Underwater granulator with a water pipe mounted in a swivel joint
View Patent ↗An apparatus for granulating extruded material includes an extruder and an underwater granulator connected to the extruder and having a cutting plate for cutting extruded material, the granulator being hinged so that it can swivel about a swivel axis when disconnected from the extruder. A feed pipe is connected to said granulator for providing process water and a discharge pipe is connected to the granulator for transporting and cooling granulate, the feed pipe and the discharge pipe each having a swivel joint with an axis of rotation which is coaxial to the swivel axis.
1. An apparatus for granulating extruded material comprising:
an extruder;
an underwater granulator connected to said extruder and having a cutting plate for cutting extruded material received from said extruder, said granulator being hinged so that it can swivel about a swivel axis when disconnected from said extruder;
a feed pipe connected to said granulator for providing process water and having a swivel joint with an axis of rotation which is coaxial to said swivel axis; and
a discharge pipe connected to said granulator for transporting and cooling granulate and having a swivel joint with an axis of rotation which is coaxial to said swivel axis.
2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said feed pipe and said discharge pipe each have a curved section between the respective swivel joint and the granulator.
3. An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein each said curved section has an “S” shape.
4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said feed pipe and said discharge pipe are coaxial where they are connected to the granulator.
5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said granulator is supported by said feed pipe and said discharge pipe.
6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said swivel joints each have roller bearings.