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US 9,789,640 B2Granted
Method and device for granulating plastics and/or polymers
AssigneeGala Industries, Inc.
InventorsMichael Eloo, Juergen Heinz Veltel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the pelletization of plastics and/or polymers, in which a melt coming from a melt generator is supplied via a diverter valve having different operating positions to a plurality of pelletizing heads through which the melt is pelletized. The plurality of pelletizing heads have different throughput capacities and are used sequentially for the start-up of the pelletizing process, with the melt first being supplied to a first pelletizing head having a smaller throughput capacity and then the melt volume flow being increased and the diverter valve being switched over such that the melt is diverted by the diverter valve to a second pelletizing head having a larger throughput capacity.
Claims19
A diverter valve for a pelletizing apparatus comprising:
- a valve housing;
- a valve recess formed in said valve housing;
- a first melt generator connection, a first pelletizer connection and a first melt passage for connection of the first melt generator connection to the first pelletizer connection, said first melt generator connection, said first melt passage and said first pelletizer connection together forming a first flow path in a first production direction that extends through said valve housing and that is in communication with said valve recess, said first melt generator connection and said first pelletizer connection being on different sides of said housing with respect to one another;
- a second pelletizer connection, a second melt generator connection and a second melt passage for connection of the second melt generator connection to the second pelletizer connection, said second melt generator connection, said second melt passage and said second pelletizer connection together forming a second flow path in a second production direction that extends through said valve housing and that is in communication with said valve recess, said second melt generator connection and said second pelletizer connection being on different sides of said housing with respect to one another;
- said first and second melt passages being configured separately from one another and being free of overlap and said first and second production directions being mutually independent and separately operable from one another;
- and
- a valve body displaceably received in said valve recess in said valve housing, said displaceable valve body associated with the first and second melt passages for control of a flow of melt through the first flow path and the second flow path, said displaceable valve body being provided with a first production passage for bridging the first melt passage across the valve recess, a second production passage for bridging the second melt passage across the valve recess, a first bypass passage for connecting the first melt passage to a first bypass outlet opening, and a second bypass passage for connecting the second melt passage to a second bypass outlet opening, said displaceable valve body being movable back and forth between a production position in which at least one of the first melt generator connection is switched through to the first pelletizer connection via the first production passage in the displaceable valve body and the second melt generator connection is switched through to the second pelletizer connection via the second production passage in the displaceable valve body, and a bypass position in which at least one of the first melt generator connection is switched through to the first bypass passage and the second melt generator connection is switched through to the second bypass passage.
4 more elements
A diverter valve for a pelletizing apparatus comprising:
- a valve housing having a valve bore formed therein;
- a first melt generator connection, a first pelletizer connection and a first melt passage for connection of the first melt generator connection to the first pelletizer connection, said first melt passage extending across an interior of said valve housing and being in communication with said valve bore, said first melt generator connection and said first pelletizer connection being on different sides of said housing with respect to one another;
- a second melt generator connection, a second pelletizer connection and a second melt passage for connection of the second melt generator connection to the second pelletizer connection, said second melt passage extending across the interior of said valve housing and being in communication with said valve bore, said second melt generator connection and said second pelletizer connection being on different sides of said housing with respect to one another;
- said second melt generator connection being separate from said first melt generator connection and said first pelletizer connection being separate from said second pelletizer connection, said first and second melt passages being configured separately from one another and being free of overlap, wherein the first melt generator connection, the first melt passage and the first pelletizer connection form a first flow path in a first production direction, the second melt generator connection, the second melt passage and the second pelletizer connection form a second flow path in a second production direction, said first and second production direction being mutually independent;
- a valve gate displaceably received in said valve bore, said valve gate having a plurality of passages therein that include a first production passage that bridges the first melt passage across the valve bore, a second production passage that bridges the second melt passage across the valve bore, a first bypass passage that connects the first melt passage to a first bypass outlet opening, and a second bypass passage that connects the second melt passage to a second bypass outlet opening;
- said valve gate being movable within said valve bore between a production position in which at least one of the first melt generator connection is switched through to the first pelletizer connection via the first production passage in the displaceable valve gate and the second melt generator connection is switched through to the second pelletizer connection via the second production passage in the displaceable valve gate, and a bypass position in which at least on of the first melt generator connection is switched through to the first bypass passage and the second melt generator connection is switched through to the second bypass passage.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.