The plastic air-cooled recycling granulator and water-strand pelletizer are two common types of equipment in plastic recycling and granulation. Their core differences lie in cooling methods, applicable raw materials, pellet quality, production efficiency, and other aspects, as detailed below:
1. Different Cooling Methods
• Air-cooled recycling granulator: It uses air as the cooling medium. After the molten plastic is extruded from the die, it directly enters the air-cooling system, where it is rapidly cooled and shaped by the air flow generated by a high-speed fan, and then cut into pellets by a pelletizer.
• Water-strand pelletizer: It uses water as the cooling medium. After the plastic melt is extruded, it is first drawn into strands, which then enter a cold water tank for immersion cooling. After being completely solidified, the strands are pulled out by a tractor and then pelletized.
2. Scope of Applicable Raw Materials
• Air-cooled granulator: It is more suitable for processing plastics with low melting points and strong thermal sensitivity, such as PVC and PE. These raw materials are prone to absorbing water or undergoing chemical reactions when exposed to water, and air cooling can avoid such problems.
• Water-strand pelletizer: It is applicable to plastics with high melting points and good stability, such as PP and ABS. The cooling efficiency of water is high, which can meet the rapid shaping needs of high-melting-point raw materials.
3. Differences in Pellet Quality
• Air-cooled granulator: The pellet surface is relatively dry with no moisture residue, and no additional drying treatment is needed in the later stage. However, the slow cooling speed may result in slightly inferior pellet appearance, occasionally with burrs.
• Water-strand pelletizer: The cooling is sufficient and uniform, and the pellets have a regular shape and smooth surface. But the pellets contain moisture and need to go through dehydration and drying processes; otherwise, they are prone to caking or affecting subsequent processing.
4. Production Efficiency and Energy Consumption
• Air-cooled granulator: The cooling process does not require dehydration and drying, so the process is relatively simple with strong continuity, making it suitable for mass production. However, the energy consumption of the fan is relatively high, and the cooling efficiency is greatly affected by the ambient temperature.
• Water-strand pelletizer: The cooling efficiency of water is higher than that of air, which can increase the extrusion speed, and the theoretical production capacity is higher. But it needs to be equipped with water circulation and drying equipment, which increases equipment investment and energy consumption. Moreover, incomplete dehydration may affect production continuity.
5. Equipment Structure and Maintenance
• Air-cooled granulator: Its structure is relatively simple, mainly consisting of an extruder, an air-cooling device, and a pelletizer. It is easy to maintain and has a low failure rate.
• Water-strand pelletizer: In addition to the basic components, it also includes a water tank, a tractor, a dehydrator, etc. The equipment is more complex, with higher maintenance costs, and the water tank needs to be cleaned regularly to prevent impurity accumulation.
In summary, the choice of equipment needs to be comprehensively judged based on the characteristics of raw materials, pellet quality requirements, and production scale. Air cooling is preferred for heat-sensitive raw materials, while water-strand pelletizing is suitable for high-melting-point raw materials or when pursuing pellet appearance. Meanwhile, energy consumption and subsequent processing costs should also be considered.
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