PANTHER granulator from Pallmann designed for efficient PET bottle recycling

Pallmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, based in Zweibrücken, Germany has extended its range of robust PANTHER recycling granulators, by adding a granulator that has been specially designed for recycling reusable materials from PET bottles.

The company says every year, about 460 billion PET bottles are produced worldwide. In Europe alone, an unbelievable 65 billion or more PET bottles were recycled in 2013.

Using the “PANTHER” UltraGranulator, individual PET bottles are continuously fed into the cutting chamber, by means of a conveyor belt. Massive, angled rotor knives work with a very close cutting gap against opposing slanted counter knives and cut the bottles into flakes. The special rotor cuts diagonally, which keeps energy consumption to a minimum, and the lower part of the housing is fitted with a large screen, which holds PET flakes in the cutting chamber until they are discharged through screen holes. The mesh size can be selected, 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 14 mm and the appropriate machine size.

After being cut, the material is pneumatically suctioned and transported into a cleaning system, in which the PET flakes are separated from the PE, which is 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. Alternatively, they can be used to manufacture carpets and textiles.

The Pallmann “PANTHER” Ultra- Granulator is engineered as a heavy duty, compact, safe machine, features easy access to the cutting chamber, making it easier to clean, and wear parts can be replaced quickly. Plus, rotor and stator knives can be re-sharpened multiple times and adjusted from the outside, and screens are reversible so that both sides can be used.

The Pallmann “PANTHER” UltraGranulator is ideal for continuous operation under tough conditions, seven days a week, and can be integrated into existing recycling lines or used as a stand-alone machine. Pallmann can also provide a sorting system, which can be used to separate the various secondary raw materials.