Infrared heating modeling of recycled PET preforms in injection stretch blow molding process

Relatively recent citizen’s consciousness about plastic pollution forces industrial actors of packaging to re-invent their shaping processes and materials. Specifically, for bottle industry shaping, classical Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) material is little by replaced recycled PET (rPET). The change in composition due recycling loops leads an inevitable adaptation the Injection Stretch Blow Molding (ISBM) process used shape bottles at a satisfactory production rate. Indeed, rPET contains contaminants which modify its optical properties, so heating stage becomes material-dependent unstable regarding polymer supplier. approach adopted this article build numerical model able simulate infrared preforms, sensitive enough predict changes temperature To do so, properties 50% 100% are measured spectrometry implemented simulation. Thermal radiative heat transfer between lamps preforms simulated ray tracing method using in-house software so-called RAYHEAT. Then, result computation as input source thermal simulation commercial COMSOL Multiphysic® order distribution preform. results then confronted experimental ones obtained on research pilot, instrumented with thermography. show that end cycle grade 8 °C higher than virgin one. Also, simulations confirm difference attributed properties. Finally, sufficient forming 8% less energy consuming PET.