- Accurate production control
- Significant savings from reduced energy consumptions
- Improved end-product quality
The production of silicone rubber comprises of three main steps. Organosilicon hydrolysate is preheated by a falling film evaporator, distilled in a distillation unit, and then extracted. In this application there are two production lines to handle two types of silicone being manufactured.
For 110 silicone, the upper ring body is filtered, transported to a reactor, and polymerised under the action of a catalyst and capping agent.
For 107 silicone, the bottom-line body is extracted and directly pumped to the polymerisation kettle, where it is polymerised under the action of an alkaline catalyst for neutralisation and degrading.
The image above shows two high temperature viscometers installed directly in the tank bottom and connected to VP550 processors.
XL7 viscometers are installed on both production lines, either directly in the kettle or in the circulating pipelines. The installation directly into the tank allows for real-time tracking of the silicone's viscosity as the polymerisation reaction progresses. Viscosity is an important parameter as it is directly related to the degree of polymerisation, or molecular weight.
The insight into the reaction from XL7 means the production schedule can be accurately monitored and controlled in real-time, leading to a significant reduction in energy consumption and consistent end-product quality.