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US 2017/0192370 A1Published application
Continuous coalescence processes
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsJoo T. Chung, Chieh-Min Cheng, Steven M. Malachowski, Eric Joseph Young, Eric David Godshall, Brian Joseph Marion
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Abstract
Processes for continuously coalescing particles from an aggregated particle slurry are disclosed. The aggregated particle slurry is heated, then coalesced by raising the pH. The coalesced particles are homogenized and exit as a coalesced particle slurry. A multi-screw extruder is used for the coalescing. These processes are useful for providing coalesced particles such as toner compositions.
Claims20
A continuous system for coalescing particles, comprising:
- a multi-zone extruder;
- a feeding apparatus for feeding an aggregated particle slurry into the multi-zone extruder for a predetermined residence time;
- a heating apparatus for heating the aggregated particle slurry to a temperature of about 70° C. to about 98° C. in a first zone of the multi-zone extruder;
- a caustic addition apparatus for adding a caustic solution to raise the pH of the aggregated particle slurry and form a coalesced particle slurry in a second zone of the multi-zone extruder downstream of the first zone;
- a homogenizer apparatus for homogenizing the particles in the coalesced particle slurry in a third zone of the multi-zone extruder downstream of the second zone;
- a measuring apparatus for measuring circularity of the particles in the coalesced particle slurry;
- an apparatus for changing the residence time within the extruder until the circularity of the particles in the coalesced particle slurry are of a predetermined value;
- and
- a pumping apparatus for pumping the coalesced particle slurry of the predetermined particle circularity from an outlet port of the multi-zone extruder.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.