Abstract: Certain polyamide beads or granules are useful as a sustaining material for underground natural or artificial cracks of the earth's crust essentially employed for the extraction of hydrocarbons such as crude oil or natural gas; such polyamide beads have a spherical or ellipsoidal shape and have a surface free of concave portions, advantageously having a uniform shape, and having a mean diameter lower than or equal to 1.7 mm and a porosity lower than 0.1 ml/g, and are produced using a particular cutting device/extruder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pellet dryer (1) comprising: a housing (2), an inlet for feeding fluid flushed pellets and two separate outlets (3, 10) for discharging the dried pellets and the fluid, a vertical bladed rotor (4) for separation of the fluid by a screen (5) toward outside of the screen (5) surrounding the bladed rotor (4) and for a vertical acceleration and separation of the pellets by the blades (6) of the bladed rotor (4) and for continuously drying the vertically accelerated pellets inside the screen (5) of the housing (2), wherein an additional blower (18) is provided comprising a fan on top of the housing (2) positioned in the periphery of the bladed rotor (4) and connected with a ductwork (20) inside the housing (2) between an inner surface (16) of the housing (2) and an outer surface (38) of a framework (39) of the screen (5), wherein the rotational speed of the additional blower (18) is controlled by a central controller unit of the pellet dryer (1) independently of the rotational speed of t

Abstract: The present invention relates to a centrifugal pellet dryer comprising a housing accommodating a rotor surrounded by a screen, wherein said screen includes at least one porous screen member and is supported by a screen support holding the screen relative to the housing. To avoid vibrations and noise, the centrifugal pellet dryer has the screen supported against the housing by a screen support which includes at least one damper for dampening vibrations of the screen and/or isolating screen vibrations from the housing.

Abstract: A centrifugal pellet dryer is provided that includes a housing accommodating a rotor surrounded by a screen, and a feeding system for feeding a water-pellet-slurry to the rotor. The feeding system includes a pre-dewatering system for separating water from the water-pellet-slurry upstream of the rotor. The pre-dewatering system may include a feeding pipe having a dewatering perforation, with the pipe being configured to be mounted in different positions to adjust the amount of dewatering.

Abstract: A pre-expanded hard shell thermoplastic foam pellet is made by controlling the temperature of the melt exiting a die plate in an underfluid pelletizer, and by controlling the temperature and pressures of the cooling fluid as the pellet flows from the cutting chamber through the slurry line toward a centrifugal dryer. The process and apparatus used for controlling the above parameters is described in conjunction with making the pellets. The pellets thus formed may have a generally spherical shape, or they may have odd, irregular shapes with foam hemorrhages protruding therefrom, depending on the conditions during pre-expansion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connection adapter for connecting two melt-guiding components having two adapter halves having connection means for connection to a respective one of the components and having connection means for connecting the two adapter halves to one another and having a melt-guiding piece that is adapted to a first of the melt-guiding components by a first opening cross-section and to the second of the melt-guiding components by a second opening cross-section. The invention furthermore relates to a melt processing plant having two melt-guiding components such as an extruder and a pelletizer that are connected to one another by such a connection adapter. In accordance with the invention, the melt-guiding piece is formed separately from the adapter halves and is tensionable against the melt-guiding components by the mutually connected adapter halves.

Abstract: A tumbler may be used as defluidizer, dryer, coater, classifier, or dynamic filter. The tumbler includes a rotatable drum that receives a solid/fluid slurry through an inlet chute. As the slurry travels through the drum, fluid exits the drum through a plurality of apertures in screens attached to the sides of the drum, while the solids continue along the drum's length until they reach one or more openings and exit the drum into an outlet chute. The outlet chute includes ridges that wrap around rings extending from the openings of the drum to prevent solids from escaping the outlet chute. To further dry the solids before they exit the drum, an air tube at least partially disposed within the drum is configured to introduce a flow of air into the drum.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connection adapter for connecting two melt-guiding components having two adapter halves having connection means for connection to a respective one of the components and having connection means for connecting the two adapter halves to one another and having a melt-guiding piece that is adapted to a first of the melt-guiding components by a first opening cross-section and to the second of the melt-guiding components by a second opening cross-section. The invention furthermore relates to a melt processing plant having two melt-guiding components such as an extruder and a pelletizer that are connected to one another by such a connection adapter. In accordance with the invention, the melt-guiding piece is formed separately from the adapter halves and is tensionable against the melt-guiding components by the mutually connected adapter halves.

Abstract: A die plate is provided for an underwater pelletizer. The die plate includes a die plate body and a solid face plate. The downstream face of the die plate body has a plurality of insulation holes drilled therein that reduce the surface area contact between the die plate body and the solid face plate that is secured to the downstream face of the die plate body to form the cutting surface. In addition, a circular groove is preferably milled into the downstream face of the die plate body. The groove is concentric with the outer perimeter of the die plate body and creates an outer ring and a center boss. The outer downstream surface of the boss is flush with the outer downstream surface of the outer ring so that the boss and ring together form the downstream face of the die plate body for supporting the solid face plate. The insulation holes and groove are filled with a non-reactive atmosphere such as nitrogen, inert gas(es), a vacuum or a partial vacuum.

Abstract: A centrifugal dryer that has improved throughput capacity resulting from the combination of a high angle agglomerate catcher with optional overflow, increased dewatering capacity, a cylindrical dewatering feed chute, a modified rotor design with positionally and structurally modified lifters in the feed and dewatering section, the drying and propagating section, as well as the pellet discharge section, and an efficient circumferential foraminous membrane.

Abstract: A pellet dryer is provided having a housing with an inlet and a two separate outlets for discharging dried pellets and fluid, a vertical bladed rotor for centrifugally separating fluid by a screen surrounding the bladed rotor, an outlet duct connected to the outlet opening for the dried pellets, and a curved outlet guidance plate close to the top of the housing. The outlet guidance plate extends from a central position above the screen through the pellet outlet opening into the outlet duct to smooth transitional movement of the pellets between the upper end of the screen and the outlet duct.

Abstract: A filtration apparatus for filtering and separating solids from liquids is provided that includes at least one liquid-permeable, continuously or intermittently drivable filter belt, an intake for charging the liquid/solid mixture to be filtered onto the filter belt in a charging zone and a belt cleaner for removing the solids deposited at the filter belt from a belt section conveyed out of the charging zone in an expulsion zone. The belt cleaner has at least one rotatingly drivable brush with which a brush cleaner having a scraper is associated which is arranged in the path of the bristles of the rotating brush. The rotating brush efficiently removes the deposited solids from the filter belt, while the scraper of the brush cleaner simultaneously ensures that the dissolved solids do not settle at the brush and clog it.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pellet dryer (1) comprising: a housing (2), an inlet for feeding fluid flushed pellets and two separate outlets (3, 10) for discharging the dried pellets and the fluid, a vertical bladed rotor (4) for separation of the fluid by a screen (5) toward outside of the screen (5) surrounding the bladed rotor (4) and for a vertical acceleration and separation of the pellets by the blades (6) of the bladed rotor (4) and for continuously drying the vertically accelerated pellets inside the screen (5) of the housing (2), wherein an additional blower (18) is provided comprising a fan on top of the housing (2) positioned in the periphery of the bladed rotor (4) and connected with a ductwork (20) inside the housing (2) between an inner surface (16) of the housing (2) and an outer surface (38) of a framework (39) of the screen (5), wherein the rotational speed of the additional blower (18) is controlled by a central controller unit of the pellet dryer (1) independently of the rotational speed of t

Abstract: The present invention relates to a centrifugal pellet dryer comprising a housing accommodating a rotor surrounded by a screen, wherein said screen includes at least one porous screen member and is supported by a screen support holding the screen relative to the housing. To avoid vibrations and noise, the centrifugal pellet dryer has the screen supported against the housing by a screen support which includes at least one damper for dampening vibrations of the screen and/or isolating screen vibrations from the housing.

Abstract: A pellet dryer is provided having a housing with an inlet and a two separate outlets for discharging dried pellets and fluid, a vertical bladed rotor for centrifugally separating fluid by a screen surrounding the bladed rotor, an outlet duct connected to the outlet opening for the dried pellets, and a curved outlet guidance plate close to the top of the housing. The outlet guidance plate extends from a central position above the screen through the pellet outlet opening into the outlet duct to smooth transitional movement of the pellets between the upper end of the screen and the outlet duct.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a centrifugal pellet dryer comprising a housing accommodating a rotor surrounded by a screen, and a feeding system for feeding a water-pellet-slurry to said rotor, said feeding system including a pre-dewatering system for separating water from said water-pellet-slurry upstream of said rotor. The pre-dewatering system may include a feeding pipe having a dewatering perforation, said pipe being configured to be mounted in different positions to adjust the amount of dewatering.

Abstract: Methods and systems for continuously bagging pellets formed from a tacky and/or polymer containing formulation include improved drying systems and techniques. The methods and systems may include directing a flow of air to help contain moisture within a dryer, transport pellets out of the dryer, and/or dry pellets as they move away from the dryer. The methods and systems may include conditioning (e.g., drying, coating, classifying) the pellets using a conditioning unit prior to bagging the pellets.

Abstract: A cutter hub pin drive mechanism and a quick disconnect hub for a pelletizer and a pelletizer having a cutter hub pin drive mechanism are provided. The pelletizer has a cutter hub that includes a cutter hub holder which is engaged with the pelletizer shaft through a plurality of drive pins. The drive pins ride in drive pin channels formed by grooves cut into an inner surface of the cutter hub holder and aligned grooves formed in the outer surface of the forward end of the pelletizer shaft. By machining of grooves into the cutter hub holder and shaft to form channels that receive the drive pins, more precise engagement between the pelletizer shaft, cutter hub holder and drive pins is obtained, resulting in improved torque transmission from the shaft to the cutter hub. Also provided is a seal around the pelletizer shaft to prevent the egress of fines into the drive pin area which might otherwise interfere with the unobstructed movement of the cutter hub holder necessary to adjust blade position.

Abstract: A melt processing plant including a melt charger for charging a processing head, in particular a pelletizing head, with melt, is provided. Upstream of the processing head a diverter valve for discharging the melt during a starting and/or retooling phase is associated with the melt charger, and a portioning device for portioning the discharged melt into melt portions is associated to the diverter valve. A cooling device for cooling the melt portions to at least partly solidified chunks of material is also provided, the cooling device including a cooling bath having an associated belt conveyor with a first collecting belt portion inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal and extending through the level of the cooling bath for collecting chunks of solidified material.

Abstract: A system that enables a cutter head to pivot for improved alignment with a cutting face or die is disclosed. The system includes a cutter hub and a driveshaft hub mated with a plurality of round, spherical, or ovoid surfaces to enable the cutter hub to pivot with respect to the driveshaft hub. The system can include a plurality of alignment pins with spherical surfaces to transfer torque from the driveshaft hub to the cutter hub. The system can also include a cutter head, which can include a plurality of cutting blades. The system can be used in cutting machinery, such as a pelletizer, where alignment of the cutting head and the cutting die (or other cutting surface) is desirable.