The document summarizes the key components and processes involved in the production of polyester fibers at Ibrahim Fibres Limited (IFL). IFL has two polyester plants (IFL-I and IFL-II) with a total production capacity of 586 tons per day. The plants use raw materials like PTA and MEG to produce polyester via esterification, polymerization, and polycondensation reactions. The molten polymer is then spun into fibers through an extrusion and spinning process that includes quenching, oiling, tow formation, and collection.

1. INTRODUCTION
Ibrahim Fibres Limited
(IFL)Polyester Plant is for the
continuous production of Poly
Ethylene Terepthalate (PET),
Staple Fibres or Textile grade
Chips.

2. PLANT CAPACITY & START UP
There are two polyester plant i.e.
IFL-I having two lines of Polymer melt. Line
#14 and Line # 15 total capacity (186 tons/
day, 93 tons / day for each line).
Start up line # 14 / 15 occurred on 26, FEB.
1997 / 29 DEC, 1997.
IFL-II having single line for Polymer melts i.e.
line # 17 , design capacity 400 tons / day it
started on 02 June, 2002.

3. DCS SYSTEM
Both plants are equipped DCS
system of Fisher –Rosemount named
as “provox” .
But DCS system of IFL-I Polyester
Plant has been replaced with latest
system Delta – V on MAY 2008.

4. Polymer Process
TOPICS
Raw material and Specification.
Catalyst and Titanium Di Oxide .
Paste Preparation.
Esterification.
Polymer and Polymerization
Polycondensation.

5. RAW MATERIAL AND SPECIFICATION
Basically two raw materials are
used for the production of fibers.
 PTA (Pure Terepthalic acid).
MEG (Mono Ethylene Glycol).

6. RAW MATERIAL AND SPECIFICATION
PTA (PURE TEREPTHALIC ACID)
 PTA is one of basic raw material used for
the production of Poly Ethylene
Terephthalate (PET) . It is white color
powder with small particle size.

7. RAW MATERIAL
 PTA SUPPLIERS

 BRAND COUNTRY
 ICI England
 PPTA Pakistan
 Siam Mitsui Thailand
 Amoco Japan
 Inter Quisa Spain
 Kasie Bakeri Indonesia
 T-Kong America
 Samsung Korea
 Lotte Pakistan

8. RAW MATERIAL
 PACKAGING.
Jumbo size bags of capacity 1000~1100 kg
PTA
Containers of capacity 22.0 tons of PTA

9. RAW MATERIAL
MEG ( MONO ETHYLENE GLYCOL )
MEG is crude oil ( (Refinery Product ) it is liquid
and transparent in nature .
SPECIFICATIONS
Formula HO-CH2-CH2-OH
Molecular weight 62.07
Appearance Colorless / Transparent liquid

10. RAW MATERIAL
MEG ( MONO ETHYLENE GLYCOL )
 MEG SUPPLIERS
 BRAND COUNTRY
 Mobil Saudi Arabia
 Equate Kuwait
 SABIC Saudi Arabia

11. RAW MATERIAL
ADDITIVES
CATALYST ( Antimony Triacetate)
TDO (Titanium Dioxide)

12. RAW MATERIAL
CATALSY SUPPLIERS
 BRAND COUNTRY
Elf Atochem America
Polytrade A-42 Germany

13. RAW MATERIAL
 TITANIUM DIOXIDE ( TDO)
Nearly all synthetic fibers are transparent or
translucent with glossy luster , which is
undesirable in most of the applications .
TDO has proven to be most efficient agent for
delustering or matting for these fibers.
TDO is white color powder and in the process
we use in the form of slurry prepare in MEG .

14. RAW MATERIAL
TDO SUPPLIER
BRAND COUNTRY
Sachtleben Hombitan Germany
Titanium Dioxide
PACKAGING
TDO comes in bags of different packaging i.e.
25/500/1000 kg .

15. RAW MATERIAL
 PRODUCT TYPE AND TDO FEEDING
CONCENTRATIONS
 Two type of product are being made on the basis of TDO
addition i.e. bright and semi dull.
But other product can be made on the basis of TDO feeding
concentration detail is as under.
 Super bright contains TDO 0.010 wt. % of PET
 Bright contains TDO 0.030 wt. % of PET
 Dull contains TDO 0.500 wt. % of PET
 Semi dull contains TDO 0.300 wt. % of PET

16. PASTE PREPRATION
PASTE PREPRATION
PTA
MEG AND EGR
COLUMN EG
CATALYST
PASTE TO ES-I

17. MAIN PROCESS
 There are two Esterification reactors. Here the
raw material react and form monomer (BHET).
And water, Esterification reaction takes place at
elevated temperature i.e. 255 ~ 258 0
C, and
pressure 0.39 ~ 0.15 bar. Temperature,
pressure ,E / T ratio , residence time ( level ) ,
agitation are the main controlling parameters for
controlling the Esterification reaction.
 About 91 ~ 93 % reactions completes in
estreification reaction -1.
ESTERFICATION

18. During Esterification reaction water formed which
mixes with EG vapors. Composition The vapors
formed from ES-I and ES-II led to process column
for separation of water and & EG . The column is
operated at atmospheric pressure .The low boiler
water will leave at the top of the and after
condensation led to sever , EG will be collected
at the bottom of the column with 96 % purity and
will used again in paste preparation , ES & ES-II .
 The heating media used for both Esterification
reactor is called Santotherm ( in liquid form ) in
coils & Dowtherm ( in vapor form ) in jacket of
the reactors .
ESTERFICATION

19. ESTERFICATION REACTION:ESTERFICATION REACTION:
2 MEG + PTA → BHET + 2 H2 MEG + PTA → BHET + 2 H22 OO
Bis Hydroxy Ethylene
Tere Pthalate

20. PASTE FROM PASTE TANK
VAPORS TO PROCESS
COLUMN
OLIGOMER TO ES-II OLIGOMER TO ES-II
LINE # 14 LINE #15
ES-1 REACTOR

21. HEATING SYSTEM OF ES-1
LIQUID & VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM.
THERE ARE TWO HEATIING SYSTEMS FOR THE
ES-1
LIQUID HEATING WITH SANTOTHERM IN COILS
VAPOR HEATING WITH DOWTHERM IN JACKET.

22. POLYMERIZATION
The conversion of a particular compound
to a large , multiple of it’s monomer
(itself )
There are two types of polymerization

23. 1- ADDITION POLYMERIZATION
The Polymerization reactions through
which the molecular formula of the
repeating unit is identical with that
monomer , no by product is formed
.e.g. Polyethylene etc.

24. 2- CONDENSATION POLYMERIZATION
The Polymerization reactions in which
monomer are joined together into bigger
molecule by condensation also producing
some small molecule as a by product is
called condensation polymerization
e.g. PET( Poly Ethylene Terepthalate)
MEG is produced as by product

25. CONDENSATION POLYMERIZATION
REACTION
2 MEG + PTA BHET +2 WATER
BHET + BHET n PET + ( n -1) MEG
Mono Ethylene
Glycol
Pure Terepthalic
acid
Bis Hydroxy Ethylene
Terepthalate
Poly Ethylene Terepthalate Mono Ethylene Glycol
Temperature
+pressure
Temperature
+Vacuum +Catalyst

26. POLYCONDENSATION
PREPOLYMER REACTOR -1 ( PP-1)
TOTAL VOLUME
Monomer / Oligomer
from Es-II (14/15)
Product to PP-II
Vapors to vacuum
system

27. POLYCONDENSATION
HEATING ARRANGEMENT
1. HTM IN COILS (THREE IN NOS.)
2. DOWTHERM IN JACKET

28. POLYCONDENSATION
PREPOLYMER REACTOR -II ( PP-II)
POLYCONDENSATION
STAGE II REACTOR
PRE POLYMER FROM
PP-I
Product to DRR through
Pre polymer pumps and
filter
Vapors to jet system

29. POLYCONDENSATION
LEVEL TRANSMITTER
RADIO ACITVE TYPE
Co60
HEATING ARRANGEMENT
DOW THERM IN THE JACKET

30. POLYCONDENSATION
DISC RING REACTOR ( DRR)
FINAL
POLYCONDENSATION
DISK RING REACTOR
(DRR)
PRE POLYMER FROM
PP-II
Product to Staple fiber
through Pre polymer
pumps and filter
Vapors to jet system

31. DISC RING REACTOR ( DRR)
The main function of the final polycondensation stage is
to complete the reaction to the final polymer target .
The reactor consist of a horizontal cylindrical vessel
provided with built in chamber and a horizontal agitator
having many disc rings. The disc rings are arranged in
each of these chambers
These rings are used to lift up the product from the
chambers and form a thin film which enables the
excess glycol (MEG ) produced in the reaction set free.
Due to the fact the EG is withdrawn immediately under
vacuum and polycondensation reaction proceed in the
forward direction

32. SPINNING &
FIBRE LINE

33. SPINNING
Polymer MeltPolymer Melt
(from Polymer Plant)
Distribution ManifoldDistribution Manifold
Spinning BeamSpinning Beam
(Spin Pumps & Spin Packs)
Quenching & OilingQuenching & Oiling
Tow FormationTow Formation
(Capstan Unit)
Tow Collection &Tow Collection &
StorageStorage
(CTR & Tow Cans)
Spinning Wall
Extrusion

34. DISTRIBUTION MANIFOLD
 All Polymer Melt lines are HTM jacketed.
 Distance from distribution valve to each spinning position is almost equal.
 20 Static Mixers are installed to ensure proper mixing and breakup of boundary
layer.
 Melt Transfer line contains a Heat Exchanger which can heat or cool the melt, as
required.
 Heat Exchanger & Transfer line is heated with liquid HTM (Santotherm) to maintain
the polymer in molten form.

35. Melt From POLY
DN 2 X 98/350
DN 2 X 60/250
7537-M01
355mm
7537-M01
355mm
7537-M01
355mm
7537-M01
355mm
7537-M02
225mm
DN 98/200
DN 98/200
DN 60/100
DN 60/100
DN 60/100
M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M
6000 mm 6000 mm
DN 2 X 60/250
TR
37-01
TI
37-01
TR
37-05
TI
37-05
PI
37-01
PR
37-01
PR
37-02
PI
37-02
PR
37-04
PI
37-04
PI
37-03
PR
37-03
TR
37-07
TI
37-07
TR
37-06
TI
37-06
POLYMER DISTRIBUTION (MANIFOLD)POLYMER DISTRIBUTION (MANIFOLD)

36. SPINNING BEAM
 Spinning Beam is heated with HTM (Dowtherm) vapors and is insulated.
 Vapor inlet is from top and condensed HTM is removed by gravity, from the bottom.
 Spinning Beam is in four (04) portions, each containing eight (08) positions.
 Temperature of Spinning Beam is maintained at approximately 290°C.
 Spinning Beam consists of Spin Pumps and Pack housing.
 There are a number of thermo-wells at different locations of each Spinning Beam
for temperature measurement.

37. EXTRUSION
 Polymer melt from distribution manifold is directly supplied to motor operated
metering pumps (total 32 in number per line)
 Metering pumps are gear pumps having a step down gear box after the motor. The
coupling contains a metallic shear pin to avoid damage to the motor / gear box in case
of jamming of pump.
 Gear Pumps are enclosed inside the HTM-heated Spin Beam.
 There is no valve in the melt line but an air jet is provided on the un-jacketed line
for freezing of polymer as and when required.
 The through-put of the metering pump is controlled through inverter driven motor
speed.
 Spin Packs are installed directly under the metering pump (spin pump) and extrude
polymer melt through a spinneret.

38. High Throughput, Same Take-up Speed Low Throughput, Same Take-up Speed
Fine Denier
Coarse Denier
Draw
Zone
SPINNERET HOLE OUTLET VARIATIONSPINNERET HOLE OUTLET VARIATION

39. QUENCHING & OILING
 Filament quenching is done with double filtered quench air at 20.5°C and 85% RH
at approx. 1750 m3
/h per position flow.
 Quenching is radial after a 50 mm Draw Zone, in which the filament is drawn up to
120 times.
 Exhaust air after quenching is removed to the atmosphere following a scrubbing
process to remove monomer particles.
 Filament oiling is done in two stages, Ring Oiler and Thread Oiler. In both oilers
0.3% conc. Aqueous solution of Spin Finish Oil is used.
 Oiling is done to minimize friction and neutralize static electric charge.
 Excess Spin Finish Oil is recycled back into the system.
 The resulting spun tow contains around 30% moisture and 0.09% OPU as a result
of this two stage oiling.

40. SPINNING WALL
 Filaments from the quench chamber pass through a slub catcher, thread-oiler,
ceramic V-guide, suction & cutting device and drip detector before passing around a
free-moving deflector roller.
 The slub catcher presses the filaments against the thread oiler and removes any
slubs in the sliver.
 The thread oiler provides surface moisture and lubrication to the sliver.
 The ceramic V-guides increases the compactness of the sliver by converging the
filaments into a narrow band.
 The suction & cutting device ensures safe & smooth operation in case of
interruption. During position cutting, it provides ease and safety of operation.
 The drip detector removes and provides information of drips in the sliver.
 The deflector roller changes the direction of the slivers towards the Capstan Unit by
merging them into a single tow band

41. CAPSTAN UNIT
 Capstan Unit consists of six (06) + one (01) Godets (rollers) and a set of two
Sunflower Wheels, in series, to form the tow band.
 All seven (07) Godets are directly driven by individual motors, but a single inverter,
and have the same ‘rpm’.
 The first four (04) Godets are hard chrome plated and smooth. The next two
Godets are ceramic coated and axially grooved, while the seventh Godet is also
ceramic coated but without grooves.
 The first Godet has an outer diameter of 236.5 mm and each successive Godet is
larger in diameter by 0.5 mm. The seventh Godet has a diameter of 240 mm. This
successive increase results in continuous increase in surface speed.
Sunflower Unit
 Each Sunflower wheel is ceramic coated and has 80 teeth. However, the intake-side
wheel is 165 mm in diameter while the discharge-side wheel has a diameter of 125
mm. Its function is to compact the tow and to feed the tow in the can.