Combined fluidized bed dryer and absorption bed
AssigneeBausch & Lomb Incorporated
InventorUlick Stafford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combined fluidized bed dryer and absorption bed allows an absorbant to be dried to remove any moisture therefrom immediately followed by treating a product material with the dried absorbant, all in the same vessel, such that the absorbant is at its optimum dryness prior to treating the product material therewith The invention has particular application in the ophthalmic lens production where the absorbant is alumina and is used to remove methacrylic acid from liquid monomer prior to using the monomer in producing lenses.
Claims14
A method for drying an absorbant material and subsequently treating a product material with the dried absorbant material, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a vessel having an outer side wall, a bottom wall and an open top with a removable cover for closing said open top;
- b) delivering a quantity of said absorbant into said vessel through said open top;
- c) delivering a flow of dry gas into said vessel to create a fluidized bed of said absorbant in said vessel, said dry gas being delivered into said vessel for a period of time sufficient for said absorbant to reach a predetermined level of dryness;
- d) stopping the flow of gas into said vessel after said predetermined level of dryness has been reached;
- e) placing said cover on said vessel open top to create a substantially air-tight vessel;
- and
- f) forcing a quantity of said product material into said vessel, through said absorbant, and out of said vessel.
Apparatus for drying a first material with a source of dry gas and thereafter treating a product material, different from said first material, with said first material, said apparatus comprising:
- a) a vessel having a wall defining an interior with first and second ports providing fluid access to said vessel interior;
- b) a porous plate positioned within said vessel interior and upon which a quantity of said first material may be deposited and supported thereby, said porous plate having a porosity sufficient to enable passage of said dry gas and said product material therethrough yet prevent passage of said first material therethrough;
- c) a cover for hermetically sealing said vessel prior to delivery of said product material therein;
- d) a stand upon which said vessel is pivotally mounted to enable selective inversion of said vessel with respect to said stand:
- whereby a source of dry gas is deliverable through said first port, through said porous plate and through said first material to create a fluidized bed of said first material within said vessel interior and thereby dry said first material, and thereafter a quantity of said product material is deliverable under pressure through said second port, through said dry first material, through said porous plate, and exit said vessel through said first port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.