Abstract: An underwater granulation system has a water box, a perforated plate with multiple through-openings for feeding a polymer melt into the water box, and a cutting plate support which is arranged in the water box so as to be driven in rotation about an axis of rotation (X) in a cutting direction. The cutting plate support has multiple cutting plates which face the perforated plate and are adapted to form granules by shearing particles from the polymer melt entering through the perforated plate. The water box is connected to a water supply for heat evacuation and for evacuating the separated particles from the water box. The water box also has a hollow cylindrical portion relative to the axis of rotation (X), in which multiple water inlets distributed over the circumference and multiple water outlets distributed over the circumference are arranged.

Abstract: A method can be used for manufacturing one or more bodies made of a porous material derived from precursors of the porous material in a sol-gel process. The method involves filling precursors of the porous material into a mold defining the shape of the body, where the precursors include at least two reactive components and a solvent, and forming a gel body. The step is then repeated so as to form several gel bodies. The gel bodies are then removed from the mold after a predetermined time in which the gel bodies are formed from the precursors of the porous material. The gel bodies are arranged adjacent to one another, a spacer is provided between two adjacent gel bodies so as to provide a clearance therebetween, and the solvent is then removed from the gel bodies.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for production of expanded thermoplastic elastomer, said process comprising the steps of: (e) adding monomers and/or oligomers used for producing the thermoplastic elastomer with or without further starting materials into a first stage of a polymer-processing machine, (f) mixing the monomers and/or oligomers and also the optionally added further starting materials and reacting the monomers and/or oligomers to give a polymer melt in the first stage of the polymer-processing machine, (g) passing the polymer melt into a second stage of a polymer-processing machine and adding a physical blowing agent with or without further starting materials to obtain a polymer melt comprising a blowing agent, (h) molding the polymer melt comprising a blowing agent into an expanded thermoplastic elastomer.

Abstract: A mold for manufacturing a body made of a porous material derived from precursors of the porous material in a sol-gel process carried out within the mold can have a lower part defining an interior volume for receiving the precursors of the porous material, wherein the interior volume defines the shape of the body to be manufactured, and at least a first opening through which the body is removable from the lower part. Surfaces of the lower part facing the interior volume are at least partially provided with a coating made of a material that is electrically dissipative and non-sticky to a gel formed from the precursors of the porous material and/or the body.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a body made of a porous material derived from precursors of the porous material in a sol-gel process, including (i) providing a mold, containing a lower part defining an interior volume for receiving the precursors of the porous material, wherein the lower part comprises a first opening, and surfaces of the lower part facing the interior volume are at least partially provided with a coating made of a material being electrically dissipative and non-sticky to the precursors of the porous material and/or the body, (ii) filling precursors of the porous material into the lower part in a first inert or ventilated region, wherein the precursors include two reactive components and a solvent, (iii) removing the body from the lower part through the first opening after a predetermined time, (iv) disposing the body onto a support, and (v) removing the solvent from the body.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for production of expanded pellets from a polymer melt comprising a blowing agent, said process comprising the steps of: a) pressing the polymer melt comprising a blowing agent through a perforated disk controlled to a temperature between 150° C. and 280° C. and into a pelletizing chamber, b) using a cutting device to comminute the polymer melt pressed through the temperature-controlled perforated disk into individual expanding pellets, c) discharging the pellets from the pelletizing chamber using a liquid stream, wherein the blowing agent comprises CO2 or N2 or a combination of CO2 and N2 and the pelletizing chamber is traversed by a stream of liquid which is controlled to a temperature between 10° C. and 60° C. and the pressure of which is from 0.

Abstract: A pipe switch having a setting system, a housing and a closure element. The housing includes an inner wall in which a feed opening and at least two discharge openings are provided. The position of the closure element is rotatably changeable relative to the discharge openings. The setting system including a control and a drive controls the closure element such that a plurality of positions of the closure element relative to the discharge openings are realized accordingly. The closure element may be in the form of a slide or a two-part element having flaps. The setting system in cooperation with the closure system provides the plurality of positions of the closure element relative to the discharge openings, in each of which the sum of the cross-sectional areas of a first and of a second discharge opening not covered by the closure element is substantially constant.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for production of expanded thermoplastic elastomer, said process comprising the steps of: (e) adding monomers and/or oligomers used for producing the thermoplastic elastomer with or without further starting materials into a first stage of a polymer-processing machine, (f) mixing the monomers and/or oligomers and also the optionally added further starting materials and reacting the monomers and/or oligomers to give a polymer melt in the first stage of the polymer-processing machine, (g) passing the polymer melt into a second stage of a polymer-processing machine and adding a physical blowing agent with or without further starting materials to obtain a polymer melt comprising a blowing agent, (h) molding the polymer melt comprising a blowing agent into an expanded thermoplastic elastomer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for production of expanded pellets from a polymer melt comprising a blowing agent, said process comprising the steps of: a) pressing the polymer melt comprising a blowing agent through a perforated disk controlled to a temperature between 150° C. and 280° C. and into a pelletizing chamber, b) using a cutting device to comminute the polymer melt pressed through the temperature-controlled perforated disk into individual expanding pellets, c) discharging the pellets from the pelletizing chamber using a liquid stream, wherein the blowing agent comprises CO2 or N2 or a combination of CO2 and N2 and the pelletizing chamber is traversed by a stream of liquid which is controlled to a temperature between 10° C. and 60° C. and the pressure of which is from 0.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a thermoplastic polyisocyanate polyaddition product based on polyisocyanate (i) and compounds which are reactive toward polyisocyanate, with or without the use of chain extenders, a first catalyst (iv) and/or auxiliaries and/or additives (v), wherein a second catalyst is initially vaporized and then applied to the polyisocyanate polyaddition product by condensation, and to the products prepared therefrom.

Abstract: A pipe switch having a setting system, a housing and a closure element. The housing includes an inner wall in which a feed opening and at least two discharge openings are provided. The position of the closure element is rotatably changeable relative to the discharge openings. The setting system including a control and a drive controls the closure element such that a plurality of positions of the closure element relative to the discharge openings are realized accordingly. The closure element may be in the form of a slide or a two-part element having flaps. The setting system in cooperation with the closure system provides the plurality of positions of the closure element relative to the discharge openings, in each of which the sum of the cross-sectional areas of a first and of a second discharge opening not covered by the closure element is substantially constant.

Abstract: A method for extracting bulk material from a container which is open at the top by means of a suction apparatus which comprises at least one suction pipe (10) and one or more scrapers (12), with the suction apparatus being laid from above onto the surface of the bulk material in the container and bulk material being sucked away through the at least one suction pipe (10), wherein, during a repeated relative rotational movement between the scraper (12) and the surface of the bulk material in the container, bulk material is conveyed along the one or more scrapers (12) in the direction of the at least one suction pipe (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a thermoplastic polyisocyanate polyaddition product based on polyisocyanate (i) and compounds which are reactive toward polyisocyanate, with or without the use of chain extenders, a first catalyst (iv) and/or auxiliaries and/or additives (v), wherein a second catalyst is initially vaporized and then applied to the polyisocyanate polyaddition product by condensation, and to the products prepared therefrom.