Polyreactor Jump

With the IV booster JUMP, the viscosity of polyester (PET) can be lifted to the required level for a given application.

Within the JUMP reactor, the polymer passes over several slow turning elements which create a polymer film, the surface of which is constantly renewed. The reactor vessel is kept under vacuum, through which ethylene glycol and other volatile substances are reliably removed. By regulating the residence time in the reactor, the vacuum, the fill level and the speed of rotation of the agitating devices, the polycondensation reaction can be altered to achieve the required product properties.

After passing through a stilling section in the reactor, the polymer melt is pumped either directly into the production process or into a pelletising (chip cutting) system.

The design of the JUMP prevents the ingress of oxygen, so discolouration (yellowing) of the polymer is minimized. Additionally, the JUMP is designed so that it is easily dismantled and the interior is easily accessible for cleaning.

The JUMP process is an extremely efficient alternative to a Solid State Polymerisation (SSP) as there is no energy needed to cool the polymer down and then reheat it. Further, the reaction time in the melt phase is considerably faster than in the solid phase, which also contributes to the better economics of the JUMP system. Last but not least, the JUMP offers advantages over an SSP in terms of space requirements and even maintenance.