DHI Direct High Intrinsic Viscosity

2 3
2 3
futured by Zimmer!
Introduction
DHI is the acronym for Direct High Intrinsic Viscosity. This
new polycondensation technology offers a very interesting
alternative to standard polycondensation. With this process,
Zimmer charts a new, economically attractive path for the
production of PET bottle granulate. DHI requires a lower
investment than the conventional process and, in addition,
also contributes to conserving resources and the environ-
ment.
The cost-benet ratio is perfect. With this technology, Zim-
mer provides its customers a competitive edge product and
a future-proof investment.
Direct High Intrinsic Viscosity process overview
The polymer produced in a standard melt polycondensation
process is characterized by high acetaldehyde content (AA)
and relatively low intrinsic viscosity (IV). Therefore, solid sta-
te polycondensation (SSP) is required as an additional step
for the production of bottle grade PET granulate.
The DHI process is based on Zimmers proven four-stage
melt plant design. However, the DHI unit directly produces
a high viscosity melt the additional SSP step is eliminated.
The melt is routed from the DHI polycondensation reactor
through a exible melt distribution system where it is conti-
nuously ltered and granulated.
The polymer ltration system features a unique design that
minimizes thermal stress. The granulation system is inte-
grated with a crystallization section that provides a highly
uniform, virtually dust-free granulate. The crystallized high
viscosity chips then pass through a dealdehydization unit
that reduces the AA content to levels that satisfy the most
taste-critical requirements. The nal DHI chips product can
be fed directly to a conventional preform unit.
DHI a flexible and future-oriented
process for PET chips production
DHI Direct High Intrinsic Viscosity
Standard polycondensation with SSP
DHI polycondensation

4 5
Advantages of DHI technology chips product quality
Bottle grade PET chips made using the DHI process offer
converters a number of advantages when compared to
conventional SSP chips. The table above summarizes some
of the key product quality differences.
Of course, DHI chips satisfy the basic market requirements
for PET resins for beverage, food and pharmaceutical
packaging applications AA, IV, DIV, COOH end groups,
melting point and color.
However, DHI extends the low AA benet to the preform
production step because DHI polymer is subjected to subs-
tantially lower thermal stress in the melt plant. The result:
DHI chips demonstrate a lower AA rebuild rate during
preforming than conventionally produced SSP chips. This
characteristic offers converters a clear economic benet
reduced AA scavenger consumption for taste-critical end
uses.
In addition, DHI chips have a lower deviation of viscosity.
This promotes more consistent processing conditions during
Product Parameter DHI chips SSP chips
Acetaldehyde content ppm < 1 < 1
Viscosity dl/g 0.65 0.84 0.75 0.84
Deviation of viscosity dl/g 0.01 0.02
COOH end groups mmol/kg 40 40
Melting point* C 248 252 248 252
Color b-value Hunter Lab 1.0 1.0
Off-white chips 0 Normally not specied
High-high IV dust content ppm 0 Normally not specied
Degree of crystallinity** % 52 56
Heat of fusion kJ/kg < 45 > 52
Preform processing temp C ~ 265 ~ 285
* DSC method, normal copolymer recipes ** Basis: normal IPA; DEG copolymer recipes
preforming and blow-molding as well as more consistent
mechanical properties in the nal package.
DHI chips have a more consistent appearance no off-
white chips. And, due to the spherical shape of the chips
and elimination of mechanically rigorous crystallization
steps found in the SSP, there is no high-high IV dust in the
chips product. These two characteristics result in better
preform color, clarity and overall appearance.
Advantages of DHI technology downstream proces-
sability
A central feature of the DHI process is the direct linking of
the granulation step with the crystallization step in order to
exploit the latent heat in the granulated polymer. For DHI
chips, the direction for latent heat crystallization is from
inside-to-outside. For chips passing through conventional
crystallization steps found in a SSP, the crystallization direc-
tion is from outside-to-inside. This results in a lower, more
consistent degree of crystallinity and a lower heat of fusion
for DHI chips as compared to any other commercially availa-
ble bottle grade PET chips.

Product parameters of DHI chips in comparison to conventional SSP chips
4 5
futured by Zimmer!

Chip crystal-
lization process
from outside to
inside
Crystallization
process with
low IV melt
Latent heat
crystallization
from inside to
outside
IV
[dl/g]
0.81
IV
[dl/g]
0.80
IV
[dl/g]
0.80
HOF
[kJ/kg]
57
HOF
[kJ/kg]
78
HOF
[kJ/kg]
42
DOC
[%]
56
DOC
[%]
unable
to
measure
DOC
[%]
48
HOF: Heat of fusion,
DOC: Degree of crystallization, using graduated measuring column
Analytical results from actual chips samples
Having a lower heat of fusion combined with a lower, more
consistent degree of crystallinity offers preform producers
greater operating exibility. For example, a producer can
operate the preform machine with a lower temperature
prole, thereby further reducing energy costs as well as AA
rebuild without compromising appearance.
In production trials on commercial scale machines, preforms
made from DHI chips were still haze-free at processing tem-
peratures 10K to 20K lower than preforms made from
conventional SSP chips. This is shown in the photos below.
Commercial bottle grade PET chips DHI chips
Average preform machine processing temperature
(shown in white)
Clearly, bottle grade PET resin produced using DHI techno-
logy offers a range of quality advantages and exibility for
the resin producer as well as the converter
DHI economic advantages lower raw materials cost
By eliminating the SSP, the DHI process also eliminates the
losses associated with the SSP step. These losses including
un-recovered EG, dust, spillage and drying can range
from 3 to 6 kilograms per ton of chips product*.
Because the SSP-related losses are not relevant in DHI, raw
materials cost per ton of chips product is reduced. Examples
of estimated raw materials cost savings** for DHI plants
with selected capacities are shown in the table below.
Capacity
tons/day
Estimated savings
E/year
440 600 000 800 000
660 900 000 1 200 000
1320 1 800 000 2 400 000
* Common guarantee gures from SSP plant suppliers;
actual losses depend on SSP conguration selected
** Includes PTA, MEG and IPA only; prices from PCI, European basis,
4th quarter, 2005
Typical SSP chip Low IV chip High IV Zimmer DHI chip
265C 260C 255C 260C 255C 250C
6 7
DHI economic advantages 17% lower conversion cost
The DHI process eliminates some process steps while
combining others. The result is a more labor and energy
efcient production process. The chart above shows how
several cost-intensive steps are eliminated in a DHI plant as
compared to a conventional melt plant with a SSP.
Eliminating cost-intensive steps and combining other steps
results in a conversion cost savings of 17%. For this compa-
rison, conversion cost includes utilities, additives and direct
manufacturing labor raw materials PTA, IPA and EG are
excluded. Major cost savings are derived from eliminating:
Re-heat and re-cool cycle in the SSP
Nitrogen consumption and the related nitrogen puri-
cation unit
Energy-consuming conventional crystallization units
At least one chips conveying step
SSP labor, maintenance and other overheads

DHI economic advantages 15% lower plant invest-

ment
Eliminating the SSP and combining other process steps has
a signicant effect on the plant investment. Specically, the
DHI plant investment will be 15% lower than the invest-
ment in a conventional plant. For this comparison, the plant
investment includes process equipment and basic enginee-
ring; excluded are land, erection, utilities and off-sites. The
investment savings are applicable for capacities ranging
from 440 t/d to more than 1300 t/d.
Overall project investment savings are derived from:
No SSP plant, no nitrogen purication unit
No intermediate product storage or handling
Reduced plant footprint and reactor building volume
Reduced utilities and auxiliary systems

DHI plant Melt plant + SSP

Chips conveying Compressed air

Chips quenching
with water
Hot nitrogen
Chips cooling,
ambient air
Compressed air
Nitrogen to NPU
Amorphous chips
intermediate storage
SSP pre-crystallizer
and crystallizers
SSP reactor through
cooler/deduster

Chips conveying Compressed air

Hot chips conveying Hot nitrogen

Chips conveying to
storage and bagging

Chips DAH
through cooler

Polymer plant up
through granulation
Polymer plant up through
granulation/crystallization
AA reduction
with hot air
Chips cooling,
ambient air
Compressed air Chips conveying to
storage and bagging

Air to treatment
Nitrogen to NPU

Chips conveying Hot air

6 7
futured by Zimmer!
DHI technology demonstration
Zimmer has a fully operational DHI pilot plant in Frankfurt.
All demonstration trials for continuous operation have been
completed, including conrmation of process conditions
and product recipes and fulllment of all chips product
quality targets.
DHI chips have been produced for full-scale scale qualica-
tion trials on commercial preform machines at well-known
machine and preform producers in Europe. DHI-based
preforms have been blown into bottles for mainstream
applications by respected brand owners. In all cases, DHI
chips and DHI-based preforms have fullled or exceeded
the most stringent performance requirements.
DHI technology the right choice
The global market for bottle grade PET continues to drive
lower costs and greater process integration and exibility
across the production chain. In step with these ongoing
trends, Zimmers DHI technology demonstrates better chips
product quality and downstream performance of the resin
than conventional SSP chips product.
DHI offers an innovative, environmentally sound, lower cost
approach to bottle grade PET chips production important
advantages investors can count on!
DHI technology positioned for future expansion
On one hand, DHI can be used as a stand-alone unit repre-
senting an attractive and secure investment for bottle grade
PET chips production.
On the other hand, the DHI process is exible and future-
oriented for changing market requirements. The plant can
easily be expanded at any time but an increase in capacity
is not the only option. Rather, the scope of products can
also be expanded to include simultaneous production of
preforms directly from the melt phase together with chips.
This is Zimmers DTP (Direct To Preform) process a process
concept analogous to the direct spinning model in the ber
industry.
In DTP, specially modied preform machines are connected
directly to the melt distribution system. This eliminates
all costs associated with handling the intermediate chips
product. It gives the preform producer direct control over
polymer supply, quality and cost a potentially attractive
business model. DTP is a classic example of exible, vertical
integration for future-minded producers seeking a compe-
titive edge.
Pilot plant preform machine
DHI pilot plant
1.07
Lurgi Zimmer GmbH
Lurgiallee 5
60295 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
www.lurgi.com