Method and device for granulating plastics and/or polymers
AssigneeGala Industries, Inc.
InventorsMichael ELOO, Juergen Heinz Veltel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the pelletization of plastics and/or polymers, in which a melt coming from a melt generator is supplied via a diverter valve having different operating positions to a plurality of pelletizing heads through which the melt is pelletized. The plurality of pelletizing heads have different throughput capacities and are used sequentially for the start-up of the pelletizing process, with the melt first being supplied to a first pelletizing head having a smaller throughput capacity and then the melt volume flow being increased and the diverter valve being switched over such that the melt is diverted by the diverter valve to a second pelletizing head having a larger throughput capacity.
Claims27
A pelletizing apparatus for the pelletizing of plastics and/or polymers comprising:
- a diverter valve having at least one melt generator connection, a bypass position, at least two pelletizer connections and a valve gate for the selective connection of the melt generator connection to at least one of the pelletizer connections;
- a first pelletizing head and a second pelletizing head being connected to the at least two pelletizer connections, respectively, said first and second pelletizing heads having different throughput capacities;
- a melt generator for generating a melt having a variable melt volume flow being connected to the melt generator connection;
- and
- a central control apparatus configured to switch the connection of the melt generator connection of the diverter valve between said first and second pelletizing heads in dependence on the melt volume flow of the melt generator.
A diverter valve for a pelletizing apparatus comprising:
- a first melt generator connection, a first pelletizer connection and a first melt passage for the connection of the melt generator connection to the pelletizer connection;
- a second pelletizer connection, a second melt generator connection and a second melt passage for the connection of the second melt generator connection to the second pelletizer connection;
- said first and second melt passages being configured separately from one another and being free of overlap;
- and
- a valve body for the control of the passage of at least one melt passage, said valve body being in a valve recess which is in communication with both melt passages and with a bypass valve that can be moved back and forth between a first opening position in which the first melt generator connection is switched through to the first pelletizer connection and the second melt generator connection is switched through to the second pelletizer connection, and a second operating position in which the first melt generator connection and/or the second melt generator connection is/are switched through to the bypass passage.
A method for the pelletization of plastics and/or polymers in which a melt coming from a melt generator is supplied via a diverter valve having different operating positions to a plurality of pelletizing heads through which the melt is pelletized, said method comprising the steps of:
- sequentially using pelletizing heads having different throughput capacities for the start-up of the pelletizing process, said melt being first supplied to a first pelletizing head having a smaller throughput capacity;
- increasing the melt volume flow;
- and
- switching the diverter valve over to divert the melt to the second pelletizing head having a larger throughput capacity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.