APPLICATION OF MICROWAVE HEATING AND HOT AIR FOR THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF PLASTICIZED PVC SHEETS

Projektinformationen

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: EE-B1-112

Startdatum 1 Juli 1981

Enddatum 1 Juli 1982

Finanziert unter

• Energy research and development programme (EEC), 1979-1983

Gesamtkosten € 0,00

EU-Beitrag Keine Daten

Koordiniert durch

EUROFLOOR S.A.
Luxembourg

Ziel

WORK AT EUROFLOOR IS DIRECTED AT BUILDING AND TESTING A PILOT MICROWAVE OVEN FOR TREATING PVC FLOOR COVERINGS. THESE ARE FORMED BY HEATING A PVC PASTE, WHICH THEN SOLIDIFIES. NORMALLY THIS IS CARRIED OUT IN A THERMAL OVEN AT TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 175 DEGREES C AND 210 DEGREES C AT AN EFFICIENCY OF ONLY 5 %. BECAUSE OF THE LOW EFFICIENCY, THE PROCESS SEEMED TO BE AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR MICROWAVES. IN FACT THE ELECTRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PVC CORRESPOND TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROCESS. A SMALLER EQUIPMENT SIZE IS REQUIRED COMPARED WITH A PURELY AIR HEATING SYSTEM. HEATING WITHIN THE MATERIAL ALSO PROVIDES ADVANTAGES WHEN FOAMING IS TO TAKE PLACE SINCE THE REGULARITY OF THE CELLS IS FAVOURED, THUS IMPROVING THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MATERIAL.

THE MICROWAVE OVEN USED HAS A POWER INPUT OF 6 KW (6 WAVE GUIDES OF 1 KW EACH) AND IS DESIGNED TO TREAT THE PRODUCT AT A RATE OF 20 - 30 METERS/MINUTE. A SUPPLEMENTARY HOT AIR SOURCE IS USED TO HOMOGENISE THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF THE SHEET AND TO MAINTAIN IT AT A SUFFICIENTLY HIGH LEVEL.

WHILE THE CURING PROCESSES OF FOAMING AND GELLING (HARDENING) OF THE PVC CAN BE MADE TO TAKE PLACE RAPIDLY IN THE OVEN, RESULTS TO DATE HAVE SHOWN THAT LOCAL BURNING OF THE MATERIAL CAN OCCUR VERY RAPIDLY DUE TO NON-UNIFORMITY OF THE APPLIED ENERGY. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE POSITION AND THICKNESS OF THE MATERIAL COULD INFLUENCE THE FIELD IN AN UNPREDICTABLE MANNER. DIFFERENT ADDITIVES (SILICA, ALUMINIUM HYDROXIDE, CARBON BLACK AND DIFFERENT PLASTICIZERS) WERE ALSO TRIED BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE HOT AIR INCREASED THE SENSITIVITY OF THE MATERIAL TO MICROWAVES.

EUROFLOOR HAS SHOWN THAT A UNIFORM FIELD (WITH THE APPLICATOR TYPE USED FOR THE PVC) COULD BE OBTAINED WHEN THICK WET PAPER WAS TREATED. WORK IS UNDER WAY TO ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE ABOVE DIFFICULTIES WITH PVC. POLAR ADDITIVES AS WELL AS THE OPTIMAL CONTROL OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MICROWAVES APPLIED ARE STUDIED.

Programm/Programme

• PRE-ENNONUC 2C - Energy research and development programme (EEC), 1979-1983

Thema/Themen

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Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

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Finanzierungsplan

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Koordinator

EUROFLOOR S.A.

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• Adresse: BOITE POSTALE 1O ; ; Luxemburg
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