POLYESTER RESIN PLANTS

Polyester resin plants are chemical plants in which unsaturated polyester resin is produced, from raw materials through to packaging. Makfen undertakes the turnkey installation of polyester resin production plants and also provides solutions in the process engineering of the project. Polyester resin is used mainly in structural composite applications, above all in glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP/FRP) profiles.

What Is Polyester Resin?

The word polyester combines poly, meaning many, and ester, the condensation product of an acid and an alcohol. Polyester is a polymer made up of long molecules linked together by ester bonds. Polyester resin is a synthetic material produced by reacting organic acids (or their anhydrides) with glycols (alcohols).

In composite materials, polyester resin acts as the matrix, while the glass fibre provides the reinforcement. The resulting products are lightweight and corrosion resistant. The most widely used type is unsaturated polyester resin. Its main grades are:

• Orthophthalic polyester
• Isophthalic polyester
• Terephthalic polyester

These light-coloured resins give products good mechanical and physical properties. Pigments are added to obtain the desired colour, and fillers are used to adjust cost and properties. Polyester resins cure at room temperature when an initiator (e.g. MEKP) and an accelerator (e.g. cobalt) are added. Curing is the hardening of the material through cross-linking of the polymer chains and can be brought about by heat, chemical additives or radiation.

Applications of Polyester Resin

Polyester resin is used as liquid resin and as gel (gelcoat). Being lightweight and weather resistant, it is favoured by architects, builders, engineers and designers. It is used in fibre, plastic, composite and coating applications, but its largest field of use is composite materials, with widespread applications in transport, construction and boatbuilding.

Polyester Resin Plant Installation

A production plant for a product with such a wide range of uses calls for careful and precise engineering. Makfen designs polyester resin plants around the process flow and system behaviour, and provides services such as system piping, internal installation, erection and automation from a single source.

Main Equipment and Services Within the Plant Scope

• Jacketed or coil-heated reaction reactors with agitators and condenser systems
• Agitated dilution (thinning) tanks for the resin
• Raw material, intermediate and finished product storage tanks
• Heating and cooling systems, thermal insulation
• Precision weighing and dosing systems, PLC control panel
• Ex-proof motors and electrical equipment for flammable atmospheres
• System piping, erection, commissioning and operator training
• Certified materials, technical drawings, operating and maintenance documentation

For information and prices on polyester resin plants, please contact us through our contact page; our other plant installation services are described on our Services page.