EVOH Pellet Packaging with Anti-Static Surface Resistivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

EVOH resin pellets are prone to contamination with powder during production and transportation due to rubbing, leading to instability in extrusion processes and electrostatic accumulation, which affects the quality of molded articles.

Innovation Solution

A packaging container with a surface resistivity of 1.0×10^14 Ω to 1.0×10^18 Ω is used to pack EVOH resin pellets, ensuring that any powder generated adheres to the container's surface rather than the pellets, maintaining their cleanliness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If EVOH resin pellets are packed in conventional packaging containers, then the packaging is simple and cost-effective, but powder generated during transportation adheres to the pellets causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepellet cleanlinessVSAvoidpackaging container structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging container's inner surface is treated to change its electrical parameters, specifically achieving a surface resistivity of 1.0×10^14 Ω or less. This parameter change transforms the container surface into an anti-static surface that prevents powder adhesion through electrostatic repulsion, solving the contamination problem without complex mechanical structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The anti-static treatment acts as an intermediary layer on the packaging container surface, creating a protective interface between the container and pellets. This intermediary surface with controlled surface resistivity prevents direct adhesion of powder to pellets during handling and transportation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If facilities for removing powder are installed at the production place, then powder removal efficiency is improved, but the cost and complexity of the production facility increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepowder removal efficiencyVSAvoidproduction facility structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The powder removal function is extracted from the production facility and transferred to the packaging container. By applying anti-static treatment to the packaging container, the powder separation occurs during packaging rather than during production, simplifying the production facility while maintaining manufacturing precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The anti-static treatment is applied to the packaging container in advance before pellet packaging. This preliminary action ensures that when pellets are loaded, any powder present will not adhere to them, preventing contamination before it can occur during storage and transportation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If pellets are dried at high temperature to fuse powder, then powder separation is achieved, but pellet quality may be affected and energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepowder separationVSAvoiddrying energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The thermal field is replaced by an electrical field mechanism. Instead of using high temperature to fuse and separate powder, the anti-static treatment creates an electrical field that prevents powder adhesion through electrostatic repulsion, eliminating the need for energy-intensive high-temperature drying while achieving the same powder separation effect

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The packaging solution effectively keeps EVOH resin pellets free from powder contamination, ensuring stable extrusion processes and high-quality molded articles, even during transportation.

Implementation Method 1

the packaging container has an inside surface having a surface resistivity of 1.0×10^14 Ω to 1.0×10^18 Ω

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatics: Electrostatics

Data Source

PatentEP3176105B1Package comprising pellets made of saponified ethylene-vinyl ester-based copolymer or resin composition thereof and methods for providing pellets

Publication Date: 2020.12.09 MITSUBISHI CHEM CORP

Figure 1~2

AI summary

The purpose of the invention is to provide: a package for EVOH resin pellets which is capable of providing the EVOH resin pellets almost free from powder even in a case where the package contains the powder generated therein during transportation or the like after shipment; and EVOH resin pellets contaminated with very small amount of the powder in a case where a user uses the EVOH resin pellets as a molding material. A package, where pellets each having a substantially circular or oval cross-section are packed in a packaging container whose inner surface has a surface resistivity of 1.0×1014Ω or more, is capable of providing pellets to which 0.8 wt% or less of powder adhered relative to the weight of the pellets.