Forming mandrel and liquid recovery methods for use in sheet production process
AssigneeEastman Chemical Company
InventorsMichael Wandell Cradic, Michael Eugene Donelson, Steven Thomas Perri, Rahul Shankar, David Wayne Compton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Mandrels for use in foam sheet production processes. The mandrels may include features for controlling the surface temperature of the mandrels and/or for collecting liquid condensate formed during the foam sheet production processes. The mandrels may be used in conjunction with systems and methods for recovering, and optionally recycling, the liquid condensate. The mandrels, systems, and methods are particularly useful for recovering plasticizer components in the production of cellulose ester foam sheets and articles.
Claims30
A foam sheet forming process, the process comprising:
- (a) extruding a composition through an annular die to form a tubular extrudate;
- and
- (b) drawing the tubular extrudate over a surface of a forming mandrel, the surface of the forming mandrel being maintained at a temperature of greater than 30° C.
A method for recovering liquids formed in a foam sheet forming process, the method comprising:
- (a) extruding a composition through an annular die to form a tubular extrudate;
- (b) drawing the tubular extrudate over a forming mandrel, the mandrel comprising an exterior surface having one or more liquid collection features formed therein;
- (c) cooling the tubular extrudate, thereby producing a foamed extrudate and a liquid condensate;
- and
- (d) directing at least a portion of the liquid condensate through the one or more liquid collection features into a liquids recovery system.
A method for recovering liquids formed in a foam sheet forming process, the method comprising:
- (a) extruding a composition through an annular die to form a tubular extrudate;
- (b) drawing the tubular extrudate over a forming mandrel, the mandrel comprising a tilted axis of elongation;
- (c) cooling the tubular extrudate, thereby producing a foamed extrudate and a liquid condensate;
- and
- (d) directing at least a portion of the liquid condensate into a liquids recovery system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.