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US 9,283,534 B2Granted
Steam injection nozzle for emulsification/distillation
OwnerYulin Wang, Yu Liu +2inventors
InventorsYulin Wang, Yu Liu, Ke Zhou, Frank Ping-Hay Lee
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Abstract
A process and device for making a latex emulsion suitable for use in a toner composition which uses Steam Injection Emulsification (SIE) are disclosed, including a steam injection nozzle system, where the nozzle has one or more holes for releasing steam into an emulsion, which induces turbulence in the emulsion to facilitate emulsification, solvent distillation or both to produce latex emulsions for making toner.
Claims22
A method of phase inversion emulsification (PIE) comprising:
- a) combining a resin, an organic solvent and an optional neutralizing agent to form a mixture in a reaction vessel;
- b) injecting steam into said reaction vessel inducing turbulence in said mixture, wherein said injecting is by a steam injection nozzle selected from the group consisting of an “L” shaped nozzle, an “I” shaped nozzle and an “S” shaped nozzle;
- c) mixing said mixture to emulsify said mixture;
- and
- c) reducing pressure within said reaction vessel to remove said solvent,
- wherein said steam injection nozzle provides increased surface contact areas between steam and said mixture relative to contacting steam and said mixture without said nozzle.
3 more elements
A method of preparing a toner comprising:
- a) combining a resin, an organic solvent and an optional neutralizing agent to form a mixture in a reaction vessel;
- b) injecting steam into said reaction vessel inducing turbulence in said mixture, wherein said injecting is by a steam injection nozzle selected from the group consisting of an “L” shaped nozzle, an “I” shaped nozzle and an “S” shaped nozzle;
- c) mixing said mixture to emulsify said mixture,
- d) reducing pressure within said reaction vessel to remove said solvent to form an emulsion;
- e) adding an optional at least one second resin to said emulsion;
- f) optionally adding a crystalline resin to said emulsion;
- g) optionally adding a wax, a colorant or both to said emulsion;
- h) optionally adding a flocculent to the emulsion;
- i) aggregating particles in said emulsion;
- j) optionally adding a shell resin;
- k) freezing particle growth in said emulsion to form frozen particles;
- l) optionally coalescing said frozen particles in said emulsion to form toner particles;
- and
- m) collecting said frozen particles or said toner particles from said emulsion, wherein said steam injection increases surface contact areas between water and said mixture relative to preparing the emulsion without steam.
11 more elements
A Steam Injection Emulsification (SIE) system comprising:
- a) a reaction vessel comprising:
- i) two or more conduits in fluid communication with said reaction vessel and
- ii) an impeller;
- and
- b) a steam injection nozzle connected to one of said two or more conduits, wherein said steam injection nozzle is selected from the group consisting of an “L” shaped nozzle, an “I” shaped nozzle and an “S” shaped nozzle, and wherein said steam injection nozzle is in fluid communication with said reaction vessel;
- wherein said steam injection nozzle is configured to provide increased surface contact areas between steam and a mixture comprising a resin and a solvent relative to contacting steam and said mixture without said nozzle.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.