Method and apparatus to condition polymers utilizing multiple processing systems
A continuous process wherein polymers or polymeric materials can be subjected to multiple sequential processing systems of differing temperatures and process conditions to synergistically enhance the pelletization and conditioning of those polymers and polymeric formulations, dispersions, and solutions. The multiple sequential processing systems include the processes and equipment for mixing/extrusion, pelletization, multiple transportation processes, conditioning, multiple defluidizing processes, and optional post-processing manipulations of pellets formed. Multiple serial and/or parallel conditioning processing systems are disclosed.
1. A method of multiple sequential processing to condition polymeric material comprising:
feeding the polymeric material to a mixer,
mixing the polymeric material in the mixer,
extruding the polymeric material from the mixer,
pelletizing the extruded polymeric material,
first transporting the pelletized polymeric material to a first defluidizer, a first transport medium used to transport the pelletized polymeric material at a first temperature,
first defluidizing the pelletized polymeric material in the first defluidizer,
second transporting the defluidized pelletized polymeric material to a pellet conditioning system, a second transport medium used to transport the pelletized polymeric material at a second temperature,
conditioning the pelletized polymeric material in the pellet conditioning system, wherein the conditioning is a process selected from the group consisting of vulcanizing, curing, crosslinking, completing a reaction, furthering a reaction, and making the pelletized polymeric material less tacky,
third transporting the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material to a second defluidizer, a third transport medium used to transport the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material at a third temperature, and
second defluidizing the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material,
wherein the first, second, and third temperatures are different.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third transport mediums are water.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is lower than the third temperature.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein mixing the polymeric material occurs at mixing processing conditions, and extruding the polymeric material occurs at extruding processing conditions, and at least one common condition of both the mixing processing conditions and the extruding processing conditions are different.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first, second and third transporting steps comprises the injection of pressurized inert gas.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first defluidizer and the second defluidizer are the same defluidizer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein first defluidizing the pelletized polymeric material occurs at first defluidizing processing conditions, and second defluidizing the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material occurs at second defluidizing processing conditions, and at least one common condition of both the first and second defluidizing conditions are different.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising surface treating at least a portion of at least one component of the multiple sequential process with at least one component layer.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one component layer is a cleaning, degreasing, etching, primer coating, roughening, grit-blasting, sand-blasting, peening, pickling, acid-wash, base-wash, nitriding, carbonitriding, electroplating, electroless plating, flame spraying, thermal spraying, plasma spraying, sintering, dip coating, powder coating, vacuum deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, sputtering, spray coating, roll coating, rod coating, extrusion, rotational molding, slush molding, reactive coating, or phosphating agent, or combinations thereof.
10. A method of multiple sequential processing to condition polymeric material comprising:
providing multiple sequential processing steps to process polymeric material into conditioned and pelletized polymeric material, the steps comprising:
feeding the polymeric material to a mixer,
mixing the polymeric material in the mixer,
extruding the polymeric material from the mixer,
pelletizing the extruded polymeric material,
first transporting the pelletized polymeric material to a first defluidizer,
first defluidizing the pelletized polymeric material in the first defluidizer,
second transporting the defluidized pelletized polymeric material to a pellet conditioning system,
conditioning the pelletized polymeric material in the pellet conditioning system, wherein the conditioning is a process selected from the group consisting of vulcanizing, curing, crosslinking, completing a reaction, furthering a reaction, and making the pelletized polymeric material less tacky,
third transporting the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material to a second defluidizer, and
second defluidizing the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material,
operating each of the processing steps at processing conditions;
wherein each of the processing steps operates at at least one different condition from each of the other of the processing steps.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising injection of pressurized inert gas into one or more of the transporting steps.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein a processing condition is temperature.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein a processing condition is pressure.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein a processing condition is flow rate.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein a processing condition is residence time.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein a processing condition is agitation rate.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein a processing condition is transport medium.
18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising surface treating at least a portion of at least one component of the multiple sequential processing steps with at least one component layer.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one component layer is a cleaning, degreasing, etching, primer coating, roughening, grit-blasting, sand-blasting, peening, pickling, acid-wash, base-wash, nitriding, carbonitriding, electroplating, electroless plating, flame spraying, thermal spraying, plasma spraying, sintering, dip coating, powder coating, vacuum deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, sputtering, spray coating, roll coating, rod coating, extrusion, rotational molding, slush molding, reactive coating, or phosphating agent, or combinations thereof.
20. A method of multiple sequential processing to condition polymeric material comprising:
first transporting a pelletized polymeric material to a first defluidizer to first defluidize the pelletized polymeric material, wherein a first transport medium is used to transport the pelletized polymeric material at a first temperature,
second transporting the first defluidized pelletized polymeric material to a pellet conditioning system to condition the pelletized polymeric material, wherein a second transport medium is used to transport the pelletized polymeric material at a second temperature, wherein the conditioning is a process selected from the group consisting of vulcanizing, curing, crosslinking, completing a reaction, furthering a reaction, and making the pelletized polymeric material less tacky, and
third transporting the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material to a second defluidizer to second defluidize the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material, wherein a third transport medium is used to transport the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material at a third temperature,
operating each of the processing steps at processing conditions;
wherein each of the processing steps operates at at least one different condition from each of the other of the processing steps.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first, second, and third transport mediums are water.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first temperature is lower than the third temperature.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the second temperature and the third temperature are the same.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein one or more of the first, second, and third transporting steps comprises the injection of pressurized inert gas.
25. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first defluidizer and the second defluidizer are the same defluidizer.
26. The method of claim 20 , wherein first defluidizing the pelletized polymeric material occurs at first defluidizing processing conditions, and second defluidizing the conditioned and pelletized polymeric material occurs at second defluidizing processing conditions, and at least one common condition of both the first and second defluidizing conditions are different.
27. The method of claim 20 , further comprising surface treating at least a portion of at least one component of the multiple sequential process with at least one component layer.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the at least one component layer is a cleaning, degreasing, etching, primer coating, roughening, grit-blasting, sand-blasting, peening, pickling, acid-wash, base-wash, nitriding, carbonitriding, electroplating, electroless plating, flame spraying, thermal spraying, plasma spraying, sintering, dip coating, powder coating, vacuum deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, sputtering, spray coating, roll coating, rod coating, extrusion, rotational molding, slush molding, reactive coating, or phosphating agent, or combinations thereof.
29. The method of claim 20 , wherein one of the first and second defluidizing steps includes drying.
30. The method of claim 20 , wherein one of the first and second defluidizing steps includes dewatering.
31. A method of multiple sequential processing to achieve crystallization of polymeric material comprising:
providing multiple sequential processing steps to process polymeric material into crystallized and pelletized polymeric material, the steps comprising:
feeding the polymeric material to a mixer,
mixing the polymeric material in the mixer,
extruding the polymeric material from the mixer,
pelletizing the extruded polymeric material,
first drying the pelletized polymeric material,
transporting the dried, pelletized polymeric material to a pellet crystallization system,
crystallizing the pelletized polymeric material in the pellet crystallization system, and
second drying the crystallized and pelletized polymeric material, and
operating each of the processing steps at processing conditions;
wherein each of the processing steps operates at at least one different condition from each of the other of the processing steps.