Method and apparatus for continuous sulfonization of discrete article

A method for continuous sulfonization of discrete articles including a feeder box for drying the discrete articles with ultra-dry air, a sulfonization chamber for treating the discrete articles with sulfur trioxide gas, and a neutralizing tank for treating the discrete articles with neutralizing fluid comprising the steps of:

• loading the discrete articles into the feeder box,
• feeding the ultra-dry air into the feeder box for drying the discrete articles,
• transferring the discrete articles one at a time in a continuous stream from the feeder box to the outer periphery of the sulfonization chamber,
• rotating the discrete articles a pre-determined number of revolutions per minute about a center axis of the sulfonization chamber,
• moving the rotating discrete articles radially inward from the outer periphery of the sulfonization chamber in a spiral path toward the center axis of the sulfonization chamber,
• treating the discrete articles with the sulfur trioxide gas as the discrete articles move in the spiral path,
• transporting the discrete articles at the center axis through a chamber bottom opening at the center axis to the neutralizing tank,
• treating the discrete articles with the neutralizing fluid in the neutralizing tank, and
• removing the discrete articles from the neutralizing tank.