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US 5,857,773 AGranted
Polymer dissolving method and apparatus
AssigneeTurun Asennusteam Oy
InventorHeikki Antero Tammelin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a polymer dissolving method and apparatus, which method is entirely or partly based on a pressurized method, in which mixing is carried out in a dissolving head (3) by means of mechanical or static mixers (7, 11, 12). At the end of the process there are pressure chambers (9, 10) wherein pressure is maintained by means of a feed pump (8) and a valve (25). The process is entirely or partially pressurized.
Claims11
A method for dissolving a polymer or the like in water, which method comprises:
- supplying powdered polymer to an interior bore of a dissolving head, said interior bore communicating with an acceleration zone disposed along a longitudinal axis extending through and beyond said interior bore, said acceleration zone having a greater internal cross-section than that of the internal bore,
- supplying air under pressure peripherally adjacent the downstream end of the internal bore and into the acceleration zone so as to establish a negative pressure pulling powder from the internal bore into the acceleration zone together with said air supplied under pressure,
- communicating the acceleration zone with a mixing zone along said longitudinal axis, said mixing zone having a greater internal cross-section than that of the acceleration zone,
- introducing water peripherally adjacent the downstream end of the acceleration zone so as to wet the polymer powder suspended in air exiting the acceleration zone, and directing the powdered polymer, water and air from the mixing zone into a premixing tank, and
- pumping a slurry of the powdered polymer in water which accumulates in the premixing tank to at least one mixing tank, and maintaining a desired superatmospheric pressure in the at least one mixing tank.
2 more elements
An apparatus for dissolving a polymer or the like in water, which apparatus comprises:
- a storage container for powdered polymer,
- a dissolving head,
- an air inlet communicating with the dissolving head,
- a water inlet communicating with the dissolving head,
- a batch feeder supplying powdered polymer from the storage container to the dissolving head,
- a premixing tank positioned to receive powdered polymer, water and air from the dissolving head,
- at least one mixing tank for receiving a slurry of water and powdered polymer from the premixing tank, and
- a feed pump for supplying slurry formed from accumulated powdered polymer and water in the premixing tank to the at least one mixing tank, said mixing tank being adapted to be maintained under superatmospheric pressure,
- said dissolving head having an interior bore for receiving the powdered polymer, an acceleration zone of greater internal cross-section than that of the interior bore and communicating with and extending along a longitudinal axis of said interior bore extending therefrom, ducts for receiving air under pressure from said air inlet and supplying said air peripherally adjacent the downstream end of the internal bore and in the direction of the acceleration zone, and a mixing zone communicating with and extending further downstream of the acceleration zone and also extending along the longitudinal axis of the internal bore, said mixing zone having a greater internal cross-section than that of the acceleration zone and being positioned over said premixing tank to discharge the powdered polymer, water and air thereto, said water inlet means communicating with duct means adjacent the periphery of the downstream end of the acceleration zone so as to supply the water to said mixing zone.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.