Petrochemical workers mastered the production of a new wrapping polyethylene film
In the Production Unit of ethylene halogen derivatives, their polymers and copolymers at «KARPATNAFTOCHIM» Ltd., is produced not only the main end product-polyethylene of high density with various properties and a wide range of application. Here are also produced three types of film – wrapping, covering film and bagging film for PE packing to the sacks 25 kg each, as well as for palletizing and delivery by trucks or railway vehicles to the consumers. However, for films output is necessary to use a specific linear low density polyethylene of foreign production.
– Until recently we were producing the wrapping film from linear PE of American Company Dowlex, that has its plants in Switzerland, Spain and Holland, – explains the situation Volodymyr Deyneka, a chief of Production Unit of ethylene halogen derivatives, their polymers and copolymers. – And for output of covering film and bag hose was used linear polyethylene of Company Аramco from Saudi Arabia, which also has its representations in Europe. But price difference for the feedstock for films output was really substantial. Purchase of PE of trade mark Dowlex was also considerably more expensive due to small scopes that were ordered for supplies. However, the issue of money expenses for the aforesaid feedstock was eventually and finally solved by us.
– For film output for pallets wrapping by PE of our own production was used approximately 5 tons per month or in total 60 tones per year a linear PE of company Dowlex, – adds to the interview Yaroslav Shepida, chief deputy of ethylene and polyethylene production. – But regarding quality and other indices it actually did not show any advantages compared with PE of Company Аramco. That is why our target was to change over the production of all types of films to linear polyethylene of Аramco and correspondingly to refuse from expensive PE of American Company.
To implement this was necessary to work with technical documentation, to search for required
information on websites, to select process parameters of extruder operation for films output, etc. Engineer-technical personnel of the Unit were also involved to this activity, and jointly we solved the issue regarding the wrapping film output, using linear polyethylene and additives of company Аramco. Then was determined the mode of extruder operation, amount, parameters and recipe of PE and additives, was described the entire production process and discussed with operators. First of all we produced a trial batch of film – 400 kg. Laboratory analysis of mechanic, gluing and other film properties was made. The results were as we expected. Concerning gluing properties, it was even better, and for mechanic properties not worse than the wrapping film, produced from linear PE of American Company Dowlex. And it gave reason to refuse from PE of the above-mentioned company and to transfer to wrapping film production of Company Аramco.
– Have you already set up the mass production of this film?
– Starting from January, 4 at the Unit are being produced all three grades of film exclusively with use of linear PE of Company Аramco. In the first decade of January were produced more than 10 thousand tones of wrapping film. This amount will be enough for nearly two months. But in order not to exhaust fully the reserve of wrapping film, we’ll start in the second decade of February its second lot output of the identical amount.
– How much time is needed for production of 10 thousand tones of wrapping film?
– As a rule, such film amount is produced at the Unit for two days. There is no need to produce more, because in case it is not used longer than in one month, the adhesive properties of the film are changed.
– Which economic effect in monetary terms should be expected if during the current year for film products output would be exclusively used linear polyethylene of Company Аramco?
– If to consider only the production of wrapping film in the aforementioned scopes, the economic effect constitutes more than 500 thousand UAH/year.
Recorded by Vasyl TKACHUK
On the photo: Roman Malynyak, operator of assembly and packaging line of the Unit for ethylene halogen derivatives, their polymers and copolymers, is checking the adhesiveness of wrapping film.
