Abstract: A polymer devolatilization preheater and a method for using the same to preheat a polymer/solvent solution. The preheater includes an elongated, upright hollow vessel defining a heating chamber having a upper and lower ends, and a longitudinal axis extending between the ends. An inlet for a polymer/solvent solution is located adjacent the upper end of the chamber and a molten polymer outlet is located adjacent the lower end of the chamber. A plurality of heating tube bundles are mounted in the chamber, each bundle including a plurality of elongated serpentine heating tubes which are each arranged in a configuration having a major axis which extends across the chamber in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vessel. The tubes are positioned such that the polymer/solvent solution comes into heat transferring contact with an outer surface thereof as the polymer/solvent solution flows along a path that extends from the polymer/solvent solution inlet to the polymer outlet.

Abstract: A polymer devolatilization preheater and a method for using the same to preheat a polymer/solvent solution. The preheater includes an elongated, upright hollow vessel defining a heating chamber having a upper and lower ends, and a longitudinal axis extending between the ends. An inlet for a polymer/solvent solution is located adjacent the upper end of the chamber and a molten polymer outlet is located adjacent the lower end of the chamber. A plurality of heating tube bundles are mounted in the chamber, each bundle including a plurality of elongated serpentine heating tubes which are each arranged in a configuration having a major axis which extends across the chamber in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vessel. The tubes are positioned such that the polymer/solvent solution comes into heat transferring contact with an outer surface thereof as the polymer/solvent solution flows along a path that extends from the polymer/solvent solution inlet to the polymer outlet.