Supercritical CO2 Continuous Bead Foaming Extrusion Line
Features
The Continuous Bead Foaming Extrusion Line is designed to produce expandable polymer foam beads through a continuous physical foaming process. Unlike traditional batch pre-expansion methods, this system integrates plasticizing, gas injection, foaming, pelletizing, and stabilization into one fully automated continuous production line.
Compared with traditional chemical foaming or steam pre-expansion methods, this technology provides:
1.Cleaner production
2.More uniform microcellular structure
3.Precise density control
4.Lower environmental impact
5.Fully continuous and automated operation
Process Flow
It consists of a loading system, dehumidification drying system, metering system, twin screw extruder, vacuum system, foaming gas injection system, melt pump, single screw extruder, underwater pelletizing system, dewatering machine, and vibrating sieve.
Technical Specification
| Machine size | CBF-20 | CBF-50 | CBF-100 | CBF-150 | CBF-300 | CBF-500 |
| Throughput Rate | ~20kg/h | ~50kg/h | ~100kg/h | ~150kg/h | ~300kg/h | ~500kg/h |
| Foaming ratio | 3~30（adjustable） | |||||
Working Principle
Each component material is conveyed to the corresponding dehumidification drying tower through the vacuum loading system. The drying tower controls the feeding amount through a material level sensor. Hot air, dried within the tower, passes upward through the material, carrying away moisture. After dehumidification drying, the component materials pass through the transitional silo for cooling and are then fed to the twin-screw extruder in set proportions via a loss-in-weight feeder.
The twin screw extruder melts and plasticizes the materials. The vacuum exhaust system removes residual gas and volatile substances. The uniformly mixed materials are then quantitatively injected with various foaming gases in the twin screws. The high-pressure melt containing foaming gases is conveyed to the single-screw extruder by the melt pump. In this process, the foaming gases reach a supercritical state and dissolve in the resin to form a homogeneous melt.
The homogeneous melt is extruded through an underwater pelletizing die into a water chamber. The cutting blades at the end of the die quickly cut the melt into small pellets, which foam and expand in the water and then cool. Meanwhile, the foamed particles are transported to a dewatering machine, where they are dehydrated and discharged, with any defective particles removed by a vibrating sieve. The production process only requires adjustments to the raw material ratio, gas injection volume, process parameters, and cutter speed to produce foam beads of different densities and particle sizes.
Advantages
Can use commercially available biodegradable raw materials and some of the production off cuts for direct foaming and molding, which greatly reduces energy consumption and production cycle time, and can significanty reduce raw material inventory and significantly improve production stability.
We pay great attention to the pollution problem of the production process from the preliminary research stage. through the original online chain expansion new process, optimized chain expansion system, significanty improve the melt strength of resin.while avoiding the formation of by-products. Through the use of supercritical carbon dioxide composite foaming direct extrusion foaming process. significanty reduce the emisstion of small molecules and the side materials of this technology can be completely recycled and reused. Our technology has no exhaust gas, waste water and waste residue emissions, in full compliance with environmental protection regulations, and is an advanced lightweight material manufacturing process.
Through the combination of advanced manufacturing and intelligent control you can automatically monitor and collect process data. automaticaly adjust and optimize the production process during the production process. so as to 8reatly reduce the labor level of operators, achieve full automatic operation of the production line, and have great advantages in reducing labor costs.reducing labor intensity of workers, and reducing the requirements of operators
Advantages Compared with Chemical Foaming：
| Supercritical CO₂ Continuous Process | Traditional Steam Process |
| Fully continuous extrusion | Batch pre-expansion |
| Clean & residue-free | Steam-based processing |
| Precise density control | Density variation |
| Lower energy consumption | Higher steam cost |
| More uniform microcells | Larger, less controlled cells |
The Continuous Bead Foaming Extrusion Line offers a high-efficiency, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly solution for producing expandable foam beads. It is ideal for manufacturers aiming at:
1.Automotive lightweighting
2.High-performance cushioning materials
3.Sustainable and recyclable foam solutions
4.Large-scale continuous production
