Method and apparatus for degassing high viscosity fluids

An apparatus for degassing a high viscosity fluid comprises in combination:

• a vertically oriented chamber having side walls enclosed at a top end by a top closure seal and at a bottom end by a reservoir having an exit port out of the chamber, said chamber having an inlet having means for connection to a supply of fluid materials;
• means in operative relationship with the chamber for drawing and controlling a vacuum within the chamber;
• an assembly mounted within the chamber comprising:
• (a) a nozzle having means for connection to the chamber inlet via a top entry port, said port is intercepted by an orthogonally oriented exit port having a slot configuration which expands outwardly towards a frontal face of the nozzle, said frontal face being angularly positioned with respect to a rear face and which defines a gap as between a top portion of the frontal face and a bottom portion thereof;
• and
• (b) a slide member affixed to the inside of the chamber and angularly positioned with reference to a longitudinal vertical axis of the chamber and in relative position to the exit port of the nozzle, said slide member comprised of a bottom slide surface and a pair of longitudinally extending side walls defining a channel from a top end at the nozzle to a bottom end at the reservoir of the chamber;
• said nozzle of the assembly having means for passing a high viscosity fluid material out of the slot configured exit port and onto the slide member surface such that the fluid exhibits laminar flow down the slide surface and, a vacuum drawn on the chamber effects a release of any gaseous bubbles which may be contained within the fluid.

A method of degassing a high viscosity fluid comprises the steps of:

• providing a vacuum chamber having a longitudinal vertical axis, a fluid inlet port at its top end and, a fluid collecting reservoir and exit port at its bottom end;
• mounting a wide-slotted nozzle within the chamber in a position at the top end to accept fluid and move it out of its exit port;
• positioning a channel-shaped longitudinal slide comprising a bottom slide surface and a pair of longitudinally extending side walls within the chamber in an angular orientation with reference to the chamber vertical axis and in relative position .at its top end to the nozzle exit port and at its bottom end to the fluid collecting reservoir for producing laminar fluid flow;
• and
• applying a vacuum to the chamber as fluid is fed into the chamber such that any gaseous bubbles contained within the fluid are caused to be released as the fluid is moved downwardly within the channel-shaped slide and into the reservoir.

A method of degassing a viscous fluid comprising the steps of:

• (a) drawing a vacuum within a chamber;
• (b) dispensing the viscous fluid within the chamber through a wide-slotted nozzle opening to spread the fluid such as to cause at least some entrapped gas bubbles to burst;
• (c) causing the dispensed fluid to flow downwardly across a defined inclined longitudinal channel comprising a bottom slide surface and a pair of longitudinally extending side walls to effect laminar flow as it moves to a collection reservoir within the chamber;
• (d) holding the fluid within the collection reservoir for a sufficient length of time such that any entrapped gas bubbles are drawn off;
• and
• (e) removing fluid material from the collection reservoir and the chamber.

An apparatus for degassing viscous fluids comprising:

• a chamber having an inlet at a top end for receiving a source of a viscous fluid under pressure;
• a means connected to the chamber for drawing and controlling a vacuum within the chamber;
• a wide-slotted nozzle means, coupled to the inlet, for dispensing and spreading the fluid such that at least some entrapped gaseous bubbles burst;
• a channel means comprising a bottom slide surface and a pair of longitudinally extending side walls, receiving the dispensed fluid, for directing the fluid downwardly across an inclined defined channel surface which effects laminar flow thereof;
• a collection reservoir for collecting the laminar flow of fluid;
• a means for varying the rate at which fluid is dispensed within the chamber for varying the fluid level within the collection reservoir;
• and
• an outlet means for removing the fluid from the collection reservoir.

An apparatus for degassing a high viscosity fluid comprising:

• a vacuum chamber including a longitudinal vertical axis, a fluid inlet port at its top end and, a fluid collecting reservoir and exit port at its bottom end;
• a wide-slotted nozzle mounted within the vacuum chamber in a position at the top end to accept fluid and move it out of its exit port;
• a channel-shaped longitudinal slide comprising a bottom slide surface and a pair of longitudinally extending side walls positioned within the vacuum chamber at an angular orientation with reference to the chamber vertical axis and in relative position at its top end to the nozzle exit port and at its bottom end to the fluid collecting reservoir for producing laminar fluid flow;
• and
• a means for applying a vacuum to the chamber as fluid is fed into the chamber such that gaseous bubbles contained within the fluid are caused to be released as the fluid is moved downwardly within the channel-shaped slide and into the reservoir.