Abstract: An apparatus for continuously producing polyester comprises three single reactors, i.e. a single esterification reactor (first reactor), a single initial polymerization reactor (second reactor) and a single final polymerization reactor (third reactor or final polymerizer), where at least one of the first reactor and the second reactor is free from an external stirring power source, or the third reactor is a horizontal, one-shaft-type, low speed rotation type reactor. Necessary number of reactors for the esterification and polycondensation reactions can be a minimum and necessary stirring power consumption for the reaction can be a minimum, and thus polyester polymers of good quality can be efficiently produced at a minimum energy cost in a necessary minimum reactor structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously producing polyester comprises three single reactors, i.e. a single esterification reactor (first reactor), a single initial polymerization reactor (second reactor) and a single final polymerization reactor (third reactor or final polymerizer), where at least one of the first reactor and the second reactor is free from an external stirring power source, or the third reactor is a horizontal, one-shaft-type, low speed rotation type reactor. Necessary number of reactors for the esterification and polycondensation reactions can be a minimum and necessary stirring power consumption for the reaction can be a miminum, and thus polyester polymers of good quality can be efficiently produced at a minimum energy cost in a necessary minimum reactor structure.

Abstract: A system including a method and an apparatus is disclosed for effectively separating a foamed heat-insulating material, such as insulated wall sections from used refrigeration equipment, into a foaming gas and a heat-insulating resin without any alteration and recovering them. A peeling portion for peeling a foamed heat-insulating material from a composite material containing the foamed heat-insulating material is included in a crusher provided with a high speed rotor having a plurality of hammers and a casing surrounding the rotor. A sorting portion is provided for sorting the foamed heat-insulating material with a tilting type wind force sorter having a limited tilting angle and a limited height of a wind tunnel. A pulverizing portion is provided for pulverizing the sorted foamed heat-insulating material and for separating a foaming gas therefrom. A condensing portion is provided for cooling and liquefying the separated foaming gas.

Abstract: Agitator blades formed by connecting a plurality of frame members are provided in a cylindrical or conical container to realize the agitator blade structure without rotary shaft. Therefore, less liquids being treated adhere onto the rotary shaft or the agitator blades and less residue of the liquids is formed, making it possible to obtain a final high viscosity polymer using the same agitator vessel preventing the quality from being deteriorated.

Abstract: Agitator blades formed by connecting a plurality of frame members are provided in a cylindrical or conical container to realize the agitator blade structure without rotary shaft. Therefore, less liquids being treated adhere onto the rotary shaft or the agitator blades and less residue of the liquids is formed, making it possible to obtain a final high viscosity polymer using the same agitator vessel preventing the quality from being deteriorated.

Abstract: A system including a method and an apparatus is disclosed for effectively separating a foamed heat-insulating material, such as insulated wall sections from used refrigeration equipment, into a foaming gas and a heat-insulating resin without any alteration and recovering them. A peeling portion for peeling a foamed heat-insulating material from a composite material containing the foamed heat-insulating material is included in a crusher provided with a high speed rotor having a plurality of hammers and a casing surrounding the rotor. A sorting portion is provided for sorting the foamed heat-insulating material with a tilting type wind force sorter having a limited tilting angle and a limited height of a wind tunnel. A pulverizing portion is provided for pulverizing the sorted foamed heat-insulating material and for separating a foaming gas therefrom. A condensing portion is provided for cooling and liquefying the separated foaming gas.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a pair of agitator blades which have a plurality of annular members connected to each other and which are provided in parallel in a cylindrical vessel body, the agitator blades being held so that the edges of one of the agitator blades enter the rotational region of the other agitator blade and pass therethrough. Consequently, the invention prevents liquid to be treated from adhering to and rotating together with rotational shafts and the agitator blades and deterioration in product quality due to scaling so as to enable the continuous treatment of a highly viscous material.

Abstract: The invention discloses a free-flow electrophoretic separation method and apparatus for separating charged substances such as proteins, cells, and the like, by electrophoresis, which comprises supplying a mixed solution containing the charged substances to be separated, which are dissolved in a separation buffer, into a separation chamber, circulating the mixed solution inside the separation chamber, applying a d.c. voltage to the mixed solution to cause the electrophoresis of the charged substances and to separate them, and withdrawing the charged substances thus separated from outlets disposed at one and the other end of the separation chamber.

Abstract: The invention discloses a free-flow electrophoretic separation method and apparatus for separating charged substances such as proteins, cells, and the like, by electrophoresis, which comprises supplying a mixed solution containing the charged substances to be separated, which are dissolved in a separation buffer, into a separation chamber, circulating the mixed solution inside the separation chamber, applying a d.c. voltage to the mixed solution to cause the electrophoresis of the charged substances and to separate them, and withdrawing the charged substances thus separated from outlets disposed at one and the other end of the separation chamber.

Abstract: A method for detecting a polymerization rate, wherein a polymer composition in a polymerization reaction process is sampled out and can be measured, and is separated into a volatile component and a non-volatile component, and the polymerization rate of the polymer composition is determined using the measured amount of the volatile component and/or non-volatile component, and also possibly the measured amount of the sample. Such method is best suited for detecting the rate of polymerization of polymer compositions. This enables proper quality control of the polymer composition in the polymerization reaction process.

Abstract: High impact polystyrene having excellent properties is produced by a continuous process comprising feeding rubber and styrene continuously to a multistage horizontal dissolving tank to dissolve the rubber completely with stirring by increasing the temperature of each stage stepwise along the liquid flow direction, feeding the rubber solution to a first polymerizer to effect phase inversion of the rubber and preliminary polymerization of styrene; feeding the pre-polymerized solution to one or more horizontal type polymerizers to undergo bulk polymerization while removing the heat generated therein; and feeding the polymerized solution to a monomer separator to remove the remaining monomer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing volatile matter such as solvents and monomers from highly viscous materials such as synthetic polymers by the use of a falling-film evaporator.When a polymer composition containing a high concentration of the volatile matter, solvent and/or unreacted monomer, is preheated and then fed to a falling-film evaporator, the monomer reacts at a high temperature in the preheating, yielding its polymer of low molecular weight, and as a result the polymer quality deteriorates. When fed at a relatively low temperature, the polymer composition increases its viscosity with the vaporization of the solvent and/or monomer and becomes liable to partly solidify on account of the temperature drop due to the latent heat of vaporization, so that smooth treatment is difficult.

Abstract: Continuous bulk polymerization of thermoplastic resins is carried out by using a horizontal continuous polymerizer comprising a cylindrical body, one or more shafts having the stirring elements and disposed in said body, a material inlet provided at an end of said body in its longitudinal direction, and a material drawing means and an outlet provided at the other end of said body. A monomer is evaporated from a polymerization solution while controlling the pressure in said polymerizer at a predetermined level and, concurrently with this, a monomer is directly sprayed to the free surface of the polymerization solution in the polymerizer from several locations of said polymerizer in its longitudinal direction, whereby to eliminate the heat of polymerization reaction and the heat of stirring to allow progress of the polymerization reaction under a predetermined temperature condition.

Abstract: A horizontal type continuous pug mill for a high viscous material in which means for feeding the material to be treated are provided in spaces defined by a mill body and adjacent agitating blades thereby minimizing rotation of the material together with the blades and promoting the surface refreshment of the material.

Abstract: A continuous reactor for viscous materials that give off volatile matter during operation has two rows of agitation rotors mounted staggeredly and with a phase angle of 90.degree. to each other on a parallel pair of shafts. Each of the agitation rotors consists of a pair of annular brackets arranged symmetrically across the axis of one shaft in a figure eight pattern, and a pair of scraper plates attached edgewise to the free ends of the brackets, one for each, at right angles to the brackets and in parallel with the shaft. The shafts are spaced apart so that the rotors on each shaft can revolve with their free ends passing close by the other shaft as well as part of the surrounding wall of the casing.