Abstract: A method of degassing a molten mass of thermoplastic, plastics material containing residual monomers and a twin-screw extruder capable of effecting such degassing. A molten mass of plastics material and a stripping agent are intermixed at a pressure which prevents the stripping agent from changing from liquid to gas at the temperature of the molten mass. The pressure necessary is achieved by the use of a pressure restrictor, which is yoke-shaped and is connected to the extruder housing in a force-fitting manner using centering means but which effectively blocks the processing chamber of the extruder downstream thereof to the molten material with the exception of a maximum of two throughbores for such material.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of heat and chemicals from spent liquor by evaporating water out from it in order to concentrate the liquor and be feeding the concentrated liquor thereby obtained and air into the soda-ash furnace. In order to increase the dry-matter content of the liquor to a level higher than usual, without at the same time increasing the viscositty of the liquor immoderately, at least the final concentrating (5, 9) of the liquor and its feeding (16) into the soda-ash furnace (4) are carried out under pressure at a temperature higher than the atmospheric boiling point of the liquor.

Abstract: A multi-shaft thin-layer reactor for treating fluid materials in which gaseous material is present during such treatment. The treatment involves the addition of gas to the fluid material or the removal of gas therefrom. The reactor includes a housing in which a plurality of axis-parallel conveying shafts are disposed. The housing is cylindrical and the shafts are disposed around the inner periphery thereof in such a manner that each shaft meshes with the two shafts adjacent thereto. The meshing shafts jointly define the outer periphery of a treatment chamber within the housing. At least one sun-and-planet roller extrusion assembly rotates the shafts and is adjacent at least one end of the shafts in a form-locking manner. The conveying shafts also scrape against the internal wall of the housing so that thin layers of the fluid materials fed into the reactor are formed and these thin layers become disposed on the conveyor shafts.

Abstract: The removal of impurities, for example monomeric low-molecular substances, solvents or the like, from polymeric synthetic plastics materials takes place by the admixture of extraction gas in a first extruder in a supercritical state. The mixture is transferred to a second extruder where, in a first separating zone, and by a counter-current method, it is cleansed of the major part of the extraction gas containing the impurities, this being passed through a discharge orifice. Separation of any residue takes place in a vacuum zone on the downstream side. The high pressure in the first extruder is maintained by a counter-pressure valve in the connecting pipe between the first and second extruders. By the separation of contaminated extraction gas from molten synthetic plastics material in a closed space, namely the second extruder, it is possible to achieve an ordered dissipation of extraction gas on the one hand and molten synthetic plastics material on the other hand.

Abstract: A finishing process for water-slurried elastomers wherein a partially dewatered elastomer is presented to an enclosed, low shear, self-cleaning, long residence time dryer for drying at low temperatures in order to remove the remaining water and residual volatiles. The dried product is then cooled in a pneumatic conveyor to temperatures required for baling.

Abstract: Low odor polyphenylene ether/polystyrene resins are produced in a process by solution blending low odor polyphenylene ether and polystyrene resins and passing the solution through devolatilizers prior to recovery.

Abstract: Volatile substances in polyphenylene ether or polyphenylene ether/polystyrene compositions are substantially reduced by extruding the resins in a single pass using a plurality of stages including water injection and vacuum venting.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new process for the purification, by distillation, of thermolabile compounds wherein a thermolabile compound is introduced into a twin screw extruder which is heated, in at least one zone, to the boiling temperature of the compound. The volatilized compound is drawn off and condensed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the post reaction treatment of resins produced by fluidized bed polymerization of alpha olefins wherein an extruder is coupled in communication with the reactor and all necessary devolatilization of monomer, deactivation of catalysts and addition of additives are performed in the extruder.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating a waste solution generated when a photosensitive material is processed by an automatic developing machine includes a waste solution reservoir which is maintained at a constant level. A drum, partially immersed in the waste solution, is rotated to coat its surface. The drum is heated to produce a waste vapor. The waste vapor is condensed by a condenser and filtered and solid wastes are scraped from the surface of the drum. The condenser has a drain tank for collecting condensate and a non-condensable gas component. The interior of the drain tank is sealed to form an air tight seal and has a vent for exhausting the non-condensable gas component from the interior portion to the outside. The air vent includes an absorption tower to treat the non-condensable gas component.

Abstract: Sludge or slurry is dewatered by passing it on a screw conveyor through a sealed vessel at a vacuum more negative than -10 inches of Hg.As a result, moisture is removed from the sludge or slurry as water vapor. The vessel is sealed from air by the presence of the sludge or slurry at the inlet and outlet port extents of the vessel.

Abstract: A process for removing substantial quantities of volatile liquid e.g. hydrocarbon from a mixture of polymer and such liquid is provided. This process includes the initial step of introducing the mixture, and a liquid which is immiscible with the polymer, into a mixing/kneading zone provided with heated heat transfer surfaces having a temperature higher than the boiling point of the lowest boiling liquid component in the mixing/kneading zone. The mixture and the immiscible liquid are subjected to a period of continuous mixing and kneading within the mixing/kneading zone, to bring the mixture into continuously moving contact with the heat transfer surfaces. During this period of continuous mixing/kneading, the heated heat transfer surfaces are repeatedly mechanically cleaned to prevent buildup of solid polymer thereon.

Abstract: The present invention includes an apparatus and system for treating waste water. More specifically, for the removal of a floating component of the waste water from the remaining water relatively free of the floating component. The apparatus includes a separating chamber having a movable flow gate disposed at one side thereof. A preferred embodiment of the present apparatus includes a skimmer that is movable in both horizontal and vertical directions for facilitating the removal of the floating component of the waste water from the separating chamber. The present system includes an apparatus for treating waste water and sludge.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing volatile materials from a molten oxymethylene polymer, according to which the molten polymer is passed through a rotating disk polymer processor having at least three stages; a first devolatilization stage, then a stabilization stage and then a second devolatilization stage. The molten polymer in the first devolatilization stage is maintained at a temperature above its melting point in the temperature range of from about 160.degree. C. to about 220.degree. C. and at a vapor space pressure of from about 0.1 to about 300 Torr. The polymer in the stabilization stage is maintained in the molten state at a temperature of from 160.degree. C. to about 220.degree. C. The polymer in the second devolatilization stage is maintained in the molten state at a temperature of from about 160.degree. C. to about 190.degree. C. and at a vapor space pressure of from about 0.1 to about 100 Torr.

Abstract: An apparatus for the production of long-chain polymers, especially polyesters, is designed with several shafts arranged vertically in ring fashion inside a common housing, with parallel axes and driven in equal direction, each of which carries a number of disk-shaped processing elements arranged axially in a row and in parallel planes, with which adjacent shafts mesh, leaving narrow gaps of predetermined width. These processing elements together with the shafts enclose at least one cavity that is under negative pressure and in whose area the processing elements are arranged in such a way that their circumferential surfaces are exposed.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing combustibles from drill cuttings are provided wherein the drill cuttings are forced under pressure through an extrusion section having no moving parts. The extrusion section comprises a fixed mandrel coaxial with an outer cylindrical shell and having a thin annular chamber therebetween for heating the drill cuttings passing through the extrusion section. The drill cuttings then enter a separating means for removing the volatile combustibles from the solid drill cuttings.

Abstract: The discharge apparatus comprises an at least four-shaft screw pump having engaging shafts (1,2,3,4) which rotate in opposite directions in pairs. The viscous product to be processed is caught up over a large area and removed by the screws. A double shaft screw pump is connected downstream of the actual collection zone as a pressure build-up zone. The two center screws (2, 3) of the collection zone merge equiaxially into the screw shafts (2a, 3a) of the pressure build-up zone. The collection zone and the pressure build-up zone are combined into one constructional unit. At least one screw shaft is driven. The resulting high viscosity product strands (7) are caught up by the screws in the collection zone and are moved on into the pressure build-up zone. The double shaft screw pump is used for the build up of a high operational pressure and thus provides the prerequisite for the subsequent connection of further procedural stages.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a process for the thin layer evaporation of liquid in which the thin layer to be evaporated is formed by centrifugation.It is characterized in that the pointed part of the said cone is immersed in a reserve of liquid to be evaporated and a communication is established between the external face of the said pointed part of the cone and the internal face of this cone, so that the thin layer subjected to evaporation is formed on the internal face and on the external face of the cone.It concerns a device and installation for the distillation by evaporation in thin layers, particularly for hydrocarbons, and process for operating this device.

Abstract: Polluted industrial waste water having a high chemical demand for oxygen and fine particles in suspension is purified using the following steps: directly heating and evaporating the polluted water without subjecting it to the usual prior steps of mechanical separation such as sieving or decanting; separating sludges from the evaporated water; condensing the evaporated water; subjecting the condensed evaporated water to a physico-chemical purifying process of the coagulation-flocculation type; and filtering the purified condensed evaporated water. The purified water is pure enough to be recycled through a dyeing works. The installation includes an evaporator (10) which is preferably built in several stages with the vapor from each stage other than the first being used to evaporate the polluted water in the next stage.

Abstract: An extruder including a devolatilizing section having helical channels formed in the barrel and having a cylindrical rotor closing the inner sides of the channels. Material is fed onto the rotor surface which rotates and forms the material into one or more rolling banks engaging only the upstream flank of the channels and the rotor surface. Helical vent slots pass through the barrel into each channel at the downstream flanks not occupied by the rolling bank.

Abstract: This invention is a device for increasing the rate of evaporation from tubes, usually test tubes, by the introduction of a partial vacuum or by using a stream of gas through needles which extend into the tubes. This invention is an improvement on U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,713. The improvement is to divide the device into two separate units which may either be used together or independently of each other. This allows the operator to run two different samples at one time or he may run one smaller sample without waste resulting from unused needles. Furthermore, the improvement provides for variations in the height of the needles above the substance to be evaporated. This increases the speed and efficiency of the evaporation. Finally the improvement allows the operator to use the device as a drying rack for small glassware.

Abstract: Patent discloses a method and an apparatus for the recovery of organic solvents from mixtures of organic solvents and polymers soluble or dispersible in the organic solvents. The method comprises the heating, by microwave radiation utilizing a magnetron type radiation source, of the mixture causing said mixture to reach the heat of flashing and/or evaporation of the solvent, collecting the solvent as it so vaporizes and recovering fresh solvent. The dry cake can be discarded or reused depending upon the extent of polymerization.

Abstract: A pump for a radioactive waste concentrator in a shielded enclosure is mounted on a wheeled vehicle that travels on tracks, and a spare pump is mounted on an identical wheeled vehicle outside of the shielded enclosure, adjacent the tracks. If the pump fails, it is wheeled out of the shielded enclosure, and the vehicle carrying the spare pump is put on the tracks and wheeled into the enclosure for quick connection to the concentrator.

Abstract: An apparatus for effecting evaporation of the contents of a multitude of containers, such as test tubes, including a rack and a manifold having multiple paths of open communication with a plurality of containers positioned within the rack, through which evaporation of the contents of the containers by vacuum or positive gas flow is achieved.