Classifying and purifying apparatus of solid blowing agents and methods of classifying and purifying solid blowing agents

1. A classifying and purifying apparatus of a solid blowing agent comprising:

a classifier, which classifies a supplied solid blowing agent into first microspheres and second microspheres and comprises a vortex generating material located in a classifying space of the classifier;

a storage connected to the classifier, in which the classified first microspheres flow in to be stored and emitted; and

a filter arranged on the moving route of the solid blowing agent or the first microspheres, which separates metallic substance from an object of filtering comprising the solid blowing agent or the first microspheres.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises:

a filter housing comprising an inside filter space configured to pass the solid blowing agent or the first microspheres;

a filter cover arranged on the filter housing to be detachable for opening and closing of the filter space; and

a filter material arranged in the filter space and generating magnetic force, and wherein the metallic substance is attached to the filter material by the magnetic force.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the filter material comprises:

a holder located in the filter space; and

a magnet arranged on the holder, and

wherein the metallic substance is attached to the holder to be eliminated from the object of filtering.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a filter inlet connected to the filter space is formed in the filter housing, and

the filter inlet is connected to a direction tangent to a perimeter of the filter space in a lower portion of the filter housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the object of filtering moves in a vortex when contacting with the filter material, in the filter space.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a filter outlet, which emits the object of filtering in which the metallic substance has been eliminated in the filter space, is formed in the filter housing or the filter cover.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the filter cover is arranged on an opened side of the filter housing, the filter outlet is formed on the filter cover, and the object of filtering gradually ascends when contacting with the filter material in the filter space to be emitted to the outside of the filter housing through the filter outlet.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the solid blowing agent has a density of 100 kg/m 3 or less.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the classifier comprises:

a classifying housing comprising an inside classifying space;

a gas supplying hole connected to the classifying space; and

an emitting hole configured to classify and connected to the classifying space,

wherein the classifying space is configured to classify a solid blowing agent into first microspheres and second microspheres,

wherein the first microspheres are emitted from the emitting hole,

wherein the gas supplying hole is configured to supply flowing gas, the flowing gas being dry air or inert gas, and

wherein the first microspheres have a moisture content of 3 wt % or less.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the classifier comprises:

a classifying housing comprising an inside classifying space,

a classifying stirrer arranged in the classifying space, and

an emitting hole configured to classify which connects the classifying space with the storage,

wherein the classifying stirrer comprises:

a shaft arranged along a vertical length direction of the classifying housing to be rotatable, and

a plurality of stirring blades arranged along the length direction of the shaft, and

wherein the filter is arranged in any one location selected from the group consisting of in front of the classifier, a position between the classifier and the storage, in rear of the storage, and combinations thereof.

11. A classifying and purifying apparatus of a solid blowing agent comprising:

a classifier in which classifying space is formed, and

a filter arranged in front, in rear, or in front and in rear of the classifier,

wherein the classifier comprises:

a classifying housing comprising the classifying space,

a gas supplying hole connected to the classifying space,

an emitting hole configured to classify connected to the classifying space, and

a gas emitting hole and an emitting filter arranged in the gas emitting hole,

wherein the classifying space classifies a solid blowing agent into first microspheres and second microspheres, the first microspheres being emitted from the emitting hole, and

wherein the filter separates metallic substance from an object of filtering that is inflowed.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the classifier further comprises a vortex generating material located in the classifying space and arranged to neighbor on the gas supplying hole.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the classifier further comprises a vibration generator arranged in the classifying housing.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:

a supplier which supplies the solid blowing agent to the classifier,

a storage in which the first microspheres flow in to be stored, and

a retriever in which the second microspheres are retrieved.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein the gas supplying hole supplies flowing gas, the flowing gas is dry air or inert gas, and the first microspheres have a moisture content of 3 wt % or less.

16. A method of classifying and purifying a solid blowing agent comprising:

classifying a solid blowing agent into first microspheres and second microspheres depending on a descent rate of the solid blowing agent which is raised by flowing gas supplied to a classifying space; and

purifying the first microspheres by separating them from metallic substance using a magnetic filter when they pass the filter,

wherein a vortex generating material is disposed in the classifying space.

17. The method of claim 16 ,

wherein the flowing gas is dry air or inert gas, and the first microspheres have a moisture content of 3 wt % or less.

18. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the vortex generating material is arranged to neighbor on the gas supplying hole.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the classifier further comprises a gas emitting hole, and an emitting filter arranged in the gas emitting hole.