Method and system for crystallizing viscous materials using a rotating machine

Abstract

A rotary machine crystallizer for crystallizing a granular viscous polymer material comprises a housing for rotatably supporting a removable panel drum on a roller. The removable panel can be made of a transparent thermally insulating material. The drum receives a flow of hot particles through an inlet chute, and the rotational action of the drum and an internal agitator keeps the particles moving relative to each other to prevent agglomeration until the particles reach the desired crystallinity and are no longer viscous. Baffles are provided at intervals along the length of the drum to slow the flow of particles through the drum, thereby increasing the residence time. A damping plate is provided near the outlet end of the drum to help build a bed of particles in the drum, and the damping plate also controls the residence time of the particles in the drum.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 822,701, filed on March 22, 2019. Technical Field

[0003] The presently disclosed subject matter generally relates to systems and methods for using a rotating machine to assist in crystallizing a material, and more particularly to systems and methods for using a rotating machine as a crystallizer for certain crystallizable polymers. Background Art

[0004] Certain polymers, after undergoing melt extrusion and pelletization, will begin to crystallize in the form of particles due to certain conditions imposed on the resulting particles. Conditions such as heating the particles, cooling the particles, mechanical deformation, or solvent evaporation from the polymer can cause crystallization to occur. Crystallization affects the optical, mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties of the polymer and is often a desired effect in polymer particles.

[0005] In the fluid granulation system, when the cut particles produced from the extruded polymer melt are cooled in the cutting chamber fluid, the temperature of the particles drops until the temperature is lower than the melting temperature Tm, and the particles are frozen in the material form of the particles. At this time, the growth of crystals can be achieved by adding folded polymer chain segments, and the growth of this crystal only occurs for temperatures lower than the melting temperature Tm and higher than the glass transition temperature Tg. Higher temperatures can destroy the molecular arrangement, and below the glass transition temperature, the movement of the molecular chain can be frozen. Therefore, it is important to keep the particles at a temperature that allows crystallization to continue for a long time until the desired crystallinity is reached. For some materials, this may take a few seconds, and for other materials, this may take a few minutes, hours or even longer. In addition, for some materials, the particles remain sticky and adhere to each other until the desired crystallinity is reached, at which time the particles may become less sticky and free-flowing.

[0006] Some methods and devices have been proposed to assist the crystallization of crystallizable polymer particles. For example, after cutting and drying the particles, the particles can be stored in a barrel where they can be kept within the crystallization temperature range by forcing a heated gas such as air, nitrogen or an inert gas through the particles for a long period of time until the desired crystallinity is achieved. For materials that may be sticky during crystallization, some means for stirring is required within the heated barrel to keep the particles from sticking to each other until the particles lose their stickiness due to crystallization. This is an energy intensive and therefore expensive process.

[0007] Another method to help crystallize the pelletized material is Gala Industries Process, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,361,364 and 9,032,641, both of which are fully incorporated herein by reference, in some embodiments, the process uses compressed gas injected into the slurry pipeline between the cutting chamber of the granulator and the centrifugal dryer to accelerate the particles into the dryer, thereby reducing the residence time of the particles in the cooling fluid. Thus, the particles retain most of the internal heat of the particles, thereby maintaining the temperature of the particles within the crystallization range between Tg and Tm. The particles can then be transported from the dryer to an isolated container via a vibrating conveyor, where the retained internal heat continues to crystallize the particles. If the particles have the property of being sticky during crystallization, some form of agitation must be provided until the particles reach a crystallinity that reduces the viscosity of the particles. For certain materials that are very sticky when granulating until the desired crystallinity level for reduced viscosity is reached, it has been found that a vibrating conveyor cannot provide sufficient agitation to prevent agglomeration of the particles.

[0008] Another method sold by Nordson / BKG and described in U.S. Patent 8,324,339 is Crystall process, which is particularly used for PET materials. In the system, hot PET pellets from an underwater pelletizer are quickly transported in hot water (up to 95°C) through a closed conveying pipe to a pellet dryer where pellet cooling and solidification occurs. This conveying medium and the short distance between the die head and the dryer are key to protecting heat from melt processing. The pellets are at a temperature in the range of 150°C to 160°C when they leave the dryer onto a vibrating conveyor. This keeps the pellets in constant motion, creates an even distribution of thermal energy, and prevents the pellets from sticking together when crystallization occurs. As in the case of the PET process, while this approach may be effective for PET, the highly viscous material tends to clump during crystallization, even with the limited agitation provided by a vibrating conveyor.

[0009] Another method of attempting to prevent caking of viscous materials until the viscous material is crystallized is to use a Torusdisc Paddle Dryer manufactured by Bepex to add heat to the granules and agitate the granules after they leave the dryer. As with the heated drum method, adding heat to the granules is expensive from an energy cost perspective. In addition, the Torusdisc does not do a good job of preventing caking of highly viscous materials, and the agitation of the granules by the rotating disk may cause breakage of the granules and may produce unacceptable amounts of material fines.

[0010] Another method to prevent material agglomeration during the crystallization process is Novatec TM CCR systems, which use paddles in a drum type container to agitate the material in the container. In this system, the agitator does not move all of the particles continuously, so between the times the paddles pass over the particles, agglomeration can occur. To address this, the agitator paddles can be rotated at higher speeds, but this tends to break up the particles and still does not effectively agitate the particles in a continuous manner.

[0011] Therefore, improved systems and methods are needed to address the above-mentioned deficiencies. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to these and other considerations. Summary of the invention

[0012] In short, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter relate to systems and methods that use a tumbler device to provide the necessary agitation to prevent agglomeration of highly viscous pelletized materials until the desired crystallinity can be achieved. Examples of such materials are specific grades of PLA (polylactic acid), specific polyesters, specific TPUs, and the like.

[0013] A tumbler device similar to that manufactured by Gala Industries and described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,782,705, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, can be modified and used to provide a tumbling action to the crystallizable particles as they exit the particle dryer. The tumbling action of the tumbler device provides agitation that is different from the agitation of a vibrating conveyor belt and has unexpectedly been found to prevent the sticky particles from clumping as they crystallize and lose their stickiness. This tumbling action provides more movement to the particles in a continuous, rolling fashion than a vibrating device. In addition, the tumbling action of the tumbler device provides a gentle tumbling of the particles, thereby avoiding the particle breakage and generation of fines that plague other agitation devices.

[0014] Specifically, in some embodiments, the rotating machine device described in U.S. Patent No. 9,782,705 can be transformed into a crystallization rotating machine by removing the shielding section from the rotating drum and replacing the shielding section with a transparent polycarbonate window panel. The polycarbonate window panel allows observation of the material in the rotating machine to ensure that the material does not agglomerate when crystallizing. Another advantage of the polycarbonate panel is that the polycarbonate panel is a good insulator to prevent heat loss, because it is important to maintain the temperature of the crystallized particles above Tg, and preferably to maintain it close to Tm. In other embodiments, the shield can be replaced by other transparent polymeric materials, or even transparent ceramics or glass. In further embodiments, if it is not necessary to observe the material in the drum, an opaque material can replace a shield with or without an isolation surface, such as a solid steel or other solid material panel. In this regard, the solid opaque panel can be provided with a smaller observation port including the aforementioned transparent material. Additionally, thermocouples were added at the inlet and outlet ends, arranged so that the thermocouple tips extended into the rotating bed of particles to monitor the temperature of the particles entering and leaving, and additional thermocouples were added to monitor the air temperature within the drum. The outlet end of the drum was further modified so that the particles would remain within the drum for a time sufficient to allow the desired crystallinity to be achieved before the particles exited the drum. Other devices were also added to prevent the particles from flowing from the inlet to the outlet prematurely, thereby maintaining the desired residence time of the particles in the rotating machine.

[0015] It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a rotary machine apparatus that can be used as a crystallizer for materials that remain viscous until a desired level of crystallization is achieved.

[0016] It is an additional object of the present disclosure to provide a tumbler device that provides a greater level of agitation than that of a vibrating bed device and prevents agglomeration of the viscous material as it crystallizes.

[0017] It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a tumbler device which provides relatively slow, smooth, tumbling agitation to the crystallized material without causing breakage of the crystallized material, without producing excessive fines when the material is agitated, and, contrary to annular disk agitators, without excessive heat loss from the particle mass to the surrounding air.

[0018] A further object of the present disclosure is to provide a rotary machine apparatus for crystallizing a material by utilizing the retained internal heat of the material to assist in the crystallization of the material. To this end, the rotary machine utilizes an insulating drum that retains the heat of the material as it passes through the rotary machine and has means disposed within the drum to retain the particles in the drum for a desired residence time.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide means for preventing particles entering the rotary machine device through the inlet from advancing prematurely along the length of the rotary machine, thereby maintaining uniform crystallization of the particle bed as the particles advance along the length of the rotary machine toward the outlet. To this end, a particle deflector can be placed just past the inlet, which prevents particles from splashing around the drum and preventing particles from advancing prematurely along the length of the drum.

[0020] It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a rotary machine apparatus having an additional air tubular portion for providing optional heated air or other gas to the interior of the rotary machine drum to help preheat the interior of the drum, or alternatively to add heat to the material to aid crystallization when necessary. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 is an isometric front view of a crystallizer rotary machine with a closed door according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 2 shows an isometric front view of a crystallizer turning machine with an open door and a rotatable drum according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 3 A cross-sectional isometric front view of a crystallizer rotary machine with a door removed and a rotatable drum according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is provided;

[0025] Figure 4 shows a cutaway isometric rear view of a rotary machine with a door removed and a rotatable drum according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 5 shows an isometric front view of a drum according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 6 According to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional view of the interior of the crystallizer drum showing the installation of the thermocouple;

[0028] Figure 7 According to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figures 5 and 6 An isometric cross section of a crystallizer drum showing details of the discharge end;

[0029] Figure 8Some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown Figures 5 to 7 a cross-sectional end view of the discharge end of the drum;

[0030] Fig. 9 is an isometric longitudinal cross section vertically through the length of the drum showing details of the particle bed damping plates, baffles and inlet guide plates according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0031] Fig.10 is an isometric cross-sectional view looking toward the inlet end of the crystallization rotor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Various embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter are described in detail to satisfy statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. On the contrary, it is contemplated that the claimed subject matter may also be embodied in other ways to include different steps or elements similar to those described herein in combination with other present or future technologies.

[0033] It should also be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Reference to a composition containing "an" ingredient is intended to include other ingredients in addition to the specified ingredient. In addition, in describing preferred embodiments, terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is intended that each term be taken into account in the broadest sense as understood by those skilled in the art of each term, and that each term include all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to achieve a similar purpose.

[0034] As used herein, the terms "crystallizer", "crystallization", "crystallization", "crystalline", and "crystallizable" are all used in connection with a process associated with a partial arrangement of polymer molecular chains. The degree of crystallinity, as estimated by different analytical methods, is generally in the range of from less than 10% to more than 80%, and thus a crystalline polymer is often referred to as "semi-crystalline". In the following description, any reference to the above "crystalline" term refers to a "semi-crystalline" material, which may have any degree of crystallinity.

[0035] For example, the term "particle" as used herein may include pellets or microparticles and may be interchangeable with pellets or microparticles. Such particles / pellets / microparticles may have various shapes and may have the characteristics of discrete particles of regular or irregular shapes without limiting the size of the particles, including flakes, stars, spheres, cylindrical particles, lens-shaped or disc-shaped particles, short chopped fibers, rubber crumb particles and / or other shapes. The cross-section of the particles / pellets / microparticles may also be circular, square, rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal or other geometric shapes, star-shaped or other decorative designs, and may be the same or different when viewed in a second cross-section perpendicular to the first cross-section. It should also be understood that the particles are not necessarily solid pieces and may also include particles that define an opening or hollow shape. Additionally, the particles may include an expander, a foaming agent or a volatile that may be partially or fully expanded to produce particles of low (or lower) bulk density.

[0036] In this document, the use of terms such as "having," "having," "including," or "comprising" are open ended and are intended to have the same meaning as terms such as "comprising" or "including," and do not exclude the presence of other structures, materials, or acts. Similarly, while the use of terms such as "can" or "may" are intended to be open ended and are intended to reflect that structures, materials, or acts are not essential, the absence of these terms is not intended to reflect that structures, materials, or acts are essential. To the extent that structures, materials, or acts are presently considered essential, those structures, materials, or acts are determined to be essential.

[0037] It is also necessary to understand that the reference to one or more method steps does not exclude the presence of additional method steps or intervening method steps between those steps that are clearly identified. In addition, although the term "step" can be used to imply different aspects of the method adopted in this article, unless and except when the order of individual steps is clearly required, the term should not be interpreted as implying any specific order in the middle or between the various steps disclosed in this article. The components that constitute the various elements of the present invention described below are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Many suitable components that perform the same or similar functions as the components described herein are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Such other components not described herein may include, but are not limited to, similar components developed after developing the currently disclosed subject matter, for example.

[0038] To facilitate understanding of the principles and features of the present invention, various illustrative embodiments are described below. In particular, the subject matter currently disclosed is described in the context of a crystallizer rotating machine.

[0039] Figure 1One embodiment of a crystallizer rotary machine used in the present disclosure is shown. The main features of the crystallizer rotary machine apparatus can be similar to the main features of the rotary dryer apparatus manufactured by Gala Industries and shown and described in U.S. Patent 9,782,705, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. The crystallizer rotary machine 10 can have a housing 20, one or more doors 30, a particle inlet chute 40, and a frame 50. As shown, the door 30 is closed to contain the flow of crystallizable material, typically in the form of polymer particles, within the rotary machine 10 and to prevent unwanted objects from entering the rotary machine 10. The door also helps prevent heat loss from the material within the drum inside the rotary machine. In contrast, the door 30 is closed. Figure 2 is opened in Figure 3 and Figure 4 The drum 60 is removed, thereby exposing other components of the rotary machine 10, including the rotatable drum 60, the blower section 70, the tilting mechanism 80, the particle outlet chute 90 and the stop ring 100.

[0040] exist Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown in more detail in FIG. 1 , the housing 20 may be configured to support the door 30 and drum 60 of the rotary machine 10. In one embodiment, the housing 20 may include a base 22, an inlet panel 23, an outlet panel 24, a back panel 25, an upper member 26, one or more connectors 28, and a static dissipative brush 29. Specifically, the base 22 may serve as a horizontal platform that supports the rest of the housing 20 above the frame 50, while the panels 23, 24, and 25 extend vertically from the base 22, and the panels 23, 24, and 25 are connected to the upper member 26 that extends horizontally along the top surfaces of the panels 23, 24, and 25.

[0041] The base 22 can be made of metal, wood or hard plastic, and is configured to withstand the force and weight of the rotation of the drum 60, and is configured to support the rest of the housing 20 and the door 30. For example, in some embodiments, the base 22 can be a stainless steel such as 304 stainless steel, which allows for easy welding. In other embodiments, the base 22 can be carbon steel. In other embodiments, the base 22 can be aluminum, which advantageously reduces the weight of the base 22. The shape of the base 22 can be different. For example, in some embodiments, the base 22 can be rectangular and include four I-shaped beams or other beams, which can be attached to each other by means known in the art (e.g., welding, bolts, clamps, etc.). The base 22 can be sized as needed to fit other components of the crystallizer rotary machine 10, particularly the drum 60.

[0042] The panels 23, 24, 25 extending vertically from the base 22 may house the internal components of the crystallizer rotor 10 (e.g., the drum 60, the blower section 70, etc.). The inlet panel 23 may extend vertically from the inlet end of the base 22 (i.e., the end of the rotor 10 having the particle inlet chute 40), and the inlet panel 23 may be configured to support the particle inlet chute 40 as it extends through the inlet panel 23 to attach to the drum 60. The inlet panel 23 may be additionally configured with a floating seal 21 to prevent particles from leaving the drum and returning through the inlet panel 23. According to some embodiments, details of the inlet structure may be found in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 9,782,705.

[0043] The outlet panel 24 can extend vertically from the base 22 at the outlet end of the drum 60 (i.e., opposite the particle inlet chute 40), and can be configured to support the blower section 70 as it extends through the outlet panel 24 and the interior of the drum 60. The outlet panel 24 can also be configured to prevent particles from flowing beyond the outlet panel 24. In some embodiments, the outlet panel 24 can include a floating seal 21 or similar device to prevent particles from passing through the gap between the outlet panel 24 and the air tubular portion 73 ( Figure 6 ) between the drum 60. The floating seal can be configured to allow the air tubular portion 73 to be removed or adjusted to a desired angle while preventing particles from undesirably leaving the drum. For example, in some embodiments, the outlet floating seal can be configured in a manner similar to or identical to the floating seal 21 used at the inlet end of the rotary machine 10. Likewise, as mentioned above with respect to the inlet configuration, the details of the outlet configuration can be found in the aforementioned U.S. Patent 9,782,705 according to some embodiments.

[0044] The panels 23, 24, 25 can be made of metal, wood, or hard plastic, and the panels 23, 24, 25 are configured to withstand the force and weight of the rotation of the drum 60 and to support the door 30. For example, in some embodiments, the panels 23, 24, 25 can be made of stainless steel, carbon steel, or aluminum. In some embodiments, the panels 23, 24, 25 can have similar dimensions. For example, in one embodiment, the panels 23, 24, 25 can all be pentagons with a square bottom portion and a triangular top portion. In other embodiments, the panels 23, 24, 25 can be sized and shaped to accommodate the drum 60 and other internal components within the rotary machine 10. The upper member 26 can be made of metal, wood, or hard plastic, and the upper member 26 can be configured to support the top of the panels 23, 24, 25 horizontally. For example, the upper member 26 can be made of stainless steel, carbon steel, or aluminum. In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown in , the upper member 26 can form an isosceles trapezoid having a base that is wider than the top. In other embodiments, the upper member 26 can take other shapes, such as rectangular, cylindrical, or other shapes configured to connect to the panels 23, 24, 25 and allow the door 30 to move. It is contemplated that the upper member 26 can include one or more handles or attachment points, one or more handles or attachment points for transporting the crystallizer rotary machine 10. Additionally, in some embodiments, multiple upper members 26 can be used based on the desired shape of the crystallizer rotary machine 10.

[0045] In one embodiment, the connector 28 may be positioned on opposite sides of the inlet end of the rotating machine 10. However, in other embodiments, if the tilt mechanism 80 is switched to the inlet end of the rotating machine 10, the connector 28 may be positioned on the outlet end of the rotating machine 10. In some embodiments, the connector 28 may form a pivot connection between the housing 20 and the frame 50, such as Figure 4As shown in. For example, the connector 28 may include two or more components with a hole, and the two or more components are connected via bolts or shafts. In the present embodiment, one or more spacers may be used to separate the components of the connector 28 to help facilitate the pivoting of the connector 28. The connector 28 may rotate relative to the pivot point of the connector as the tilting mechanism 80 is adjusted. That is, as the tilting mechanism 80 is adjusted, since the connector 28 remains at a fixed height, the angle of the housing and the angle of the drum 60 accordingly may increase or decrease relative to the horizontal plane. In this way, the tilting mechanism 80 may regulate the residence time of particles in the drum 60. In some embodiments, the connector 28 may be made of metal, wood or hard plastic. In addition, in some embodiments, since the connector 28 may be the active part of the rotary machine 10, the connector 28 may be oiled and / or lubricated to help facilitate movement.

[0046] In other embodiments, the rotating machine 10 may not include the frame 50. Instead, the base 22 may be suspended from a point above via cables, ropes, beams, etc. For example, in one embodiment, the inlet and outlet ends of the rotating machine 10 may be suspended above the ground via cables. It is contemplated that the rotating machine 10 may be configured such that the height of the rotating machine 10 from the ground is adjustable via cables or an adjustable height feature of the frame 50.

[0047] In some embodiments, Figure 4 As shown in , the static dissipative brush 29 can be placed on the back side of the inlet panel 23 facing the drum 60. The static dissipative brush 29 can slowly draw the charge from the drum 60, which can prevent the operator from receiving an unexpected electric shock. In order to help the static dissipative brush 29 slowly conduct the charge and prevent electric shock, the static dissipative brush 29 can be placed in a position that contacts or nearly contacts the drum 60. In one embodiment, the static dissipative brush 29 can extend from the inlet panel 23 so that the static dissipative brush 29 can conduct the charge from the drum 60 without hindering the rotational movement of the drum 60. In some embodiments, the static dissipative brush 29 can be made of any static dissipative material, which can have a static dissipative property of about 10 5 Ohm-meter to about 10 12The resistivity value between ohm-meters. In other embodiments, the rotating machine 10 can have a grounding feature that can be advantageous in hazardous areas. For example, in one embodiment, a wire or brush can extend from the ceiling at an angle so that the wire or brush remains in contact with the drum 60 as the wire or brush rotates. For example, the wire or brush can be angled to contact the downward rotating side of the drum 60. Thus, the wire or brush can maintain sufficient contact for grounding purposes without hindering the rotation of the drum 60. In other embodiments, other methods of grounding or static dissipation known in the art can be used.

[0048] like Figure 2 As shown in , the door 30 may include one or more drum doors 32 and one or more service doors 34, each extending from the upper member 26 of the housing 20. In one embodiment, the door 30 can be opened and closed together. In another embodiment, the drum door 32 and the service door 34 can be configured to be opened and closed independently. The door 30 can be bent when the door 30 extends downward, so that the door 30 covers a portion of the top and side of the rotating machine 10. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the door 30 can only cover the top or side of the rotating machine 10.

[0049] When the door 30 is closed and the crystallizer rotor 10 is ready for operation, the particle inlet chute 40 can be configured to receive the particle flow and direct the particle flow into the drum 60 of the crystallizer rotor 10. In some embodiments, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in Figure 3 As shown in more detail in , the particle inlet chute 40 may include a funnel 42 connected to a conduit 44. The funnel 42 may be configured to receive particles from an upstream component (e.g., a granulator, a dryer, a deflower, or another rotating machine) and direct the particles into the conduit 44.

[0050] In some embodiments, the funnel 42 may be conically shaped and may be made of metal, wood, or hard plastic. For example, in one embodiment, the funnel 42 may be a rolled sheet metal. The funnel 42 may have a lower opening having a diameter approximately the same as the diameter of the conduit 44 and a larger upper opening for collecting particles. In other embodiments, the particle inlet chute 40 may not include the funnel 42 because the conduit 44 may be directly attached to the outlet of the upstream component.

[0051] like Figure 3 and Fig. 9As shown in , the conduit 44 can be a conduit of a hollow cylindrical, rectangular or other cross-sectional shape configured to transport particles to the drum 60. In some embodiments, the conduit 44 can be sized to fit through the inlet panel 23 within a minimum gap space. It is conceivable that the conduit 44 can have the same diameter over the entire length of the conduit. For example, in one embodiment, the conduit 44 can pass through an expandable member in the inlet panel 23, which is tightly fitted around the conduit 44 to prevent particles and heat from leaking out of the rotating machine through the inlet panel 23 and prevent foreign matter from entering the rotating machine 10. It is conceivable that a floating seal or similar device can be used to fix the conduit 44 in place and allow particles to enter the drum 60 while preventing particles from leaking out of the conduit 44 before entering the drum 60. The vertical cross-section of the conduit 44 when the conduit 44 enters the floating seal can be elliptical or rectangular. Additionally, a seal (e.g., a polyamide or fluoropolymer seal) can be used to seal the connection between the conduit 44 and the inlet panel 23. In other embodiments, the size of the conduit 44 may vary as the conduit expands based on the desired flow rate of particles into the drum 60. In some embodiments, the conduit 44 may accommodate a powder feeder (not shown) or otherwise introduce a powder or other material for coating the particles to help reduce agglomeration of the particles.

[0052] When the material to be crystallized, such as particles, leaves conduit 44 and enters drum 60, the material tends to bounce off the inner surface of the drum and may prematurely bounce downstream in the drum, resulting in uneven crystallization of the particle bed. To help prevent this premature downstream flow, Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The deflector plate 200 shown in can be disposed at the material inlet end just past the outlet of the conduit 44. The deflector plate 200 extends into the flow region in close proximity to the rotating drum, thereby preventing the material from bouncing and splashing downstream. The deflector plate 200 can be attached to the inlet end of the housing and can be cantilevered from the inlet end and can extend vertically into the flow. To help prevent the material from accumulating on top of the cantilever region as the material is rotated by the drum, a deflector plate slot 202 can be disposed in the cantilever region that allows the rotated material to flow through the deflector plate slot 202 and return to the drum to be rotated. As shown in Fig.10 As can be seen in the figure, the deflector plate 200 can have an asymmetric shape that is more tightly fitted to the drum on the side of the drum away from the particle flow, thereby blocking the flow, and the asymmetric shape is more open on the side of the drum along the flow direction, thereby allowing a smoother flow of particles.

[0053] exist Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 A frame 50 is shown in FIG. 1 that supports the housing 20 off the ground and is Figure 3 5. The frame 50 is shown in more detail in FIG. In some embodiments, the frame 50 may include one or more vertical members 52, one or more cross members 54, one or more corner support members 56, and one or more horizontal members 58. The frame 50 may be made of metal, wood, or hard plastic, and the frame 50 may be configured to jointly bear the force and weight of the rotation of the drum 60 and to support the rest of the rotating machine 10. In one embodiment, the frame 50 may be made of aluminum to limit the weight of the frame 50. As previously described, in other embodiments, the rotating machine 10 may replace the frame 50 with a suspension device configured to suspend the drum 60 above the ground. In some embodiments, the vertical members 52 may extend along the four corners of the rotating machine 10 to be close to the vertical axis. In other embodiments, one or more vertical members 52 may be spaced apart along the length of the rotating machine 10 as needed to support the rotating machine 10 or as desired. For example, in one embodiment, three vertical members 52 may extend downward from the housing 20 and support the rotating machine 10 to prevent the rotating machine 10 from shaking on a flat ground or when the lengths of the vertical members 52 are not exactly the same. The vertical members 52 may be shaped as needed to structurally support the rotating machine 10. In some embodiments, the vertical members 52 may be rectangular and straight, so that the vertical members 52 are configured to be attached to other components of the frame 50 at right angles. In other embodiments, the vertical members 52 may be cylindrical and / or curved to provide clearance for other components or reduce the floor space required for the rotating machine 10. In other embodiments, the vertical members 52 may be hollow to reduce the weight of the vertical members 52. In other embodiments, the vertical members 52 may be solid or filled with material to increase the weight of the frame 50, thereby preventing the rotating machine 10 from moving, even though the rotating machine 10 vibrates following the rotating drum 60.

[0054] In some embodiments, the cross member 54 may extend close to the horizontal axis and connect one or more of the vertical members 52 to each other. The cross member 54 may be shaped as needed to structurally support the rotating machine 10. In some embodiments, the cross member 54 may be rectangular and straight, so that the cross member 54 is configured to be attached to other components of the frame 50 at right angles. In other embodiments, the cross member 54 may be cylindrical and / or curved to provide clearance for other components. In other embodiments, the cross member 54 may be hollow to reduce the weight of the cross member 54. In other embodiments, the cross member 54 may be solid or filled with material to increase the weight of the frame 50, thereby preventing the rotating machine 10 from moving, even though the rotating machine 10 vibrates following the rotating drum 60.

[0055] In some embodiments, corner support members 56 can connect corners formed by at least some of the vertical members 52 and the horizontal members 58. The corner support members 56 can be triangular-shaped and can be configured to structurally support the frame 50 by holding the vertical members 52 upright. It is also contemplated that the corner support members 56 can support other joints in the frame 50, including joints between the vertical members 52 and the cross members 54.

[0056] In other embodiments, the horizontal member 58 can extend close to the horizontal axis and connect the tops of the vertical members 52 to each other. The horizontal member 58 can be configured to receive the housing 20 so that the housing 20 fits tightly on the top of the horizontal member 58. In some embodiments, the horizontal member can be configured to be pivotally attached to the housing 20 via the connector 28. In some embodiments, the horizontal member 58 can be a solid single surface that covers the bottom of the housing 20. The surface of the horizontal member 58 can include a rough surface to grip the housing 20 and prevent the housing 20 from sliding as the drum 60 rotates. In other embodiments, the horizontal member 58 can surround the periphery of the housing 20. In some embodiments, the horizontal member 58 can be hollow to reduce the weight of the horizontal member 58, while in other embodiments the horizontal member 58 can be solid for strength.

[0057] exist Figure 4 and Figure 560, the drum 60 can be configured to receive particles, in which the particles are kept for the required residence time when crystallization occurs before being directed to the particle outlet chute 90. In some embodiments, the drum 60 may include a plurality of detachable panels 62, which are all connected to the drum 60 via a plurality of knobs 64 and connectors 67. The panel 62 can be made of a transparent material, such as glass, polycarbonate, acrylic acid or other suitable transparent materials. The transparency of the panel 62 helps to observe the contents in the drum 60 when the contents rotate in the drum 60. It is important to be able to visually monitor the rotating material, especially to visually monitor the rotating material at the input end, so as to ensure that any agglomeration is occurring, and if no agglomeration is occurring, corrective measures are taken. Glass, polycarbonate and acrylic acid are also good insulators that help prevent heat loss from the particles rotating with the drum. Other materials can be used for panel 62, whether transparent, translucent or opaque, but the other materials should have good isolation properties to prevent heat loss from the drum. If opaque materials are used, the panel 62 can be provided with an observation port (not shown) located in the panel 62 to still allow the state of particle flow in the drum to be visually indicated. If it is considered unnecessary to observe the inside of the drum, a solid, opaque panel can be used instead. It can be additionally envisioned that the entire interior or exterior of the steel drum 60 can be lined with an isolation coating or isolation surface to further reduce heat loss from the inside of the drum. Between each panel 62, the drum 60 can include a hand strip 69 to assist the operator to rotate or convey the drum 60 manually. The drum 60 can also include two or more drum wheels 66, which are configured to roll to rotate the drum 60. The drum 60 may also include one or more rings 68 to prevent particles from escaping the particle exit chute 90 (e.g., a section without the panel 62) when exiting the drum 60 through one or more openings 102, together with the stop ring 100. Optionally, in some embodiments, the drum may include one or more openings 104 downstream of the stop ring 100, the openings 104 being defined by a plurality of frame members 106. The frame members 106 may extend along the length of the drum 60, and the frame members 106 may be configured to receive the panel 62 in an attachable manner.

[0058] The knob 64 and the connector 67 can have mating elements (e.g., other connectors or holes) for attaching the panel 62 to the frame member 106. To ensure alignment of the panel 62, the panel frame 65 can include holes configured to fit around the connector 67. In some embodiments, the panel 62 can snap onto the connector 67.

[0059] In other embodiments, the knob 64 can be positioned to receive one or more edges of the panel 62 (or multiple panels 62) in a slidable manner. After sliding the edge of the panel 62 under the knob 64, the opposite edge of the panel 62 can be fastened to the drum 60 via one or more connectors 67. In this embodiment, the number of connectors 67 required can be limited by the use of the knob 64. In addition, the knob 64 and the connector 67 can be configured to screw in, clamp, latch and / or snap on, so that the operator can quickly connect or remove the panel 62 without using tools. In other embodiments, the panel 62 can be bolted, welded, hinged and latched, clamped and / or sealed to the drum 60. Additionally, seals or gaskets can be used at the connection points to help contain the particles and pellets in the drum 60.

[0060] like Figures 7 to 9 As shown in, on the inside of drum 60, one or more agitators 61 can be connected to panel frame 65 and extend toward the center of drum 60. Agitator 61 can be shaped and positioned to help stir the particles in drum 60 when drum 60 rotates. For example, in one embodiment, the cross section of agitator 61 can be shaped in a trapezoidal shape. The base angle of the trapezoid can be selected so that the stirring action of agitator 61 can increase when the base angle is steeper, or reduce when the base angle is shallower. In another embodiment, agitator 61 can be L-shaped and form a right angle so that a part of each agitator 61 is perpendicular to another part. Alternatively, in other embodiments, agitator 61 can form an acute angle or an obtuse angle. The base angle of the trapezoidal agitator or the angle of the L-shaped agitator 61 can affect the time and degree of particles being carried upward by agitator 61 when drum 60 rotates. Other geometric shapes for agitator 61 are also considered. For example, in some embodiments, the agitator 61 may be a thick or thin flat strip, curved or spiral shaped to achieve the desired effect.

[0061] In some embodiments, the agitator 61 and / or other components within the rotary machine 10 may be treated with various coatings as desired. For example, in one embodiment, the agitator 61 may be treated with a wear-resistant coating to help improve the durability of the agitator 61. In other embodiments, the inlet chute 44 and other non-rotating portions and any rotating portion of the drum 60 may be coated with a non-adhesive coating to prevent sticky, non-crystalline materials from adhering to the inlet chute 44 and other non-rotating portions and any rotating portion of the drum 60. It is contemplated that any coating or surface treatment may be used, including those described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,080,196, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0062] like Figure 5 , the hand strip 69 can be U-shaped and extend outwardly from the exterior of the drum 60. In some embodiments, the hand strip 69 can be positioned and sized to manually assist in rotating or transporting the drum 60. In other embodiments, the hand strip 69 can snap onto the frame member 106, or otherwise connect to the frame member 106 to help secure the panel 62 in place.

[0063] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in , the drum wheel 66 can be circular and configured to be mechanically driven to rotate the drum 60. Since the drum wheel 66 is circular, it can allow the drum 60 to rotate evenly and stably, even if the drum may be non-circular (e.g., octagonal). The outer surface of the drum wheel 66 can be smooth to improve the stable rotation of the drum 60. In some embodiments, the diameter of the drum wheel 66 can be greater than the diameter of the rest of the drum 60. For example, in some embodiments, the drum wheel 66 can have a diameter of about 28 inches, while the rest of the drum 60 can have a diameter of about 20 inches. Other diameters for the drum 60 and / or the drum wheel 66 can be used as needed. The drum wheel 66 can be made of metal, wood, or hard plastic, and the drum wheel 66 can be configured to support the weight of the drum 60. In some embodiments, the drum wheel 66 can be the only point of attachment between the drum 60 and the rest of the rotary machine 10. In such embodiments, the frame member 106 can be configured to maintain the structure of the drum 60 and the contents of the drum 60 without bending as the drum 60 rotates. In addition, because the drum 60 can be configured to rest on the drum wheel 66 without being fastened to the rotary machine 10, the drum 60 can be easily removable for transport, repair, or replacement.

[0064] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in detail in FIG. 1 , the ring 68 and the stop ring 100 may extend from the exterior of the drum 60 and may be configured to overlap with the particle outlet chute 90 to prevent particles from undesirably escaping the drum 60 before reaching the particle outlet 132 ( Figure 6 ). In some embodiments, the ring 68 may extend only outward from the face plate 62, while the stop ring 100 may extend outwardly and inwardly from the face plate 62. In this configuration, the ring 68 may allow particles within the drum 60 to pass through the particle exit chute 90. While some particles may attempt to bounce through the particle exit chute 90, the stop ring 100 may prevent the particles from moving along the length of the drum 60 and instead fall into the particle exit chute 90. Figures 7 to 9As shown in , to further help prevent particles from being ejected from the particle outlet chute 90, an outlet chute cover 101 may be provided to cover the upper section of the ring 68 and the stop ring 100 to prevent particles from splashing out of the outlet area.

[0065] In some embodiments, Figure 6 As shown in , the stop ring 100 can have a hole that is configured to allow the air tubular portion 73 to pass through the hole. It is contemplated that the hole can be configured to fit tightly with the air tubular portion 73, or one or more seals can close any gap between the hole of the stop ring 100 and the air tubular portion 73 to prevent particles from passing through the stop ring 100. The ring 68 and the stop ring 100 can be constructed of metal, wood, or hard plastic.

[0066] Between the ring 68 and the stop ring 100, an opening 102 can be configured to allow particles to enter the particle outlet chute 90. In some embodiments, the opening 102, as defined by the space between the frame members 106, can be sized and shaped to allow all particles to pass through. In other embodiments, the opening 102 can be sized and shaped to restrict the particle flow to a velocity or volume required by a downstream process (e.g., bagging).

[0067] Downstream of the stop ring 100, the opening 104 may be defined by the space between the frame members 106. In some embodiments, particles are prevented from passing through this section of the drum 60, and accordingly, the panel 62 is ineffective in this section.

[0068] In some embodiments, the frame member 106 can extend horizontally along the entire length of the drum 60 and connect the drum wheels 66 to each other. The frame member 106 can serve as a structural support for other components to connect to other components, such as the panel 62, the knob 64, and the connector 67. In some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown in , the frame members 106 can define the size and shape of the openings 102 and 104. Depending on the number of frame members 106, the drum 60 can vary in shape. In some embodiments, the drum 60 can be octagonal and include eight frame members 106. This octagonal shape may be advantageous over a circular shape because the octagonal shape defines a smaller panel 62 than would be used for a single circular drum 60. Smaller panels 62, which may be rectangular and extend over the entire length of the drum 60 or extend over only a portion of the length of the drum 60, may be easier and less expensive to install, remove, and trim. When the total number of frame members 106 increases, the shape of the drum 60 may become more rounded, thereby allowing smoother flow of particles within the drum 60. Conversely, the less round the shape of the drum 60, the more it may help prevent particles from agglomerating when squeezed everywhere within the drum 60.

[0069] like Figure 4 As shown in Figures 6 to 82, the air tubular portion 73 partially arranged in the drum 60 may include an air intake section 72 and a blower section 70. The air intake 72 may inhale ambient air, or may inhale other gas sources, such as nitrogen or inert gas, from the outside of the back panel 25. The blower section 70 may guide the air or gas received from the air intake section 72 to the drum 60 via one or more orifices 74. In some embodiments, the air tubular portion 73 may be detachable, so that the air tubular portion 73 is easy to transport or disassemble for replacement or repair. In other embodiments, the air tubular portion 73 may be configured to be rotatable or have an adjustable angle, and the air tubular portion 73 extends in the drum 60 with the adjustable angle, so as to allow air to be transmitted in the drum 60 as required. In one embodiment, the diameter of the air tubular portion 73 may be about 6 inches. It is conceivable that the air tubular portion 73 may take any diameter or length as required. In addition, in some embodiments, the diameter or shape of the air tubular portion 73 can vary. In some embodiments, the air intake section 72 can include a portion of the blower section 70 extending outside the drum 60. In some embodiments, the air intake section 72 can inhale heated air or other gases from an attached heater (e.g., an electric heater, a steam heater, or an oil heater) not shown, to further help the crystallization of particles in the drum 60. The heated air or other gases can also be used to preheat the inside of the drum 60 to help the heated particles retain the internal heat of these particles. Alternatively, in other embodiments, a heater can be arranged in the blower section 70, and the heater is configured to heat the air or other gases when the air or other gases enter the drum 60. By guiding the heated air or gas into the drum 60, the air tubular portion 73 can accelerate the crystallization of particles. Most preferably, since only the internal heat of the particles is retained, and the insulation performance of the drum 60 maintains this heat in the drum, crystallization occurs in the drum. However, in some cases, and hopefully in rare cases, if necessary, the air tubular portion 73 will be in a position for conducting the heated air flow to the inside of the drum. For this reason, the entering particle thermocouple 175 will measure the temperature of the entering particles, and if the temperature is lower than the predetermined threshold for starting crystallization, the blower can be enabled to provide a heated air flow to the inside of the drum 60, thereby raising the temperature of the particles to the temperature required for crystallization. The outlet thermocouple 175 can measure the temperature of the outflowing particles to determine whether the required temperature has been reached, and if not, the flow rate and / or temperature of the air flow can be changed to reach the particle temperature required for crystallization. According to some embodiments, additional details of the air tubular portion / blower section configuration can be found in the aforementioned U.S. Patent 9,782,705.

[0070] At the back end of the rotary machine 10, a tilting mechanism 80 may be connected to the frame 50 and the housing 20 and configured to change the angle of the drum 60 relative to the horizontal plane to control the residence time of the particles. In some embodiments, the tilting mechanism 80 may be a jack configured to raise or lower one end of the rotary machine 10. Figure 4 As shown in , the tilting mechanism 80 may include an extendable member 82 and two attachment points 84 and 86. The tilting mechanism 80 may be manually adjustable and / or automatically adjustable via an electronic controller (not shown). In addition, in some embodiments, an angle indicator (not shown) may communicate with the tilting mechanism 80, and the angle indicator may be configured to determine and display the angle of the housing 20, and to determine and display the angle of the drum 60 accordingly. Although the tilting mechanism 80 may be configured to change the angle of the drum 60 as needed, in some embodiments, the angle may be limited to a predetermined range (e.g., + / -5 degrees). It is also conceivable that the rotating machine 10 may be tilted at different angles based on the intended use of the rotating machine 10. For example, for slow crystallizing materials, in order to increase the residence time, the rotating machine 10 may be tilted at an angle of + / -5° relative to the horizontal plane. For materials that crystallize faster, the residence time may be shortened by tilting at an angle of + / -2°. In order to clean the rotating machine 10, the rotating machine 10 may be tilted downward at an angle of -5° to help particles quickly leave the outlet end.

[0071] exist Figure 4 The motor 140 partially shown in the figure can be encapsulated in the rotating machine 10. In some embodiments, the motor 140 can be encapsulated between the outlet panel 24 and the rear panel 25. However, it is conceivable that the motor 140 can be positioned on any side (e.g., the inlet or outlet) of the rotating machine 10. The motor 140 can be any device configured to generate mechanical power. For example, in some embodiments, the motor 140 can be an electric motor configured to convert electricity into mechanical motion. In other embodiments, the motor 140 can be an engine or a hydraulic motor. In one embodiment, the motor 140 can include a gear box.

[0072] like Figures 7 and 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , a drive shaft (not shown) extending from the motor 140 may include one or more rollers 152 connected via a shaft 154. Figure 3 and Figure 4, these rollers 152 can support and rotate the drum wheel 66 together. Optionally, in some embodiments, additional belts can be used so that the motor 140 drives multiple rollers 152. In some embodiments, the roller 152 can be a rolled metal plate to limit the weight of the roller 152, although other materials can also be used. The type of material used for the roller 152 can depend on the weight of the drum, the weight of the material in the drum, the temperature encountered, etc. The roller 152 can be cylindrical and have a smooth outer surface. The diameter of the roller 152 can be changed based on the required rotation speed of the drum 60, the force output of the motor 140 and the required efficiency, and the available space in the rotating machine 10. In some embodiments, the shaft 154 can be cylindrical and have a smaller diameter than the diameter of the roller 152. In some embodiments, the shaft 154 can be a hollow shaft to reduce the weight of the shaft 154.

[0073] Using the rotary machine 10 as a crystallizer may be more advantageous than using other crystallizers and crystallization methods, which may be too harsh and damage the particles, such as Or is ineffective in adequately preventing agglomeration of sticky materials during crystallization, such as a Vibra-type vibrating conveyor. Using the rotary machine 10 as a crystallizer may be particularly important when the particles are a sticky and fragile material prior to crystallization. In one embodiment, as an example, the crystallizer rotary machine 10 can be configured to maintain a particle residence time of 15 minutes at a continuous flow rate of 5,000 pounds per hour, thereby achieving 40% or better crystallization while minimizing particle breakage and fine powder generation and preventing agglomeration of the material. The residence time and / or flow rate can be changed as desired by adjusting the inclination angle of the drum 60, the diameter of the drum or the length of the drum, the drum rotation speed and / or the particle outlet damping plate design.

[0074] In order to build a particle bed in the drum 60, to help control the residence time of the particles in the drum, and to help seal the hot air in the drum, Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Fig. 9 An adjustable damping plate 190 is positioned adjacent the outlet of the drum to provide a baffle over which particles must flow to reach the particle outlet 132 ( Figure 6 ). The damping plates 190 in conjunction with the tilting mechanism 80 can be used to control the flow rate of particles through the drum 60 to the outlet 132, thereby controlling the residence time of the particles in the drum 60. For an octagonal drum, eight damping plates 190 are positioned around the inner circumference of the drum, one plate on each side of the drum. Fig. 9As shown in FIG, the plate is formed in an L-shape having a mounting leg 192 that lies flat against the side of the drum and an upright leg 198 that extends inwardly toward the center of the drum. The mounting leg 192 is attached to the drum frame member 106 by means of a fastener 194 through an adjustment slot 196. The upright legs 198 of the damping plate 190 fit tightly against each other and overlap with adjacent upright legs to prevent particles from flowing between the upright legs, thereby forcing particles to accumulate to a level where they overflow from the top of the upright legs 198 before leaving the drum. To allow for shorter residence times, the damping plate 190 can be adjusted to open by sliding alternating plates forward along the adjustment slot 196 to allow openings between adjacent plates, or the damping plate 190 can be fully open to allow maximum openings between adjacent plates for rapid discharge of particles from the drum.

[0075] In order to determine the necessary residence time to reach the desired degree of crystallization, tests can be performed with the desired material. To this end, freshly cut particles with still intact internal heat can be collected and stored in an isolation container, and the crystallinity can be determined at different time intervals until the time required to reach the desired crystallinity is determined. Alternatively, one can look up a data table for a specific material that gives crystallinity data as a function of time and temperature. This information can be available for various polymer materials and can be found on the Internet. Other sources of this information, such as polymer textbooks or technical journals of polymer science, can be available. When the desired residence time is known, the angle of inclination of the drum can be adjusted manually or automatically by a controller to achieve the desired particle residence time.

[0076] Other means may be provided to assist in increasing the residence time of the particles as they flow from the inlet end toward the outlet end of the drum. Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As best shown in FIG. 1 , baffles 195 may be disposed circumferentially around the length of the drum 60 and may be spaced apart along the length of the drum 60. In an exemplary embodiment, the drum 60 is divided into three sections, with eight baffles 195 disposed between the first and second sections and four baffles 195 disposed between the second and third sections. The initial eight baffles 195 help maintain incoming particles within the first section of the drum until the particles accumulate to a level where they begin to flow through the baffles 195 into the second section. Fig. 9As can be seen in Fig. 1, partition 195 is placed at an angle relative to the flow direction, wherein, when the drum rotates, this angle plays the effect of pushing back and slowing down the particle flow. This angle provides the effect of a "snowplow", thereby helping to stop the particle flow to the next drum section, wherein, the particle is only allowed to pass through the space between adjacent plates. Due to the angle relative to the particle flow of partition 195 and described partition 195, therefore, the faster the drum rotates, the more particles blocked in the first drum section. Alternatively, if the drum rotates in the opposite direction, particles can be advanced quickly through the drum, such as when the drum needs to be emptied. By the effect of partition 195 in hindering the particle flow along the length of drum 60, the internal heat of the particle is maintained by most of the particles in the first section. Likewise, the four baffles 195 separating the second section from the third section tend to slow the flow of particles from the second section into the third section where they eventually accumulate until they flow over or through the damping plate 190 and into the particle exit chute 90. More or fewer baffles may be used along the length of the drum 60 as desired to slow or speed the flow of particles through the drum 60.

[0077] After the particles reach the particle outlet chute 90, the particles can be directed to the particle outlet 132 and conveyed to downstream devices (e.g., another rotating machine used as a second crystallizer, a coater, a bagging assembly, a conveying system, a particle classifier, etc.). In order to prevent the particles from undesirably leaving the drum 60 before reaching the particle outlet 132, the particle outlet chute 90 is preferably located at the bottom of the drum 60. Figure 4 The ridges 92 seen in the drawings can at least partially surround the rings 68 and the stop rings 100 that extend from the exterior of the drum 60. In this manner, the rings 68, the stop rings 100, and the ridges 92 can overlap one another to prevent particles from escaping from the sides of the particle exit chute 90. In some embodiments, multiple rings 68 can be used to reduce the spacing between each ring 68, 100, thereby reducing the likelihood of particles undesirably escaping from the particle exit chute 90. In addition, as shown in FIG. Figures 7 to 9 As shown in , an outlet chute cover 101 may be provided to cover the upper section of the ring 68 and the stop ring 100 to prevent particles from splashing out of the outlet area.

[0078] During the operation of the crystallizer rotary machine 10, the drum 60 can be configured to rotate in a clockwise and / or counterclockwise direction along the longitudinal axis of the drum 60. The motor 140 can rotate the drive shaft 154 and the roller 152 of the drive shaft 154, which in turn causes the drum wheel 66 to rotate. In some embodiments, the drum 60 can be configured to rotate in a single direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise). In other embodiments, the drum 60 can be configured to rotate randomly or according to a predetermined pattern in multiple directions. Additionally, in other embodiments, the rotation speed of the drum 60 can be based on a variety of factors (e.g., rotation direction, air / gas flow rate in the tubular portion 70, the material of the particles, the speed of crystallization, the required residence time, the required particle flow rate) and change or remain unchanged. For example, the rotation speed of the drum 60 can be fixed based on the preset setting of the motor 140, or the variable frequency drive can allow the drum rotation speed to be adjusted in a stepless manner.

[0079] It is contemplated that one or more indicators or controllers (not shown), which may be computerized controllers having one or more processors, may automatically control the operation of one or more components within the rotating machine 10. For example, Figures 6 to 8As shown in, one or more sensors 165 can measure the temperature level of the particles entering and / or leaving the particle inlet and outlet, and the measured temperature level is transferred to the indicator / controller. For this reason, the thermocouple 175 has a tip immersed in the particle flow entering, so that the temperature of the particles entering is measured, and another thermocouple has a tip immersed in the particles at the particle outlet, so that the temperature of the particles when the particles leave the drum 60 is determined. When the controller determines that the particle temperature level entering is different from a predetermined threshold value, the particle temperature level leaving is different from a predetermined threshold value, or the temperature difference level between the particles entering and leaving is different from a predetermined threshold value, the controller can indicate that one of the components of the rotating machine 10 is executed in a different manner. In one embodiment, the controller can indicate that the tilting mechanism 80 changes the angle of the drum 60, thereby increasing or reducing the residence time of the particles. In another embodiment, the controller can indicate that the motor 140 changes the rotation speed or the rotation direction of the drum 60. At this point, a rotation speed sensor (not shown) can be used to measure the RPM of the drum. These sensors can be optical, electrical or mechanical sensors known in the art, and can be configured to send speed signals to the controller and can provide visual signals about the RPM of the drum. According to the stirring requirements for the material to be crystallized, the speed can be increased or reduced in an automatic or manual manner. In another embodiment, the controller can indicate that one or more blowers provide heated air / gas through the air tubular portion 73 to increase or reduce the air / gas flow rate, thereby increasing or reducing the particle temperature. In a preferred embodiment, it is conceivable that the sensor 165 with the thermocouple 175 attached is attached to the adjustable support arm 185, wherein the adjustable support arm is attached to the air tubular portion 73 again. The adjustable support arm 185 can have an adjustment slot 186, which allows the arm to pivot to the desired position of the arm around the attachment point 187 of the arm, and then the arm is fixed to the desired position by tightening the fastener (not shown) in the adjustment slot 186. In this manner, the thermocouple 175 can be additionally adjusted into or out of the rotating bed of particles, depending on the depth of the bed and the position of the body of the bed as it moves with the rotating action of the drum. The arm 185 can be made to a length to position a thermocouple, which can be determined to be located near the end of the arm 185, near the particle inlet and outlet within the drum 60, or at any desired location within the particle bed. Additional thermocouples, not shown, that are not immersed in the material bed can be provided to measure the internal air temperature within the drum 60. As an alternative to the immersed thermocouple 175, other types of non-contact sensors, such as infrared temperature sensors, can be used to avoid contact with sticky particles and possible adhesion to the thermocouple and formation of lumps.

[0080] The controller can also automatically control the opening and closing of the door 30 based on the operating mode of the rotary machine 10. For example, when the motor 140 starts to rotate the drum 60, the controller can instruct the door 30 to close. For example, when the motor 140 does not rotate the drum 60, the controller can instruct the door to open.

[0081] The controller can communicate with other sensors to improve the operation of the rotary machine 10. For example, in some embodiments, one or more flow sensors can measure the particle inlet flow and / or outlet flow entering or leaving the rotary machine 10. The controller can control the features of the rotary machine 10 to achieve a more consistent particle flow leaving the rotary machine 10. In addition, the controller can detect the blockage of the interrupted particle flow in the rotary machine 10, and shut down the operation of one or more of the features of the rotary machine 10. In other embodiments, the controller can send an alarm to the operator (e.g., to the operator's mobile phone, computer or other device via wireless or wired communication or to a display communicating with the controller) when the blockage in the rotary machine 10 is detected. In other embodiments, the flow sensor can measure the amount of particles leaving the rotary machine 10, and the controller can then provide the measured particle amount to the operator (e.g., via a display). In other embodiments, the controller can communicate with the flow sensors at the particle inlet chute 40 and the particle outlet conduit 130, and the controller can be configured to compare the measured particle flow at each point. When the difference between the measured particle flow rates at the inlet and outlet exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller can shut down operation of the rotary machine 10 or alert the operator to a blockage or leak. In this way, the controller can help the operator identify and remove particle blockages when the particles are small, thereby minimizing product waste and loss of machine time.

[0082] In other embodiments, the controller may communicate with one or more static electricity sensors configured to measure the level of static electricity accumulated at specific points on the rotating machine 10. In this way, the controller can determine whether the static electricity dissipation brush 29 or other static electricity dissipation device is sufficient to dissipate the static electricity generated by the rotating machine 10, and the controller can act as a safety mechanism to prevent the operator from receiving an unexpected electric shock. When the controller receives a signal from these sensors that the static electricity level exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller can respond by shutting down the operation of the rotating machine 10 and / or alerting the operator.

[0083] It is contemplated that, in conjunction with various sensors, the controller may configure the rotary machine 10 for one or more operating modes. In some embodiments, the controller may store the operating modes on a memory and allow an operator to select the desired operating mode via a display or another device communicating with the controller. The operating modes may be directed to different particle materials, sizes or shapes, and flow rates. For example, sticky particles may be manipulated at higher rotation rates than sticky and fragile materials.

[0084] Of course, it is contemplated that, instead of an automatic controller, an operator could perform the same functions by reading the various signals from a digital or analog display and changing the state of the mold rotor accordingly.

[0085] In an exemplary method of operation, the crystallizer drum 10 may be operated in the following manner to crystallize the polymer. The crystallizable material is first pelletized using an underwater pelletizer system, such as that manufactured by Gala Industries and described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,032,641. In this pelletizer system, pellets are rapidly transferred from a cutting chamber to a centrifugal dryer by means of a water system and an air injection system in the water system. This system, developed by Gala Industries and known as The air injection system of the process causes the particles to reach the dryer in a very short time, so that the particles retain most of the internal heat transferred to the particles by the extrusion process. In this way, the particles leave the dryer and are transferred to the crystallizer drum with enough residual internal heat to cause crystallization of the particles, and the insulation performance of the drum of the drum will help prevent the loss of this retained heat during the entire residence time of the particles. For materials that indicate the use of the crystallizer drum, the granulated material will remain in a viscous state until a specific required crystallinity level is reached. In order to prevent agglomeration while the crystallization process occurs, the crystallizer drum will gently rotate the material and retain the material in the drum for the residence time required to complete sufficient crystallization until the particles are no longer viscous. This residence time is controlled by the inclination of the drum of the drum, the rotation speed of the drum of the drum, the design and number of agitators, the location, number and design of the partitions, and the design and adjustment of the baffles. The temperature of the incoming particles and the temperature of the discharged particles are monitored using immersion thermocouples and other temperature sensors to ensure that sufficient heat is maintained to achieve crystallization. The gentle turning action of the particles provided with the crystallizer tumbler of the present invention provides an improvement over vibrating conveyor type crystallizers in preventing agglomeration, provides an improvement over annular disk crystallizers in preventing fine powder generation and particle breakage, while not requiring any additional energy input for heating the particles. In addition, the tumbler crystallizer can have lower power consumption to maintain the movement of the particles than other crystallization devices. In this way, as illustrated in the various embodiments described herein, the tumbler crystallizer 10 provides an improvement over vibrating conveyors, annular disk crystallizers, or paddle crystallizers for viscous materials.

[0086] As shown in the various figures and discussed above, although the present disclosure has been described in conjunction with multiple exemplary aspects, it is understood that other similar aspects may be used or the described aspects may be modified and added to perform the same functions of the present disclosure without departing from the present disclosure. For example, in various aspects of the present disclosure, methods and compositions are described according to aspects of the subject matter of the present disclosure. However, other methods or compositions equivalent to these described aspects are also contemplated by the teachings herein. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be limited to any single aspect, but should be interpreted in breadth and scope according to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A crystallizer rotating machine device, the crystallizer rotating machine device comprising: A housing, the housing comprising: a rotatable drum, the rotatable drum comprising a panel, a rotating bed, a first thermocouple, the first thermocouple being placed at an inlet of the rotatable drum to measure a first temperature of particles flowing into the rotatable drum; a tilting device configured to adjust an angle of the housing relative to a horizontal plane; one or more connectors attached to one end of the housing and configured to rotate relative to one or more pivot points when the tilting device tilts the rotatable drum; one or more agitators configured to agitate the particles as the drum rotates and prevent agglomeration within the rotatable drum; and One or more damping plates are arranged near the outlet of the rotatable drum and are configured to provide partial obstruction to the particle flow flowing out of the rotatable drum, wherein at least one of the one or more damping plates is configured to be adjusted to form an opening between two adjacent damping plates of the one or more damping plates for allowing the particle flow to flow.

2. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 1, wherein: The panel includes at least one transparent material selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, glass, acrylic, ceramic, and combinations thereof.

3. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 1, wherein: The panels are insulation panels configured to prevent heat loss from within the rotatable drum.

4. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 1, wherein: The crystallizer tumbler apparatus further includes a conduit connecting the particle inlet chute to the rotatable drum, wherein the conduit is configured to receive a powder feeder configured to introduce a material for coating the particles to reduce agglomeration.

5. The mold rotating machine device according to claim 1, wherein: The crystallizer rotating machine device further includes a second thermocouple placed at the outlet of the rotatable drum, the second thermocouple being configured to measure a second temperature of the particles flowing out of the rotatable drum.

6. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 5, wherein: The crystallizer rotating machine device also includes a controller, which is coupled to the first thermocouple, the second thermocouple and the tilting device, and the controller includes one or more processors, and the one or more processors are configured to direct the tilting device to: adjust the angle of the shell relative to the horizontal plane in response to determining that the first temperature exceeds a first threshold, determining that the second temperature exceeds a second threshold, determining that the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature exceeds a temperature difference threshold, or determining a combination of the above.

7. The mold rotating machine device according to claim 6, wherein: A third thermocouple is placed in the rotatable drum-shaped member, and the third thermocouple is configured to monitor a third temperature of the air in the rotatable drum-shaped member, and wherein the controller is coupled to the third thermocouple, and the one or more processors of the controller are also configured to guide the tilting device to: adjust the angle of the shell relative to the horizontal plane in response to the third temperature exceeding a third threshold.

8. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more agitators have a trapezoidal cross section or an L-shaped cross section.

9. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 1, wherein: The tilting device is configured to raise or lower one end of the rotatable drum up to five degrees.

10. The mold rotating machine device according to claim 1, wherein: The crystallizer rotating machine device also includes: An air tubular portion is partially disposed within the rotatable drum, the air tubular portion being configured to direct heated gas received from the blower section to the rotatable drum through one or more apertures.

11. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 1, wherein: The crystallizer rotary machine device also includes a vertically mounted deflector plate, which is adjacent to the inlet of the drum-shaped member and is configured to prevent particles flowing into the rotatable drum-shaped member from splashing and / or bouncing toward the outlet of the rotatable drum-shaped member prematurely.

12. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 6, wherein: The mold turning machine device further comprises a motor rotatably coupled to the rotatable drum, wherein the one or more processors of the controller are further configured to change a rotational speed or a rotational direction of the rotatable drum.

13. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 5, wherein: The first and second thermocouples are attached to an adjustable support arm that allows the first and second thermocouples to be adjusted into or out of the rotating bed of particles.

14. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 1, wherein: Baffles are positioned circumferentially around the interior of the drum and spaced longitudinally along the drum, the baffles being configured to slow the flow of particles from the inlet to the outlet of the drum.

15. The crystallizer rotating machine device according to claim 14, wherein: The baffle is arranged at an angle relative to the particle flow such that the angled baffle pushes the particles back, thereby hindering the flow of particles toward the outlet of the rotatable drum.

16. A method for crystallizing granules in a crystallizer device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 with a rotating drum, wherein: The method comprises: providing particles into the rotating drum of the crystallizer rotor; determining a residence time for the particles to remain within the drum, the residence time being necessary to form the particles at a desired level of crystallinity; rotating the drum containing the particles; adjusting the inclination angle of the drum-shaped member so as to achieve the desired residence time of the particles; and The particle flow is directed out through the outlet of the drum.

17. A method of crystallizing particles in a crystallizer, wherein: The method comprises: providing particles into a drum of the crystallizer; measuring, via a first thermocouple, a first temperature of the particles after entering the drum; rotating the drum containing the particles; tilting the drum to a predetermined angle based on the first temperature being different from a first predetermined temperature threshold to alter a flow of the particles within the drum; providing one or more adjustable damping plates disposed proximate an outlet of the drum, the one or more damping plates being configured to provide partial obstruction to a flow of particles out of the drum; adjusting at least one of the one or more damping plates to form an adjustable opening between two adjacent damping plates of the one or more damping plates to control the particle flow; and The particle flow is directed out of the outlet of the drum.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein: The method also includes: measuring a second temperature of the particles before leaving the drum-shaped member, wherein tilting the drum-shaped member is based on: whether the first temperature is different from the first predetermined temperature threshold; whether the second temperature is different from a second predetermined temperature threshold; whether the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is different from a predetermined temperature difference threshold; or a combination of the above.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein: The method further comprises: directing a flow of heated air through the drum from an air tubular portion at least partially disposed within the drum; and The flow rate and / or temperature of the air is changed based on the second temperature.

20. A method of crystallizing granules in a crystallizer having a rotating drum, wherein: The method comprises: providing particles into the rotating drum of the crystallizer; measuring a first temperature of the particles entering the drum via a first thermocouple; rotating a drum containing the particles; initiating a flow of heated air from an air tubular portion at least partially disposed within the drum through the drum based on the measured first particle temperature being below a temperature required to achieve crystallization; providing one or more adjustable damping plates arranged near the outlet of the rotating drum, the one or more damping plates being configured to provide partial obstruction to the flow of particles outflowing from the rotating drum, adjusting at least one of the one or more damping plates to form an adjustable opening between two adjacent damping plates of the one or more damping plates for flowing the particle stream; and The particle flow is directed to exit through the outlet of the drum.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein: The method further comprises: measuring a second temperature of the particles exiting the drum via a second thermocouple; Based on the second temperature, the flow rate and / or temperature of the heated air is changed.

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