Dissolving water soluble polymers
AssigneeGeneral Technology Applications, Inc.
InventorsAlbert F. Hadermann, Jerry C. Trippe, Paul F. Waters
Life of this patent
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Abstract
High molecular weight, water soluble polymers are dissolved to form liquid solutions at relatively low polymer concentrations and solid, water-plasticized composites at higher polymer concentrations by admixing finely divided polymer particles with ice particles at temperatures below, and preferably far below, the freezing point of water. The admixture is then allowed to warm causing the ice to melt and the polymer to dissolve in the water.
Claims15
A method for dissolving relatively high molecular weight water-soluble polymers in liquids which are solvents for those polymers comprising:
- freezing said solvent and forming it into relatively finely divided, free flowing solid particles;
- chilling particulate solid polymer to a temperature below the freezing point of said solvent;
- mixing said frozen solvent particles with said chilled particulate polymer, and
- allowing said mixture to warm to a temperature above the freezing point of said solvent whereby polymer particles dissolve in melting solvent particles to form a solution.
A method for dispensing high molecular weight water soluble polymers into a flowing water stream which comprises:
- forming a solid aqueous solution of a high molecular weight polymer by freezing water and forming it into relatively finely divided, free flowing, ice particles, chilling particulate solid polymer to a temperature below the freezing point of water, mixing said ice particles with said chilled particulate polymer, allowing the mixture to warm to a temperature above the freezing point of water thereby causing polymer particles to dissolve in melting ice particles to form a solid solution and forming said solid polymer solution into a monolithic geometric shape, and
- passing a flow of water across the surface of said geometric shape whereby polymer is dissolved in said water flow to form a dilute liquid solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.