Distributor for devolatilizer with hollow double-plate assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heatable partition for a defoliation apparatus for defoliating a composition containing volatile components, such as for defoliating a solid or liquid polymer composition containing unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products, wherein the heatable partition comprises at least one vessel having an upstream portion and an adjacent downstream portion, the upstream portion of the vessel having a first side end having an inlet and a second side end on the opposite side connected to the downstream portion, the downstream portion of the vessel having a first side end connected to the second side end of the upstream portion and a second side end on the opposite side, the downstream portion of the vessel comprising a hollow double plate assembly, the hollow double plate assembly comprising an upper plate and a lower plate arranged in staggered order but separated such that a void chamber is defined between the upper plate and the lower plate, each of both plates having 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 so as to form a plurality of passages that are fluid-sealed and separated from a hollow space defined in the void chamber between the passages, the hollow space being connected to an inlet for a heating medium and an outlet for a heating medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispenser for a devolatilization apparatus, and a devolatilization apparatus for devolatilizing a composition containing volatile components, such as for devolatilizing a solid or liquid polymer composition containing unreacted monomers and solvents. Further, the present invention relates to a devolatilization process using such a devolatilization apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Devolatilization, i.e., degassing, respectively refers to the controlled removal of gases and other volatile substances such as solvents or moisture from solids and liquids. Devolatilization is usually used to remove volatile components, which are mostly components having a relatively low molecular weight such as residual monomers, solvents, reaction by-products, and water from polymers. 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 further processing of the polymer such as its moldability, components that deteriorate the properties of the polymer, components that cause an unpleasant odor of the polymer, and / or other undesired components for other reasons. Further, by removing monomers and solvents from the polymer composition, it becomes possible to recover and potentially recycle monomers and solvents during the process so as to increase the yield of the process and reduce the amount of waste.

[0003] To achieve defoliation, the components to be evaporated must each have a higher partial pressure or thermodynamic activity than the polymer. 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 viscosity, a slow diffusion rate can be a rate limiting factor. Therefore, to accelerate defoliation, the composition to be defoliated is usually defoliated at high temperatures and / or at pressures below atmospheric pressure. This is because both measurements increase the thermodynamic activity of the volatile components, and further, the viscosity of the polymer decreases as the temperature rises, thereby improving the diffusion of volatile components within the polymer. However, most polymers are heat-sensitive to varying degrees, and therefore, to ensure that polymer degradation during defoliation is avoided, the specific temperature inherent to each polymer should not be exceeded. Thus, temperature control of the composition to be defoliated during defoliation is important, and indeed a decisive factor.

[0004] Several types of devolatilization devices are known, including static and dynamic devolatilization devices. Dynamic devolatilization devices 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 devolatilization devices do not have moving parts but have internal structures to produce a high specific surface area of ​​the composition to be devolatilized. However, dynamic devolatilization devices are associated with serious drawbacks such as high cost, high energy consumption during operation, the need for regular maintenance, and a relatively high leakage rate due to their moving parts.

[0005] Therefore, compared to dynamic devolatilization apparatuses, static devolatilization apparatuses have advantages such as lower energy consumption, lower installation costs, less maintenance required, and a relatively low leakage rate, due to the absence of moving parts. Common types of static devolatilization apparatuses are flash devolatilization apparatuses and falling strand devolatilization apparatuses. Flash devolatilization apparatuses typically comprise a preheater, such as a heat exchanger, and a flash chamber. During operation, the polymer composition to be devolatilized is first pumped to 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 volatile components occurs. The polymer composition then falls downward through the flash chamber, during which time multiple bubbles of volatile components are nucleated within the polymer composition. This results in a larger surface area for mass transfer, and therefore leads to rapid devolatilization. The defolatant gaseous 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. The drop strand defolatorial device operates similarly to the flash defolatorial device but has specially embodied nozzles to spray the polymer composition into the chamber as drop strands, thereby promoting the development of volatile component bubbles and accelerating the diffusion process.

[0006] To efficiently utilize the devolatilizer, a distributor is often located at the top of the devolatilizer to regulate the temperature of the composition to be devolatilized immediately after the inlet and to distribute the composition across the cross-sectional area of ​​the devolatilizer. As described above, temperature control of the composition to be devolatilized is important, and indeed a decisive factor, during devolatilization, for example, specifically within the distributor. This temperature control is even more important when temperature-sensitive compositions, such as temperature-sensitive polymer compositions, are to be devolatilized. Inoptimal temperature control of the composition to be devolatilized during devolatilization leads to inoptimal devolatilization results. For example, an operating temperature lower than the optimal operating temperature during devolatilization may result in the separation of relatively small amounts of volatile components contained in the polymer composition from the polymer, the release of devolatilized polymer products from the devolatilizer at temperatures lower than the optimal design temperature may cause malfunctions in downstream equipment, and / or the intended properties of the devolatilized polymer products may not be realized after the devolatilization process. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] In this regard, the fundamental objective of the present invention is to provide a distributor for a devolatilizer for devolatilizing compositions containing volatile components, such as for devolatilizing solid or liquid polymer compositions containing unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products. The distributor is capable of reliably adjusting the temperature of the composition to be devolatilized to the devolatilization operating temperature required during the operation of the devolatilizer, so that the devolatilizer including the distributor can achieve optimal devolatilization of the composition to be devolatilized at a low operating cost. The distributor is characterized by low capital expenditure, and therefore, even when the composition to be devolatilized is a polymer composition containing a particular temperature-sensitive polymer, a devolatilized composition with optimal product quality can be obtained. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to the present invention, a heatable distributor for a defoliation apparatus for defoliating a composition containing volatile components, particularly for defoliating a solid or liquid polymer composition containing unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products, wherein the heatable distributor comprises at least one vessel having an upstream portion and an adjacent downstream portion, the upstream portion of the vessel having a first side end having an inlet and a second side end on the opposite side connected to the downstream portion, the downstream portion of the vessel having a first side end connected to the second side end of the upstream portion and a second side end on the opposite side, and the downstream portion of the vessel is This objective is satisfied by providing a heatable distributor comprising a hollow double-plate assembly, the hollow double-plate assembly comprising an upper plate and a lower plate arranged in stacked positions but separated such that a gap chamber is defined between the upper plate and the lower plate, each of both plates having a plurality of openings, each opening in the upper plate being surrounded by a wall extending through the gap chamber and surrounding the opening in the lower plate, forming a plurality of passages that are fluidly sealed and separated from the hollow space defined in the gap chamber between the passages, and the hollow space being connected to an inlet for a heating medium and an outlet for a heating medium.

[0009] This solution is based on the discovery that a heatable distributor comprising a hollow double-plate assembly having an upper plate and a lower plate arranged in a stacked configuration but separated such that a void chamber is defined between the upper plate and the lower plate, enables reliable control of the devolatile operating temperature during operation of a devolatile device comprising such a distributor, wherein each of both plates has a plurality of openings, and each opening in the upper plate is surrounded by a wall extending through a void chamber and surrounding the opening in the lower plate, so as to form a plurality of passages that fluidly connect the upper plate and the lower plate, allowing falling strands generated from a composition flowing downward from the upper plate through passages to fall downward from the underside of the lower plate, the passages being fluidly sealed and separated from a hollow space defined in the void chamber between the passages, the hollow space being connected to an inlet and an outlet for a heating medium. More specifically, due to the hollow space of a void chamber through which a heating medium, which is appropriately and optimally regulated to temperature, flows, the composition to be deflated, such as a composition containing a temperature-sensitive polymer, enters through a hematable distributor equipped with a precisely temperature-controllable hollow double-plate assembly and falls into one or more preferably hematable trays equipped with 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 underside of the upper plate through the hollow space, and the temperature of the lower plate precisely controlled by the heating medium flowing over the upper side of the lower plate, but in particular, all passages through which the composition to be deflated flows downward through the hollow double-plate assembly are also precisely temperature-controlled. Thus, after a large amount of volatile components have already evaporated from the composition to be deflated in the distributor, the composition to be deflated falls downward into one or more heated trays, where it is precisely heated while held in the trays and then flows through the tray passages, forming falling strands on the underside of the lower plate that fall downward into the next lower tray. This efficiently separates volatile components from the polymer of the composition to be deflated.Each of the distributors and trays can be individually and precisely temperature-controlled by appropriately adjusting the temperature of the heating medium conveyed through the hollow space of the gap chamber of each distributor or tray. This allows the devolatilization apparatus according to the present invention 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 areas of the devolatilization apparatus individually. This makes it possible not only to devolatilize compositions containing temperature-sensitive polymers, but also to devolatilize compositions containing mixtures of heat-sensitive and non-heat-sensitive volatile components. For example, the hollow double-plate assembly of the distributor located in the upper section of the container may be adjusted to a relatively low temperature to remove heat-sensitive volatile components, while the hollow double-plate assembly of the tray located in the lower section of the container may be adjusted to a relatively high temperature to remove non-heat-sensitive volatile components. Furthermore, the devolatilization apparatus according to the present invention makes it possible to compensate for the heat loss and temperature drop inside the container caused by the evaporation of volatile components. Consequently, when the distributor according to the present invention is installed in a devolatilization apparatus, it enables optimal devolatilization of the composition to be devolatilized at a low operating cost, and the distributor and devolatilization apparatus are characterized by low capital expenditure, and therefore, even when the composition to be devolatilized is a polymer composition containing a specific temperature-sensitive polymer, a devolatilized composition with optimal product quality can be obtained.

[0010] According to the present invention, a heatable distributor comprises at least one container, which is preferably at least substantially horizontal, that is, when installed in a daphne generator, the longitudinal axis of the container extends at least substantially horizontally. Being at least substantially horizontal in this context means that the angle between the longitudinal axis of the container and the horizontal direction is at most 20°, preferably at most 1°, more preferably at most 5°, even more preferably at most 1°, and most preferably 0°.

[0011] Preferably, the peripheral region of the upstream portion of the container of the heatable distributor and the first side end are completely bordered by a wall, except for the inlet; that is, the upstream portion of the container of the heatable distributor is closed by one or more walls, except for the region of the second side end of the upstream portion.

[0012] The present invention is not specifically limited in terms of the cross-sectional shape of the upstream portion of the container. For example, the upstream portion of the container may have a circular, oval, elliptical, rectangular, square, or polygonal cross-section. When the upstream portion of the container has a circular, oval, or elliptical cross-section, particularly good results are achieved.

[0013] In a further development of the concept of the present invention, the first side end of the downstream portion of the container has the same shape and dimensions as the second side end of the upstream portion of the container.

[0014] According to one preferred modification of the present invention, the peripheral region of the downstream portion of the container is partially bounded by a wall, the remainder of the peripheral region is bounded by one or more hollow double-plate assemblies, and the second side end of the downstream portion of the container is bounded by a wall or is open. The present invention is not specifically limited with respect to the cross-sectional shape of the downstream portion of the container. For example, the downstream portion of the container may have a circular, oval, elliptical, rectangular, square, or polygonal cross-sectional shape. When the downstream portion of the container has a circular, oval, or elliptical cross-section, particularly good results are achieved. Even more preferably, both the upstream and downstream portions of the container have the same dimensions and the same cross-sectional shape, which is particularly preferably circular, oval, or elliptical. In this embodiment, all peripheral regions of the container of the heatable distributor are closed, i.e., the peripheral region of the upstream portion is bounded by one or more walls, and the peripheral region of the downstream portion is bounded by one or more hollow double-plate assemblies and one or more walls. The first side end of the upstream portion of the container is closed except for the inlet, while the second side end of the downstream portion of the container may be open or closed by a wall.

[0015] According to an alternative preferred modification of the present invention, the peripheral region of the downstream portion of the container of the heatable distributor is completely bounded by a wall, and the second side end of the downstream portion of the container is inclined and at least partially bounded by one or more hollow double-plate assemblies. Also in this embodiment, the downstream portion of the container may have a circular, oval, elliptical, rectangular, square, or polygonal cross-sectional shape. When the downstream portion of the container has a circular, oval, or elliptical cross-section, particularly good results are achieved. Even more preferably, both the upstream and downstream portions of the container have the same dimensions and the same cross-sectional shape, which is particularly preferably circular, oval, or elliptical. In this embodiment, all peripheral regions of the container of the heatable distributor are closed, i.e., the peripheral region of the upstream portion is bounded by one or more walls, and the peripheral region of the downstream portion is bounded by one or more walls. The first side end of the upstream portion of the container is closed except for the inlet, while the second side end of the downstream portion of the container may be open or closed by a wall. The inclined second side end of the downstream portion of the container is at least partially bounded by one or more hollow double-plate assemblies.

[0016] Good results are particularly obtained when the inclination angle of the second side end of the downstream portion of the container of the heatable distributor is greater than 0° and 90° or less with respect to the horizontal direction, more preferably 5° to 60°, even more preferably 10° to 70°, and most preferably 20° to 40°.

[0017] The inclined region of the second side edge of the downstream portion of the container may be completely bounded by one or more hollow double-plate assemblies. However, to avoid overpressure in the heatable distributor within the container, it is preferable that the second side edge of the downstream portion of the container is partially bounded by one or more hollow double-plate assemblies. It is particularly preferable that at least 50%, more preferably at least 60%, even more preferably 60-95%, and most preferably 70-90% of the area of ​​the second side edge of the downstream portion of the container be bounded by one or more hollow double-plate assemblies, while the remaining area is open, thereby allowing for pressure equalization.

[0018] Particularly good results are obtained when the second side end of the downstream portion of the container is at least partially bounded by 1 to 10, preferably 1 to 5, more preferably 2 to 5, and most preferably 3 hollow double-plate assemblies that are arranged side by side and connected to one another.

[0019] According to the present invention, multiple passages in a hollow double-plate assembly of a heatable distributor are fluid-sealed and separated from the hollow space defined within the gaps between the passages. This means that, according to the present invention, the fluid flowing from the upper plate to the lower plate through the passages, i.e., the composition to be deflated, cannot enter the hollow space through which the heating medium flows, and the heating medium flowing through the hollow space cannot enter the passages. Multiple passages in this context mean two or more, preferably five or more, and more preferably ten or more passages.

[0020] According to the present invention, a hollow double-plate assembly of a heatable distributor comprises an upper plate and a lower plate arranged in a stacked configuration. This means that, in addition to the upper and lower plates, baffles, weirs, and / or side walls may be located within or in the hollow double-plate assembly. Theoretically, 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 include 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 of a heatable distributor. Preferably, the upper and lower plates are arranged at least substantially parallel to each other. Being at least substantially parallel to each other means, according to the present invention, that the upper and lower plates are inclined with respect 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 with respect to each other.

[0022] In a further development of the concept of the present invention, it is proposed that the upper plate and the lower plate are connected to each other at their sides via a side wall in which a void chamber is defined between them. Thereafter, the void chamber of the hollow double-plate assembly can be easily separated from the surroundings in a fluid-seal manner.

[0023] The present invention is not specifically limited in terms of the shapes of the upper and lower plates. For example, the upper and lower plates may have polygonal, rectangular, square, circular, elliptical, or trapezoidal shapes when viewed from above. However, it is preferable 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 above.

[0024] Furthermore, there are no specific restrictions on the materials of the upper and lower plates, as long as the materials have relatively good thermal conductivity and are resistant to the composition to be deflated and are mechanically stable. Particularly good results can be obtained when the upper and lower plates are made of stainless steel, carbon steel, or the like.

[0025] The preferred thicknesses of the upper plate and the lower plate depend on the mechanical stability of the material from which the upper plate and the lower plate are made, and the thicknesses are preferably as thin as possible so as to have rapid and efficient heat conduction through the plates from the heating medium flowing through the hollow space of the void chamber. From this point of view, the upper plate and the lower plate preferably each have a thickness of 1 to 10 mm, more preferably 3.5 to 6 mm.

[0026] According to the present invention, each of the openings of the upper plate is surrounded on the lower side of the upper plate by a wall that extends through the void chamber so that each of the passages forms a plurality of passages that fluidly connect the openings of the upper plate to the openings of the lower plate and surrounds the openings of the lower plate on the upper side of the lower plate, whereby the composition to be devolatilized can flow from the upper plate through the passages to the lower plate and fall downward therefrom in the form of falling strands. From this point of view, the upper plate and the lower plate preferably have the same number of openings.

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

[0028] The present invention is not specifically limited with respect to the shape of the passages. The passages may or may not have the same shape as the openings and may or may not have a constant cross-sectional area over their length, i.e., when viewed in the vertical direction. However, particularly good results are obtained when the passages have at least substantially the same shape as the openings and when the passages have at least substantially a 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 opening. For example, some or preferably all of the openings in the upper plate and the lower plate 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 plate and the lower plate have a circular cross-sectional shape. From this point, it is preferable that the openings in the upper plate and the lower plate have a circular cross-sectional shape, and at least 50%, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 95%, and most preferably all of the openings in the upper plate and the lower plate have at least substantially the same diameter. In this context, having at least substantially the same diameter means that any one of the openings has a diameter that differs from the average diameter of all the openings by 20% or less, preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5% or less, and most preferably 1% or less. Most preferably, all the openings have the same diameter. The average diameter of all the openings is the value obtained by dividing the sum of the diameters of all the openings in the upper plate and the lower plate by the total number of all the openings in the upper plate and the lower plate. In other words, it is most preferable that the passage has a cylindrical shape having at least substantially a constant diameter and most preferably a constant diameter when viewed in the longitudinal direction. In this case, the diameter of the opening in the upper plate is the same as the diameter of each opening in the lower plate connected to the opening in the upper plate through the wall. However, when the opening has a shape different from 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 plate and the lower plate have at least substantially the same cross-sectional area, and having 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 20% or less, preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5% or less, and most preferably 1% or less.

[0030] According to a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, the average of the longest dimensions of the opening is 5 to 50 mm, 20 to 80 mm, or 50 to 150 mm. The longest dimension of the opening means the longest possible line connecting one point on the circumferential line of the opening to a point located on the circumferential line on the opposite side of the opening. More preferably, the openings of the upper and lower plates have a circular cross-sectional shape, and the average diameter of the opening 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 defolable flowing through the opening. For example, when the viscosity of the composition to be deflated is 10 to 1,000 Pa·s, the average of the longest dimension of the opening or the average diameter is preferably 5 to 50 mm. On the other hand, when the viscosity of the composition to be deflated is higher than 1,000 Pa·s and lower than 5,000 Pa·s, the average of the longest dimension of the opening or the average diameter is preferably 20 to 80 mm. When the viscosity of the composition to be deflated is 5,000 to 10,000 Pa·s, the average of the longest dimension of the opening or the average diameter is preferably 50 to 150 mm.

[0031] The function of the hollow space in the gap chamber of the hollow double-plate assembly is to precisely and uniformly temperature control (temperate) the composition to be deflated, 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 drawn out of the hollow space through a heating medium outlet. The height of the hollow space in the gap chamber is preferably between 2 and 50 mm, more preferably between 2 and 20 mm, even more preferably between 4 and 12 mm, and most preferably between 6 and 8 mm, in order to have a heating medium with a volume sufficient to precisely and uniformly temperature control the walls of the upper plate, lower plate, and passage, and thereby sufficient to precisely and uniformly temperature control the composition to be deflated, which flows across the upper plate and through the passage from the upper plate to 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, and this average distance is the sum of the heights of the adjacent vertical areas of the hollow space divided by the number of adjacent vertical areas.

[0032] The present invention is not specifically limited in terms of the shape of the heating medium inlet and heating medium outlet connected to the hollow space of the gap 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 enclosing the gap chamber. Both the inlet and outlet may be located on one side of the hollow double plate assembly, or on the opposite side 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 or lower plate. Further 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 enclosing the gap 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 or lower plate.

[0033] To achieve uniform distribution of the heating medium in the hollow space of the void chamber, it is preferable that one or more, more preferably 1 to 10, and even more preferably 2 to 5, at least substantially vertically positioned baffles are arranged in the hollow space of the void chamber to guide the heating medium in the hollow space of the void chamber, and that they extend over a portion of the hollow space. Being at least substantially 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 baffles are preferably positioned at least substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow double-plate assembly. Being at least substantially perpendicular in this context means that the angle between the baffle and the longitudinal direction of the hollow double-plate assembly is 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 the opposing side walls of the void chamber in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow double-plate assembly. In a more preferred embodiment, all adjacent baffles extend from the opposing side walls of the gap chamber in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow double-plate assembly.

[0034] While the relatively large size of a hollow double-plate assembly is impractical, it is practical to use two or more hollow double-plate assemblies in a hemotable distributor. In this regard, the downstream portion of the vessel of the hemotable distributor preferably comprises 1 to 10, more preferably 2 to 5, most preferably 3, and so on, 2 to 4 of the aforementioned hollow double-plate assemblies. When the hemotable distributor 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 by one or more fasteners. To achieve uniform distribution of the composition to be devolatilized on the surface of the hemotable distributor, it is possible to place a perforated weir extending at least substantially vertically between two adjacent double-plate assemblies, where the perforated weir may extend over the entire length or width of the hemotable distributor so as to allow the composition to flow from one hollow double-plate assembly to the adjacent hollow double-plate assembly only through the opening of the perforated weir. For example, the perforated weir has a height of 20 to 50 mm, preferably 30 to 40 mm. The perforated weir may further include one or more holes that allow one or more fasteners to connect adjacent double-plate assemblies to each other.

[0035] Favorable results are particularly 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 even more preferable that the openings of 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 of the perforated weir have at least substantially the same diameter, where at least substantially the same diameter means that the diameter of the openings differs from the average diameter of all the openings by only 20% or less, preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5% or less, and most preferably 1% or less. For example, the openings of the perforated weir have a circular cross-sectional shape and have a diameter of 5-30 mm, preferably 10-20 mm.

[0036] In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a defloration apparatus for deflorating a composition containing volatile components, such as for deflorating a solid or liquid polymer composition containing unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products, wherein the defloration apparatus comprises a container having at least one inlet for the composition to be deflored, at least one outlet for the deflorated composition, at least one outlet for the gas, and at least one of the aforementioned heatable distributors. The defloration apparatus preferably further comprises at least one heatable tray.

[0037] At least one of the aforementioned heatable distributors is preferably positioned in the daphne generator such that the container of the heatable distributor extends at least substantially horizontally.

[0038] While the term "container" is generally synonymous with "packaging," for clarity, in this specification, "packaging" is used for distributors, and "container" is used for defoliation devices.

[0039] The distributor may be flange-coupled to the devolatilizer to facilitate installation and maintenance.

[0040] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the davertoleation apparatus comprises one of the aforementioned heatable distributors and 1 to 20, preferably 5 to 15, more preferably 7 to 12 heatable trays. Preferably, each heatable tray comprises one or more of the aforementioned hollow double-plate assemblies across its entire area when viewed in a horizontal plane.

[0041] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the davoltaic apparatus comprises a cartridge or frame, each comprising a support element on which at least one heatable distributor and / or at least one heatable tray is detachably or fixedly arranged. For example, the cartridge may comprise several beams that are at least substantially horizontally arranged and preferably spaced apart from one another to frame an internal space such as a hollow cylindrical internal space. Being at least substantially horizontal in this context means that the angle between the beams and the horizontal direction is at most 10°, preferably at most 5°, more preferably at most 1°, and most preferably 0°. It is even more preferable that the support elements are fixed to the beams so that a heatable tray can be placed on the support elements. Preferably, the support elements are annular support elements. The cartridge may further comprise one central inlet line for a heating medium and one central outlet line for a heating medium, the inlet line for the heating medium being connectable to the inlets of the heatable tray and distributor, and the outlet line for the heating medium being connectable to the outlets of at least one heatable distributor and at least one heatable tray. Therefore, all heatable trays share one common inlet and one common outlet for the heating medium within the cartridge, preferably so that all heatable trays are connected to a single heating medium circulation pipe.

[0042] Furthermore, if the devolatilization device does not include a cartridge or frame, and each of the heatable distributors and heatable trays is provided with a support element on which they are detachably or fixedly arranged, it is preferable that all the heatable distributors and trays share one common inlet and one common outlet for the heating medium, so that all of them are connected to a single heating medium circulation pipe.

[0043] Preferably, the devolatilization device is implemented as a static devolatilization device, that is, the devolatilization device does not have any movable parts.

[0044] In addition, the devolatilization device may be equipped with a pump to generate a pressure below atmospheric pressure inside the container while the devolatilization device is in operation.

[0045] Further development of the concept of the present invention suggests that the container comprises a central inlet for a heating medium and a central outlet for a heating medium, the heating medium inlets of the heatable tray and distributor are connected to the central inlet for the heating medium via a line, and the heating medium outlets of the heatable tray and distributor are connected to the central outlet for the heating medium via a line.

[0046] In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method for defolazing a composition containing volatile components, comprising the steps of: supplying the composition to the inlet of the defolazing apparatus described above; supplying a heating medium to at least one heatable distributor; drawing a gas from a gas outlet; and drawing a defolazed composition from a defolazed composition outlet.

[0047] Preferably, a polymer composition containing a monomer and a solvent is used as the composition to be deflated.

[0048] For example, the composition to be defoliated has a viscosity of 1 to 10,000 Pa·s, measured at a defoliation operating temperature defined by the properties of different supply polymer solutions, using a plate-plate, cone-plate, or cylindrical rheometer.

[0049] The pressure and temperature adjusted within the container during the above method depend on the specific composition being devolatilized. For example, the pressure within the container 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 in each of the hollow spaces 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.

[0050] Suitable examples of polymer compositions to be defoliated include compositions based on polyacrylonitrile, polylactic acid, polyolefins, polyolefin elastomers, and / or synthetic rubber.

[0051] In further development of the spirit of the present invention, it is suggested that the above method defoliates 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 above method is carried out in a defoliation apparatus comprising at least one distributor and at least one, preferably at least two trays, each comprising a hollow double-plate assembly, in the upper section of the container, and at least one, preferably at least two trays, each comprising a hollow double-plate assembly, in the lower section of the container, wherein the hollow double-plate assemblies of the distributor and trays located in the upper section of the container are adjusted to a relatively low temperature to remove the heat-sensitive components, while the hollow double-plate assemblies of the trays located in the lower section of the container are adjusted to a higher temperature to remove the non-heat-sensitive components.

[0052] The method according to the present invention makes it possible to reduce the content of nonpolymer compounds in the polymer composition to less than 600,000 ppm, preferably less than 200,000 ppm, more preferably less than 100 ppm, and most preferably less than 10 ppm.

[0053] The present patent application will then be described by reference to advantageous embodiments and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0054] [Figure 1a] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a heatable distributor according to the present invention. [Figure 1b] This is a schematic top view of the second side end of a heatable distributor according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a daphne apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the heatable tray of the devolatilization apparatus shown. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hollow double-plate assembly of the heat-resistant tray shown. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of a cartridge for holding a heatable tray, which may be included in the devolatilization apparatus according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0055] Figures 1a and 1b show a heatable distributor 10 according to the present invention. The heatable distributor 10 comprises a horizontal container 12 having an upstream portion 14 and an adjacent downstream portion 16. The upstream portion 14 of the container 12 has a first side end 18 with an inlet 20 and a second side end 22 on the opposite side. The second side end 22 of the upstream portion 14 of the container 12 is connected to the downstream portion 16 of the container 12. The downstream portion 16 of the container 12 has a first side end 24 and a second side end 26 on the opposite side, with the first side end 24 connected to the second side end 22 of the upstream portion 14. More specifically, the second side end 26 of the downstream portion 16 of the container 12 is inclined at an angle α of approximately 45° with respect to the horizontal direction H. Furthermore, the second side end 26 of the downstream portion 16 of the container 12 is partially bounded by three hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', and 28''. As shown in Figure 1b, the three hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', and 28'' are arranged side by side and connected to one another. Each of the hollow double-plate assemblies comprises an upper plate 30 and a lower plate 32, which are arranged in a stacked configuration but separated such that a void chamber 34 is defined between the upper plate 30 and the lower plate 32. Each of both plates 30, 32 has a plurality of openings 36, and each opening in the upper plate 30 is surrounded by a wall 38 that extends through the void chamber 34 to form a plurality of passages 40 that are fluidly sealed away from the void chamber 34 and surround the opening in the lower plate 32. The void chamber 34 is connected to an inlet (not shown) for a heating medium and an outlet (not shown) for a heating medium. The peripheral regions 42 of the upstream section 14 and the downstream section 16, as well as the first side end 18 of the upstream section 14 of the container 16, are all completely bounded by walls, except for the inlet 20. During the operation of the distributor 10, the composition to be defolarated is supplied to the interior of the upstream section 14 of the container 20 via the inlet 20, flows through the upstream section 14 and the downstream section 16 of the container 12 to the second side end 26 of the downstream section 16 of the container 12, passes through the passages 40 of the three hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', and 28'', where the composition is precisely regulated to a predetermined temperature, and then exits the passages 40 of the three hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', and 28'' and falls. During operation, the liquid level may reach the dashed line 44.

[0056] The defoliation apparatus 46, shown in Figure 2, for defoliating compositions containing volatile components, such as solid or liquid polymer compositions containing unreacted monomers and solvents, comprises a container 48 having an inlet line 50 for the composition to be defoliated, an outlet line 52 for the defoliated composition, an outlet line 54 for the gas, a heatable distributor 10 as embodied in Figures 1a and 1b, and eight heatable trays 56, 56' arranged in a stacked configuration, with adjacent trays 56, 56' rotated 90°. As shown in more detail in Figures 3 and 4, each of the heatable trays 56, 56' comprises three adjacent hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', 28”, with adjacent hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', 28”, welded together, and between two adjacent hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', 28”, there is a perforated weir 58 positioned at least substantially vertically. Each of the trays 56, 56' is surrounded on its outer periphery by a vertically positioned non-perforated weir 60. Each of the hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', 28”, comprises an upper plate 30 and a lower plate 32, which are stacked but separated such that a gap chamber 34 is defined between the upper plate 30 and the lower plate 32. Each of the upper plate 30 and the lower plate 32 is provided with a plurality of openings 36, and each opening 36 of the upper plate 30 is surrounded by a wall 38 that extends through the gap chamber 34 and surrounds the opening of the lower plate, so as to form a plurality of passages 40 that are fluidly sealed and separated from a hollow space 62 defined in the gap chamber 34 between the passages 40. Each of the hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', and 28” includes inlet lines 64, 64', and 64” for the heating medium and outlet lines 66, 66', and 66” for the heating medium (only two are shown in Figure 3). The inlet lines 64, 64” and outlet line 66” for the heating medium of the two outer hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28” enter the two outer hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28” from below, while the inlet line 64' and outlet line 66' for the heating medium of the central hollow double-plate assembly 28' enter the central hollow double-plate assembly 28' from above.Each inlet line 64, 64', 64'' for the heating medium and each outlet line 66', 66'' for the heating medium are actually composed of two pipes 68, 68', which are connected to each other by flanges 70 located inside the container 48. Alternative arrangements of the inlet lines 64, 64', 64'' for the heating medium and the outlet lines 66', 66'' for the heating medium facilitate installation. During installation, the container 48 is laid horizontally, and the hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28', 28'' are positioned vertically facing the installer. The installer installs the outermost hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28'' and connects the pipe 68' to the pipe 68 of the outermost hollow double-plate assemblies 28, 28'' by tightening the flange 70, while the central hollow double-plate assembly 28' has not yet been installed, and therefore a space exists in the center, allowing the installer to reach the flange 70 from below. If the inlet line 64' and outlet line 66' for the heating medium are also connected to the central hollow double-plate assembly 28' from below, the installer will not be able to connect the two pipes to the central hollow double-plate assembly 28', but the installer can connect the two pipes to the central hollow double-plate assembly 28' from above.

[0057] Figure 5 shows a cartridge 72 for holding a heatable tray, which may be included in the devolatilization apparatus according to the present invention. The cartridge 72 comprises several horizontally arranged beams 74 spaced apart from each other to frame the internal space of a hollow cylindrical cavity. Several annular support elements 76 are fixed to the beams 74 so that a heatable tray 56 (only one tray is shown in Figure 5) can be detachably positioned on the support elements 76. Furthermore, the cartridge 72 comprises one central inlet line 78 for a heating medium and one central outlet line 80 for a heating medium, the inlet line 80 for the heating medium being connectable to the inlet line of the heatable tray 56 and the outlet line 80 for the heating medium being connectable to the outlet line of the heatable tray. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 10 Heatable distributor 12 containers 14 Upstream part of the container 16 Downstream portion of the container 18 First side end of the upstream section 20 Entrance 22 Second side end of the upstream section 24 First side end of the downstream section 26 Second side end of the downstream section 28 Hollow double plate assembly 28' Hollow Double Plate Assembly 28” Hollow Double Plate Assembly 30 Upper plate of hollow double plate assembly 32. Lower plate of hollow double plate assembly 34. Void chamber of a hollow double-plate assembly 36 Opening of the top plate 38 Walls of the corridor 40 Passages in hollow double plate assemblies 42 Peripheral region 44 Liquid level during operation of the distributor 46 Devolatilization equipment 48 Container 50 Inlet line for composition to be defoliated 52. Outlet line for defoliated composition 54 Gas outlet line 56 Heat-resistant trays 56" Heat-resistant tray 58 Perforated Weir 60 Non-perforated weir 62 Hollow space 64 Inlet line for heating medium 64' Inlet line for heating medium 64" Inlet line for heating medium 66 Outlet line for heating medium 66' Outlet line for heating medium 66” Outlet line for heating medium 68 pipes 68' Pipe 70 flange 72 cartridges 74 beams 76 Annular tray support element 78 Central inlet line for heating medium 80 Central inlet line for heating medium α Tilt angle H horizontal direction

Claims

1. A heatable partition for a defoliation apparatus for defoliating compositions containing volatile components, particularly for defoliating solid or liquid polymer compositions containing unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products, The heated distributor comprises at least one vessel having an upstream portion and an adjacent downstream portion, The upstream portion of the container A first side end having an entrance, The second side end on the opposite side, which is connected to the downstream portion, Equipped with, The downstream portion of the container is The first side end is connected to the second side end of the upstream portion, The second side end on the opposite side and Equipped with, The downstream portion of the container comprises a hollow double plate assembly, The hollow double plate assembly comprises an upper plate and a lower plate that are stacked on top of each other but separated such that a gap chamber is defined between the upper plate and the lower plate. Each of the two panels has multiple openings, Each opening in the upper plate is surrounded by a wall that extends through the gap chamber and surrounds the opening in the lower plate, forming a plurality of passages that are fluidly sealed and separated from the hollow space defined within the gap chamber between the passages. A heatable distributor in which the aforementioned hollow space is connected to an inlet for a heating medium and an outlet for a heating medium.

2. The heatable distributor according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral region of the upstream portion of the container and the first side end are completely bounded by a wall, except for the inlet.

3. The heatable distributor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upstream portion of the container has a circular, oval, elliptical, rectangular, square, or polygonal cross-section.

4. The heatable distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first side end of the downstream portion of the container has the same shape and dimensions as the second side end of the upstream portion of the container.

5. The peripheral region of the downstream portion of the container is partially bounded by a wall, and the remainder of the peripheral region is bounded by one or more hollow double-plate assemblies. The heatable distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second side end of the downstream portion of the container is bounded by a wall or is open.

6. A heatable distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the peripheral region of the downstream portion of the container is completely bounded by a wall, and the second side end of the downstream portion of the container is inclined and at least partially bounded by one or more hollow double-plate assemblies.

7. The heatable distributor according to claim 6, wherein the inclination angle of the second side end of the downstream portion of the container with respect to the horizontal direction is greater than 0° and 90° or less, preferably 5° to 60°, more preferably 10° to 70°, and most preferably 20° to 40°.

8. The heatable distributor according to claim 6 or 7, wherein at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, more preferably 60 to 95%, and most preferably 70 to 90% of the area of ​​the second side end of the downstream portion of the container is bounded by one or more hollow double plate assemblies.

9. The heated distributor according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the second side end of the downstream portion of the container is at least partially bounded by 1 to 10, preferably 1 to 5, more preferably 2 to 5, and most preferably 3 hollow double-plate assemblies, which are arranged side by side and connected to one another.

10. The upper plate and the lower plate of the hollow double plate assembly are arranged at least substantially parallel to each other. The heatable distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the upper plate and the lower plate are connected to each other at the sides of the upper plate and the lower plate via a side wall in which the gap chamber is defined between them.

11. The upper plate and the lower plate of the hollow double plate assembly have the same number of openings, Preferably, the total area of ​​all openings in the upper plate is 0.1 to 40%, preferably 1 to 10%, of the total surface area of ​​the upper plate, and the total area of ​​all openings in the lower plate is 0.1 to 40%, preferably 1 to 10%, of the total surface area of ​​the lower plate, the heatable distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The openings of the upper plate and the lower plate of the hollow double plate assembly have a circular cross-sectional shape. 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. The heated distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein at least substantially the same diameter means that any of the openings has a diameter that differs from the average diameter of all the openings by 20% or less, preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5% or less, and most preferably 1% or less.

13. The heatable distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the height of the hollow space in the gap 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.

14. 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 a side wall that defines the gap chamber between them. The heatable distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the inlet for the heating medium and the outlet for the heating medium are pipes extending through one or two of the side walls.

15. A defoliation apparatus for defoliating compositions containing volatile components, such as for defoliating solid or liquid polymer compositions containing unreacted monomers, solvents, and / or by-products, The aforementioned evaporation device, At least one inlet for the composition to be defoliated, At least one outlet for the defolatable composition, At least one outlet for gas, At least one heatable distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 14 and A container equipped with A daphne detector equipped with a daphne detector.

16. The aforementioned evaporation device, One heatable distributor, 1 to 20, preferably 5 to 15, more preferably 7 to 12 heatable trays and Equipped with, The daphne generator according to claim 15, wherein each of the heatable trays comprises one or more hollow double-plate assemblies extending over the entire area of ​​the heatable tray when viewed in a horizontal plane.

17. The aforementioned evaporation device, The cartridge comprises a support element on which the at least one heatable distributor and / or the at least one heatable tray are detachably or fixedly arranged. The cartridge preferably comprises several beams, which are arranged at least substantially horizontally and spaced apart from one another to frame the internal space. The davoltation apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the support element is fixed to the beam so that at least one heatable distributor and / or at least one heatable tray can be placed on the support element.

18. The aforementioned cartridge One central inlet line for the heating medium, One central outlet line for the heating medium and Furthermore, The daphne generator according to claim 17, wherein the inlet line for the heating medium is connectable to the inlet of the at least one heatable distributor and / or the at least one heatable tray, and the outlet line for the heating medium is connectable to the outlet of the at least one heatable distributor and / or the at least one heatable tray.

19. A method for defoliating a composition containing volatile components, A step of supplying the composition to the inlet of the daphne apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 18, The steps include supplying a heating medium to at least one heatable distributor, A step of drawing gas from the aforementioned outlet for gas, The steps of drawing out the deflated composition from the outlet for the deflated composition and Methods that include...

20. The composition is evaporated, The composition is 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 It is a mixture containing, The above method is carried out in a devolatilization device, and the devolatilization device is In the upper section of the container, there is at least one, preferably at least two, trays, each comprising a hollow double-plate assembly, In the lower part of the container, there are at least one, preferably at least two, trays, each having a hollow double plate assembly. Equipped with, The method according to claim 19, wherein the hollow double plate assembly of the tray installed in the upper portion of the container is adjusted to a relatively low temperature to remove the heat-sensitive components in the upper portion of the container, while the hollow double plate assembly of the tray installed in the lower portion of the container is adjusted to a higher temperature to remove the non-heat-sensitive components in the lower portion of the container.

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