Water-quench blown film process

The blown film process involves extruding a relatively thick tube that is then expanded or blown by the usual internal air pressure or the water quench process to produce a relatively thin film (Figure 5.6). The tube can be collapsed to form double-layer layflat film or can be slit to make one or two single-layer film webs. The water quench process is the generally preferred method of producing blown PP type film. 

In the blown film process, internal air pressure is used to produce a relatively thin film. Normally air is used as the coolant for PE films but it presents greater difficulty when used wift PP due to the slower cooling speed and the greater thermal degradation of material. The water quench process is generally the preferred method of producing blown PP film. 

When the extrudate exits the die, it has to be quenched and possibly sized (drawn through a fixture) to maintain its final shape. Depending on the extrusion process, different methods are available to quench the final product. Cast film and sheet are quenched on rolls and in water baths, blown film is quenched by air in a blown film tower. Solid profiles, pipe, and tubing are quenched in calibration tanks filled with water and in some cases connected to a vacuum system. Polymer strands and monofilaments are quenched in air or water baths while wire coating is done horizontally in air or water. In small and large part blow molding, the melt is quenched in molds as the extruded tubular parison is inflated. 

Isotactic PP has extremely good flow properties at a wide range of flow rates, and therefore good processing behavior. The melt flow index typically ranges from 0.5 to 50 g/10 min. Films, which can be produced by both blown and cast methods, can be oriented to provide improved optical characteristics and better strength. Because of the rapid crystallization of PP, blown films must be produced by either water quench or mandrel quench processes, unlike PE, which is cooled by air. 

Most blown film operations extrude the resin in an upward direction. However, blown polypropylene film is generally extruded downwards and water or mandrel quenched. The extruded tube is then reheated, to a point still below its melt temperature, before it is blown. The collapsed bubble can be fed over a series of heated rollers to reheat it and relieve thermal stresses if a heat-stabilized film is wanted or it can be heated and reinflated in what is known as the double bubble process, which will be discussed in Section 7.3.7. In either case, the film is restrained until cooling is complete, to keep it from shrinking. 

Figure 8.10 Water quench process for blown film.

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