Equipment and process for producing polymer pellets

Abstract

The present invention relates to an equipment and method for producing polymer pellets which comprise one or more polymer components and one or more further components, wherein in said process at least one of said one or more further components is incorporated into pellets by applying a liquid, which comprises said at least one component, onto said pellets.

1 - 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . An equipment for producing polymer pellets comprising one or more polymer components and one or more further components, which equipment comprises at least one first mixing apparatus for introducing at least one of said further components onto polymer pellets, which said first mixing apparatus comprises:
 an inlet for feeding polymer pellets into said first mixing apparatus, to form a pellet stream,   a first mixing section provided with mixing means for moving and mixing said pellet stream along said first mixing section,   at least one application device, said application device applies said at least one further component(s) onto the polymer pellets at one or more positions selected from prior to said first mixing apparatus, at said inlet of said first mixing apparatus, and within said section of said first mixing apparatus, and   an outlet for removing the mixed pellet stream from said first mixing section,   wherein said first mixing section is an elongated mixing section having a longitudinal axis and is arranged substantially horizontally within the longitudinal direction of the mixing section to move the said pellet stream along said section from the inlet towards the outlet,   said mixing device for moving and mixing said pellet stream in said first mixing section causes said mixing section to at least vibrate and also oscillate and thereby to cause the pellet stream to vibrate and oscillate within said mixing section and said mixing device for moving and mixing said pellet stream in said first mixing section is selected from the group consisting of one or more of a vibration causing apparatus arranged outside said first mixing section in an operational contact therewith, oscillation causing apparatus arranged outside said first mixing section in an operational contact therewith and fluidization causing apparatus and wherein at least said vibration causing apparatus is included from said group for non-gravimetrical flow of said pellet stream in a substantially horizontal direction in included from the stated group,   no moving mixing device is present within said first mixing section, and   said at least one application devices is arranged to extend at least partially within the equipment for the pellet stream, to extend at least partially within the polymer pellet stream and to be positioned to be at least partly in contact with flowing polymer stream.   
     
     
         46 . An equipment according to  claim 45 , wherein the first mixing section of the first mixing apparatus of the invention has an elongated structure comprising the inlet arranged at one end part thereof and the outlet arranged at the other end part thereof. 
     
     
         47 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , wherein said means for moving and mixing said pellet stream in said first mixing section is selected at least from the group consisting of one or more of said vibration causing apparatus, oscillation causing apparatus or a combination of said vibration causing apparatus and said oscillation causing apparatus. 
     
     
         48 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , wherein a longitudinal axis at said inlet end of said first mixing section is defined to be in a horizontal line (0°), and said longitudinal axis at said outlet end of said section is positioned 0 to 45° above or below from said horizontal line. 
     
     
         49 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , which further comprises at least one static mixing section arranged to follow the outlet of said apparatus, allowing for further mixing of the pellet stream. 
     
     
         50 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , wherein said means for moving and mixing said pellet stream in said first mixing section is selected from the group consisting of one or more mechanical or electromechanical vibrating causing apparatus and oscillating causing apparatus. 
     
     
         51 . The equipment according to  claim 45  wherein said first mixing section is arranged to cause the polymer pellet stream to flow and said one or more further components to distribute among the pellets through one or more of vibration, oscillation or fluidization, by suspending the pellets in a fluidisation medium selected from liquid or gas. 
     
     
         52 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , wherein said first mixing section has an elongated structure, which is, in its longitudinal direction, connected at one end to said inlet of said apparatus and at the other end to said outlet of said apparatus, whereby a longitudinal axis of said first mixing section is along or inclined from a horizontal line, and whereby, when said longitudinal axis at said inlet end of said first mixing section is defined to be fixed in said horizontal line, which is defined to be 0°, then said longitudinal axis at said outlet end of said section is inclined 0 to 3° above or below from said horizontal line. 
     
     
         53 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , wherein said at least one application device applies said further components in liquid medium and is arranged within said first mixing section and comprises at least one application unit which comprises at least one nozzle comprising one or more injection holes through which the liquid is supplied. 
     
     
         54 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , wherein said apparatus comprises at least one static mixing section, allowing for further adsorption and mixing of the pellets, wherein said mixing section comprises means for changing the flow direction of the pellets. 
     
     
         55 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , wherein said mixing section comprises one or more tubular bends for changing the flow direction of the pellets each bend having a bending degree of at least 20°, and wherein two adjacent bends are connected by an intermediate part inclined downwards. 
     
     
         56 . The equipment according to  claim 55 , wherein said bends are arranged in a downward spiral manner causing the pellets to flow by gravity through the bends. 
     
     
         57 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , which is adapted to operate in a continuous process for incorporating one or more further components to pellets for producing polymer pellets comprising one or more polymer components and one or more further components. 
     
     
         58 . The equipment according to  claim 45 , which is arranged in separate pellet production process for producing said pellets for temporary storage or for further use, or which is arranged in a production line of an end product which is produced using said pellets. 
     
     
         59 . The equipment according to  claim 45  for producing polymer pellets wherein said at least one of said further components is comprised in a liquid, said at least one first mixing apparatus for introducing at least one of said further components onto polymer pellets is at least one mixing apparatus for introducing said liquid onto polymer pellets; and said at least one application device for applying said at least one further components onto the polymer pellets at one or more positions is selected from prior to said apparatus, at said inlet of said apparatus, and/or within said section of said apparatus is at least one application device for applying said liquid onto the polymer pellets at one or more positions selected from prior to said apparatus, at said inlet od said apparatus and within said section of said apparatus and combinations thereof.