt.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer melt is derived, at least in part, from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes that are derived from recycled PET bottles.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the recycled PET bottles are post-consumer, curbside PET bottles.

9. 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;

transferring the polymer melt to an interior of a chamber;

increasing a surface area of the polymer melt exposed to the interior of the chamber utilizing at least eight different streams of the polymer melt;

reducing a pressure within the chamber to reach a chamber pressure of below about 5 millibars;

exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure of below about 5 millibars while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are in the chamber;

after exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure of below about 5 millibars, recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream; and

forming polymer from the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream comprises recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream via a single screw extruder.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the single screw extruder is used to transport polymer within the single polymer stream away from the chamber.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least eight streams of the polymer melt comprise more than 8 streams of polymer melt.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are in the chamber comprises exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to a chamber pressure that is below about 1.5 millibars.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are in the chamber comprises exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to a chamber pressure that is below about 1 millibar.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are in the chamber comprises exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to a chamber pressure that is between about 0.5 millibars and about 5 millibars.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are in the chamber comprises exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to a chamber pressure that is between about 0.5 millibar and about 1.2 millibars.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining an intrinsic viscosity of the single polymer stream; and

in response to determining that the intrinsic viscosity of the single polymer stream is below a predetermined level, substantially automatically lowering the chamber pressure.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined level is about 0.8 g/dL.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of polymer flakes comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes derived from recycled PET bottles.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein forming polymer from the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament comprises forming polymer from the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament that comprises between about 80% and about 100% recycled PET.

21. A method for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, the method comprising:

reducing a chamber pressure within a chamber to below about 5 millibars;

after reducing the chamber pressure to below about 5 millibars, providing a polymer melt to the chamber;

separating the polymer melt into at least eight streams;

while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are within the chamber, exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure of below about 5 millibars;

after exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure of below about 5 millibars, recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream; and

forming polymer from the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are within the chamber comprises exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to a chamber pressure that is below about 1.5 millibars.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are within the chamber comprises exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to a chamber pressure that is below about 1 millibar.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are within the chamber comprises exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to a chamber pressure that is between about 0.5 millibars and about 5 millibars.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to the chamber pressure while the at least eight streams of the polymer melt are within the chamber comprises exposing the at least eight streams of the polymer melt to a chamber pressure that is between about 0.5 millibar and about 1.2 millibars.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining an intrinsic viscosity of the single polymer stream; and

in response to determining that the intrinsic viscosity of the single polymer stream is below a predetermined level, lowering the pressure in the chamber in a substantially automated manner via a computer-controlled feedback control loop.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising melting polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes derived from recycled PET bottles to produce the polymer melt.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein forming polymer from the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament comprises forming polymer from the single polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament that comprises between about 80% and about 100% recycled PET.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream comprises recombining the at least eight streams into a single polymer stream via a single screw extruder.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the single screw extruder is used to transport polymer within the single polymer stream away from the chamber.