Drying and processing cellulosic compounds
AssigneeCrane Plastics Company Limited Partnership
InventorsWayne E. Hacker, Matthew F. Kollar, Robert W. Heigel
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Abstract
The present invention is a system and process for drying and extruding a cellulosic compound. The compound materials are provided to a mixer in a desired ratio. The compound materials are then mixed together. Thereafter, the compound materials can be stored in a non-controlled environment until needed. When it is time to extrude the compound materials, the compound materials are transferred to a dryer at a location remote from the mixer. The dryer has a surface area enabling the compound materials to be sufficiently spread out for drying. The compound materials are substantially uniformly dried to a desired level in the dryer. The compound materials are then transferred to an extruder to be formed into a final net shape.
Claims13
A process for drying and extruding a cellulosic compound comprised of predetermined materials, said process comprising:
- providing said predetermined materials in a desired ratio, said predetermined materials including at least one thermoplastic material and a cellulosic material;
- dry mixing said predetermined materials at a first location;
- transferring said mixed predetermined materials to a dryer having a surface area enabling said mixed predetermined materials to be spread out over a wide surface area for drying, said dryer being at a second location remote from said first location;
- substantially uniformly drying said mixed predetermined materials to a desired moisture level;
- feeding said dried predetermined materials from said dryer to an extruder;
- and
- extruding said dried predetermined materials such that said at least one thermoplastic material is melt blended with said cellulosic material and forced through a shaping device to obtain a final shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.