Devolatilization of liquid composition containing polymer and volatile constituents
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of devolatilizing a liquid composition containing a styrene-based polymer and volatile constituents which comprisesfeeding the liquid composition to the inlet of a vertical multi-tube heat exchanger whereby a stream of the liquid composition flows downwardly through each of the tubes of said heat exchanger to thereby raise the temperature of said liquid composition in each said stream,subdividing each of the heat exchanged liquid streams flowing from the outlet of each of said heat exchange tubes into a plurality of subdivided liquid streams by passing each liquid stream through an apertured distributor mounted directly to the outlet end of each respective heat exchanger tube,and volatilizing the plurality of subdivided liquid streams flowing through the apertured distributors in a first volatilization zone located below the vertical multi-tube heat exchanger and apertured distributors.
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Abstract
An apparatus for devolatilizing liquid composition containing polymer and volatile constituents including a heat exchanger, a volatilizer coupled to the underside of the heat exchanger and a vacuum connected to the volatilizer, the apparatus further comprising a distributor provided between the heat exchanger and the volatilizer; and a method of devolatilizing liquid composition containing polymer and volatile constitutents using a devolatilization apparatus, the devolatilization apparatus comprising a heat exchanger, a volatilizer coupled to the underside of said heat exchanger, a vacuum connected to the volatilizer and a distributor provided between the heat exchanger and volatilizer.
23 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of devolatilizing a liquid composition containing a styrene-based polymer and volatile constituents which comprises
feeding the liquid composition to the inlet of a vertical multi-tube heat exchanger whereby a stream of the liquid composition flows downwardly through each of the tubes of said heat exchanger to thereby raise the temperature of said liquid composition in each said stream, subdividing each of the heat exchanged liquid streams flowing from the outlet of each of said heat exchange tubes into a plurality of subdivided liquid streams by passing each liquid stream through an apertured distributor mounted directly to the outlet end of each respective heat exchanger tube, and volatilizing the plurality of subdivided liquid streams flowing through the apertured distributors in a first volatilization zone located below the vertical multi-tube heat exchanger and apertured distributors.
- 8. An apparatus for devolatilizing liquid composition containing polymer and volatile constituents comprising a vertical multi-tube heat exchanger, a volatilizer coupled to the underside of said heat exchanger and vacuum means connected to said volatilizer, and a distributor provided between said heat exchanger and said volatilizer, wherein said distributor is directly mounted on the outlet of each tube of said vertical multi-tube heat exchanger.
Specification