Solar Solutions for Plastic Industry

This industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.6% between 2024 and 2030. Its current market size is USD 43.68 billion, and by 2030, it is estimated to reach USD 68.33 billion.

The rubber industry has around 5600 tiny, 300 medium scale and 30 large-scale sector units. It employs 400 thousand+ people across the country. The top products of this industry are automobile parts, battery boxes, belting, cable and wires, camelback, cycle tyres and tubes, footwear, hoses, latex products, pharmaceutical goods, auto tyres, tubes, etc.

The PVC market in India reached 3.1 million tonnes by FY2022. By FY2032, the anticipated growth is at a CAGR of 7.11%. PVC is mainly used for wires & cables, profiles, pipes & fittings, footwear, calendering (films & sheets), etc. Among these uses, 72% of the market is occupied by pipes & fittings.

How Does a Plastic, Rubber, and PVC Factory Work?

a. Plastic Production Process

This is the working process of a plastic, rubber and PVC factory:

• Collection of Raw Materials:

First, the raw materials are collected. In this industry, crude oil is one of the major raw materials. However, coal and natural gas are also used as raw materials.

• Raw Material Refining:

The crude oil is sent to the pre-heater for boiling. After boiling, the crude oil is sent to the furnace. During the refining process, we get different products such as lubricating oil, kerosine, petrol & gasoline, diesel oil, petroleum gas, naptha, etc.

For plastic production, Ethene (C2H4) is the main component and it is made from Naptha.

• Ethene Production:

For Ethene production, the Naptha Cracking Center is used where it is heated by 800℃ by steam crackers. After this process, it is refined and compressed to get petroleum, ethene propylene butane, ether etc.

• Conversion to Polythene:

Polymerisation is the next process where we convert the Ethene into polythene. During this process, light olefin gasses including propylene, ethylene, and butylene (monomers) are converted into polymers (higher molecular weight hydrocarbons). The Polymerisation usually happens via two methods–

• Addition Polymerisation :

The addition polymerisation is a chemical reaction where the polymers are created by bonding among small organic molecules (monomers). This process is also known as chain growth polymerisation as the monomers are added to a growing polymer chain.

Examples: Polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene. 

• Condensation Polymerisation:

Condensation polymerisation is a process that joints smaller molecules or monomers to larger structures or polymers while releasing by-products. Nylon and polyester are two examples of this polymerisation.

In plastic production factories, the ethene is compressed and cooled until it becomes dense like a liquid. After that, it is sent to a reaction chamber where the ethene is converted into polythene. Next, another chamber adds stabilisers and antioxidants to this.

• Polythene Strings Making:

In the final step, the extruder/compounder converts polythene into polythene strings. The grinder machine converts these strings into polythene pallets. These pallets are ready for industrial production such as glass manufacturing, bottle manufacturing, and bag production. 

To make a semi-finished/finished product a different moulding process is followed called extrusion.

b. Rubber Production Process

The rubber production process has 4 steps– a. Mastication, b. Mixing, c. Shaping of the viscous mass, d. Curing.

c. PVC Production Steps

The PVC production consists of 5 steps– a. Extraction, b. Production, c. Combination, d. Polymerisation, e. Blending.