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US 10,744,476 B2Granted
Production of wax capsules containing liquid hydrophilic cores
AssigneePhilip Morris USA Inc.
InventorsHongwei Liu, Georgios D. Karles, Shuzhong Zhuang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided is a method for cooling wax after coextrusion to create wax capsules. The method includes immersing a concentric nozzle of a coextruder in a container of heated alcohol. The container of heated alcohol sits in a water-ice bath to create a temperature gradient. A core material having a wax coating is extruded through a concentric nozzle to form a capsule. The capsule enters the container of hot alcohol where the wax coating is solidified. In an embodiment, the method is a continuous method including a capsule and solvent transfer system.
Claims20
A method for forming capsules containing an encapsulated core material comprising:
- coextruding a core material of liquid hydrophilic substance and a molten wax by passage through a concentric nozzle having an inner nozzle through which the liquid hydrophilic core material passes and an outer nozzle through which the molten wax passes;
- immersing said concentric nozzle in a container of a heated liquid, said heated liquid consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, and combinations thereof, possessing a decreasing temperature gradient which runs vertically from an upper portion to a bottom portion of the container;
- controlling said temperature of said heated liquid in said upper portion of said container to a temperature of 2° C. to 5° C. hotter than the melting point of said molten wax by heating an inner surface and/or an outer surface of an upper portion of said container;
- passing the coextruded core material and molten wax from said concentric nozzle immersed in said upper portion of said heated liquid vertically downward through said liquid consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, and combinations thereof beginning at the upper portion to the lower portion to form discrete capsules wherein said molten wax is gradually solidified and coats said hydrophilic core material;
- and
- collecting said discrete capsules from the bottom portion of said heated liquid possessing said decreasing temperature gradient.
3 more elements
A method for forming capsules containing an encapsulated core material comprising:
- coextruding a core material of liquid hydrophilic substance and a molten wax by passage through a concentric nozzle having an inner nozzle through which the liquid hydrophilic core material passes and an outer nozzle through which the molten wax passes;
- immersing said concentric nozzle in a container of a heated liquid, said heated liquid consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, and combinations thereof, possessing a decreasing temperature gradient which runs vertically from an upper portion to a bottom portion of the container;
- controlling said temperature of said heated liquid in said upper portion of said container to a temperature of 2° C. to 5° C. hotter than the melting point of said molten wax by heating an inner surface and/or an outer surface of an upper portion of said container, and wherein said temperature of said heated liquid at said bottom portion of the container is 0° C.;
- passing the coextruded core material and molten wax from said concentric nozzle immersed in said upper portion of said heated liquid vertically downward through said liquid consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, and combinations thereof beginning at the upper portion to the lower portion to form discrete capsules wherein said molten wax is gradually solidified and coats said hydrophilic core material.
1 more element
A method for forming capsules containing an encapsulated core material comprising:
- coextruding a core material of liquid hydrophilic substance and a molten wax by passage through a concentric nozzle having an inner nozzle through which the liquid hydrophilic core material passes and an outer nozzle through which the molten wax passes;
- immersing said concentric nozzle in a container of a heated liquid, said heated liquid consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, and combinations thereof, possessing a decreasing temperature gradient which runs vertically from an upper portion to a bottom portion of the container;
- controlling said temperature of said heated liquid in said upper portion of said container to a temperature of 2° C. to 5° C. hotter than the melting point of said molten wax;
- controlling said temperature of said heated liquid in said bottom portion of said container to a temperature of 0° C. by immersing said container in a cooling bath;
- and
- passing the coextruded core material and molten wax from said concentric nozzle immersed in said upper portion of said heated liquid vertically downward through said liquid consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, and combinations thereof beginning at the upper portion to the lower portion to form discrete capsules wherein said molten wax is gradually solidified and coats said hydrophilic core material.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.