A tumbler crystallizer for crystallizing pelleted, tacky, polymeric materials includes a housing for rotatably supporting a removable paneled drum on rollers. The removable panels may be made of a transparent, heat-insulating material. The drum receives a flow of hot pellets through an inlet chute, and a tumbling action of the drum and internal agitators keeps the pellets in motion relative to each other to prevent agglomeration until they reach a desired level of crystallinity and are no longer tacky. Baffle plates are provided at intervals along the length of the drum to slow the flow of pellets therethrough to increase residence time. Damper plates are provided near the exit end of the drum to aid in building a bed of pellets within the drum, and also to control residence time of the pellets within the drum.
B29B 9/12 - Making granules characterised by structure or composition
F26B 11/04 - Machines or apparatus for drying solid materials or objects with movement which is non-progressive in moving drums or other mainly-closed receptacles rotating about a horizontal or slightly-inclined axis
F26B 11/00 - Machines or apparatus for drying solid materials or objects with movement which is non-progressive
F26B 17/00 - Machines or apparatus for drying materials in loose, plastic, or fluidised form, e.g. granules, staple fibres, with progressive movement
A tumbler may be used as defluidizer, dryer, coater, classifier, or dynamic filter. The tumbler includes a rotatable drum that receives a solid/fluid slurry through an inlet chute. As the slurry travels through the drum, fluid exits the drum through a plurality of apertures in screens attached to the sides of the drum, while the solids continue along the drum's length until they reach one or more openings and exit the drum into an outlet chute. The outlet chute includes ridges that wrap around rings extending from the openings of the drum to prevent solids from escaping the outlet chute. To further dry the solids before they exit the drum, an air tube at least partially disposed within the drum is configured to introduce a flow of air into the drum.
B01D 33/11 - Filters with filtering elements which move during the filtering operation with rotary cylindrical filtering surfaces, e.g. hollow drums arranged for outward flow filtration
F26B 11/02 - Machines or apparatus for drying solid materials or objects with movement which is non-progressive in moving drums or other mainly-closed receptacles
F26B 11/04 - Machines or apparatus for drying solid materials or objects with movement which is non-progressive in moving drums or other mainly-closed receptacles rotating about a horizontal or slightly-inclined axis
B01D 33/067 - Construction of the filtering drums, e.g. mounting or sealing arrangements
B01D 33/66 - Handling the filter cake in the filter for purposes other than for regenerating for drying by gases or by heating
B01D 33/76 - Filters with filtering elements which move during the filtering operation having feed or discharge devices for discharging the filter cake, e.g. chutes
3.
Polyamide beads and method for the production thereof
Certain polyamide beads or granules are useful as a sustaining material for underground natural or artificial cracks of the earth's crust essentially employed for the extraction of hydrocarbons such as crude oil or natural gas; such polyamide beads have a spherical or ellipsoidal shape and have a surface free of concave portions, advantageously having a uniform shape, and having a mean diameter lower than or equal to 1.7 mm and a porosity lower than 0.1 ml/g, and are produced using a particular cutting device/extruder.
B29B 9/06 - Making granules by dividing preformed material in the form of filamentary material, e.g. combined with extrusion
B29B 9/12 - Making granules characterised by structure or composition
C08G 69/26 - Polyamides derived from amino carboxylic acids or from polyamines and polycarboxylic acids derived from polyamines and polycarboxylic acids
A pellet dryer (1) is provided that includes a housing (2), an inlet (30) for feeding fluid flushed pellets and two separate outlets (3, 10) for discharging the dried pellets and the fluid, and a vertical bladed rotor (4) for acceleration and centrifugal separation of the fluid by a screen (5) surrounding the rotor (4). The outlet for dried pellets (10), positioned above the upper end (37) of the screen (5), includes an opening (35) toward the top (9) of the housing (2) on a side surface (16) distant from the screen (5) in a radially outward direction and an outlet duct (36) connected to the opening (35) by an acute angle (?) relative to the central axis (12) of the rotor (4). A curved outlet guidance plate (40) is provided inside the housing (2) in a transition region (41) between the screen upper end (37) and the outlet duct (36), the guidance plate (40) extending from a central position above the screen (5) through the outlet opening (35) into the outlet duct (36).
F26B 5/08 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat by centrifugal treatment
F26B 17/22 - Machines or apparatus for drying materials in loose, plastic, or fluidised form, e.g. granules, staple fibres, with progressive movement with movement performed by rotating helical blades or other rotary conveyors moving materials in stationary chambers the axis of rotation being vertical or steeply inclined
The present invention relates to a centrifugal pellet dryer comprising a housing accommodating a rotor surrounded by a screen, and a feeding system for feeding a water-pellet-slurry to said rotor, said feeding system including a pre-dewatering system for separating water from said water-pellet-slurry upstream of said rotor. The pre-dewatering system may include a feeding pipe having a dewatering perforation, said pipe being configured to be mounted in different positions to adjust the amount of dewatering.
The present invention relates to a centrifugal pellet dryer comprising a housing accommodating a rotor surrounded by a screen, wherein said screen includes at least one porous screen member and is supported by a screen support holding the screen relative to the housing. To avoid vibrations and noise, the centrifugal pellet dryer has the screen supported against the housing by a screen support which includes at least one damper for dampening vibrations of the screen and/or isolating screen vibrations from the housing.
F26B 5/00 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat
F26B 3/06 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes involving the application of heat by convection, i.e. heat being conveyed from a heat source to the materials or objects to be dried by a gas or vapour, e.g. air the gas or vapour flowing through the materials or objects to be dried
F26B 5/08 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat by centrifugal treatment
F26B 17/22 - Machines or apparatus for drying materials in loose, plastic, or fluidised form, e.g. granules, staple fibres, with progressive movement with movement performed by rotating helical blades or other rotary conveyors moving materials in stationary chambers the axis of rotation being vertical or steeply inclined
F26B 17/24 - Machines or apparatus for drying materials in loose, plastic, or fluidised form, e.g. granules, staple fibres, with progressive movement with movement performed by shooting or throwing the materials
A pellet dryer (1) is provided having a housing (2), an inlet for feeding fluid flushed pellets and two separate outlets (3, 10) for discharging the dried pellets and the fluid, a vertical bladed rotor (4) for acceleration and separation of the fluid by a screen (5) surrounding the bladed rotor (4) and for continuously drying the vertically accelerated pellets inside the screen (5) of the housing (2). An additional blower (18) is provided comprising a fan on top of the housing (2) positioned in the periphery of the bladed rotor (4) and connected with a ductwork (20) inside the housing (2) between an inner surface (16) of the housing (2) and an outer surface (38) of a framework (39) of the screen (5). The rotational speed of the additional blower (18) is controlled by a central controller unit of the pellet dryer (1) independently of the rotational speed of the bladed rotor (4).
F26B 3/06 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes involving the application of heat by convection, i.e. heat being conveyed from a heat source to the materials or objects to be dried by a gas or vapour, e.g. air the gas or vapour flowing through the materials or objects to be dried
F26B 5/08 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat by centrifugal treatment
8.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AN EXPANDABLE FOAM PELLET HAVING A HARD OUTER SHELL
A pre-expanded hard shell thermoplastic foam pellet is made by controlling the temperature of the melt exiting a die plate in an underfluid pelletizer, and by controlling the temperature and pressures of the cooling fluid as the pellet flows from the cutting chamber through the slurry line toward a centrifugal dryer. The process and apparatus used for controlling the above parameters is described in conjunction with making the pellets. The pellets thus formed may have a generally spherical shape, or they may have odd, irregular shapes with foam hemorrhages protruding therefrom, depending on the conditions during pre-expansion.
Connection adapter for connecting two melt-guiding components (5, 6), comprising two adapter halves (2, 3), which each have connecting means (11) for connecting to one of the components (5, 6) in each case, and also connecting means (12) for connecting the two adapter halves (2, 3) to one another, and a melt-guiding piece (10), which is adapted with a first mouth cross section to a first of the melt-guiding components (5) and with a second mouth cross section to the second of the two melt-guiding components 6), wherein the melt-guiding piece (10) is formed as separate from the adapter halves (2, 3) and can be braced against the melt-guiding components (5, 6) by the connected-together adapter halves (2, 3).
Systems, articles, and methods for rotational molding are disclosed herein. Specifically, materials in bags, or other containers, are placed into a mold for rotational molding. As the rotational molding process is carried out, the bags release the materials, enabling the materials to form a desired pattern on the surface of the resulting rotationally molded article. Optionally, a spreadable material may be applied to the inner mold wall to enhance the pattern on the surface of the molded article.
A tumbler may be used as defluidizer, dryer, coater, classifier, or dynamic filter. The tumbler includes a housing for rotatably supporting a removable screened drum on a plurality of rollers. The drum receives a solid/fluid slurry through an inlet chute. As the slurry travels through the drum, fluid exits the drum through a plurality of apertures in screens attached to the sides of the drum, while the solids continue along the drum's length until they reach one or more openings and exit the drum into an outlet chute. The outlet chute includes ridges that wrap around rings extending from the openings of the drum to prevent solids from escaping the outlet chute. To further dry the solids before they exit the drum, an air tube disposed within the drum is configured to direct air through the screens to an air blower intake positioned outside of the drum.
Methods and systems for continuously bagging pellets formed from a tacky and/or polymer containing formulation include improved drying systems and techniques. The methods and systems may include directing a flow of air to help contain moisture within a dryer, transport pellets out of the dryer, and/or dry pellets as they move away from the dryer. The methods and systems may include conditioning (e.g., drying, coating, classifying) the pellets using a conditioning unit prior to bagging the pellets.
B30B 11/00 - Presses specially adapted for forming shaped articles from material in particulate or plastic state, e.g. briquetting presses or tabletting presses
B30B 15/08 - Accessory tools, e.g. knivesMountings therefor
13.
DIE PLATE WITH DIE PLATE BODY HAVING AN APERTURED DOWNSTREAM FACE COVERED BY A SOLID FACE PLATE
A die plate is provided for an underwater pelletizer. The die plate includes a die plate body and a solid face plate. The downstream face of the die plate body has a plurality of insulation holes drilled therein that reduce the surface area contact between the die plate body and the solid face plate that is secured to the downstream face of the die plate body to form the cutting surface. A circular groove is preferably milled into the downstream face of the die plate body, concentric with the outer perimeter thereof, to create an outer ring and a center boss with flush outer downstream surfaces that together form the downstream face of the die plate body for supporting the solid face plate. The insulation holes and groove are filled with a non-reactive atmosphere such as nitrogen, inert gas(es), a vacuum or a partial vacuum.
A bagging film includes two resins blended with a modifying agent. The first resin, making up about 60% - 85% of the formulation, is a copolymer, polymer, elastomer, or combination thereof. The second resin, making up about 14% - 39% of the formulation, is a different copolymer, polymer, elastomer, or combination thereof that is physically softer than the first resin. The modifying agent, making up about 0.25% - 3.5% of the formulation, is compounded with the resin formulation such that the modifying agent creates a lubricant between the successive layers of the film.
B65D 65/40 - Applications of laminates for particular packaging purposes
C08L 25/10 - Copolymers of styrene with conjugated dienes
C08L 53/02 - Compositions of block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bondsCompositions of derivatives of such polymers of vinyl aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
Described herein are extrusion processes to produce hollow pellets. Also disclosed are pelletizer devices that can be used to produce the hollow pellets. The processes and devices make use of an extrusion die having a die orifice and an insert that is placed in the die orifice to produce the hollow pellets.
B29C 47/00 - Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor (extrusion blow-moulding B29C 49/04)
16.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DRYING PELLETS AND OTHER MATERIALS
Systems and methods for manufacturing pellets are disclosed herein. The systems and methods can include improved drying systems and techniques. In some embodiments, for example, the systems and methods can make use of one or more vacuum dryers and various other improvements related thereto.
Certain polyamide beads or granules are useful as a sustaining material for underground natural or artificial cracks of the earth's crust essentially employed for the extraction of hydrocarbons such as crude oil or natural gas; such polyamide beads have a spherical or ellipsoidal shape and have a surface free of concave portions, advantageously having a uniform shape, and having a mean diameter lower than or equal to 1.7 mm and a porosity lower than 0.1 ml/g, and are produced using a particular cutting device/extruder.
A system that enables a cutter head to pivot for improved alignment with a cutting face or die is disclosed. The system includes a cutter hub and a driveshaft hub mated with a plurality of round, spherical, or ovoid surfaces to enable the cutter hub to pivot with respect to the driveshaft hub. The system can include a plurality of alignment pins with spherical surfaces to transfer torque from the driveshaft hub to the cutter hub. The system can also include a cutter head, which can include a plurality of cutting blades. The system can be used in cutting machinery, such as a pelletizer, where alignment of the cutting head and the cutting die (or other cutting surface) is desirable.
B29B 9/06 - Making granules by dividing preformed material in the form of filamentary material, e.g. combined with extrusion
B29C 47/00 - Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor (extrusion blow-moulding B29C 49/04)
B29C 47/08 - Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
19.
CENTRIFUGAL PELLET DRYER SCREEN WITH INTEGRAL OUTWARDLY PROJECTING DEFLECTOR STRIPS
A cylindrical dryer screen having raised embossed regions in the form of embossed deflector strips on the outer surface is provided for a centrifugal pellet dryer. The embossed deflector strips are integral and project outwardly so as not to encroach upon the space within the screen housing for the rotor and rotor blades. The embossed screen with its outwardly projecting deflector strips effectively deflects the pellets back toward the rotor where the pellets are reengaged with rotor energy, resulting in increased dryer efficiency and flow rate.
F26B 5/08 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat by centrifugal treatment
F26B 17/24 - Machines or apparatus for drying materials in loose, plastic, or fluidised form, e.g. granules, staple fibres, with progressive movement with movement performed by shooting or throwing the materials
20.
CUTTER HUB PIN DRIVE MECHANISM AND QUICK DISCONNECT HUB FOR AN UNDERFLUID PELLETIZER
A cutter hub pin drive mechanism and a quick disconnect hub for a pelletizer and a pelletizer having a cutter hub pin drive mechanism are provided. The pelletizer has a cutter hub that includes a cutter hub holder which is engaged with the pelletizer shaft through a plurality of drive pins. The drive pins ride in drive pin channels formed by grooves cut into an inner surface of the cutter hub holder and aligned grooves formed in the outer surface of the forward end of the pelletizer shaft. Also provided is a seal around the pelletizer shaft to prevent the egress of fines into the drive pin area, and a quick disconnect hub by which the pelletizer shaft can be readily disconnected from the cutting assembly to facilitate the removal of agglomerated polymer in the cutting chamber.
The invention relates to a melt-processing system comprising a melt feeder for feeding melt to a processing head, in particular a granulation head. Said melt feeder is assigned, upstream of the processing head, a start-up valve for discharging the melt during a start-up and/or changeover phase. According to the invention, the melt channels of the divider head have at least one graduated cross-sectional widening in an inflow section, a cross-sectional shape widening from the outlet cross-section of the discharge channel, and an open mouth area leading out from the divider.
B29C 47/00 - Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor (extrusion blow-moulding B29C 49/04)
The present application relates to a melt processing plant, having a melt feeder (2) for feeding melt to a processing head, in particular granulator head (3), wherein the melt feeder is assigned, upstream of the processing head, a start-up valve (4) for discharging the melt during a start-up and/or conversion phase, and to a method for melt processing in a melt processing plant of said type. According to the invention, the start-up valve (4) is assigned a portioning device (5) for dividing the discharged melt into melt portions, wherein a cooling device (6) for cooling the melt portions into at least partially solidified material lumps is provided.
The various embodiments of the present invention are directed to valve devices, systems, and methods for controlling the distribution of materials to multiple locations. The improved valve devices, materials distribution systems, and materials distribution methods disclosed herein are particularly suitable for use in applications where the materials being distributed are, for example but not limited to, non-gaseous fluid materials (e.g., raw liquids, solutions, slurries, colloids, suspensions, and the like) and solid materials having some level of tackiness, moisture content, or like property. The valves, systems, and methods disclosed herein can be operated without having to stop the flow of materials therethrough in order to change the position of the valve from one outlet to another. Further, the valves and systems disclosed herein have few directional changes, therefore there are few, if any, points within the system where the material can get stuck and/or lodged.
A continuous process wherein a material is melt processed and subsequently pelletized, transported, optionally chemically and/or physically modified, and subsequently optionally defluidized utilizing fluidic processing. The transport fluids and fluid combinations utilize a wide range of process temperatures facilitating enhancement of conditioning, improvement of moisture content, pelletization of hygroscopic, water- sensitive, and water-soluble materials, pelletization of non-polymeric and Theologically non- shear sensitive and marginally shear- sensitive polymeric materials, modification of pellet components through extraction, pelletization of low melting materials, tacky materials, pellet coating, and pellet impregnation otherwise difficult and challenging using conventional technologies.
An apparatus and method thereof for reducing velocity of a particle-fluid slurry, comprising a housing body, at least one baffle mounted inside the housing body configured to divide and rejoin the slurry, and at least one side-mounted baffle plate also mounted inside the housing body configured to redirect the slurry; wherein the number of baffles and side-mounted baffle plates are manipulated to achieve a desired reduction in velocity.
The present invention relates to a filtration device for filtering out and separating solids from liquids, having at least one liquid-permeable, continuously or intermittently driveable filter belt, an inlet for delivery of the liquid/solid mixture that is to be filtered onto the filter belt in a delivery region, and also a belt cleaner for removing the solids accumulated on the filter belt from a belt section that is transported out of the delivery region into a discard region. According to the invention the belt cleaner possesses at least one rotatable brush to which is assigned a brush cleaner having a scraper which is arranged in the path of rotation of the bristles of the rotating brush. The rotating brush efficiently removes the accumulated deposits from the filter belt, while the scraper of the brush cleaner simultaneously ensures that the dissolved solids do not settle on the brush and block it. In particular in the case of sticky impurities of the liquid that is to be filtered, the continuous self-cleaning of the brush is very helpful in order to be able to ensure long-term efficient continuous separation of the solids.
B01D 29/09 - Filters with filtering elements stationary during filtration, e.g. pressure or suction filters, not covered by groups Filtering elements therefor with filtering bands, e.g. movable between filtering operations
27.
CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR FRACTIONING, COMBINATION, AND RECOMBINATION OF ASPHALT COMPONENTS FOR PELLETIZATION AND PACKAGING OF ASPHALT AND ASPHALT-CONTAINING PRODUCTS
A continuous process for fractioning, combination, and recombination of asphalt sources into asphalt components for pelletization of asphalt and asphalt-containing products such that the pellets formed are generally uniform in dimension, freely flowing, free from agglomeration, and the pelletized asphalt is packaged, and preferably compatibly packaged, for additional processing and applications.
A continuous process for fractioning, combination, and recombination of asphalt sources into asphalt components for pelletization of asphalt and asphalt-containing products such that the pellets formed are generally uniform in dimension, freely flowing, free from agglomeration, and the pelletized asphalt is packaged, and preferably compatibly packaged, for additional processing and applications.
The various embodiments of the present invention are directed to improved processes and systems for continuously bagging materials. In particular, the improved processes and systems can be used to bag tacky materials with improved throughput. The systems generally include at least one of a feeding section, mixing section, pelletizing section, transport piping, agglomerate catcher, defluidizing section, drying section, pellet diverter valve, and/or bagging assembly.
A cutter hub for an underfluid pelletizer in which pelletizable material such as molten polymer is extruded as strands through orifices in a die plate. The cutter hub has a plurality of cutter blades integral therewith and is made of a single solid one-piece construction of hub and blades. The cutter hub is rotatably driven and moves along the face of the die plate so that the blades cut the extruded strands into pellets. The cutter hub preferably includes self-aligning structure.
A cutter hub position control device for consistent blade adjustment in an underfluid pelletizer is provided in connection with a motion rod attached to the pelletizer cutter hub and extending through a hollow shaft of the pelletizer motor. The cutter hub position control device can be collinear, transaxial or in a plane parallel to the axis of the motion rod to which it is attached. Adjustment of the cutter hub position control device is automated through use of feedback control mechanisms.
A cutter hub position control device for consistent blade adjustment in an underfluid pelletizer is provided in connection with a motion rod attached to the pelletizer cutter hub and extending through a hollow shaft of the pelletizer motor. The cutter hub position control device can be collinear, transaxial or in a plane parallel to the axis of the motion rod to which it is attached. Adjustment of the cutter hub position control device is automated through use of feedback control mechanisms.
Disclosed herein are processes for continuously bagging pellets. The pellets can be formed from a tacky and/or polymer-containing formulation. Other embodiments relate to systems for continuously bagging pellets. Still other embodiments related the individual components of the processes and systems for continuously bagging pellets.
B65B 1/30 - Devices or methods for controlling or determining the quantity or quality of the material fed or filled
B65B 51/10 - Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
B65B 9/20 - Enclosing successive articles or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
A centrifugal dryer that has improved throughput capacity resulting from the combination of a high angle agglomerate catcher with optional overflow, increased dewatering capacity, a cylindrical dewatering feed chute, a modified rotor design with positionally and structurally modified lifters in the feed and dewatering section, the drying and propagating section, as well as the pellet discharge section, and an efficient circumferential foraminous membrane.
An insulated die plate assembly (10) for use in underwater pelletizing and other granulation processes includes a thin, continuous air chamber (32) formed across the plate assembly generally parallel to the die face (26) such that the heated upstream portion of the die plate assembly is thermally insulated from the downstream portion. The air chamber is atmospherically equilibrated by venting the air chamber to the atmosphere. The plurality of extrusion orifices, either individually or in groups, are formed in extrusion orifice (22) extensions that extend through the insulation chamber so that the process melt to be granulated can pass therethrough. The orifice extensions and the components forming the air chamber around the orifice extensions (31) are specially configured to channel heat along said extensions to maintain the process melt therein at a desired temperature, to help rigidify the die plate assembly and to better seal the air chamber (26).
An insulated die plate assembly (10) for use in underwater pelletizing and other granulation processes includes a thin, continuous air chamber (32) formed across the plate assembly generally parallel to the die face (26) such that the heated upstream portion of the die plate assembly is thermally insulated from the downstream portion. The air chamber is atmospherically equilibrated by venting the air chamber to the atmosphere. The plurality of extrusion orifices, either individually or in groups, are formed in extrusion orifice (22) extensions that extend through the insulation chamber so that the process melt to be granulated can pass therethrough. The orifice extensions and the components forming the air chamber around the orifice extensions (31) are specially configured to channel heat along said extensions to maintain the process melt therein at a desired temperature, to help rigidify the die plate assembly and to better seal the air chamber (26).
B29B 9/06 - Making granules by dividing preformed material in the form of filamentary material, e.g. combined with extrusion
37.
METHOD AND APPARATUS TO ACHIEVE FORMULATION AND REACTIVE POLYMERIZATION UTILIZING A THERMALLY AND ATOMSPHERICALLY CONTROLLED FEEDING SYSTEM FOR THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS
A continuous process wherein a mechanized and automated feeding system provides precision delivery of thermally and atmospherically conditioned components to a pelletization process including extrusion, pelletization, thermal processing, drying, and post- processing of the polymeric pellets formed. The components can be combined to form solutions, dispersions, emulsions, formulations, and the like. These components can further be reacted and thermally modified to form oligomers, pre-polymers, polymers, copolymers, and many combinations thereof.
A positionable gas nozzle assembly (100) having a nozzle tube (110) for injecting and directing pressurized air or other inert gas into a pellet slurry so as to increase the velocity of the slurry from a pelletizer to and through a dryer. The variably positionable nozzle tube (110) can be inserted, retracted and/or intermediately positioned either manually or using an automated control system. The automated control system preferably includes a pneumatic cylinder (154) movably engaged with a carriage (160) that is fixedly coupled to the nozzle tube. The pneumatic cylinder contains a piston (172) that is magnetically coupled with the carriage such that movement of the piston in response to the injection of pressurized air into the cylinder also moves the carriage and the nozzle tube to obtain the variable positions.
Described herein are extrusion processes to produce hollow pellets. Also disclosed are pelletizer devices that can be used to produce the hollow pellets. The processes and devices make use of an extrusion die having a die orifice and an insert that is placed in the die orifice to produce the hollow pellets.
Continuous processes wherein polymers or polymeric materials can be subjected to multiple sequential processing systems of differing process conditions to synergistically enhance the pelletization and crystallization of those polymers and polymeric formulations, dispersions, and solutions are disclosed herein. The multiple sequential processing systems can include the processes and equipment for mixing/extrusion, pelletization, multiple transportation processes, crystallization, multiple drying processes, and optional post-processing manipulations of pellets formed. Multiple serial and/or parallel crystallization processing systems are also disclosed.
B29B 9/02 - Making granules by dividing preformed material
B29B 7/46 - MixingKneading continuous, with mechanical mixing or kneading devices with movable mixing or kneading devices rotary with more than one shaft
41.
METHOD FOR ABRASION-RESISTANT NON-STICK SURFACE TREATMENTS FOR PELLETIZATION AND DRYING PROCESS EQUIPMENT COMPONENTS
Described herein is a surface treatment that can synergistically provide abrasion, erosion, corrosion, and/or wear resistance, while also potentially conferring a minimal stick surface that can effectively eliminate problematic obstruction of passageways and unwanted stricture, accumulation, clumping, and agglomeration of pellets and micropellets during the pelletization, transport, drying, crystallization, and post-processing of polymeric and related materials.
B01J 2/00 - Processes or devices for granulating materials, in generalRendering particulate materials free flowing in general, e.g. making them hydrophobic
42.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCED MINIMAL SHEAR MOLDING UTILIZING EXTRUSIONAL, PELLETIZATION, AND MELT RHEOLOGICAL CONTROL OF PELLETS AND MICROPELLETS AND MOLDED OBJECTS MADE THEREFROM
The various embodiments of the present invention relate to methods for enhancement of minimal shear molding processes. This can be accomplished using pellets and/or micropellets, along with optional powders. The pellets and/or micropellets can be produced through controlled extrusional and pelletization processes in combination with nonpowder melt flow rheology that incorporates reduced molding temperature, reduced cure time, reduced rotation axis ratios, and/or reduced rotation rates. Molding can be uniaxial, biaxial, or multiaxial, and rotational, oscillatory, or both. The molded items produced can have a single layer or multiple layers, and can be produced in one or more molding sequences using similar or different chemical compositions.
C08J 3/20 - Compounding polymers with additives, e.g. colouring
C08J 9/34 - Chemical features in the manufacture of articles consisting of a foamed macromolecular core and a macromolecular surface layer having a higher density than the core
C08L 23/00 - Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bondCompositions of derivatives of such polymers
A center heated die plate for an underwater pelletizer radiates heat outwardly to the extrusion orifices and die faces of the die plate thereby maintaining the die plate and extrusion orifices at an elevated temperature to obtain optimum flow of molten polymer through the extrusion orifices. In one embodiment, a cylindrical heating coil is placed in a hollow central core of the die plate and a plurality of peripheral heating elements are inserted in radial recesses distributed around an outer perimeter of the die plate to create an inner heat zone and an outer heat zone which are separately controllable.
An embossed screen having raised deflector elements on the internal surface is provided for a centrifugal pellet dryer. The deflector screen is formed as an integral structure, eliminating the need for separate deflector components secured by fastening elements along with the associated risks such as loosening or separation of the strip and contaminate build-up between the strip and the screen. The embossed deflector screen effectively deflects the pellets back toward the rotor where the pellets are reengaged with rotor energy, resulting in increased dryer efficiency and flow rate. The embossed deflector screen also enhances the overall structural strength of the screen, reduces manufacturing costs and prevents pellet entrapment that can lead to contamination in future runs.
F26B 17/22 - Machines or apparatus for drying materials in loose, plastic, or fluidised form, e.g. granules, staple fibres, with progressive movement with movement performed by rotating helical blades or other rotary conveyors moving materials in stationary chambers the axis of rotation being vertical or steeply inclined
F26B 5/00 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat
F26B 5/08 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat by centrifugal treatment
45.
CENTRIFUGAL PELLET DRYER SCREEN WITH INTEGRAL EMBOSSED DEFLECTOR STRIPS
An embossed screen having raised deflector elements on the internal surface is provided for a centrifugal pellet dryer. The deflector screen is formed as an integral structure, eliminating the need for separate deflector components secured by fastening elements along with the associated risks such as loosening or separation of the strip and contaminate build-up between the strip and the screen. The embossed deflector screen effectively deflects the pellets back toward the rotor where the pellets are reengaged with rotor energy, resulting in increased dryer efficiency and flow rate. The embossed deflector screen also enhances the overall structural strength of the screen, reduces manufacturing costs and prevents pellet entrapment that can lead to contamination in future runs.
The invention relates to a centrifugal drier for separating granulated materials from process water, said drier comprising a housing, a rotor arranged in the housing, and a sieve (6) surrounding the rotor on the periphery thereof and comprising at least one porous sieve element (10) which is bent around at least one sieve carrier ring (11) and detachably fixed thereto. According to the invention, the sieve consists of a plurality of sieve elements which overlap each other in the peripheral direction and are fixed to the sieve carrier ring by at least one clamping belt (14) surrounding the overlapping sieve elements on the periphery thereof. Fundamentally different, curved, flexible and/or elastic tractive elements can be arranged around the sieve elements as clamping belts, said tractive elements being tightened and thereby holding the sieve elements together.
A solid face die plate for an underwater pelletizer includes a carrier or holding plate having a circular slot for holding a hard anti-wear element of highly wear-resistant material through which the extrusion orifices open for extruding polymer. The solid face die plate eliminates the need for insulation or plugging material in the center of the die plate and, by embedding the hard anti-wear element within the carrier, protects the edges of the hard anti-wear element for longer wear life.
A melt cooler (30) and valving system for an underwater pelletizer (6) has a diverter valve (40) that facilitates multiple modes of melt processing. The cooler has a cooler inlet line (32) that conveys the melt to the cooler, and a cooler outlet line (34) that conveys the cooled melt from the cooler. The diverter valve is configured to convey the melt to and from the cooler during a cooling mode of operation, to convey the melt around the cooler during a bypass mode of operation, and to drain the melt from the cooler and the diverter valve during a drain mode of operation. The diverter valve is compact and therefore contains a minimum of product inventory. The valve is streamlined and direct in its bypass mode, and includes a drain capability to allow for faster, easier cleaning of the process line, which in turn provides a fast changeover time with less lost product.
An apparatus and method for the pelletization of waxes, wax-like and other materials having a sharp melt point include a vessel for forming the wax into a hot molten material. A heat exchanger then cools the molten wax to a temperature just above its melt temperature. The cooled liquid wax is fed to an extruder which further reduces the temperature and mixes the liquid wax into a thoroughly mixed extrudable solid wax. The solid wax is then extruded through die orifices of a die plate into a cutting chamber, and a rotary cutter cooperating with the die face of the die plate cuts the extruded solid wax strands into pellets. The die plate, cutting chamber and rotary cutter can have the same structure as an underwater pelletizer, but operating without water or liquid as a dry face pelletizer. The thus formed wax pellets drop out of the cutting chamber by gravity through an opening in the bottom thereof.
A cutter hub and blade assembly (10, 22, 60) for cutting polymer strands extruded from a die face (16) in a pelletizer has cutter blades (14, 24, 62) mounted on the cutter hub (48) at a steep angle. The blades (24, 62) are beveled along a portion of their leading edge to form a blunt cutting edge (36, 38) or surface (40, 42, 64, 66) to the blades which is generally perpendicular to the die face. By beveling the leading edge of a blade (24) supported at a steep angle to form a blunt cutting edge (36), the bottom surface area (54) of the blade (24) in contact with the die face can be significantly reduced. The reduced contact area provides several advantages including a clean cut of the pellets and a faster blade grinding when seating the blades to the die face.
An apparatus and process maintain control of the temperature of low-melting compounds, high melt flow polymers, and thermally sensitive materials for the pelletization of such materials. The addition of a cooling extruder, and a second melt cooler if desired, in advance of the die plate provides for regulation of the thermal, shear, and rheological characteristics of narrow melting-range materials and polymeric mixtures, formulations, dispersions or solutions. The apparatus and process can then be highly regulated to produce consistent, uniform pellets of low moisture content for these otherwise difficult materials to pelletize.
A process for preparing low moisture content polymer biomaterial composites and expandable polymer biomaterial composites by extrusion through a die plate (18) into a waterbox (16) and pelletizing with cutter blades (14). Polyolefins or condensation polymers are melt blended with a solid or semi-solid biomaterial component (155), such as polysaccharides, including cellulosics and starches, or proteinaceous materials, including polypeptides, and are extruded, pelletized underwater, and processed with accelerated drying to achieve moisture levels as low as one percent (1%) or less.
A process for preparing low moisture content polymer biomaterial composites and expandable polymer biomaterial composites by extrusion through a die plate (18) into a waterbox (16) and pelletizing with cutter blades (14). Polyolefins or condensation polymers are melt blended with a solid or semi-solid biomaterial component (155), such as polysaccharides, including cellulosics and starches, or proteinaceous materials, including polypeptides, and are extruded, pelletized underwater, and processed with accelerated drying to achieve moisture levels as low as one percent (1%) or less.
A method and apparatus for underwater pelletizing and subsequent drying of crystallizing polymers to crystallize the polymer pellets without subsequent heating is shown in Figure 5. High velocity air or other inert gas is injected into the water and pellet slurry line (120) toward the dryer near the pelletizer exit (102) at a flow rate of from about 100 to about 175 m3/hour, or more. Such high-speed air movement forms a vapor mist with the water and significantly increases the speed of the pellets into and out of the dryer such that the polymer pellets leave the dryer with sufficient latent heat to cause self-crystallization within the pellets. A valve mechanism in the slurry line (150) after the gas injection further regulates the pellet residence time and a vibrating conveyor after the dryer helps the pellets to achieve the desired level of crystallinity and to avoid agglomeration.
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