An experimental study on process-oriented scale-up/scale-down in blown film extrusion

To gain a competitive edge in developing innovative products, new multi-layer film manufacturers need to know whether laboratory-scale blown film line results reliably translate to large-scale production. This, however, is not always the case: Transferring process conditions and getting equal final film properties are not ensured. To address this problem, this paper presents a scale-independent scale-up/scale-down strategy to produce films with consistently similar properties regardless of a plant’s size and design. A second aim is to prove this strategy is applicable by comparing the reference and experimental film mechanical properties. Here, experimental scale-down runs were carried out based on a process-oriented scale-up/scale-down strategy for the blown film process. An industrial production process (>800 kg/h), successfully transferred to a laboratory-scale blown film line, was used as the reference. The introduced process-oriented scale-up/scale-down is based on geometric and dynamic similarity. In this context, blow-up ratio, draw-down ratio and process time have been identified as major scale-up/scale-down variables. Unlike existing scale-up strategies, the process-oriented approach is more flexible in practice. Film mechanical properties taken from the experimental runs were determined by tensile and puncture resistance tests. The compared results confirmed that process-oriented scale-up/scale-down is feasible for the applied material and under the existing plant-specific restrictions. The comparison indicated that most film properties produced on the laboratory-scale plant were comparable to those from the high-capacity blown film line.

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Blown Film Extrusion

10.3139/9781569906972 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Kirk Cantor

Keyword(s):

Film Extrusion ◽

Blown Film ◽

Blown Film Extrusion

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Biodegradable Polymer Compounds Reinforced with Banana Fiber for the Production of Protective Bags for Banana Fruits in the Context of Circular Economy

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11020242 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 242

Author(s):

Pablo Bordón ◽

Rubén Paz ◽

Carolina Peñalva ◽

Gisela Vega ◽

Mario Monzón ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Circular Economy ◽

Environmental Problem ◽

Ecotoxicity Test ◽

Banana Fiber ◽

Film Extrusion ◽

Blown Film ◽

Blown Film Extrusion ◽

Environmentally Friendly Process ◽

Test Requirements ◽

Better Than

Bags used to protect and accelerate the ripening of bananas are a clear example of the environmental problem of packaging waste. Small pieces of these non-biodegradable bags are frequently disposed on the soil by accident (environmental conditions and poor handling during the harvest) and remain there for years. This work focuses on the development of protective biodegradable bags reinforced with banana fiber, obtained from waste of the banana plants, thus promoting a circular economy and a more environmentally friendly process. To achieve this, different bio-based composites were tested (processability) by compounding extrusion (biopolymer and banana fiber with different process steps) and blown film extrusion. The bags produced were tested in field and sequentially improved in three generations of biofilms. The results showed that the maximum processable fiber content was 5 wt %. Additionally, the micronizing of the compounds was crucial to simplify the blown film extrusion and improve the smoothness of the bags (scratches avoidance on the banana surface). The final bags (Mater-Bi biopolymer, 5% combed and sieved banana fiber, and 2.5 wt % TiO2 for ultraviolet light filtration), performed better than the conventional ones (faster maturing, i.e., earlier harvest, and easier handling) and fulfilled the biodegradability, composting and ecotoxicity test requirements.

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Dynamic modeling of blown-film extrusion

Polymer Engineering & Science ◽

10.1002/pen.10033 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 43 (2) ◽

pp. 398-418 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

J. Carl Pirkle ◽

Richard D. Braatz

Keyword(s):

Dynamic Modeling ◽

Film Extrusion ◽

Blown Film ◽

Blown Film Extrusion

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Real‐time wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction during polyethylene blown film extrusion

Polymer Engineering & Science ◽

10.1002/pen.21111 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 48 (8) ◽

pp. 1487-1494 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Giri Gururajan ◽

H. Shan ◽

G. Lickfield ◽

A.A. Ogale

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Wide Angle ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

X Ray ◽

Film Extrusion ◽

Blown Film ◽

Blown Film Extrusion

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Blown Film Extrusion

Blown Film Extrusion ◽

10.3139/9781569906972.fm ◽

2018 ◽

pp. I-XIV

Author(s):

Kirk Cantor

Keyword(s):

Film Extrusion ◽

Blown Film ◽

Blown Film Extrusion

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Development of PLA/EVA Reactive Blends for Heat-Shrinkable Film

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym11121925 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 1925 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rattikarn Khankrua ◽

Tanyawan Pongpanit ◽

Ponchai Paneetjit ◽

Rungnapha Boonmark ◽

Manus Seadan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ethylene Vinyl Acetate ◽

Poly Lactic Acid ◽

Elongation At Break ◽

Blend Films ◽

Film Extrusion ◽

Blown Film ◽

Twin Screw ◽

Blown Film Extrusion ◽

Reactive Blend

Heat-shrinkable films have widely been used for various applications such as shrinkable labels and cap seals. These plastics have generally a short life. The biodegradable polymers can thus be an ideal candidate for such applications. This work aimed to study the stretching and shrinking ratio of poly(lactic acid)/ethylene vinyl acetate through reactive blends system for heat-shrinkable films application. The reactive agents, Joncryl® and Perkadox were used as in situ compatibilizers. PLA/EVA with 100/0, 97/3, 95/5, 93/7, and 90/10 ratios were prepared in the twin screw extruder. Neat PLA and PLA/EVA films were fabricated by blown film extrusion. The results revealed that the elongation at break of PLA in the TD direction was improved when adding EVA. PLA and EVA film with 0.1 phr of Perkadox was found to be sufficient as evident by FESEM micrograph and DMTA results. The films were stretched and shrunk at a temperature of 70 °C. The percentage of shrinkage of the stretched PLA/EVA reactive blend films, two and three times were, 100%, approximately. On the other hand, the four-times stretched films shrunk less than 100% because of the excessive stretching, which resulted in film breakage and defect.

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