Abstract: The invention relates to a device for continuous heat treatment of granulated materials, especially to the crystallization of polymer granulate, such as polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) for example. The device comprises several adjacent fluidization chambers respectively provided with a sieve plate through which a fluidization gas used to fluidize the granulate can be insufflated into the respective chamber from below via a gas inlet, the gas being able to escape via a gas outlet in the top area of the device. The first chamber takes up the greater part of the overall volume of all chambers and neighboring chambers are, respectively, fluidically connected by product throughflow openings in the separating walls arranged therebetween.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed herein to reduce and/or eliminate agglomerations and deformations of pellets comprised of crystallizable thermoplastic polymer material during a crystallization or crystallization of the pellets.

Abstract: A continuous gravity flow apparatus for heating and/or drying of particulate material is vertically disposed and is provided with an inlet at the top and an outlet at the bottom. The apparatus includes a flow passage for the particulate material which is defined between an outer housing and an inner housing. Each of the outer and inner housing defines perforated wall sections allowing for the flow of hot gas through the wall of one housing, into contact with the particulate material, and then out through the wall of the other housing. Manifolds are associated with the outer and inner housings to provide for uniform flow of the gas through the material. The perforated wall sections are positioned and designed to enhance particle-to-particle movement of the material to thereby avoid particle sticking and bridging problems.

Abstract: A continuous gravity flow apparatus for heating and/or drying of particulate material is vertically disposed and is provided with an inlet at the top and an outlet at the bottom. The apparatus includes a flow passage for the particulate material which is defined between an outer housing and an inner housing. Each of the outer and inner housing defines perforated wall sections allowing for the flow of hot gas through the wall of one housing, into contact with the particulate material, and then out through the wall of the other housing. Manifolds are associated with the outer and inner housings to provide for uniform flow of the gas through the material. The perforated wall sections are positioned and designed to enhance particle-to-particle movement of the material to thereby avoid particle sticking and bridging problems.

Abstract: Apparatus for drying and stacking treated workpieces includes a housing defining a drying chamber; a workpiece carrying assembly mounted to the housing for moving the workpieces along a travel path through the drying chamber, including an endless strand trained around a plurality of wheels, and a plurality of pins spaced along and projecting outwardly from the strand for supporting and carrying workpieces; a workpiece removal assembly for removing workpieces from the pins including a ramp formed with an abutment surface and a slot formed therein through which the pins can pass to engage workpieces being carried on the pins wherein each workpiece is forced off its respective pin as the respective pin advances through the slot; a workpiece collection arrangement for receiving workpieces removed from the pins, with the travel path being generally vertically oriented and the pins being generally horizontally oriented wherein workpieces fall into the workpiece collection arrangement; and a workpiece ejector assemb

Abstract: In a procedure for continuously crystallizing and polymerizing polyester and polyamide materials, amorphous material is first precrystallized, preferably in a fluidized bed (1,2), then heated up to the reaction temperature in a preheating zone (4) and finally polymerized and largely liberated from byproducts in a reactor (3). In this procedure, material from the discharge area of the preheating zone (4), of the reactor (3) or of a cooler (8) is subjected to an optical analysis in an analyzing unit whereby the degree of polymerization of the material and/or the contents of byproducts can be determined. The result of the analysis as actual value is compared in an comparator unit with a predetermined nominal value obtained in at least one calibration procedure for forming at least one controlled value serving to form at least one control signal that can be supplied to at least one final control element.

Abstract: A column of fast moving air with entrained seed cotton is jetted upward from a nozzle in the bottom of a fountain dryer. The column will remain intact until it hits the top of the fountain dryer. At the top, the column will disburse and the mixture of air with entrained cotton will return to the bottom of the dryer in an annulus between the column and the wall of the dryer. There will be an interface of the upward column with the downward annulus. The opposing flows will be roiled and cause turbulence at the interface between the upward column and the downward annulus. The rolling and turbulence will be increased along the walls of the vessel by structure which will reverse the direction of the downward flow of the cotton. The downward flow of the cotton is collected in an annular plenum surrounding the bottom of the column and is directed to an outlet duct. The outlet duct and the annular plenum with the inlet at the center thereof, form a banjo separator.

Abstract: A fluidized bed combustion apparatus having an upright combustion chamber with a lower end at which a fluidized bed is formed and combustion takes place. First and second upright partitions are provided in the combustion chamber to divide the combustion chamber into a plurality of sections. The first partition divides the combustion chamber into first and second sections which are joined together by a turning space above an upper end of the first partition and the second partition is hollow and has an open, upper end in communication with the turning space to receive a portion of the combustion products therein. The lower end of the second partition is open to supply the combustion products to the fluidized bed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel horizontal fluid bed reactor, which in a single unit, provides for the polymerization of monomer to polymer and mixed monomers to co-polymers. Within one reactor shell the reactor contains a plurality of polymerization stages which permit the achievement of narrow residence time distribution of the produced polymer. This arrangement also creates a sufficiently tight subdivision of the reactor volume which permits a plurality of gas circulation stages of different gas compositions, as well as, polymerization temperatures.

Abstract: Hot solids coming from a fluidized bed reactor are passed through the cooling apparatus and at least in part are recycled to the fluidized bed reactor. In the cooling apparatus the hot solids flow first through a first fluidized bed and then flow downwardly through a gas-collecting space to a second fluidized bed, which is provided with cooling coils and in which the solids flow downwardly to a solids transfer passage and are then raised through a third fluidized bed to a discharge line. The system is controlled to cause solids coming from the first fluidized bed to flow through the gas-collecting space directly to the discharge line.