Cartridge for devolatilizer with hollow double plate assembly

Abstract

The cartridge of the present invention comprises at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor, at least one section of which is arranged in the cartridge, at least one support element on which the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor is arranged, one central inlet line for the heating medium, and one central outlet line for the heating medium, and at least one section of the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor is arranged in a hollow double-walled container, the container comprising an upper plate and a lower plate that are arranged one on top of the other but are spaced apart so that a void space is defined between the upper plate and the lower plate. The plate assembly includes a plate assembly, each of both plates having a plurality of openings, each opening of the upper plate being surrounded by a wall that extends through the void chamber to form a plurality of passages that are fluid-tightly separated from hollow spaces defined in the void chamber between the passages and surrounds the opening of the lower plate, the hollow spaces being connected to an inlet for the heating medium and an outlet for the heating medium, a central inlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge being connected to an inlet of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor, and a central outlet line for the heating medium being connected to an outlet of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cartridge for a devolatilization apparatus and to a devolatilization apparatus for devolatilizing compositions containing volatile components, such as for devolatilizing solid or liquid polymer compositions containing unreacted monomers and solvents. Additionally, the present invention relates to a devolatilization process using such a devolatilization apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Devolatilization, or degassing, refers to the controlled removal of gases and other volatile substances, such as solvents or water, from solids and liquids, respectively. Devolatilization is typically used to remove volatile components, mostly those with comparable low molecular weights, such as residual monomers, solvents, reaction by-products, and water from the polymer. This devolatilization is necessary to achieve the required purity of each polymer before use by removing harmful and / or toxic components, components that adversely affect the further processing of the polymer, such as its moldability into articles, components that deteriorate the properties of the polymer, components that cause the polymer to have an unpleasant odor, and / or components that are otherwise undesirable. Furthermore, removing monomers and solvents from polymer compositions allows them to be recovered and potentially recycled during processing to increase process yields and reduce waste.

[0003] To achieve devolatilization, the components to be evaporated must have a higher partial pressure or thermodynamic activity than the polymer, respectively. Furthermore, the components to be evaporated must be able to diffuse through the polymer composition to the phase boundary. Specifically, in the case of viscous polymers or polymer melts, where the polymer and polymer melt typically have similar viscosities, a slow diffusion rate can be the rate-limiting factor. Therefore, to accelerate devolatilization, compositions subjected to devolatilization are usually devolatilized at elevated temperatures and / or at pressures below atmospheric pressure. This is because both measures increase the thermodynamic activity of the volatile components, and increasing temperature also decreases the viscosity of the polymer, thereby improving the diffusion of the volatile components within the polymer. However, most polymers are more or less heat-sensitive, and therefore, to ensure that polymer degradation during devolatilization is avoided, a specific temperature specific to each polymer should not be exceeded. Therefore, temperature control of the composition to be devolatilized during devolatilization is important and, in fact, a crucial factor.

[0004] Several types of devolatilizers are known, including static devolatilizers and dynamic devolatilizers. Dynamic devolatilizers have moving parts, such as blades, to maintain a high interfacial concentration gradient and a high diffusion rate of volatile components within the polymer, while static devolatilizers have no moving parts but have internals to create a high specific surface area for the composition to be devolatilized. However, due to their moving parts, dynamic devolatilizers are associated with serious drawbacks, such as high cost, large amounts of energy required during operation, the need for regular maintenance, and a relatively high leakage rate.

[0005] Therefore, compared with dynamic devolatilization apparatuses, static devolatilization apparatuses have the advantages of lower energy consumption, lower installation costs, less maintenance required, and relatively low leakage rates due to the lack of moving parts. Common types of static devolatilization apparatuses are flash devolatilization apparatuses and falling strand devolatilization apparatuses. Flash devolatilization apparatuses typically include a preheater, such as a heat exchanger, and a flash chamber. During operation, the polymer composition to be devolatilized is first pumped into the heat exchanger, where it is heated and optionally pressurized to reduce its viscosity. The polymer composition is then pumped from the heat exchanger to the top of the flash chamber, where the pressure is released and evaporation of the volatile components occurs. The polymer composition then falls downward through the flash chamber, during which multiple bubbles of the volatile components are nucleated within the polymer composition. This results in a large surface area for mass transfer, thus leading to rapid devolatilization. The devolatilized gas phase is collected and condensed in a condenser, while the residual polymer composition collects at the bottom of the flash chamber and is removed by pumping. Falling strand devolatilizers operate similarly to flash devolatilizers, but have specially designed nozzles to inject the polymer composition into the chamber as a falling strand, promote the development of bubbles of volatile components, and accelerate the diffusion process.

[0006] As noted above, temperature control of the composition to be devolatilized during devolatilization is important, and in fact is a crucial factor. This temperature control is even more important when a temperature-sensitive composition, such as a temperature-sensitive polymer composition, is being devolatilized. For example, if the polymer of the composition to be devolatilized is temperature-sensitive and therefore cannot be heated to the optimal temperature in a preheater, if the preheater cannot reach the required outlet temperature due to inaccurate design criteria, if the devolatilizer is designed to cause high heat loss to the environment, or if inaccurate simulations are performed before designing the devolatilizer due to a lack of thermodynamic data, the flash devolatilizer cannot operate at the optimal temperature. However, non-optimal temperature control of the composition to be devolatilized during devolatilization can lead to non-optimal devolatilization results. For example, a lower than optimal operating temperature during devolatilization may result in a relatively small amount of the volatile components contained in the polymer composition being separated from the polymer, a devolatilized polymer product discharged from the devolatilizer at a temperature lower than the optimal design temperature may cause abnormal operation in downstream equipment, and / or the intended properties of the devolatilized polymer product may not be realized after the devolatilization step.

[0007] In addition, the devolatilizer desirably allows the devolatilizer to be easily and quickly modified to adapt it to new applications and allows it to be easily and quickly cleaned and maintained. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In this regard, the underlying object of the present invention is to provide a means for a devolatilization apparatus for devolatilizing compositions containing volatile components, such as for devolatilizing solid or liquid polymer compositions containing unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products, which makes it possible to easily and quickly modify the devolatilization apparatus, to easily and quickly clean and maintain the main parts of the devolatilization apparatus, to compensate for heat losses due to evaporation of volatile components during its operation, to reliably control the devolatilization operating temperature during operation of the devolatilization apparatus, and in particular to reliably control the devolatilization operating temperature of different sections of the devolatilization apparatus separately, so that a devolatilization apparatus equipped with this means achieves optimal devolatilization of the composition to be devolatilized at low operating costs, and the means and devolatilization apparatus are characterized by low capital expenditures, resulting in a devolatilized composition with optimal product quality, even when the composition to be devolatilized is a polymer composition containing a specific temperature-sensitive polymer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to the invention, a cartridge is provided, comprising at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor arranged in the cartridge, at least one support element on which the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor is arranged, one central inlet line for the heating medium, and one central outlet line for the heating medium, wherein at least one section of the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor comprises a hollow double plate assembly comprising an upper plate and a lower plate arranged one on top of the other but spaced apart such that a void space is defined between the upper and lower plates, each of both plates having a plurality of openings. This object is met by providing a cartridge having a mouth, each opening in the upper plate being surrounded by a wall extending through the void chamber and surrounding the opening in the lower plate to form a plurality of passages that are fluid-tightly separated from hollow spaces defined in the void chamber between the passages, the hollow spaces being connected to an inlet for the heating medium and an outlet for the heating medium, the central inlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge being connected to the inlet of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor, and the central outlet line for the heating medium being connected to the outlet of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor.

[0010] This solution is based on the discovery that such heatable trays and heatable distributors can be secured to removable cartridges by the hollow double-plate assemblies of which they are composed, thereby allowing the trays and distributors to be easily removed for maintenance and / or cleaning and then reinstalled in the devolatilizer, if necessary, or allowing the trays and distributors to be easily replaced with other trays and / or other distributors before the devolatilizer is used for a different devolatilization application. Furthermore, the cartridge, when inserted into the devolatilizer vessel, communicates with the devolatilizer, in particular a static devolatilizer, for devolatilizing compositions containing volatile components, such as for devolatilizing solid or liquid polymer compositions containing unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products, which is characterized by precise temperature and pressure control management. More specifically, at least one section of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor included in the cartridge comprises a hollow double-plate assembly having an upper plate and a lower plate arranged on top of each other but spaced apart so that a void chamber is defined between the upper and lower plates, each of which has a plurality of openings, each opening in the upper plate being surrounded by a wall extending through the void chamber and surrounding the opening in the lower plate to form a plurality of passages fluidly connecting the upper and lower plates so that falling strands generated from the composition flowing downward from the upper plate through the passages can fall downward from the underside of the lower plate, the passages being fluid-tightly separated from the hollow space defined in the void chamber between the passages, and the hollow space being connected to an inlet for the heating medium and an outlet for the heating medium, so that the cartridge makes it possible to reliably control the volatilization operating temperature during operation of the volatilization apparatus, and in particular to reliably control the volatilization operating temperature of different sections of the volatilization apparatus individually.More specifically, due to the hollow space of the gap chamber through which a heating medium regulated to an appropriate and optimal temperature flows, the composition to be devolatilized, such as a composition containing a temperature-sensitive polymer, enters through one or more heatable distributors having a precisely temperature-controllable hollow double-plate assembly and / or falls onto one or more heatable trays also having a precisely temperature-controllable hollow double-plate assembly. As a result, not only is the temperature of the upper plate precisely controlled by the heating medium flowing under the lower side of the upper plate through the hollow space, but also the temperature of the lower plate precisely controlled by the heating medium flowing over the upper side of the lower plate. In particular, all of the passages through which the composition to be devolatilized flows downward through the hollow double-plate assembly are precisely temperature-controlled. Thus, after a large amount of volatile components have already evaporated from the composition to be devolatilized in the distributor, the composition to be devolatilized falls downward onto one or more heated trays, where it is precisely heated while held in the tray, then flows through the passages of the tray and forms falling strands on the underside of the lower plate that fall downward onto the next tray below. This allows the volatile components to be efficiently separated from the polymer of the composition being devolatilized. Because each distributor and each tray can be precisely and individually temperature-controlled by appropriately adjusting the temperature of the heating medium conveyed through the hollow space of the void chamber of each distributor or tray, the devolatilization apparatus according to the present invention allows reliable control of the devolatilization operating temperature during operation of the devolatilization apparatus, and in particular, the devolatilization operating temperature of different sections of the devolatilization apparatus to be individually and reliably controlled. This not only makes it possible to devolatilize compositions containing temperature-sensitive polymers, but also compositions containing a mixture of heat-sensitive and non-heat-sensitive volatile components. For example, the hollow double-plate assembly of the tray installed in the upper section of the container can be adjusted to a relatively low temperature to remove heat-sensitive volatile components, while the hollow double-plate assembly of the tray installed in the lower section of the container can be adjusted to a relatively high temperature to remove non-heat-sensitive volatile components.Furthermore, a devolatilizer including a cartridge according to the present invention, thanks to one or more heatable trays and / or heatable distributors, each equipped with a hollow double-plate assembly, makes it possible to compensate for heat loss and temperature drops inside the container caused by the evaporation of volatile components. As a result, a devolatilizer including a cartridge achieves optimal devolatilization of the composition to be devolatilized at low operating costs, and the devolatilizer is characterized by low capital expenditures, resulting in a devolatilized composition with optimal product quality, even when the composition to be devolatilized is a polymer composition containing a specific temperature-sensitive polymer.

[0011] To ensure a stable assembly, the cartridge preferably comprises at least two, preferably 2 to 20, more preferably 3 to 10, and most preferably 4 to 6 beams arranged at least approximately vertically and spaced apart to border the interior space, with at least one support element fixed to at least one of the beams. To enable a good fit of the cartridge within the vessel of the devolatilizer, which typically has a circular cross section, the beams are preferably arranged within the cartridge such that the interior space bordered by the beams has a circular cross section, i.e., the beams are preferably arranged concentrically around the center point of the base of the cartridge.

[0012] The present invention is not specifically limited with respect to the number of support elements. The optimal number of support elements depends on the number of heatable trays and heatable distributors to be arranged in the cartridge, as well as the size and shape of the support elements. In general, good results are obtained when the cartridge comprises at least 2, preferably 2 to 200, more preferably 4 to 100, and most preferably 10 to 60 support elements, to which the heatable trays or heatable distributors can be removably or fixedly arranged, respectively, and the central inlet line for the heating medium can be connected to all of the inlets of the heatable trays and / or heatable distributors, and the central outlet line for the heating medium can be connected to all of the outlets of the heatable trays and / or heatable distributors, respectively.

[0013] To enable stable placement of the cartridge and to prevent unwanted compounds from potentially entering the cartridge from the top, the cartridge preferably further comprises at least one bottom element and / or top cover. The bottom element may, for example, consist of a base plate covering the entire cross section of the cartridge, a base plate in the shape of a circular ring covering the outer periphery of the cross section of the cartridge, or two to four base plates in the shape of circular ring segments each covering a portion of the outer periphery of the cross section of the cartridge, while the top cover is preferably dome-shaped.

[0014] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge comprises at least four, preferably three to ten, and most preferably four to six beams arranged at least approximately vertically and spaced apart from one another to define an interior space having an at least approximately circular cross section, with at least one support element being a circular ring segment fixed to at least one of the beams so that the circular ring segment extends with its longitudinal axis at least approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the beam to which it is fixed. Depending on the size of the individual support elements, preferably two to six, more preferably two, three, or four, support elements each in the form of a circular ring segment are arranged at the same height or level on the beam so as to jointly form a stable base for placing a heatable tray and / or a heatable dispenser thereon. In this case, the cartridge comprises several levels of such support elements, each capable of supporting a heatable tray and / or a heatable dispenser. Each of the support elements may extend within the interior space of the cartridge or may extend at least partially outside the cartridge.

[0015] In a further development of the concept of the present invention, it is suggested that the central inlet line of the cartridge is an at least approximately vertically arranged pipe having a plurality of outlets corresponding to the number of heatable trays and heatable dispensers that can be placed in the cartridge and that can be connected to the heatable trays and heatable dispensers that can be placed in the cartridge, and the central outlet line is an at least approximately vertically arranged pipe having a plurality of inlets corresponding to the number of heatable trays and heatable dispensers that can be placed in the cartridge and that can be connected to the heatable trays and heatable dispensers that can be placed in the cartridge.

[0016] In order to enable precise control of the amount of heating medium to each of the heatable trays and heatable distributors arranged in the cartridge, it is preferred that a pressure balancing means be provided between the central inlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge and the inlet of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor, and / or between the outlet of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor and the central outlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge. This makes it easy to precisely and independently control the temperature in each of the heatable trays and heatable distributors. Particularly good results are obtained when the pressure balancing means is selected from the group consisting of a valve, an orifice plate, a bar, a mixer, and combinations thereof.

[0017] All of the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor may be arranged in series or in parallel with each other relative to the central inlet line and central outlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge. In this context, "series" means that the heatable trays and heatable distributors are arranged so that the heating medium enters the central inlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge, then passes through all of the heatable trays and heatable distributors, and leaves the cartridge through the central outlet line for the heating medium. Meanwhile, "parallel" means that the heatable trays and heatable distributors are arranged so that the heating medium enters each of the heatable trays and heatable distributors individually from the central inlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge, leaves each heatable tray and heatable distributor individually, flows into the central outlet line for the heating medium, and leaves the cartridge through the central outlet line. More preferably, the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor are arranged in parallel with each other relative to the central inlet line and central outlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge.

[0018] According to the invention, at least one section of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor comprises a hollow double-plate assembly. Preferably, the entire at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor comprises a hollow double-plate assembly when viewed in a horizontal plane.

[0019] Furthermore, the plurality of passages of the hollow double-plate assembly of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor are fluid-tightly separated from the hollow space defined in the void chamber between the passages. This means, according to the present invention, that the fluid flowing through the passages from the upper plate to the lower plate, i.e., the composition to be devolatilized, cannot enter the hollow space through which the heating medium flows, and that the heating medium flowing through the hollow space cannot enter the passages. A plurality of passages in this context means two or more, preferably five or more, and more preferably ten or more passages.

[0020] According to the present invention, the hollow double-plate assembly of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor comprises an upper plate and a lower plate arranged one on top of the other. This means that in addition to the upper and lower plates, baffles, weirs, and / or side walls may be arranged in or on the hollow double-plate assembly. In theory, the hollow double-plate assembly may comprise one or more additional plates in addition to the upper or lower plate, but preferably the hollow double-plate assembly does not comprise any additional plates in addition to the upper or lower plate.

[0021] The present invention is not specifically limited with respect to the relative orientation of the upper and lower plates of the hollow double-plate assembly. Preferably, the upper and lower plates are arranged at least approximately parallel to each other. At least approximately parallel to each other means, according to the present invention, that the upper and lower plates are inclined relative to each other by no more than 10°, preferably no more than 5°, more preferably no more than 2°, and even more preferably no more than 1°. Most preferably, the upper and lower plates are arranged parallel to each other, i.e., the upper and lower plates are not inclined relative to each other.

[0022] In a further development of the idea of ​​the present invention, it is proposed that the upper and lower plates of the hollow double-plate assembly are connected to each other at their sides via side walls defining a cavity therebetween, whereby the cavity of the hollow double-plate assembly can be easily separated from the surroundings in a fluid-tight manner.

[0023] The present invention is not specifically limited with respect to the shape of the upper and lower plates of the hollow double-plate assembly. For example, the upper and lower plates may have a polygonal, rectangular, square, circular, elliptical, or trapezoidal shape when viewed from the top. However, it is preferred that both the upper and lower plates have the same shape. Most preferably, the upper and lower plates have a rectangular shape or at least a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the top.

[0024] Furthermore, there are no specific limitations on the materials of the upper and lower plates of the hollow double-plate assembly, as long as the materials have relatively good thermal conductivity, are resistant to the composition to be devolatilized, and are mechanically stable. Particularly good results can be obtained when the upper and lower plates are made of stainless steel, carbon steel, etc.

[0025] The preferred thickness of the upper and lower plates of the hollow double-plate assembly depends on the mechanical stability of the material from which they are made, and is preferably as thin as possible to ensure rapid and efficient heat transfer from the heating medium flowing through the hollow space of the cavity chamber through the plates. From this perspective, it is preferred that the upper and lower plates each have a thickness of 1 to 10 mm, preferably 3.5 to 6 mm.

[0026] According to the present invention, each of the openings in the upper plate of the hollow double-plate assembly is surrounded on the lower side of the upper plate by a wall that extends through the void chamber and surrounds the openings in the lower plate above the lower plate to form a plurality of passages, each of which fluidly connects the opening in the upper plate with an opening in the lower plate, thereby allowing the composition to be devolatilized to flow from the upper plate through the passages to the lower plate and fall downward therefrom in the form of falling strands. In this regard, it is preferred that the upper and lower plates have the same number of openings.

[0027] In a further development of the concept of the present invention, it is suggested that the total area of ​​all openings in the upper plate of the hollow double-plate assembly be 0.1 to 40%, preferably 1 to 10%, of the total surface area of ​​the upper plate, and that the total area of ​​all openings in the lower plate be 0.1 to 40%, preferably 1 to 10%, of the total surface area of ​​the lower plate, so that, on the one hand, there is a sufficient non-perforated surface on the upper surface of the upper plate to precisely heat the composition to be devolatilized to the desired optimum temperature, and, on the other hand, there is a sufficient open area to allow a sufficient amount of the composition to flow downward through the passages and leave the hollow double-plate assembly as falling strands.

[0028] The present invention is not particularly limited with respect to the shape of the passages in the hollow double-plate assembly. The passages may or may not have the same shape as the opening and may or may not have a constant cross-sectional area over their length, i.e., when viewed vertically. However, particularly good results are obtained when the passages have at least substantially the same shape as the opening and when the passages have at least substantially constant cross-sectional area over their length.

[0029] Similarly, the present invention is not specifically limited with respect to the cross-sectional shape of the openings in the hollow double-plate assembly. For example, some or preferably all of the openings in the upper and lower plates may have a polygonal, rectangular, square, circular, elliptical, or trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. More preferably, at least some, and most preferably all, of the openings in the upper and lower plates have a circular cross-sectional shape. In this regard, it is preferred that the openings in the upper and lower plates have a circular cross-sectional shape, and that at least 50%, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 95%, and most preferably all of the openings in the upper and lower plates have at least substantially the same diameter. In this context, "at least substantially the same diameter" means that any of the openings has a diameter that differs from the average diameter of all openings by no more than 20%, preferably no more than 10%, more preferably no more than 5%, and most preferably no more than 1%. Most preferably, all openings have the same diameter. The average diameter of all openings is the sum of the diameters of all openings in the upper and lower plates divided by the total number of all openings in the upper and lower plates. In other words, the passageways have at least a substantially constant diameter when viewed along their length, and most preferably have a cylindrical shape with a constant diameter. In this case, the diameter of the openings in the upper plate is the same as the diameter of each opening in the lower plate that is connected to the opening in the upper plate via a wall. However, if the openings have a shape other than a circular cross-sectional shape, such as a rectangular cross-sectional shape, preferably at least 50%, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 95%, and most preferably all of the openings in the upper and lower plates have at least substantially the same cross-sectional area, where at least substantially the same cross-sectional area means that any one of the openings has a cross-sectional area that differs from the average cross-sectional area of ​​all the openings by no more than 20%, preferably no more than 10%, more preferably no more than 5%, and most preferably no more than 1%.

[0030] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the average longest dimension of the openings in the hollow double-plate assembly is 5 to 50 mm, 20 to 80 mm, or 50 to 150 mm. The longest dimension of the openings refers to the longest possible line connecting a point on the circumferential line of the opening to a point located on the opposite circumferential line of the opening. More preferably, the openings in the upper and lower plates have a circular cross-sectional shape, and the average diameter of the openings is 5 to 50 mm, 20 to 80 mm, or 50 to 150 mm. The preferred diameter depends on the viscosity of the composition to be devolatilized that flows through the openings. For example, when the viscosity of the composition to be devolatilized is 10 to 1,000 Pa·s, the average longest dimension or average diameter of the openings is preferably 5 to 50 mm, whereas when the viscosity of the composition to be devolatilized is greater than 1,000 Pa·s and less than 5,000 Pa·s, the average longest dimension or average diameter of the openings is preferably 20 to 80 mm, and when the viscosity of the composition to be devolatilized is 5,000 to 10,000 Pa·s, the average longest dimension or average diameter of the openings is preferably 50 to 150 mm.

[0031] The function of the hollow space of the gap chamber of the hollow double-plate assembly is to precisely and uniformly control the temperature of the composition to be devolatilized, which flows across the upper plate and through the passage from the upper plate to the lower plate, using a heating medium. The heating medium is introduced into the hollow space of the gap chamber through a heating medium inlet, pushed through the hollow space, and withdrawn from the hollow space through a heating medium outlet. To have a heating medium of sufficient volume to precisely and uniformly control the temperature of the upper plate, lower plate, and passage walls, and thereby precisely and uniformly control the temperature of the composition to be devolatilized, which flows across the upper plate and through the passage from the upper plate to the lower plate, the height of the hollow space of the gap chamber is preferably 2 to 50 mm, more preferably 2 to 20 mm, even more preferably 4 to 12 mm, and most preferably 6 to 8 mm. The height of the hollow space is the distance between the lower surface of the upper plate and the upper surface of the lower plate. If the upper and lower plates are not parallel to each other, the height of the hollow space is the average distance between the lower surface of the upper plate and the upper surface of the lower plate, which is the sum of the height distances of adjacent vertical sections of the hollow space divided by the number of adjacent vertical sections.

[0032] The present invention is not specifically limited with respect to the shape of the heating medium inlet and outlet connected to the hollow space of the void chamber of the hollow double-plate assembly. For example, each of the inlet and outlet is a line, preferably a pipe extending into the hollow space through an opening in the side wall surrounding the void chamber. Both the inlet and outlet may be located on one side of the hollow double-plate assembly, or may be located on opposite sides of the hollow double-plate assembly. Alternatively, each of the inlet and outlet is a line, preferably a pipe extending into the hollow space through an opening in the upper plate or the lower plate. Still alternatively, one of the inlet and outlet is a line, preferably a pipe extending into the hollow space through an opening in the side wall surrounding the void chamber, while the other of the inlet and outlet is a line, preferably a pipe extending into the hollow space through an opening in the upper plate or the lower plate.

[0033] To achieve uniform distribution of the heating medium in the hollow space of the hollow chamber of the hollow double-plate assembly, one or more, preferably 1 to 10, and even more preferably 2 to 5, baffles arranged at least approximately vertically are preferably arranged in the hollow space of the hollow chamber to guide the heating medium in the hollow space of the hollow chamber and extend over a portion of the hollow space. At least approximately vertical in this context means that the angle between the baffle and the vertical direction is at most 10°, preferably at most 5°, more preferably at most 1°, and most preferably 0°. Particularly good results are obtained when the baffle is arranged at least approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow double-plate assembly. At least approximately vertical in this context means that the angle between the baffle and the longitudinal direction of the hollow double-plate assembly is at most 80 to 100°, preferably 85 to 95°, more preferably at most 89 to 91°, and most preferably 90°. In a preferred embodiment, at least some of the adjacent baffles extend from opposite side walls of the cavity in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow double-plate assembly, and in a more preferred embodiment, all of the adjacent baffles extend from opposite side walls of the cavity in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow double-plate assembly.

[0034] According to the invention, at least one section of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser of the cartridge comprises the aforementioned hollow double-plate assembly, preferably such that at least 50%, more preferably at least 80%, even more preferably at least 90%, even more preferably at least 95% and most preferably all of the area of ​​the heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser, when viewed in its horizontal plane, is formed from the hollow double-plate assembly.

[0035] Alternatively, at least one heatable dispenser of the cartridge has an upstream end and a downstream end, and the hollow double-plate assembly embodied as described above is located at or before the downstream end. Furthermore, it is preferred that the upstream end of the at least one heatable dispenser is connected to an inlet for the composition to be devolatilized.

[0036] When the heatable tray and / or heatable dispenser of a cartridge exceeds a certain size, it is no longer practical to make the heatable tray and / or dispenser from one hollow double-plate assembly, but it is practical to make the heatable tray and / or dispenser from two or more hollow double-plate assemblies. In this regard, at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser preferably comprises 1 to 10, more preferably 2 to 5, and most preferably 2 to 4, such as 3, of the aforementioned hollow double-plate assemblies. When at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser comprises two or more hollow double-plate assemblies, the two or more hollow double-plate assemblies are preferably arranged side by side. For example, adjacent double-plate assemblies are connected to each other by welding or one or more fasteners. To achieve uniform distribution of the composition to be devolatilized on the surface of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor, a further development of the concept of the present invention suggests disposing a perforated weir extending at least approximately vertically between two adjacent double-plate assemblies, preferably extending the entire length or width of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor so that the composition can flow from one hollow double-plate assembly to the adjacent hollow double-plate assembly only through the openings of the perforated weir. For example, the perforated weir has a height of 20 to 50 mm, preferably 30 to 40 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the perforated weir further comprises one or more holes that allow one or more fasteners to connect adjacent double-plate assemblies to each other.

[0037] Particularly good results are obtained when the total area of ​​all openings in the perforated weir is 1-30%, preferably 10-20%, of the total surface area of ​​the perforated weir. It is further preferred that the openings in the perforated weir have a circular cross-sectional shape, and that at least 50%, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 95%, and most preferably all of the openings in the perforated weir have at least substantially the same diameter, where at least substantially the same diameter means that the openings have diameters that differ from the average diameter of all openings by no more than 20%, preferably no more than 10%, more preferably no more than 5%, and most preferably no more than 1%. For example, the openings in the perforated weir have a circular cross-sectional shape and a diameter of 5-30 mm, preferably 10-20 mm.

[0038] In order to prevent the composition to be devolatilized from flowing around the circumference of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor and to adjust the residence time of the composition to be devolatilized on and in the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor, according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is proposed that the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor is surrounded by a non-perforated weir arranged at least approximately vertically. The non-perforated weir is therefore preferably connected in a fluid-tight manner to the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor. Surrounded in this context means that the non-perforated weir is arranged on and connected to the outer part of the upper surface of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor, or preferably connected to the outer peripheral region of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor. The outer portion of the upper surface of at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser means the outer portion of up to 20% of the upper surface area of ​​the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser. The side walls connecting the upper and lower plates of the hollow double-plate assembly and the non-perforated dams can be a single element, such as a metal plate or a plastic plate, and the portions of the combined side walls and non-perforated dams extending between the upper and lower plates are referred to as side walls, while the portions of the combined side walls and non-perforated dams extending to the exterior are referred to as non-perforated dams. Particularly good results are obtained when the non-perforated dams surrounding the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser are arranged at least approximately perpendicular and / or at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge. At least approximately vertical in this context means that the angle between the non-perforated weir and the vertical direction is at most 10°, preferably at most 5°, more preferably at most 1°, and most preferably 0°.On the other hand, at least approximately vertical in this context means that the angle between the non-perforated dam and the longitudinal axis of the cartridge is 80 to 100°, preferably 85 to 95°, more preferably at most 89 to 91°, and most preferably 90°. The non-perforated dam may be a thin metal or plastic plate, for example having a thickness of 1 to 20 mm.

[0039] Particularly preferably, the non-perforated weir extends upwards when viewed from the top of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor. Particularly good results are obtained if the non-perforated weir has a height of 50 to 500 mm, preferably 100 to 200 mm.

[0040] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge comprises one heatable distributor and 2 to 20, preferably 5 to 15, more preferably 7 to 12, heatable trays. Each of the heatable trays preferably comprises, across the entire area of ​​the heatable tray, one or more of the aforementioned hollow double-plate assemblies, when viewed in a horizontal plane. The heatable distributor comprises, across the entire area of ​​the heatable distributor, one or more of the aforementioned hollow double-plate assemblies, when viewed in a horizontal plane, or alternatively, the heatable distributor comprises, at its downstream end or before its downstream end, one or more of the aforementioned hollow double-plate assemblies, while the upstream end is embodied differently. Preferably, the upstream end of the distributor is connected to an inlet for the composition to be devolatilized.

[0041] According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a devolatilization apparatus for devolatilizing a composition comprising volatile components, such as for devolatilizing a solid or liquid polymer composition comprising unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products, the devolatilization apparatus comprising a vessel comprising at least one inlet for the composition to be devolatilized, at least one outlet for the devolatilized composition, at least one outlet for gas, and at least one of the aforementioned cartridges.

[0042] According to the present invention, the cartridge comprises at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser disposed within the cartridge and at least one support element on which the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser is disposed. This means that the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser is disposed within the cartridge, more specifically, on at least one support element. However, one or more heatable dispensers and / or one or more heatable trays may also be disposed outside the cartridge but within the container of the devolatilization device. For example, the devolatilization device may comprise one heatable dispenser and one or more heatable trays, all of which are disposed within the cartridge, and the heatable dispenser is disposed within the container of the devolatilization device but outside the cartridge, i.e., on the cartridge. However, it is also possible for all heatable dispensers and all heatable trays to be disposed within the cartridge.

[0043] The at least one heatable dispenser may be arranged in the devolatilization device, or more specifically, in a container or cartridge, horizontally or vertically. Horizontal means that the length axis of the at least one heatable dispenser extends at least approximately horizontally, i.e., at an angle of -10° to +10°, preferably -5° to +5°, and more preferably 0°, relative to a horizontal plane. On the other hand, vertical means that the length axis of the at least one heatable dispenser extends at least approximately vertically, i.e., at an angle of -10° to +10°, preferably -5° to +5°, and more preferably 0°, relative to a vertical plane. When arranged vertically, the at least one heatable dispenser may preferably extend downward from the top of the cartridge and container.

[0044] In a further development of the concept of the present invention, it is proposed that the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor arranged in the cartridge extend over 20 to 95%, more preferably 40 to 90%, and most preferably 70 to 90% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the container. The entire peripheral area of ​​the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor is not directly connected to the container wall, i.e., the at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor does not directly contact the container wall at all. If the cartridge and the associated devolatilization device comprise two or more heatable trays and / or two or more heatable distributors, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 90%, and most preferably all of the heatable trays and distributors are embodied as described above.

[0045] It is preferred that the cartridge and associated devolatilization device comprise one heatable distributor and 2 to 20, preferably 5 to 15, more preferably 7 to 12 heatable trays, each of which comprises one or more hollow double-plate assemblies across the entire area of ​​the heatable tray when viewed in a horizontal plane, and that the heatable distributor comprises one or more hollow double-plate assemblies at least at the downstream end of the heatable distributor or before the downstream end of the heatable distributor.

[0046] Preferably, the devolatilizer is embodied as a static devolatilizer, i.e. the devolatilizer has no moving parts.

[0047] Additionally, the devolatilizer may include a pump for generating subatmospheric pressure within the vessel during operation of the devolatilizer.

[0048] In a further development of the idea of ​​the present invention, it is suggested that the container has a central inlet for the heating medium and a central outlet for the heating medium, the central inlet for the heating medium of the container being connected to the central inlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge, and the central outlet for the heating medium of the container being connected to the central outlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge.

[0049] In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method for devolatilizing a composition comprising volatile components, comprising the steps of: supplying the composition to an inlet of the aforementioned devolatilizing apparatus; supplying a heating medium to at least one heatable tray and / or optionally at least one heatable distributor; drawing gas through the gas outlet; and drawing the devolatilized composition through the devolatilized composition outlet.

[0050] Preferably, a polymer composition containing a monomer and a solvent is used as the composition to be devolatilized.

[0051] For example, the composition to be devolatilized may have a viscosity of 1 to 10,000 Pa·s, measured using a plate-plate, cone-plate, or cylinder rheometer at devolatilization operating temperatures defined by the physical properties of different feed polymer solutions.

[0052] The pressure and temperature adjusted within the vessel during the above method depend on the specific composition being devolatilized. For example, the pressure within the vessel may be adjusted to 0.1 to 1500 kPa, preferably 0.1 to 200 kPa, such as 0.5 kPa, 1 kPa, 3 kPa, 5 kPa, 10 kPa, 20 kPa, 50 kPa, 80 kPa, 100 kPa, 200 kPa, 500 kPa, 800 kPa, 1000 kPa, or 1300 kPa, and the heating medium within each hollow space of the hollow double-plate assembly may be adjusted to 40 to 300°C, preferably 70 to 250°C, such as 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 100°C, 130°C, 150°C, 170°C, 190°C, 210°C, 230°C, 250°C, 270°C, or 290°C.

[0053] Suitable examples of polymer compositions to be devolatilized are compositions based on polyacrylonitrile, polylactic acid, polyolefins, polyolefin elastomers, and / or synthetic rubbers.

[0054] In a further development of the concept of the present invention, it is suggested that the method involves devolatilizing a composition, the composition being a mixture containing i) at least one heat-sensitive polymer and / or heat-sensitive monomer, and ii) at least one non-heat-sensitive polymer and / or non-heat-sensitive monomer. In this embodiment, the method is carried out in a devolatilization apparatus comprising at least one, preferably at least two, trays in an upper section of a container, each having a hollow double-plate assembly, and at least one, preferably at least two, trays in a lower section of the container, each having a hollow double-plate assembly, all of the trays being arranged in cartridges, and the hollow double-plate assemblies of the trays located in the upper section of the container are preferably adjusted to a relatively low temperature to remove heat-sensitive components therefrom, while the hollow double-plate assemblies of the trays located in the lower section of the container are preferably adjusted to a higher temperature to remove non-heat-sensitive components therefrom.

[0055] The process according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the content of non-polymeric compounds in the polymer composition to less than 600,000 ppm, preferably less than 200,000 ppm, more preferably less than 100 ppm, most preferably less than 10 ppm.

[0056] The present patent application will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to preferred embodiments and the enclosed drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0057] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a volatilization device including a cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic diagram of a cartridge for holding a heatable tray included in the volatilization apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heatable tray of the volatilization apparatus shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the hollow double plate assembly of the heatable tray shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5a]1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a heatable distributor that may be included in a devolatilization apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 5b] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a heatable distributor that may be included in a devolatilization apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a volatilization device including a cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0058] Devolatilization apparatus 10 for devolatilizing a composition containing volatile components, such as a solid or liquid polymer composition containing unreacted monomers and solvent, shown in FIG. 1 includes a vessel 12 having an inlet line 14 for the composition to be devolatilized, a horizontally disposed heatable distributor 50 connected to inlet line 14, an outlet line 16 for the devolatilized composition, an outlet line 18 for gas, and a cartridge 62 in which five heatable trays 20, 20′ are arranged one on top of the other, with adjacent trays rotated 90°. Cartridge 62, shown in more detail in FIG. 2, includes several vertically disposed beams 64 spaced apart from one another to outline a hollow cylindrical interior space. Several annular tray support elements 66 are fixed to beams 64 so that heatable trays 20 (only one tray is shown in FIG. 5) can be removably positioned on the tray support elements 66. Furthermore, the cartridge 62 has one central inlet line 68 for the heating medium and one central outlet line 70 for the heating medium, the inlet line 68 for the heating medium being connected to the inlet lines 42, 42', 42" of the heatable trays 20, 20', and the outlet line 70 for the heating medium being connected to the outlet lines 44, 44' of the heatable trays 20, 20'.

[0059] As shown in more detail in Figures 3 and 4, each of the heatable trays 20, 20' includes three side-by-side hollow double-plate assemblies 22, 22', 22", with adjacent hollow double-plate assemblies 22, 22', 22" welded to one another and with at least a substantially vertically disposed perforated dam 24 disposed between two adjacent hollow double-plate assemblies 22, 22', 22". Each of the trays 20, 20' is surrounded at its periphery by a vertically disposed non-perforated dam 26. Each of the hollow double-plate assemblies 22, 22', 22" includes an upper plate 28 and a lower plate 30 disposed on top of each other but spaced apart such that a void chamber 32 is defined between the upper plate 28 and the lower plate 30. Each of the upper plate 28 and the lower plate 30 includes a plurality of openings 34, with each opening 34 in the upper plate 28 being surrounded by a wall 36 that extends through the void chamber 32 and surrounds the opening in the lower plate to form a plurality of passages 38 that are fluid-tightly separated from hollow spaces 40 defined within the void chamber 32 between the passages 38. Each of the hollow double-plate assemblies 22, 22', 22" includes a heating medium inlet line 42, 42', 42" and a heating medium outlet line 44', 44" (only two are shown in FIG. 3). The heating medium inlet lines 42, 42" and the heating medium outlet line 44" of the two outer hollow double-plate assemblies 22, 22" enter the two outer hollow double-plate assemblies 22, 22" from below, while the heating medium inlet line 42' and the heating medium outlet line 44" of the central hollow double-plate assembly 22' The inlet line 44' enters the central hollow double plate assembly 22' from above. Each inlet line 42, 42', 42" for the heating medium and each outlet line 44', 44" for the heating medium actually consists of two pipes 46, 46', which are connected to each other by a flange 48 located inside the vessel 12. The alternative arrangement of the inlet lines 42, 42', 42" for the heating medium and the outlet lines 44', 44" for the heating medium facilitates installation in the cartridge.

[0060] 5a and 5b show a heatable distributor 50 that may be included in the cartridge and devolatilization device according to the present invention. The heatable distributor 50 has an upstream end 52 and a downstream end 54, and just before the downstream end 54 are disposed three hollow double-plate assemblies 22, 22', 22" embodied as described above. Furthermore, at the upstream end 52 of the heatable distributor 50 is disposed an inlet line 60 for the composition to be devolatilized. During operation of the distributor, the liquid level may reach the dashed line 61.

[0061] The devolatilization apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 6 for devolatilizing a composition containing volatile components, such as for devolatilizing a solid or liquid polymer composition containing unreacted monomer and solvent, is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 except that it includes one vertically disposed heatable distributor 50 connected to the inlet line 14 and extending within the cartridge 62. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 10 Devolatilization device 12 containers 14 Inlet line for composition to be devolatilized 16 Exit line for devolatilized composition 18 Gas outlet line 20 heatable trays 20' Heatable Tray 22 Hollow double plate assembly 22' Hollow Double Plate Assembly 22" Hollow Double Plate Assembly 24 Perforated Weir 26 Non-perforated weir 28 Upper plate of hollow double plate assembly 30 Lower plate of hollow double plate assembly 32 Hollow double plate assembly void chamber 34 Openings in upper or lower plates 36 Passageway Wall 38 Passage of hollow double plate assembly 40 hollow space of hollow double plate assembly 42 Heating medium inlet line 42' Heating medium inlet line 42" inlet line for heating medium 44' Heating medium outlet line 44" outlet line for heating medium 46 Pipe 46' Pipe 48 flange 50 Heatable distributor 52 upstream end of heatable distributor 54 Downstream end of heatable distributor 60 Heatable distributor inlet line 61 Liquid level during distributor operation 62 cartridges 64 cartridge beam 66 Cartridge tray support element 68 Cartridge central inlet line 70 Cartridge central exit line

Claims

1. A cartridge, at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable dispenser disposed within the cartridge; at least one support element on which at least one heatable tray and / or at least one heatable distributor is arranged; one central inlet line for the heating medium; One central outlet line for the heating medium; Equipped with At least one section of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor comprises a hollow double-plate assembly comprising an upper plate and a lower plate arranged one on top of the other but spaced apart such that a void chamber is defined between the upper plate and the lower plate; each of the plates having a plurality of openings; each opening in the upper plate is surrounded by a wall extending through the void chamber and surrounding the opening in the lower plate to form a plurality of passages that are fluid-tightly separated from hollow spaces defined in the void chambers between the passages; The hollow space is connected to an inlet for a heating medium and an outlet for a heating medium, the central inlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge is connected to the inlet of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor; A cartridge, wherein the central outlet line for heating medium is connected to the outlet of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor.

2. the cartridge comprises at least two, preferably 2 to 20, more preferably 3 to 10, and most preferably 4 to 6 beams arranged at least substantially vertically and spaced apart from one another to border an interior space; The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support element is fixed to at least one of the beams.

3. the cartridge comprises at least two, preferably 2 to 200, more preferably 4 to 100, most preferably 10 to 60 support elements on which the heatable trays or heatable dispensers can be removably or fixedly positioned, respectively, the central inlet line for the heating medium is connectable to all of the inlets of each of the heatable trays and / or heatable distributors; 3. A cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the central outlet line for heating medium is connectable with all of the outlets of each of the heatable trays and / or heatable distributors.

4. 4. The cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cartridge further comprises at least one bottom element and / or a top cover, the top cover preferably being dome-shaped.

5. the cartridge comprises at least four, preferably 3 to 10, most preferably 4 to 6 beams arranged at least substantially vertically and spaced apart from one another to define an interior space having an at least substantially circular cross section; 5. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the at least one support element is a circular ring segment fixed to at least one of the beams such that the circular ring segment extends with a length axis of the circular ring segment at least approximately perpendicular to the length axis of the beam to which it is fixed.

6. the central inlet line of the cartridge is an at least substantially vertically disposed pipe having a plurality of outlets corresponding to the number of the heatable trays and the heatable distributors positionable within the cartridge, and connectable to the heatable trays and the heatable distributors positionable within the cartridge; A cartridge as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the central outlet line is an at least approximately vertically arranged pipe having a plurality of inlets corresponding to the number of heatable trays and heatable distributors that can be placed in the cartridge and that can be connected to the heatable trays and heatable distributors that can be placed in the cartridge.

7. pressure balancing means are provided between the central inlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge and the inlet of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor, and / or pressure balancing means are provided between the outlet of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor and the central outlet line for the heating medium of the cartridge, 7. The cartridge of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pressure balancing means is preferably selected from the group consisting of a valve, an orifice plate, a bar, a mixer, and combinations thereof.

8. 8. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein all of said at least one heatable tray and / or said at least one heatable distributor are arranged in series or preferably in parallel with one another.

9. the upper plate and the lower plate of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor are arranged at least approximately parallel to each other, 9. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower plates are connected to each other at their sides via side walls that define the cavity chamber therebetween.

10. 10. The cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the height of the hollow space of the void chamber of the hollow double plate assembly is 2 to 50 mm, preferably 2 to 20 mm, more preferably 4 to 12 mm, and most preferably 6 to 8 mm.

11. the upper plate and the lower plate of the hollow double-plate assembly are connected to each other at the sides of the upper plate and the lower plate via side walls defining the cavity therebetween; 11. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the inlet for heating medium and the outlet for heating medium are pipes extending through one or two of the side walls.

12. the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor comprises 1 to 10, preferably 2 to 5, more preferably 2 to 4 hollow double-plate assemblies; the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor comprises at least two hollow double-plate assemblies arranged side by side; 12. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein preferably between two adjacent hollow double plate assemblies there is arranged a perforated weir which is at least substantially vertically arranged.

13. the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor are surrounded by non-perforated weirs arranged at least substantially vertically; 13. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein preferably the non-perforated dam extends upwardly when viewed from the top of the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor.

14. one heatable distributor; 2 to 20, preferably 5 to 15, more preferably 7 to 12 heatable trays; Equipped with each of the heatable trays comprises one or more hollow double-plate assemblies across the entire area of ​​the heatable tray when viewed in a horizontal plane; 14. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the heatable distributor comprises one or more hollow double plate assemblies at least at the downstream end of the heatable distributor or before the downstream end of the heatable distributor.

15. 1. A devolatilization apparatus for devolatilizing a composition containing volatile components, such as for devolatilizing a solid or liquid polymer composition containing unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products, comprising: The volatilizing device is A container comprising: at least one inlet for the composition to be devolatilized; at least one outlet for the devolatilized composition; at least one outlet for gas; At least one cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 14; A container comprising: A devolatilization device comprising:

16. 16. The devolatilization apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one heatable tray and / or the at least one heatable distributor extends over 10 to 99%, preferably 20 to 95%, more preferably 40 to 90%, and most preferably 70 to 90% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the vessel.

17. one heatable distributor; 2 to 20, preferably 5 to 15, more preferably 7 to 12 heatable trays; Equipped with each of the heatable trays comprises one or more hollow double-plate assemblies across the entire area of ​​the heatable tray when viewed in a horizontal plane; 17. The devolatilization apparatus of claims 15 and 16, wherein the heatable distributor comprises one or more hollow double-plate assemblies at least at the downstream end of the heatable distributor or before the downstream end of the heatable distributor.

18. 1. A method for devolatilizing a composition containing volatile components, comprising: feeding the composition to the inlet of the devolatilizer of any one of claims 15 to 17; supplying a heating medium to the at least one heatable tray and / or optionally the at least one heatable distributor; drawing gas from said gas outlet; withdrawing the devolatilized composition from said devolatilized composition outlet; A method comprising:

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