Radiant Heating of Plastics: Application to Film Blowing Processes

Abstract This paper presents experimental data and a mathematical model for the radiant heat transfer operation used in the production of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films by the Double Bubble process. The data was obtained from an industrial pilot plant fully instrumented for the purpose of the study. In the mathematical model the effect of the view factor is considered, along with the effects of natural and forced convection on the heat transfer coefficients. Experiments were also conducted in a laboratory radiant heater to determine the range of heat transfer coefficients experienced under different heating conditions, and analytical methods to determine these are discussed.