Patents Assigned to Buhler Thermal Processes AG
  • Patent number: 9039948
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing and treating plastic pellets. According to said method, a melt of the plastic material is granulated to give pellets, the pellets are cooled in a cooling fluid, the pellets are separated from the cooling fluid and the pellets are crystallized. The device according to the invention is characterized by comprising a control unit which monitors the crystallization step and controls the method in such a manner that, in case of a disturbance of crystallization, the pellets are supplied to an intermediate storage alter separation of the pellets from the cooling fluid and, as soon as the disturbance is removed, the pellets temporarily stored in the intermediate storage are supplied to crystallization and are crystallized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignees: Rieter Automatik GMBH, Buhler Thermal Processes AG
    Inventors: Frank Glöckner, Fernando Eusebio, Brent Allen Culbert, Franziska Morganti
  • Patent number: 8728368
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a semicrystalline polymer, said method comprising the following steps: producing a polymer melt from a crystallizable polymer; shaping particles and solidifying the polymer melt, the step of shaping the particles being carried out before or after solidification; cooling the particles; treating the particles to reduce their tendency to agglomerate; crystallizing the particles. The invention is characterized in that the treatment is carried out by shaking at a temperature T1 which is below the glass transition temperature of the polymer plus 10° C., i.e. T1<Tg+10° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Bühler Thermal Processes AG
    Inventors: Brent Allan Culbert, Andreas Christel, Mauricio Rodrigues
  • Publication number: 20140084504
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuous pelletization and crystallization of a polymer includes a unit for forming a polymer pellet material and cooling the pellet material in a liquid cooling medium. An after-connected drying unit has an exit opening for exporting gas and a crystallizer for crystallizing the pellet material. The crystallizer communicates via a connection line with the pre-connected unit for separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material and drying the pellet material. The crystallizer communicates with an inert gas tank, whereby the pressure in the crystallizer can be increased relative to the pressure in the drying unit. A related process is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Bühler Thermal Processes AG
    Inventors: Andreas Christel, Brent Allan Culbert, Fernando Eusebio
  • Publication number: 20140054204
    Abstract: A device for obtaining a material from a mixed fraction (including particles of a desired material and particles of another material with different optical properties) has a first sorting apparatus and at least two further sorting apparatuses below the first sorting apparatus. From the first sorting apparatus, a major fraction is introduced into a first further sorting apparatus and purified further there, while a minor fraction is passed into a second further sorting apparatus and processed further there.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Buhler Thermal Processes AG
    Inventor: Andreas Christel