Eastman Chemical Company

Grupo Petrotemex S.a. De C.v.

Richard Gill Bonner

Bruce Roger DeBruin

Michael Paul Ekart

Mary Therese Jernigan

A Bob Debenport

Alan George Wonders

Alan W White

Larry Cates Windes

Thomas Lloyd Yount

Paul Keith Scherrer

William Speight Murdoch

Bruce Roger Debruin

Albert Bob Debenport

Christopher Scott Slaughter

A melt phase process for making a polyester polymer melt phase product by adding an antimony containing catalyst to the melt phase, polycondensing the melt containing said catalyst in the melt phase until the It.V. of the melt reaches at least 0.75 dL/g. Polyester polymer melt phase pellets containing antimony residues and having an It.V. of at least 0.75 dL/g are obtained without solid state polymerization. The polyester polymer pellets containing antimony residues and having an It.V. of at least 0.70 dL/g obtained without increasing the molecular weight of the melt phase product by solid state polymerization are fed to an extruder, melted to produce a molten polyester polymer, and extruded through a die to form shaped articles. The melt phase products and articles made thereby have low b* color and/or high L* brightness, and the reaction time to make the melt phase products is short.

High IV melt phase polyester polymer catalyzed with antimony containing compounds

A method of crystallizing a plurality of crystallizable polymer pellets includes a step in which the pellets are contacted with a temperature adjusting fluid in a crystallizer. The fluid adjusts the temperature of the pellets by having a temperature sufficient to allow at least partial crystallization of the plurality of polymeric pellets while maintaining the average pellet temperature of the plurality of pellets below the melting temperature of the pellets. A crystallizer implementing the methods of the invention is also provided.

Crystallizer temperature control via fluid control

A polyester production facility capable of producing an esterified product stream having a low impurity concentration relative to product streams produced in conventional polyester production facilities.

System for producing low impurity polyester

A method of crystallizing a plurality of polymeric pellets includes a step of introducing the pellets into a pneumatic conveying system with an initial average temperature. The plurality of polymeric pellets are pneumatically transferred from the inlet to an outlet with a conveying gas. While residing within the conveying system, the pellets have a sufficient temperature for crystallization to occur. A pneumatic conveying system implementing the methods of the invention is also provided.

Crystallizing conveyor

A method of crystallizing a plurality of crystallizable polymer pellets includes a step in which the pellets passed through regions that are temperature adjusted by a heat transfer jacket. The heat transfer jacket adjusts the temperature of the pellets by having a temperature sufficient to allow at least partial crystallization of the plurality of polymeric pellets while maintaining the average pellet temperature of the plurality of pellets below the melting temperature of the pellets. A crystallizer implementing the methods of the invention is also provided.

Crystallizer temperature control via jacketing/insulation

A method of crystallizing polymeric pellets includes a step in which a plurality of polymeric pellets are introduced into a crystallizer. While within the crystallizer, the plurality of pellets is contacted with a plurality of solid additives for the purpose of adjusting the average pellet temperature. The plurality of solid additives adjusts the temperature of the pellets by having a temperature sufficient to allow at least partial crystallization of the plurality of polymeric pellets while maintaining the average pellet temperature below the melting temperature. Finally, the plurality of polymer pellets is removed from the outlet of the crystallizer.

Crystallizer temperature control via solid additive control

A process to produce polyester product from alkylene oxide and carboxylic acid. More specifically this process relates to a process to produce polyethylene terephthalate where terephthalic acid and ethylene oxide are reacted to form a partially esterified terephthalic acid product and then the partially esterified product is further reacted with ethylene glycol to produce polyethylene terephthalate.

Process for production of a polyester product from alkylene oxide and carboxylic acid

Energy savings are realized during the commercial production of polyethylene terephthalate by partially cooling polyethylene terephthalate pellets exiting a solid stating reactor by contact with water, and using the residual heat stored in the pellets to vaporize associated water to form dry pellets.

Cooling of pellets from pet solid stating reactor with water

Strands of molten polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from a PET polycondensation reactor are solidified, pelletized, and cooled only to a temperature in the range of 50&#xb0; C. to a temperature near the polymer Tg by contact with water. The still hot pellets are conveyed, optionally followed by drying to remove water, to a PET crystallizer. By avoiding cooling the amorphous pellets to room temperature with water and cool air, significant savings of energy are realized.

Growing community of inventors

Kingsport, TN, United States of America

Richard Gill Bonner