Faced with severe energy and environmental challenges, China, guided by the comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable scientific development concept, has formulated a medium- and long-term energy science and technology development strategy and plan up to 2020. This energy and environmental development strategy has also pointed the way for the development of plastic granulator technology in China, making the exploration of new development paths for plastic granulator technology imperative. Compared with other operational links in industrial and agricultural production, energy conservation and pollution control in the plastic granulator process are particularly urgent.
Plastic granulator operations involve a wide range of sectors of the national economy. It is not only an indispensable basic production link for a large number of industrial and agricultural products, but also a major energy consumer in China, consuming approximately 12% of the country's total energy consumption. Furthermore, pollution caused by the plastic granulator process is often a significant source of environmental pollution in China. Therefore, the advancement of plastic granulator technology is closely related to the development of the entire national economy.
Firstly, the operation of plastic granulators involves an extremely wide range of fields, and the energy consumption of plastic granulators in China accounts for almost half more than that of the UK, reaching 12%.
Secondly, plastic granulators cause significant environmental pollution. Of the most widely used conventional plastic granulating equipment, over three-quarters are hot-air plastic granulators. These types of equipment cause severe environmental pollution, making the modification of coal-fired boilers in plastic granulator systems a pressing issue. Improving energy efficiency in the plastic granulation process and controlling environmental pollution are mutually reinforcing. Reducing energy consumption by 100 million tons of standard coal equivalent could reduce CO2 and SO2 emissions by over 64 million tons in China, demonstrating significant environmental benefits.
Therefore, when exploring new development paths for plastic granulator technology, energy efficiency, environmental protection, and product quality must be comprehensively considered to achieve comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable development. To implement a development strategy for high-efficiency and green plastic granulators, the first step is to pursue a resource-saving development path, transforming single, extensive plastic granulators into combined, intelligent plastic granulators. Not only is a fundamental overhaul of the plastic granulator process necessary, but also comprehensive and multi-level energy-saving technological upgrades are required, along with vigorous development of plastic granulator technologies utilizing renewable energy and industrial waste heat. At the government level, it is essential to establish and improve comprehensive evaluation criteria and industry standards for plastic granulator equipment, establish macro-control and market regulation mechanisms, and accelerate the upgrading of plastic granulator technology.
