Recycled resin manufacturing method, manufacturing apparatus, manufacturing system, and program

Abstract

To provide a method for producing a recycled resin by which the recycled resin having a uniformized resin composition is obtained.SOLUTION: The method for manufacturing the recycled resin comprises a step of kneading a recovered resin, a step of measuring the spectrum of the kneaded recovered resin, and a step of adding an additive resin to the kneaded recovered resin and kneading the mixture. At this time, the method includes a step of changing at least one of the amount of the recovered resin to be kneaded and the amount of the additive resin to be added based on the measured spectrum.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method, an apparatus, a system, and a program for producing recycled resin. [Background technology]

[0002] Various methods have been investigated for recovering and processing so that reuseable resin components that are not put to practical use, such as resin components recovered from waste products (consumer materials) and resin components that do not meet the standards for products for sale (off-grade materials) that are inevitably produced in the manufacturing process (hereinafter, the recovered resin components are also simply referred to as "recovered resins," and resin components obtained by processing recovered resins into a form suitable for reuse are also simply referred to as "recycled resins").

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a granulator having an extruder that melts and kneads waste plastic material and extrudes it, and a molding device that granulates the molten plastic extruded by the extruder into pellets.

[0004] According to Patent Document 1, waste plastics to be recycled have different melt flow rates (MFR) depending on their morphology and physical properties, making it difficult to pelletize them into pellets with a specified MFR. To solve this problem, Patent Document 1 adds peroxide to polymer resins such as polyolefins to reduce their molecular weight. Specifically, the pelletizer described in Patent Document 1 includes a first extruder into which the waste plastic is fed and kneaded, and a second extruder installed downstream of the first extruder to feed peroxide into the molten plastic extruded from the first extruder. The pelletizer measures the MFR of the molten plastic extruded from the first extruder inline, and adjusts the amount of peroxide fed into the second extruder based on the measured MFR of the molten plastic, thereby producing pellets with a specified MFR. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-65092 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The granulator described in Patent Document 1 is expected to enable the production of pellets (recycled resin) having a predetermined MFR and viscosity from recovered resin. However, recovered resin is usually a mixture of multiple types of resin, so the recycled resin obtained with the granulator described in Patent Document 1 is also a mixture of multiple types of resin. Furthermore, since the ratio of resin contained in the recovered resin is not constant, the resulting recycled resin will also have a non-uniform resin ratio.

[0007] To address this issue, if the recovered resin is sorted using a sink-float separator, wind separator, or optical separator before being fed into the extruder, the resin content in the resulting pellets can be made more uniform to a certain extent. However, even with these sorters, it is difficult to separate resins with similar properties, such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), or resins of the same type but with different properties, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). For this reason, it has been difficult to obtain recycled resin with a uniform resin composition using conventional methods.

[0008] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a method for producing recycled resin that can obtain recycled resin with a uniform resin composition, a recycled resin production device and production system that can be used in the method, and a program that can implement the method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems relates to a method for producing recycled resin according to [1] to

[13] . [1] A step of kneading recovered resin; measuring a spectrum of the kneaded recovered resin; adding an additive resin to the kneaded recovered resin and kneading the resulting resin; and changing at least one of the amount of the recovered resin to be kneaded and the amount of the added resin to be added based on the measured spectrum. How recycled resin is produced. [2] The spectrum is at least one spectrum selected from the group consisting of a fluorescence spectrum, a fluorescent X-ray spectrum, an ultraviolet light absorption spectrum, a visible light absorption spectrum, a near-infrared light absorption spectrum, a mid-infrared light absorption spectrum, and a Raman spectrum. [1] A method for producing recycled resin. [3] The spectrum includes a near-infrared light absorption spectrum. [2] A method for producing recycled resin. [4] The spectrum includes an X-ray fluorescence spectrum. [2] or [3], the method for producing recycled resin. [5] A step of obtaining material information of the recovered resin from the measured spectrum. The method for producing the recycled resin according to any one of [1] to [4]. [6] The material information of the recovered resin includes at least one type of information selected from the group consisting of the resin type, density, comonomer amount, and compounding ratio of the recovered resin. [5] A method for producing recycled resin. [7] A step of measuring the viscosity of the kneaded recovered resin, In the changing step, the amount of the recovered resin to be kneaded or the amount of the added resin to be added is changed based on the measured viscosity and the measured spectrum. The method for producing the recycled resin according to any one of [1] to [6]. [8] The viscosity measurement is performed simultaneously with the spectrum measurement. [7] A method for producing recycled resin. [9] storing information about the measured spectrum; The method for producing the recycled resin according to any one of [1] to [8].

[10] A step of storing material information of the recovered resin obtained from the measured spectrum. [9] A method for producing recycled resin.

[11] The modifying step deriving material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum using a predictive model trained to derive material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum; calculating an amount of recovered resin or an amount of added resin required to obtain a recycled resin having predetermined properties from the derived material information of the recovered resin; and changing at least one of the amount of the recycled resin to be kneaded and the amount of the added resin to be added to the calculated amount. The method for producing the recycled resin according to any one of [1] to

[10] .

[12] The prediction model is retrained using material information of the recovered resin for the spectrum.

[11] A method for producing recycled resin.

[13] Obtaining quality information of the recovered resin based on the measured spectrum. The method for producing the recycled resin according to any one of [1] to

[12] .

[0010] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems relates to a recycled resin manufacturing apparatus according to

[14] .

[14] A first kneader for kneading the recovered resin; a second kneader that adds an additive resin to the kneaded recovered resin and kneads them together; a measurement unit for measuring a spectrum of the kneaded recovered resin; and changing at least one of the amount of recovered resin kneaded by the first kneader and the amount of added resin added by the second kneader based on the measured spectrum; Recycled resin manufacturing equipment.

[0011] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems relates to a recycled resin production system according to

[15] to

[17] .

[15]

[14] The recycled resin manufacturing apparatus according to

[14] , a computing device; the calculation device outputs at least one of the amount of recovered resin kneaded by the first kneader and the amount of added resin added by the second kneader from the spectrum acquired by the measurement unit; The recycled resin manufacturing device changes the amount of recovered resin kneaded by the first kneader or the amount of added resin added by the second kneader based on the amount of recovered resin or the amount of added resin output by the calculation device. Recycled resin manufacturing system.

[16] The computing device outputs material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum.

[15] A system for producing recycled resin.

[17] The computing device outputs quality information of the recovered resin from the spectrum.

[15] or

[16] . A system for producing recycled resin.

[0012] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems relates to the programs of

[18] to

[20] .

[18] A program that operates on the computing device of the recycled resin manufacturing system according to

[15] , obtaining information about the spectrum; outputting at least one of the amount of recovered resin kneaded by the first kneader and the amount of added resin added by the second kneader from information about the spectrum; causing the computing device to execute program.

[19] deriving material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum using a predictive model trained to derive material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum; and Calculating the amount of recovered resin or the amount of added resin required to obtain recycled resin having predetermined properties from the derived material information of the recovered resin; causing the computing device to perform the output by performing

[18] The program described in.

[20] The prediction model is retrained using material information of the recovered resin for the spectrum.

[19] The program described in. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, there are provided a method for producing recycled resin that can obtain recycled resin with a uniform resin composition, a recycled resin production device and production system that can be used in the method, and a program that can implement the method. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a kneading device (a manufacturing device for recycled resin) used in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main functional configuration of a recycled resin manufacturing system including a kneading device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the main device configuration of the computing device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the kneading device in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing of the computing device in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the kneading device in the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing of the computing device in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the kneading device in the third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing of the computing device in the third embodiment. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the process of retraining a predictive model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] 1. First embodiment In the following description, first, the recycled resin manufacturing device and manufacturing system used in this embodiment will be described, and then the operation of each device included in the manufacturing system and the method for manufacturing the recycled resin will be described.

[0016] 1. Recycled resin manufacturing system Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a kneading device 100 (a manufacturing device for recycled resin) used in a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the main functional configuration of a manufacturing system 200 for recycled resin, which includes the kneading device 100. The manufacturing system 200 has the kneading device 100 and a computing device 300.

[0017] 1-1. Kneading device 100 The kneading device 100 is a kneading device for melting and kneading recovered resin to regenerate it into a recycled resin having a predetermined resin composition.

[0018] Recovered resins are typically resin components recovered from waste products or resin components that are unavoidably produced during manufacturing processes but do not end up in the final product. These recovered resins contain a wide variety of resin types in varying ratios, metals other than resin, and additives such as pigments and release agents. After being crushed, the recovered resins are subjected to magnetic separation or other methods to remove metal components such as iron, and then separated into individual resin types using a sorting machine. However, even with these processes, it is nearly impossible to completely separate the individual components.

[0019] The kneading apparatus 100 is a tandem extruder having a first kneader 110, a second kneader 120 connected downstream of the first kneader 110, a communication unit 160 that connects the kneading apparatus 100 and a computing device 300 for communication with each other, and a pelletizer 170 connected downstream of the first kneader 110. The first kneader 110 is equipped with a thermometer 135 that measures the temperature of the resin when measuring the characteristics of the recovered resin (spectrum, viscosity, etc.; in this specification, "viscosity" refers to melt viscosity, which is the ratio of shear stress to shear rate), and a measurement unit 130 that measures the spectrum and viscosity of the recovered resin kneaded by the first kneader 110 in-line. The kneading apparatus 100 also has a control unit 150 that controls the operation of the first kneader 110, the second kneader 120, and the pelletizer 170.

[0020] The first kneader 110 is a kneader (extruder) for melting and kneading the recovered resin.

[0021] The first kneader 110 has a long cylindrical cylinder 112 (first cylinder), a screw 114 rotatably arranged in the inner bore of the cylinder 112, a hopper 116 for feeding recovered resin into the cylinder 112, and an extrusion section 118 for extruding the kneaded recovered resin.

[0022] The cylinder 112 is a container for kneading the collected resin introduced therein with a screw 114. The cylinder 112 may have a heating section for adjusting the temperature inside to melt the collected resin.

[0023] One or more screws 114 are arranged inside the cylinder 112 and are rotated by a motor (not shown) to knead the recovered resin inside the cylinder 112. A twin-screw extruder consisting of two screws can adjust its kneading characteristics by combining screw segments with various types of kneading characteristics, such as forward flight, kneading, and reverse flight, and can be selected appropriately depending on the type of resin and its physical properties. Furthermore, extruders consisting of multiple screw shafts can also be selected appropriately depending on the kneading performance.

[0024] The ratio (L / D) of the length (L) to the diameter (D) of the screw 114 is preferably 20 or more and 80 or less, more preferably 25 or more and 70 or less, and even more preferably 30 or more and 50 or less. By setting L / D to 20 or more, the three types of resin can be sufficiently melted and kneaded. By setting L / D to 80 or less, an excessive rise in resin temperature can be suppressed, and power consumption can be reduced.

[0025] The hopper 116 is an inlet for feeding the recovered resin into the cylinder 112. The hopper 116 has a storage section 116a, which is a container for temporarily storing the recovered resin before it is fed into the first kneader 110. The storage section 116a has an agitator 116b inside the container, and the stored recovered resin can be agitated by the agitator 116b.

[0026] The agitator 116b can be a dry blender such as a tumble mixer, a V-blender, a ribbon blender, a two-roll mixer, a shaker, or a buffer tank with a rotor inside.

[0027] Alternatively, from the viewpoint of reducing fluctuations in the properties of the recovered resin poured from storage section 116a into cylinder 112 by increasing the volume of storage section 116a, it is preferable that the volume of storage section 116a be larger than the capacity of cylinder 112. For example, it is preferable that the volume of storage section 116a be three times or more the capacity of cylinder 112, and more preferably five times or more the capacity of the cylinder.

[0028] The hopper 116 changes the amount of recovered resin fed in accordance with the spectrum of the recovered resin melted and kneaded in the first kneader 110, measured by the measurement unit 130. Control for changing the amount of recovered resin fed from the hopper 116 will be described later.

[0029] The filtration unit 117 filters the kneaded resin composition. The filtration unit 117 removes foreign matter such as soil and sand contained in the recovered resin, thereby preventing the foreign matter from being mixed into the recycled resin. The filtration unit 117 can be a known filter.

[0030] The extrusion unit 118 is connected to one end of the resin flow path 140, and extrudes the recovered resin that has been fed into the cylinder 112 and melted and kneaded by the rotation of the screw 114 into the resin flow path 140 that is connected to the second kneader 120. The extrusion unit 118 can be a known gear pump or the like.

[0031] The resin flow path 140 is a flow path through which the recycled resin extruded from the extrusion section 118 flows in a molten state. The resin flow path 140 is provided with a measurement section 130. The resin flow path 140 may also have a heating section for adjusting the temperature inside the flow path to cause the recycled resin to flow.

[0032] Needless to say, the configuration of the kneading apparatus 100 is not limited to this. For example, the recycled resin kneaded in the cylinder 112 of the first kneader 110 and passed through the filtration section 117 may be passed through the die, static mixer, gear pump, screen changer, measurement section 130, and second kneader 120 in this order. Alternatively, the recycled resin kneaded in the cylinder 112 of the first kneader 110 and passed through the filtration section 117 may be passed through the die, measurement section 130, gear pump, screen changer, and extruder in this order. As in the first example, a static mixer may be installed immediately before the measurement section 130. Installing a static mixer immediately before the measurement section 130, which has the effect of exchanging the position of the wall surface and the center of the pipe, is thought to minimize the effect of the recycled resin melted and kneaded in the first kneader 110 remaining on the inner wall surface of the connected conduit, thereby improving the stability of the spectrum and viscosity measurement values.

[0033] The second kneader 120 is a kneader (extruder) that adds other resins (hereinafter simply referred to as "additive resins") to the recovered resin kneaded in the first kneader 110 and further melts and kneads them to obtain recycled resin.

[0034] Specifically, the second kneader 120 has a long cylindrical cylinder 122 (second cylinder), a screw 124 arranged in the inner bore of the cylinder 122 so as to be rotatable, an inlet 126a for introducing the recovered resin melted and kneaded by the first kneader 110 into the cylinder 122, a hopper 126b for introducing added resin into the cylinder 122, a hopper 126c for introducing additives into the cylinder 122, and an extrusion section 128 for extruding the kneaded recovered resin.

[0035] The cylinder 122 is a container for kneading the resin components introduced therein with a screw 124. The cylinder 122 may have a heating section for adjusting the internal temperature to melt the resin components.

[0036] One or more screws 124 are arranged inside the cylinder 122 and are rotated by a motor (not shown) to knead the resin components inside the cylinder 122. A twin-screw extruder consisting of two screws can adjust the kneading characteristics by combining screw segments with various types of kneading characteristics, such as forward flight, kneading, and reverse flight, so can be selected appropriately depending on the type of resin and its physical properties. Furthermore, extruders consisting of multiple screw shafts can also be selected appropriately depending on the kneading performance.

[0037] The ratio (L / D) of the length (L) to the diameter (D) of the screw 124 is preferably 20 or more and 80 or less, more preferably 25 or more and 70 or less, and even more preferably 30 or more and 50 or less. By setting L / D to 20 or more, the three types of resin can be sufficiently melted and kneaded. By setting L / D to 80 or less, an excessive rise in resin temperature can be suppressed, and power consumption can be reduced.

[0038] The inlet 126a is connected to the other end of the resin flow path 140, and introduces the recovered resin that has been melted and kneaded in the first kneader 110 and extruded from the extrusion section 118 from the resin flow path 140 into the interior of the cylinder 122 of the second kneader 120.

[0039] Hopper 126b is an inlet for introducing additive resin into cylinder 122. The additive resin is a resin with a known composition, and is added to and mixed with recovered resin to adjust the composition of the recovered resin within a predetermined range. The additive resin may be the same type of resin as the recovered resin, or may be a different type of resin from the recovered resin.

[0040] Hopper 126b may have only a single inlet for introducing one type of additive resin, or may have multiple inlets for introducing multiple different types of additive resins.

[0041] Hopper 126c is an inlet for introducing additives such as crosslinking agents, peroxides, chain extenders, colorants, deodorizers, fragrances, stabilizers, antioxidants, and nucleating agents, as well as fillers such as rubber, talc, and calcium carbonate, into cylinder 122. Reinforcing fiber materials such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, and organic fiber can also be added. These components other than the recovered resin and the additive resin are hereinafter also referred to as additives. The additive resin and additives introduced from hoppers 126b and 126c may be injected into the second kneader via a side feeder.

[0042] Hopper 126b changes the amount of additive resin fed in accordance with the spectrum of the recovered resin melted and kneaded in first kneader 110, measured by measurement unit 130. Hopper 126c also changes the amount of additives and the like fed in accordance with the spectrum of the recovered resin melted and kneaded in first kneader 110, measured by measurement unit 130. Control for changing the amount of additive resin fed from hopper 126b will be described later.

[0043] The extrusion section 128 has a die and the like, and extrudes the recycled resin having a predetermined composition that has been melt-kneaded by the first kneader 110 and the second kneader 120 .

[0044] The measurement unit 130 is an in-line measurement device and includes a spectrometer 132 (optical measurement device) that measures spectra such as a fluorescence spectrum, a fluorescent X-ray spectrum, an ultraviolet light absorption spectrum, a visible light absorption spectrum, a near-infrared light absorption spectrum (IR spectrum), a mid-infrared absorption spectrum, and a Raman spectrum. The spectrometer 132 may include only one type of measurement device that measures one of these spectra, or may include multiple types of measurement devices that measure multiple of these spectra.

[0045] In addition to the optical measuring device, the measuring unit 130 may also include a viscometer 134. The viscometer 134 may be, for example, an in-line viscosity measuring device as described in R. Gendron, LE Daigneault, J. Cell. Plast., 35, 221 (1999) or M. Lee, CB Park, C. Tzoganakis, Polym. Eng. Sci., 39, 99 (1999). Alternatively, a viscometer having a viscosity measurement pipe as described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-075959 by the present inventor may also be used. The measuring unit 130 may also be an integrated optical measuring device and viscometer. The viscosity measured here is the so-called melt viscosity, which means the melt viscosity measured under commonly used measurement conditions for melt-kneaded resins. However, viscosity measurements at other temperatures and shear rates can also be easily converted to melt viscosities at different temperatures and shear rates using known relationships.

[0046] The resin flow path 140 is a flow path that connects the first kneader 110 and the second kneader 120, and has a diameter and structure that allows the recovered resin melted and kneaded in the first kneader 110 to flow through it. The resin flow path 140 may have a valve (not shown) for controlling the movement of the recovered resin melted and kneaded from the first kneader 110 to the second kneader 120. The resin flow path 140 may also have a heating unit (not shown) for heating the recovered resin moving inside it to maintain its fluidity.

[0047] The thermometer 135 is placed in the same position as the measurement unit 130, and measures the temperature of the resin when measuring the spectrum and viscosity. The thermometer 135 may be any known thermometer.

[0048] The pelletizer 170 may be a pelletizer of a known type, such as a strand cut type, a watering hot cut type, or an underwater cut type.

[0049] The operations of the first mixer 110, the second mixer 120 and the measuring unit 130 are controlled by a control unit 150.

[0050] The control unit 150 may be a known computer, and may be realized by a calculator such as a server, a personal computer (PC), a smartphone, or a tablet. For example, the control unit 150 may have a drive device, a storage device, a memory device, a processor, and a user interface (UI) device, which are interconnected via a common bus. The control unit 150 controls the operation of each component of the kneading apparatus 100.

[0051] The control unit 150 converts the spectrum of the recovered resin acquired by the measurement unit 130 into spectral information in a transmittable data format, and then causes the communication unit 160 to transmit the converted spectral information to the computing device 300.

[0052] In addition, when the communication unit 160 receives change information from the computing device 300, the control unit 150 changes the amount of recovered resin that the hopper 116 of the first kneader 110 puts into the cylinder 112, or the amount of added resin that the hopper 126b of the second kneader 120 puts into the cylinder 122, in accordance with the change information.

[0053] 1-2. Computing device 300 The calculation device 300 is a computer that calculates, from the spectrum measured by the spectrometer 132 in the kneading device 100, the amount of recovered resin to be fed into the first kneader 110 or the amount of added resin to be fed into the second kneader 120 in order to obtain recycled resin having a desired composition.

[0054] The computing device 300 may be realized by a calculator such as a server, a personal computer (PC), a smartphone, a tablet, etc. For example, the computing device 300 may include a drive device 301, a storage device 302, a memory device 303, a processor 304, a user interface (UI) device 305, and a communication device 306, which are interconnected via a common bus B as shown in FIG.

[0055] Programs or external instructions that realize various functions and processes in the computing device 300 may be stored on a removable storage medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory) or flash memory. When the storage medium is inserted into the drive device 301, the programs or instructions are installed from the storage medium into the storage device 302 or memory device 303 via the drive device 301. However, the programs or instructions do not necessarily have to be installed from a storage medium, and may be downloaded from any external device via a network or the like.

[0056] The storage device 302 is realized by a hard disk drive or the like, and stores installed programs or instructions as well as files and data used to execute the programs or instructions. The storage device 302 also functions as a memory unit 380, which will be described later.

[0057] The memory device 303 is realized by a random access memory, a static memory, etc., and when a program or an instruction is activated, it reads and stores a program, an instruction, data, etc. from the storage device 302. The storage device 302, the memory device 303, and the removable storage medium may be collectively referred to as a non-transitory storage medium.

[0058] The processor 304 may be realized by one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units), GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), processing circuitry, etc., which may be composed of one or more processor cores, and performs various functions and processes of the computing device 300 in accordance with programs, instructions, and data for executing the programs or instructions stored in the memory device 303.

[0059] The user interface (UI) device 305 may be composed of input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, camera, and microphone, output devices such as a display, speaker, headset, and printer, and input / output devices such as a touch panel, and realizes an interface between a user and the computing device 300. For example, a user can operate the computing device 300 by manipulating a GUI (Graphical User Interface) displayed on a display or touch panel using a keyboard, mouse, etc. The user interface (UI) device 305 also functions as a display unit 360, which will be described later.

[0060] The communication device 306 is realized by various communication circuits that execute wired or wireless communication processing with communication networks such as external devices, the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), a cellular network, etc. The communication device 306 also functions as a communication unit 310, which will be described later.

[0061] It should be noted that the above-described hardware configuration is merely an example, and the computing device 300 may be realized by other appropriate hardware configurations.

[0062] The upper right portion of FIG. 2 shows a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the computing device 300.

[0063] 2, the calculation device 300 has a communication unit 310, a material information output unit 320, a resin amount calculation unit 330, a quality information output unit 340, a quality adjustment unit 350, a display unit 360, a determination unit 370, and a storage unit 380. The calculation device 300 may be realized by a program that causes one or more processors 304 to function as these functional units. Note that, although the calculation device 300 is shown in FIG. 2 as having the storage unit 380, the kneading device may have the storage unit, or separate storage devices connected to both the calculation device 300 may be used.

[0064] The communication unit 310 connects the kneading device 100 and the computing device 300 for communication with each other via the communication device 306. The communication method between these devices may be wireless communication or wired communication.

[0065] The material information output unit 320 obtains information about the characteristics of the recovered resin (hereinafter simply referred to as "material information") from the spectral information. In this embodiment, the material information output unit 320 obtains information about the resin types contained in the recovered resin and their blending ratios (composition of the recovered resin) from the IR spectrum or Raman spectrum included in the spectral information. The material information output unit may also obtain information about the density and comonomer amount of the recovered resin and use it in the following processes.

[0066] The method for obtaining the material information is not particularly limited. For example, a prediction model (material information prediction model) trained to derive predicted values ​​of material information from spectral information may be used, or comparison data between spectral information and material information stored in the storage unit 380 or the like (for example, a correspondence table between the positions and intensities of peaks in a spectrum and resins having the peaks) may be collated to obtain material information corresponding to the spectral information.

[0067] The resin amount calculation unit 330 calculates the amount of recovered resin to be input into the first kneader 110 or the amount of added resin to be input into the second kneader 120 in order to obtain recycled resin having a desired composition, based on the material information acquired by the material information output unit 320. A specific example of the calculation method will be described later.

[0068] The quality information output unit 340 obtains information about substances contained in the recovered resin that affect the quality of the recycled resin (hereinafter simply referred to as "quality information") from the spectral information. In this embodiment, the quality information output unit 340 obtains the amount of specific elements contained in the recovered resin (the quality of the recovered resin) from the IR spectrum, Raman spectrum, or fluorescent X-ray spectrum contained in the spectral information. Examples of specific elements include cadmium, lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, and bromine, which are required by the RoHS regulations in Europe.

[0069] The method for obtaining the quality information is not particularly limited. For example, a prediction model (quality information prediction model) trained to derive a predicted value of the quality information from the spectrum information may be used, or the obtained spectrum information may be compared with comparison data between the spectrum information and the quality information stored in the storage unit 380 or the like.

[0070] The material information prediction model and the quality information prediction model are each trained to receive spectral information of a resin composition as input and to obtain predicted values ​​for material information and quality information of the resin composition. The material information prediction model may be trained to receive information on an IR spectrum or a Raman spectrum as input and to obtain information on the resin type and its amount as material information. The quality information prediction model may be trained to receive information on one or more of an IR spectrum, a Raman spectrum, and a fluorescent X-ray spectrum as input and to obtain the amount of a specific element as quality information.

[0071] The prediction model can be realized as a machine learning model such as a neural network model, but is not limited to this and may be realized by other models that can derive predicted values ​​of material information or quality information from spectral information, such as equations derived by statistical analysis such as multiple regression equations.

[0072] The material information prediction model can be trained using a training data set consisting of spectral information and material information. For example, when the material information prediction model is realized as a neural network model, the spectral information of the training data set is input to the prediction model to be trained, and a processing result is obtained from the prediction model to be trained. Then, parameters of the prediction model are adjusted to reduce the error between the processing result and the material information of the training data set. Such parameter adjustment is continued until a predetermined training end condition is satisfied. Here, the training process may be performed by a training device within the user who uses the kneading apparatus 100 or the computing device 300, or by a training device owned by an external vendor, etc.

[0073] Similarly, the quality information prediction model can be trained using a training data set consisting of spectral information and quality information. For example, when the quality information prediction model is realized as a neural network model, the spectral information of the training data set is input to the prediction model to be trained, and a processing result is obtained from the prediction model to be trained. Then, parameters of the prediction model are adjusted to reduce the error between the processing result and the quality information of the training data set. Such parameter adjustment is continued until a predetermined training end condition is satisfied. Here, the training process may be performed by a training device within the user who uses the kneading apparatus 100 or the computing device 300, or by a training device owned by an external vendor, etc.

[0074] The quality adjustment unit 350 determines how to improve the quality of the recycled resin based on the quality information. For example, if the recovered resin contains odorous substances, it may decide to add a substance that dilutes the odorous substances, or a deodorizer or fragrance from the hopper 126c of the second kneader 120 to the cylinder 122. Also, if the recovered resin contains toxic substances or the like that pose a safety risk to the recycled resin, it may decide to stop production of the recycled resin.

[0075] The display unit 360 displays the material information output by the material information output unit 320, the quality information obtained by the quality information output unit 340, the judgment result output by the judgment unit 370, and the like using the above-mentioned user interface device 305.

[0076] The determination unit 370 determines whether the data obtained by and output from each component of the calculation device are normal. For example, when a numerical value that the kneading device 100 cannot perform, a numerical value that cannot produce recycled resin, or an obviously abnormal numerical value is detected in each component, the determination unit 370 causes each component to reprocess so that a normal numerical value is output, or causes the display unit 360 to display an error so that the user can decide whether to continue or stop the production of recycled resin.

[0077] The storage unit 380 stores the outputs of the material information output unit 320, the resin amount calculation unit 330, the quality information output unit 340, and the quality adjustment unit 350. The storage unit 380 may also store prepared information related to the production of recycled resin, such as comparison data between spectral information and material information, or comparison data between spectral information and quality information.

[0078] 2. Method for producing recycled resin (first embodiment) Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the kneading device 100 in the first embodiment for carrying out the method for producing recycled resin using the above-described recycled resin production system 200. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing of the calculation device 300 in the first embodiment.

[0079] 2-1. Determining the amount of recovered resin to be added (step S101) First, as shown in Fig. 4, the control unit 150 of the kneading device 100 determines the amount of recovered resin to be fed to the first kneader 110. At the start of the production of recycled resin, the amount of recovered resin to be fed is not particularly limited, and may be a predetermined amount depending on the volumes of the cylinders 112 and 122 and the composition of the recycled resin to be obtained. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the initial setting is to knead 60 parts by mass of recovered resin in the first kneader 110 and add 40 parts by mass of added resin in the second kneader 120 to produce recycled resin.

[0080] 2-2. Adding recovered resin (step S102) Next, the hopper 116 of the first kneader 110 pours the recovered resin in the amount determined in the previous step (step S101) into the cylinder 112. Specifically, the hopper 116 pours the recovered resin temporarily stored in the storage unit 116a in the amount determined in the previous step (step S101) into the cylinder 112. Note that the control unit 150 controls the cylinder 112 (or the heating unit) so that the temperature inside the cylinder 112 in this step is set to a temperature at which the recovered resin melts or flows.

[0081] At this time, the agitator 116b agitates the recovered resin stored inside the storage unit 116a, thereby making it possible to suppress sudden and uneven viscosity fluctuations in the recovered resin being fed.

[0082] 2-3. First kneading (step S103) Next, the first kneader 110 kneads the recovered resin that has been poured into the cylinder 112 and is molten (first kneading). Specifically, the first kneader 110 rotates the screw 114 at a rotation speed controlled by the control unit 150 to knead the recovered resin, and moves the kneaded recovered resin toward the outlet of the cylinder 112 (toward the extrusion unit 118).

[0083] The recovered resin is melted and fluidized by the kneading. The fluidized recovered resin is extruded from the extrusion section 118. The extruded recovered resin flows through the resin flow path 140 and is introduced into the cylinder 122 from the inlet 126a of the second kneader 120.

[0084] 2-4. Acquisition of spectrum (step S104) Next, the spectrometer 132 measures the spectrum of the recovered resin flowing through the resin flow path 140. The spectrum to be measured may be any one or more of the above-mentioned fluorescent spectrum, fluorescent X-ray spectrum, ultraviolet light absorption spectrum, visible light absorption spectrum, near-infrared light absorption spectrum, and Raman spectrum. In this embodiment, the spectrometer 132 preferably measures at least a spectrum capable of analyzing the type and amount of resin contained in the recovered resin, specifically an IR spectrum or a Raman spectrum.

[0085] 2-5. Transmission of Spectral Information (Step S105) Next, the control unit 150 converts the measured spectrum into spectral information in a transmittable data format, and then causes the communication unit 160 to transmit the converted spectral information to the computing device 300.

[0086] 2-6. Receiving spectrum information (step S201) 5, the communication unit 310 of the calculation device 300 receives the spectrum information transmitted from the communication unit 160 of the kneading device 100. If the determination unit 370 checks the spectrum information and determines that the value is normal, the calculation device 300 performs the following processes.

[0087] 2-7. Obtaining material information (Step S202) The material information output unit 320 acquires material information from the spectral information. Specifically, the material information output unit 320 inputs the spectral information into the above-described material information prediction model and acquires the material information as a derived output value. Alternatively, the material information output unit 320 may compare the spectral information with the material information to acquire material information corresponding to the spectral information. In this embodiment, the spectral information used by the material information output unit 320 is an IR spectrum or a Raman spectrum, and the acquired material information is information regarding the resin types and their blending ratios contained in the recovered resin.

[0088] Then, the computing device 300 stores the received spectrum information and the output material information in the storage unit 380.

[0089] 2-8. Calculation of resin amount (step S203) Next, based on the material information, the resin amount calculation unit 330 calculates the amounts of recovered resin and added resin to be mixed in the second mixer 120 to obtain recycled resin with the desired composition, and the proportions of each resin in the added resin.

[0090] For example, assume that this embodiment produces recycled resin with a composition of 70% HDPE and 30% PP by mass. The composition (material information) of the recovered resin acquired by the material information output unit 320 is 55% HDPE and 45% PP by mass. To obtain the recycled resin with the above composition, 40 parts by mass of the recovered resin is mixed in the first mixer 110 and 60 parts by mass of the additive resin is added in the second mixer 120. The additive resins are added to the second mixer 120 in a ratio of 80% HDPE and 20% PP by mass. The resin amount calculation unit 330 then calculates the amount of the recycled resin to be obtained from the recovered resin with the above composition: 40 parts by mass of recovered resin and 60 parts by mass of additive resin, with the additive resin being 80% HDPE and 20% PP by mass (referred to as "Calculation Result 1").

[0091] The recycled resin may contain three or more resins, not just two. For example, to obtain a recycled resin having a composition of 60% HDPE, 10% LDPE, and 30% PP from recycled resin having the aforementioned composition (55% HDPE by mass and 45% PP by mass), 60 parts by mass of the recycled resin is mixed in the first mixer 110 and 40 parts by mass of the additive resin is added in the second mixer 120. The additive resins are added to the second mixer 120 in proportions of 68% HDPE, 25% LDPE, and 7% PP by mass. The resin amount calculation unit 330 calculates the amount of the recycled resin to be obtained from the recycled resin (referred to as "Calculation Result 2"): "60 parts by mass of recovered resin, 40 parts by mass of additive resin, including 68% HDPE, 25% LDPE, and 7% PP."

[0092] Similarly, when the recovered resin contains three or more types of resin, the resin amount calculation unit 330 simply calculates the amount of recovered resin and added resin to obtain recycled resin having the desired composition, and the proportion of each resin in the added resin.

[0093] If the determination unit 370 checks the spectrum information and determines that the value is normal, the calculation device 300 performs the subsequent processes. Then, the calculation device 300 stores the calculated amounts of recovered resin and added resin, and the ratio of each resin in the added resin, in the storage unit 380.

[0094] The calculation device 300 may determine whether the calculated amounts of recovered resin and added resin and the ratios of each resin in the added resin are normal values ​​(for example, whether the values ​​are values ​​that cannot be used in the kneading device 100), and may store only values ​​that pass the determination in the storage unit 380 and use them for subsequent processing. At this time, if the calculated values ​​fail the determination, the calculation device 300 may specify conditions for calculating normal values ​​and cause the resin amount calculation unit 330 to perform recalculation, or may cause the display unit 360 to display an error message so that the user can decide whether to continue or stop the production of recycled resin.

[0095] 2-9. Sending change information (Step S204) Next, the communication unit 310 transmits the amounts of the recovered resin and the added resin calculated by the resin amount calculation unit 330 and the ratio of each resin in the added resin to the kneading apparatus 100 as change information for changing the amount of each resin to be kneaded by the second kneader 120 of the kneading apparatus 100. At this time, the communication unit 310 also transmits material information to the kneading apparatus 100 at the same time.

[0096] 2-9. Receiving change information (Step S106) Returning to FIG. 4, the control unit 150 of the kneading device 100 receives the change information transmitted from the communication unit 310 of the computing device 300.

[0097] 2-10. Comparison and change of amount of recovered resin input (steps S107, S108) Next, the control unit 150 compares the amount of collected resin included in the change information with the input amount of collected resin determined in step S101, and determines whether or not they match.

[0098] If they are different (step S107: NO), the control unit 150 changes the amount of recovered resin to be fed into the first kneader (step S108). For example, in the above calculation result 1, the amount of recovered resin included in the change information (40 parts by mass) is different from the amount of recovered resin to be fed (60 parts by mass) determined in step S101, so the control unit 150 changes the amount of recovered resin to be fed in step S108 to match the change information, and proceeds to the next step.

[0099] On the other hand, if they match (step S107: YES), the control unit 150 does not change the amount of recovered resin to be fed into the first mixer. For example, in the above calculation result 2, the amount of recovered resin included in the change information (60 parts by mass) matches the amount of recovered resin to be fed (60 parts by mass) determined in step S101, so the control unit 150 does not change the amount of recovered resin to be fed and proceeds to the next step.

[0100] 2-11. Determining the amount of added resin (step S109) Next, the control unit 150 determines the amount of additive resin to be added to the second kneader 120. The amount of additive resin to be added may be determined in accordance with the amount of additive resin to be added and the ratio of each resin included in the change information.

[0101] 2-12. Adding resin (step S110) Then, the hopper 126b feeds the added resin in the amount and ratio determined in the previous step (step S109) into the cylinder 122 of the second kneader 120. Note that the temperature inside the cylinder 122 in this step is set to a temperature at which the recovered resin and the added resin melt or flow, by control of the cylinder 122 (or the heating unit) by the control unit 150. Note that the added resin may be fed from a side feeder.

[0102] At this time, the hopper 126c also charges the above-mentioned additives into the second kneader 120 (inside the cylinder 122). At this time, additives such as crosslinking agents, chain extenders, and peroxides may be added to adjust the viscosity of the recycled resin. These additives can adjust the molecular weight of the recycled resin to further fine-tune the viscosity of the recycled resin, or to further increase the viscosity when the viscosity is not sufficiently increased by the added resin alone. The charging of these additives from the hopper 126c is performed under the control of the control unit 150. The additives may also be charged from a side feeder.

[0103] 2-13. Second kneading (7th step: step S111) Next, the second kneader 120 kneads the recovered resin and the added resin that are introduced into the cylinder 122 and melted inside the cylinder 122 (second kneading). Specifically, the second kneader 120 rotates the screw 124 at a rotation speed controlled by the control unit 150 to knead the recovered resin, and moves the kneaded recovered resin toward the outlet of the cylinder 122 (toward the extrusion unit 128).

[0104] By the above kneading, the recovered resin and the added resin are melted and kneaded in a predetermined ratio according to the composition of the recycled resin to be obtained. The kneaded recovered resin and added resin become a recycled resin and are extruded from extrusion unit 128. Extrusion unit 118 extrudes the recycled resin at a flow rate controlled by control unit 150.

[0105] 2-14. Pelletization (8th step: step S112) The extruded recycled resin is cut into pellets by a pelletizer 170 and stored in a storage container.

[0106] Furthermore, the kneading device 100 outputs a label on which the lot number, spectrum information, information on the recovered resin (material information, etc.), and information on the recycled resin (change information, etc.) are written, and attaches the label to the container.

[0107] In this way, in this embodiment, the spectrum of the kneaded recovered resin is measured, and the amount of recovered resin or the amount of added resin is changed based on the spectrum, making it possible to easily obtain recycled resin having the desired composition.

[0108] Note that recovered resin often comes from an undetermined source, and its viscosity often changes during the production of recycled resin. Therefore, if the amount of additive resin added is changed depending on the viscosity of the recovered resin, the flow rate of the recycled resin extruded from the second kneader 120 will also change. If the flow rate changes, the size of the pellets will change, and it may be necessary to change the size of the pelletizer 170 accordingly.

[0109] In this embodiment, when the above-described problems occur, the control unit 150 may optionally control the flow rate of the resin extruded from the second kneader 120. The flow rate can be controlled by various flow rate adjustment mechanisms. For example, the stirring conditions in the cylinder 112 (such as the rotation speed of the screw 114) may be changed, the stirring conditions in the cylinder 122 (such as the rotation speed of the screw 124) may be changed, the flow rate of the recovered resin extruded from the extrusion unit 118 by the gear pump may be changed, or the flow rate of the recycled resin extruded from the extrusion unit 128 may be changed.

[0110] 3. Method for producing recycled resin (second embodiment) Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the kneading device 100 in a second embodiment that implements a method for producing recycled resin using the above-described recycled resin production system 200. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing of the calculation device 300 in the second embodiment. Note that a description of operations or processing that are the same as those in the first embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences.

[0111] In this embodiment, the kneading device 100 first determines the amount of recovered resin to be added (step S101), then charges the determined amount of recovered resin into the cylinder 112 (step S102), and kneads it (step S103). These steps may be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0112] 3-1. Acquisition of spectrum (step S104) In this embodiment, in addition to the material information, the calculation device 300 also acquires quality information such as the amount of substances other than the resin components. Therefore, in step S104, the spectrometer 132 of the kneading device 100 preferably measures a spectrum, specifically a fluorescent X-ray spectrum, that can analyze the type and amount of substances other than the resin contained in the recovered resin, in addition to the above-mentioned IR spectrum or Raman spectrum. The measured spectrum is transmitted to the calculation device 300 as spectral information (step S105), as in the first embodiment.

[0113] 3-2. Acquisition of quality information (Step S301) In this embodiment, the computing device 300 receives the spectral information (step S201) and acquires quality information from the spectral information after the determining unit 370 determines that the spectral information is a normal value. Specifically, the quality information output unit 340 inputs the spectral information into the above-described quality information prediction model and acquires the quality information as a derived output value. Alternatively, the quality information output unit 340 may compare the spectral information with comparison data of the quality information to acquire quality information corresponding to the spectral information. In this embodiment, the spectral information used by the quality information output unit 340 is an IR spectrum, a Raman spectrum, or a fluorescent X-ray spectrum, and the acquired quality information is information regarding the types and amounts of substances other than resin contained in the recovered resin.

[0114] Then, the computing device 300 stores the acquired quality information in the storage unit 380.

[0115] 3-3. Quality assessment and determination of quality improvement methods (steps S302, S303) Next, the computing device 300 determines, based on the quality information, whether or not there will be any problems with the quality of the recycled resin produced from the recovered resin.

[0116] If it is determined that the recycled resin has a quality problem, for example, because the recycled resin contains a large amount of odorous substances or harmful substances (step S302: YES), the quality adjustment unit 350 determines a quality improvement method according to the problem (step S303). For example, if the recycled resin contains a large amount of odorous substances, the quality adjustment unit 350 determines to add a substance that dilutes the odorous substances, or a deodorizer or fragrance, from the hopper 126c of the second kneader 120 to the cylinder 122. Alternatively, if the recycled resin contains a large amount of pigment, the quality adjustment unit 350 determines to add a substance that decomposes the pigment or another coloring material that neutralizes the pigment from the hopper 126c of the second kneader 120 to the cylinder 122. Furthermore, if it is determined that the recycled resin contains harmful substances based on the elements measured using the fluorescent X-ray spectrum, the quality adjustment unit 350 determines that the recycled resin produced from the recycled resin is defective and will be excluded from shipments. Then, the computing device 300 stores the determined quality improvement method in the storage unit 380.

[0117] If it is determined that the quality of the recycled resin is not affected (step S302: NO), the material information output unit 320 acquires material information from the spectrum information (step S202), and the resin amount calculation unit 330 calculates the amount of recovered resin and the amount of added resin to be mixed in the second mixer 120 (step S203). These processes are performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described again. After the determination unit 370 determines that the output values ​​are normal, the communication unit 310 transmits the amounts of recovered resin and added resin calculated by the resin amount calculation unit 330, the proportions of each resin in the added resin, and the quality improvement method determined by the quality adjustment unit 350 as change information to the mixer 100 (step S204). At this time, the communication unit 310 also transmits the quality information acquired by the quality information output unit 340 and the quality improvement method determined by the quality adjustment unit 350 to the mixer 100.

[0118] 3-4. Determining and adding the amount of additives, etc. (Steps S304, S305) The control unit 150 of the kneading device 100 that has received the change information determines the amount of additive resin to be added to the second kneader 120 (step S109), as in the first embodiment. Then, the hopper 126b adds the additive resin in the determined amount and ratio into the cylinder 122 of the second kneader 120 (step S110). The additive resin may also be added from a side feeder.

[0119] The control unit also determines the amount of additives, etc. to be added to the second kneader 120 (step S304). Additives, etc. are substances other than the added resin that are introduced from the hopper 126c. For example, when the amount of deodorant, fragrance, colorant, etc. to be added is included in the change information, the control unit changes the amount of the additives, etc. to be added in accordance with the change information. Then, the hopper 126c adds the determined amount and ratio of additives, etc. into the cylinder 122 of the second kneader 120 (step S305). Note that the additives, etc. may also be added from a side feeder.

[0120] Thereafter, the second kneader 120 kneads the recovered resin, added resin, additives, etc., which are melted inside the cylinder 122 (step S111). The kneaded and extruded recycled resin is cut into pellets by the pelletizer 170 and stored in a storage container (step S112). At this time, a label attached to the storage container also lists quality information as information about the recovered resin, and a quality improvement method as information about the recycled resin.

[0121] In this manner, in this embodiment, the spectrum of the kneaded recovered resin is measured, and the amount of additives, etc. is changed based on the spectrum, making it possible to easily obtain recycled resin with desired properties.

[0122] If the recovered resin contains harmful substances and the quality adjustment unit 350 determines that the recycled resin produced from the recovered resin is defective, this determination of the defective product is sent to the kneading device 100, which prints out a label and attaches it to the container containing the recycled resin. The container containing the defective product is then excluded from shipping. Alternatively, the quality adjustment unit 350 may decide to stop the production of the recycled resin. This decision to stop is sent to the kneading device 100, and the kneading device 100 stops adding the additive resin to the second kneader 120. Then, after all the recovered resin has been discharged, the production of recycled resin can be resumed using another recovered resin.

[0123] 4. Method for producing recycled resin (third embodiment) Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the kneading device 100 in a third embodiment that implements a method for producing recycled resin using the above-described recycled resin production system 200. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing of the calculation device 300 in the third embodiment. Note that a description of operations or processing that are the same as those in the first embodiment will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the differences.

[0124] In this embodiment, the kneading device 100 first determines the amount of recovered resin to be added (step S101), then charges the determined amount of recovered resin into the cylinder 112 (step S102), and kneads it (step S103). These steps may be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0125] 4-1. Acquisition and transmission of spectrum and viscosity (steps S404, S405) In this embodiment, the resin amount calculation unit 330 of the calculation device 300 uses the spectrum and viscosity of the recovered resin to calculate the amount of recovered resin and the amount of added resin to be mixed in the second kneader 120 to obtain recycled resin of a desired composition. In addition to the spectrum described above, the measurement unit 130 of the kneading device 100 also measures the viscosity of the recovered resin using the viscometer 134 (step S404). The measured viscosity is sent to the calculation device 300 as viscosity information together with the spectrum information (step S405).

[0126] 4-2. Obtaining material information (Step S202) After the calculation device 300 receives the spectrum information and viscosity information (step S501) and the determination unit 370 determines that the values ​​are normal, the material information output unit 320 acquires material information from the spectrum information and viscosity information. The material information may be acquired in the same manner as in the first embodiment, but a prediction model trained to derive a predicted value of material information from the spectrum information and viscosity information may also be used.

[0127] Then, the calculation device 300 stores the received viscosity information and the material information output from the viscosity information in the storage unit 380.

[0128] 4-3. Calculation of resin amount (step S503) Next, the resin amount calculation unit 330 calculates the amount of recovered resin and the amount of added resin to be kneaded in the second kneader 120 to obtain a recycled resin with a desired composition, based on the material information and viscosity information.

[0129] In this embodiment, the hopper 126b of the second kneader 120 charges one or more types of additive resins with known viscosities into the cylinder 122. Therefore, from the volume (charge amount) of the recovered resin, the viscosity (viscosity information) of the recovered resin, and the viscosity of the additive resin, it is possible to calculate the volume ratio of the recovered resin to the additive resin to be charged into the second kneader in order to obtain a recycled resin with a desired viscosity, based on theories regarding polymer blending, such as the double-reptation theory (C. Tsenoglou, Macromolecules, 24, 1762-1767 (1991)).

[0130] Therefore, in this embodiment, the resin amount calculation unit 330 calculates the amounts of recovered resin and added resin to be added to obtain recycled resin with the desired viscosity from the calculated volume ratio of the recovered resin to the added resin. Furthermore, based on these amounts, the calculation unit 300 calculates the proportion of each resin in the added resin to obtain recycled resin with the desired composition. The calculation device 300 stores the calculated amounts of recovered resin and added resin and the proportion of each resin in the added resin in the storage unit 380.

[0131] Then, after the judgment unit 370 determines that the output numerical value is normal, the communication unit 310 transmits the amount of recovered resin and added resin calculated by the resin amount calculation unit 330 and the proportion of each resin in the added resin to the kneading device 100 as change information (step S204).

[0132] Upon receiving the change information (step S106), the kneading device 100 determines and changes the amounts of recovered resin and additive resin to be added based on the change information (steps S107, S108, S109), and adds the determined amount and ratio of additive resin into the cylinder 122 of the second kneader 120 (step S110). The second kneader 120 then kneads the recovered resin, additive resin, and additives, etc., molten inside the cylinder 122 (step S111). The kneaded and extruded recycled resin is cut into pellets by the pelletizer 170 and placed in a storage container (step S112). At this time, the label attached to the storage container also contains viscosity information as information about the recovered resin, and change information obtained from the viscosity information as information about the recycled resin.

[0133] In this way, in this embodiment, the spectrum and viscosity of the kneaded recovered resin are measured, and the amount of recovered resin or the amount of added resin is changed based on the spectrum and viscosity, making it possible to easily obtain recycled resin with the desired composition and viscosity.

[0134] As in the second embodiment, in this embodiment, the amounts of additives and the like added may be simultaneously changed based on the spectral information.

[0135] 5. Retraining the Prediction Model (Fourth Embodiment) In each of the above-described embodiments, the prediction models (material information prediction model, quality information prediction model) used may be retrained. The training process may be performed by a training device within the user who uses the kneading apparatus 100 or the computing device 300, or by a training device owned by an external vendor or the like.

[0136] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the process of retraining the prediction model described above.

[0137] First, the training device stores separately measured spectrum information and material information or quality information of the recovered resin (step S601).

[0138] Next, the training device determines whether a predetermined trigger condition is satisfied (step S602). For example, the predetermined trigger condition may be that the deviation between the predicted value from the prediction model and the stored material information or quality information exceeds a predetermined threshold, or that the number of stored material information or quality information exceeds a predetermined number. If the predetermined trigger condition is not satisfied (step S602: NO), the training device returns to the previous step (step S601) and waits for the next storage. On the other hand, if the predetermined trigger condition is satisfied (step S602: YES), the training device retrains the prediction model using the stored spectral information and the material information or quality information of the recovered resin (step S603).

[0139] 5. Other embodiments It should be noted that each of the above-described embodiments represents an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. It goes without saying that various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the concept of the present invention.

[0140] For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the spectrum and viscosity of the melt-kneaded recovered resin were measured by a measuring unit installed downstream of the first kneader, but the measuring unit may be located inside the first kneader, or may be located in a resin flow path connecting the first kneader and the second kneader.

[0141] Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the kneading device has two kneaders, a first kneader and a second kneader. However, it is also possible to use only one kneader (the first kneader), and based on the spectral information of the recycled resin obtained by kneading with the first kneader, change the type and amount of the added resin, additives, etc. to be added to the first kneader so that a recycled resin having the desired composition can be obtained from the next time.

[0142] In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the resin amount calculation unit outputs change information based on the resin type and composition ratio of the resin contained in the recovered resin, but the change information may also be output based on other information obtained from the spectrum, such as the density and comonomer ratio of the recovered resin.

[0143] In addition, in the above-described embodiments, a polyethylene or polypropylene additive resin is added to recycled resin containing polyethylene and polypropylene. However, the resin type is not limited to these, and off-grade materials and separated and sorted recycled materials may be polyethylene alone, polypropylene alone, or polyester alone. In the present invention, the recycled resin and additive resin may be a combination of various resins including polyamide, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate, polyurethane, and polyester. The polyester may be polylactic acid, polyethylene terephthalate, or the like.

[0144] In the above-described embodiments, recovered resin is added to the first kneader, but not only recovered resin but also virgin material may be added to the first kneader, or natural resin of unknown viscosity may be added to the first kneader. Furthermore, liquid ethylene-propylene rubber, pelletized ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-butene rubber, propylene-butene rubber, or propylene-butene-ethylene rubber may be added to the first kneader as a compatibilizer for polyethylene-polypropylene copolymers and the like.

[0145] In each of the above-described embodiments, the extrusion section of the second kneader may extrude the recycled resin into any known shape, including a sheet, a film, a rod, a plate, a pipe, a modified cross-section molded product, a strand, etc. Alternatively, a known molding machine may be disposed downstream of the extrusion section, and the extruded recycled resin may be molded into a predetermined shape.

[0146] In each of the above-described embodiments, the kneading device may have a second measurement unit that measures the spectrum or viscosity of the recycled resin in a molten state extruded from the second kneader. The second measurement unit may be an in-line measurement unit similar to the above-described measurement unit 130. The second measurement unit may be used for quality inspection of the recycled resin, etc.

[0147] The kneading device may also transmit information regarding the resin flow rates of the first kneader and the second kneader to the computing device, and the computing device may then output change information to keep the resin flow rates of the second kneader constant. The computing device may also display various outputs from a user interface (UI) device as a display unit, and may change various information by accepting user inputs thereto. [Industrial Applicability]

[0148] The kneading device of the present invention can obtain recycled resin having a predetermined viscosity from recovered resin.The kneading device of the present invention can homogenize the composition of recycled resin obtained from consumer materials and off-grade materials and regenerate them into recycled resin that can be easily used for a variety of applications, and is therefore expected to expand the range of reuse of these resins and contribute to improving the efficiency of resin recycling. [Explanation of symbols]

[0149] 100 kneading equipment 110 First Mixer 112 cylinders 114 Screw 116 Hopper 116a Storage 116b Stirrer 117 Filtration section 118 Extrusion section 120 Second Mixer 122 cylinders 124 Screw 126a entrance 126b Hopper 126c Hopper 128 Extrusion section 130 Measuring section 132 Spectrometer 134 Viscometer 135 Thermometer 140 Resin flow path 150 control section 160 Communications Department 170 Pelletizer 200 Manufacturing System 300 Computing equipment 301 Drive device 302 Storage Device 303 Memory Device 304 processor 305 User Interface (UI) Devices 306 Communication Equipment 310 Communications Department 320 Material Information Output Unit 330 Resin amount calculation unit 340 Quality Information Output Unit 350 Quality Adjustment Department 360 display 370 Judgment section 380 Storage section

Claims

1. A step of kneading the recovered resin; measuring a spectrum of the kneaded recovered resin; adding an additive resin to the kneaded recovered resin and kneading the resulting resin; and changing at least one of the amount of the recovered resin to be kneaded and the amount of the added resin to be added based on the measured spectrum. How recycled resin is produced.

2. the spectrum is at least one spectrum selected from the group consisting of a fluorescence spectrum, an X-ray fluorescence spectrum, an ultraviolet light absorption spectrum, a visible light absorption spectrum, a near-infrared light absorption spectrum, a mid-infrared light absorption spectrum, and a Raman spectrum; The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 1.

3. The spectrum includes a near-infrared light absorption spectrum. The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 2.

4. The spectrum includes an X-ray fluorescence spectrum. The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 2 or 3.

5. obtaining material information of the recovered resin from the measured spectrum; The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 1.

6. the material information of the recovered resin includes at least one kind of information selected from the group consisting of a resin type, a density, a comonomer amount, and a compounding ratio of the recovered resin; The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 5.

7. measuring the viscosity of the kneaded recovered resin, In the changing step, the amount of the recovered resin to be kneaded or the amount of the added resin to be added is changed based on the measured viscosity and the measured spectrum. The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 1.

8. The viscosity measurement is performed simultaneously with the measurement of the spectrum. The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 7.

9. storing information about the measured spectrum; The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 1.

10. storing material information of the recovered resin obtained from the measured spectrum; The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 9.

11. The changing step includes: deriving material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum using a predictive model trained to derive material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum; calculating an amount of recovered resin or an amount of added resin required to obtain a recycled resin having predetermined properties from the derived material information of the recovered resin; and changing at least one of the amount of the recycled resin to be kneaded and the amount of the added resin to be added to the calculated amount. The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 1.

12. The prediction model is retrained using material information of the recovered resin for the spectrum. The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 11.

13. obtaining quality information of the recovered resin based on the measured spectrum; The method for producing the recycled resin according to claim 1.

14. a first kneader for kneading the recovered resin; a second kneader that adds an additive resin to the kneaded recovered resin and kneads the additive resin; a measurement unit for measuring a spectrum of the kneaded recovered resin; and changing at least one of the amount of the recovered resin kneaded by the first kneader and the amount of the added resin added by the second kneader based on the measured spectrum; Recycled resin manufacturing equipment.

15. The recycled resin manufacturing apparatus according to claim 14; a computing device; the calculation device outputs at least one of an amount of the recovered resin kneaded by the first kneader and an amount of the added resin added by the second kneader from the spectrum acquired by the measurement unit; The recycled resin manufacturing device changes the amount of recovered resin kneaded by the first kneader or the amount of added resin added by the second kneader based on the amount of recovered resin or the amount of added resin output by the calculation device. Recycled resin manufacturing system.

16. the computing device outputs material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum. The recycled resin manufacturing system according to claim 15.

17. The computing device outputs quality information of the recovered resin from the spectrum. The recycled resin manufacturing system according to claim 15.

18. A program that operates on the computing device of the recycled resin manufacturing system according to claim 15, obtaining information about the spectrum; outputting at least one of the amount of recovered resin kneaded by the first kneader and the amount of added resin added by the second kneader from information about the spectrum; causing the computing device to execute program.

19. deriving material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum using a predictive model trained to derive material information of the recovered resin from the spectrum; Calculating the amount of recovered resin or the amount of added resin required to obtain recycled resin having predetermined properties from the derived material information of the recovered resin; causing the computing device to perform the output by performing 19. The program of claim 18.

20. The prediction model is retrained using material information of the recovered resin for the spectrum.

20. The program of claim 19.

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