Abstract: An apparatus for processing a biomass material includes an evaporator and a dryer. The evaporator includes a vertically orientated evaporator housing with a heatable casing, which encloses a rotationally symmetric evaporation chamber and a drivable evaporator rotor shaft, including a central evaporator rotor shaft body and wiping units. The wiping unit includes wiping elements designed for wiping inside the evaporator housing casing. The dryer includes a housing with heatable casing and encloses a drying chamber and a drivable dryer rotor shaft for distributing the biomass material inside the casing and conveying the biomass material toward the dryer outlet and includes a central dryer rotor shaft body and rotating elements over the circumference thereof, and rigidly mounted on the dryer rotor shaft body.

Abstract: A heat transfer method for a polymer mixture is disclosed, comprising the steps of transporting the polymer mixture in a flow path through a heat exchange medium and restricting the flow of the polymer mixture at a predetermined location along the flow path. This method defines a zone upstream of the flow restriction device, wherein the mixture is sufficiently pressurized to prevent vaporization of volatile components of the mixture. This method also defines a zone downstream of the flow restriction device maintained at a pressure lower than that of the upstream zone, wherein the pressure is sufficiently relieved to induce partial vaporization of volatile components of the mixture.

Abstract: In a gravimetric weighing hopper, an infeed chute on the fixed hopper frame and a removable annular wall supported by a load cell are formed with respective annular edges which are angled relative to their aligned axes or are correspondingly notched or otherwise have annular portions about at least approximately one-half of their respective annular extents which are spaced axially from their remaining annular extents to enable the removable cylindrical wall to be spaced in close surrounding relation to the feed chute during normal operation and also to be readily manipulated relative to the feed chute when necessary or desired to be removed from the hopper.

Abstract: An improved self-lubricating bearing arrangement for gear pumps utilizes a system of material feed channels and reservoir pockets to divert a portion of the material being pumped from the pressure side of the intermeshing gears to lubricate the gear-supporting shafts within the bearing arrangement. At each gear shaft, a linear material feed channel is formed in the radial face of the bearing between a pressure relief recess and an axial opening supporting the shaft and a parabolic reservoir pocket is formed within the bearing opening adjacent the shaft to apply diverted polymer to the shaft. Each material feed channel and reservoir pocket is polished to a mirror finish to minimize any tendency of suspended additives in the polymer from adhering to or collecting within the channels or pockets, thereby to prevent unusual or localized wearing of the gear shafts.

Abstract: In a thermoplastic material extrusion line having a melt extruder, a gear pump, and a die aligned with one another, the gear pump is supported on a hinged articulable arm for swinging movement into and out of operative disposition in alignment with the extruder to simplify realignment of the gear pump with the extruder and the die whenever it becomes necessary to remove the gear pump from the line for maintenance or service.

Abstract: An improved slide plate diverter valve having a manifold block and a backing plate with a linearly reciprocable slide plate sandwiched and clamped therebetween is provided with side rails between the manifold block and backing plate along opposite lengthwise sides of the slide plate secured by dowel pins to each thereof to rigidify the manifold block and backing plate against relative movement, eliminating any tendency of the backing plate to move relative to the manifold block in response to sliding actuation of the slide plate.