High Pressure Foaming Autoclave

Model: FA-1000 / FA-1500       

Specification	FA-1000 Standard Production Type	FA-1500 Large Batch Type
Effective Tank Volume	1000 L	1500 L
Design Pressure	35 MPa	35 MPa
Working Pressure	≤30 MPa	≤30 MPa
Design Temperature	200 ℃	200 ℃
Working Temperature Range	Room temperature ~ 180 ℃	Room temperature ~ 180 ℃
Foaming Medium	Supercritical nitrogen (N₂)	Supercritical nitrogen (N₂)
Applicable Materials	E-TPU particles, thermoplastic elastic granules	E-TPU particles, thermoplastic elastic granules
Tank Material	304 stainless steel inner tank + carbon steel shell	304 stainless steel inner tank + carbon steel shell
Heating Method	Thermal oil circulation heating	Thermal oil circulation heating
Control System	PLC touch screen fully automatic control	PLC touch screen fully automatic control
Safety Configuration	Overpressure relief valve, over-temperature alarm, emergency stop device	Overpressure relief valve, over-temperature alarm, emergency stop device
Machine Size (L×W×H)	3800×1800×2200 mm	4500×2000×2400 mm
Package Form	Fumigated export wooden box fixed	Fumigated export wooden box fixed
Net Weight	4200 KG	5800 KG
Gross Weight	4800 KG	6500 KG

High-Pressure Foaming Autoclave, Supercritical Nitrogen Physical Foaming Equipment

This machine adopts supercritical nitrogen physical foaming technology without adding any chemical foaming agents throughout the whole process. The expanded E-TPU pellets after foaming contain no chemical residues, and all indicators of finished products can meet the production standards of high-end eco-friendly shoe materials. The core pressure-bearing tank of the equipment is integrally fabricated from 304 stainless steel, featuring outstanding high-pressure resistance, temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, capable of meeting the demand for uninterrupted continuous mass production in factories around the clock.

The whole machine is equipped with an integrated PLC touch screen fully automatic control system, where foaming pressure, constant temperature and pressure holding duration can be freely, precisely adjusted and locked, effectively ensuring highly uniform expansion ratio and elastic performance of foamed pellets in each batch. The E-TPU popcorn pellets processed by this equipment feature fine and uniform internal cells with stable and excellent rebound and cushioning performance, fully applicable to mass production of lightweight midsoles for all types of sports shoes.

Meanwhile, the equipment is integrated with a complete set of multi-layer safety protection structures, including automatic overpressure relief valves, over-temperature sound-light alarm devices and emergency stop buttons. It is manufactured in strict accordance with safety standards for pressure vessels to comprehensively eliminate potential safety hazards in workshop production.

The matched thermal oil circulation constant temperature heating system delivers uniform temperature rise and high temperature control precision, effectively eliminating foaming defects caused by uneven local heating inside the tank. The tank door adopts an optimized quick opening and closing structure, which saves time and labor for material loading and unloading, greatly cutting auxiliary process time and significantly improving overall production efficiency.

The equipment is mainly designed for processing E-TPU thermoplastic polyurethane pellets. By simply adjusting process parameters on the touch screen, it can also support foaming operations of multiple thermoplastic elastic pellets. Nitrogen used as the foaming medium can be recycled in a closed loop for reuse, drastically reducing procurement and consumption costs of the medium and fully aligning with factories’ green and low-carbon production concepts.

The operation platform and all conveying pipelines of the whole machine are highly integrated and pre-commissioned before factory delivery, greatly shortening customers’ on-site installation, commissioning and production launch cycle. This supercritical nitrogen E-TPU foaming autoclave is widely suitable for E-TPU shoe material raw material processing factories, sports shoe popcorn midsole manufacturers, thermoplastic elastic pellet processing workshops and new shoe material R&D centers. It is mainly used for supercritical nitrogen physical foaming processing of E-TPU pellets to produce high-resilience popcorn foamed pellets, specially applied to manufacturing lightweight midsoles for running shoes, casual sports shoes, training shoes and all kinds of high-elastic cushioning footwear.

The equipment is equipped with a complete set of standardized operating procedures. Before startup and production, operators shall inspect pressure gauges, safety valves, pipeline sealing status and the whole machine power supply system one by one. After confirming all components work normally, place E-TPU raw material pellets into the special material basket inside the tank, close and lock the tank door in strict accordance with standard operating procedures.

Then set the corresponding foaming pressure, heating temperature and pressure holding time on the touch screen based on raw material characteristics and production foaming requirements. After one-click startup, the equipment will automatically complete the full foaming procedure including nitrogen injection, temperature rise & pressure holding and staged pressure relief. The tank door can only be opened to take out finished foamed pellets after the whole procedure is fully finished and the internal tank pressure is completely released to zero. After the whole day’s daily production, operators shall timely clean residual material debris inside the tank and carefully inspect the wear condition of the tank door sealing ring.

During equipment installation, it must be placed on a solid and qualified reinforced concrete special foundation, with sufficient space reserved around the machine for operation and equipment maintenance. Connect the matched power supply circuit, nitrogen gas source, cooling water system and exhaust pipeline in sequence referring to the original factory equipment drawings. After all pipelines and the tank are assembled, conduct hydraulic pressure and air tightness leakage tests uniformly.

After confirming no leakage, carry out 2 to 3 no-load trial runs and one complete timed foaming sample test before formal production, and fine-tune various process parameters to the optimal production range. The equipment is matched with standardized periodic maintenance and repair specifications. Daily maintenance requires daily inspection of the operating status of pressure gauges and safety valves, wiping dust on the machine surface, and confirming all connecting pipelines are well sealed without air leakage.

Weekly maintenance focuses on checking the wear loss degree of the tank door sealing ring, testing all alarm protection functions of the machine item by item, and cleaning impurities accumulated in filter cores inside nitrogen pipelines. Monthly maintenance includes regular calibration of temperature and pressure detection sensors, checking the thermal oil liquid level of the heating system, and tightening all loose pipeline connectors.

During equipment fault maintenance, accurately locate fault points according to alarm codes popped up on the touch screen. Before disassembling any components for maintenance, the whole machine power supply must be completely cut off and residual pressure retained inside the tank fully released. Meanwhile, regularly replace aging sealing parts according to maintenance cycles to stably maintain the tank’s airtight and pressure-holding foaming performance.

In terms of daily production operation and green cycle management, the whole machine has a low operation threshold. Relying on the fully automatic PLC touch control system, workshop workers can independently complete parameter setting and production startup after brief training. The whole foaming procedure runs automatically without long-term full-time personnel on duty. The pure nitrogen physical foaming process leaves no chemical residues, nitrogen medium can be recycled to cut production consumption, and unqualified waste pellets generated from foaming can also be uniformly recycled for secondary reprocessing.

The stainless steel tank of the main equipment features long service life and durability, and consumable accessories such as sealing gaskets can be replaced separately without replacing the whole machine. It reduces production waste from multiple dimensions including raw materials, media and equipment loss, comprehensively assisting shoemaking factories in realizing safe, eco-friendly, low-cost circular sustainable production.