Pallmann expands Panther granulator line

PALLMANN Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG has recently introduced the UltraGranulator, a new addition to its line of Panther recycling granulators.

Specially designed for recycling reusable materials from PET bottles, the compact but heavy duty machine is suitable for the special requirements of modern recycling operations. It supports continuous operation seven days a week even under tough conditions. The granulator can be used as a stand-alone machine or integrated into existing recycling lines. Pallmann can also provide a sorting system for separating various secondary raw materials.

The Panther UltraGranulator meets the latest safety guidelines for machinery. It uses a conveyor belt to feed individual PET bottles continuously into the cutting chamber. The bottles are cut into flakes by massive, angled rotor knives that work with a very close cutting gap against opposing slanted counter knives. The special rotor really does cut diagonally, helping to keep energy consumption low.

The material is pneumatically suctioned and transported into a cleaning system after being cut. The PET flakes are separated from the PE still contained in the bottle caps. The resulting secondary raw materials can be recycled in many different ways. They are often reused to manufacture PET bottles or carpets and textiles.

The lower part of the housing has a large screen for holding PET flakes in the cutting chamber until they are discharged through the screen holes. The operator can select the mesh size, which determines the size of the flakes and throughput rate of the granulator. Throughput rates of up to 3.5 t/h are possible with a flake size of approximately 14mm and the appropriate machine size.

The granulator’s design allows easy access to the cutting chamber for ease of cleaning. Its wearing parts are likewise easily replaceable, and the rotor and stator knives can be re-sharpened many times and adjusted from the outside. The screens are reversible to allow use of both sides.

Rising production of PET bottles pushes the spotlight on the importance of recycling the materials used. With more drinks and beverages, from mineral water to lemonade, coke, and beer, coming in PET bottles, production of these bottles continues to rise. About 460 billion PET bottles are currently produced every year globally. In 2013, Europe recycled 65 billion or more PET bottles in 2013 to allow the resulting raw materials to be used for making more bottles or reprocessed.