BRPI0807740B1 - A PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF A MATERIAL - Google Patents

Description

PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR TREATING A MATERIAL The invention relates to a process according to claim 1 as well as to a device according to claim 11.

Numerous uses of recycling of plastic materials suffer under the weight of problematic feed influences such as waste moisture, large thickness variations, delivery of excessively large portions etc. As a result, the following extruder performances or process economics are negatively influenced. The extruder suffers from these feed influences because it leads to lower or varying expulsion power, uneven fusing power, reduced product quality, possibly greater wear and simultaneously reduced productivity.

From the prior art, for example from WO 00/74912 A1, devices are known with two mixing tools placed one above the other in the cutting compactor, which reduce such problems.

The zones where the material is mainly crushed or dried or heated are separated from the zones where the material is compressed in the worm screw conveyor compartment. For this reason, after a short period of service, a balance is established between the volume of material expelled by the endless screw conveyor under the impeller disc and the material current which penetrates from top to bottom through the slot. annular to the space under the impeller disc. As a result, the space underneath the pusher disk, which is essentially filled with material carried through the auger screw, which circulates in the form of a mixing vortex in the collecting vessel, is given a certain resistance against so that, in general, only an increasingly smaller part of the new material introduced into the collecting container also reaches the area underneath the rotating impeller disc.

This ensures sufficient material residence time in the collecting container, particularly in the area above the impeller disc. Thereby the temperature of the material introduced by the loading aperture into the collecting container is standardized, since essentially all particles of plastic material in the container undergo sufficient pre-treatment. The approximately constant temperature of the material entering the auger screw housing results in continually eliminating non-homogeneous cores or zones in the auger screw housing and thus the length of the auger screw can It should be kept smaller than in known constructions since the auger conveyor screw has to do less work to safely bring the plastic material to a uniform plasticizing temperature. The constant inlet temperature of the plastic material in the auger screw housing also results in uniform pre-compaction of the material in the auger screw housing, which acts favorably on extruder opening behavior, especially in the form of a uniform extrusion product and a uniform material quality at the extruder outlet. The shorter length of the worm screw conveyor produces energy savings and lower extruder temperature compared to other constructions, since in fact the average temperature with which the material enters the worm screw conveyor housing -It is more uniform than in these other constructions. In such devices it is therefore necessary that the material to be treated, considered throughout the treatment process, be brought to a lower temperature when compared to known constructions in order to be sure of obtaining sufficient plasticization. This reduction in peak temperatures results in the aforementioned energy savings and the prevention of thermal deterioration of the material to be treated.

By arranging two mixing tools on top of one another on the cutter-compactor and by building two successive treatment steps, a simple separation of the working steps from the "pre-cutter" is achieved. material treatment ", ie grinding, drying, preheating, compaction and mixing, of the" extruder loading "work steps. By separating the two working steps, sufficiently kept away from the extruder and its most sensitive loading and introducing zones as described above, the negative influences of the loading process. The result is a very uniformly fed extruder with even more uniform operation, which, regardless of the influences of the feed process, can constantly apply up to 15% more energy. Larger delivery portions can still be treated, higher residue moisture is allowed in the product supplied, higher throughput can be achieved, the material has a lower melting temperature and energy cost savings are achieved with higher quality of the granulate.

This type of device has been found to be very suitable for treating plastic materials, especially thermoplastics, but it has been found, however, that, among other things, more fluid substances are retained leaving the material to be treated in the space situated by under the upper impeller disc. These fluid substances may not always expand upwards through the annular crack formed between the edge of the impeller disc and the inner wall of the collecting container, especially since in fact through the annular crack the material to be treated penetrates from top to bottom. Particularly unpleasant is when fluid substances are transported, together with the treated material, out of the collecting container and reach, directly or indirectly, the extruder attached to the collecting container, because then there is a danger that in the extruded material pockets will be created. gases of different types, which essentially impairs the quality of the material obtained at the outlet of the extruder. This danger cannot be completely avoided either by means of a degassing device generally provided in the extruder. In addition, such undesirable fluid substances or substances generally cannot be avoided in advance because they are water vapor, separation products from the material to be treated, gas or vaporized cooling medium particles etc. Especially if the wet plastic material collector container is introduced the content of these fluid substances is considerable. In order to reduce these disadvantages and make the material exiting the outlet opening of the collecting container essentially free of said fluid substances at low expense, it may be provided that the pusher disc has at least one perforation, particularly installed near the axis. and near the edge of the rear tool in the direction of rotation of the impeller disc, which connects the void above it with the void below it. Through such perforation, fluid substances which are in the void underneath the impeller disc or originate through the impeller disc into the void space above it, where they are not harmful and from which they may eventually escape. In this case it was found through research that perforations installed near the axis have a more effective action than perforations placed away from the axis. The perforations placed near the edge of the rear tool in relation to the rotation of the impeller disc use the suction action produced by the rotating tool to draw said fluid substances out of the space beneath the impeller disc.

However such devices are generally not capable of completely expelling unwanted substances without leaving residues, resulting in a deleterious influence on preparation or treatment.

As undesirable substances, all substances derived from the material to be treated or released from the introduced material or possibly introduced with the material and which may have a subsequent deleterious influence on the treatment should be considered as fundamentally considered. Unwanted harmful substances may adhere externally to the surfaces of the material to be treated, such as wash water, surface coatings etc ... and then evaporate, or sublimate there, release from the outer surface or similar. Harmful substances may, however, be present in the material matrix or within the material and then, following treatment, diffuse outwards and evaporate, sublimate or the like. This can be observed especially with complementary organic materials, for example plasticizers, but also water, monomers, gases or waxes may be present in the matrix. The harmful substances that need to be removed can also be sublimated solid substances or dust. The problem is especially true for plastic materials with high external humidity such as polyolefin wax shavings etc. Also materials with a higher internal humidity, for example PA fibers, are problematic. Between the impeller discs or mixing tools can therefore arise, for example through the air saturated with moisture, condensation and vaporization, which also, in addition to the other disadvantages mentioned, leads to a greater energy demand on the part of the system.

From the prior art are known devices with which, by means of suction devices, for example, the water vapor created on the material to be treated can be aspirated. However, it is hardly possible for a collecting container, as used in the above devices, to be essentially impermeable to the gases in its lower zone or to have a downstream air to compensate for the pressure so that moisture saturated air cannot be well vacuumed. In devices with multiple disks or mixing tools installed on top of each other, this is linked to additional difficulties.

In the preparation of material with high residual humidity, due to the very large amounts of water vapor that results from it, a certain movement dynamics in the cutter-compactor, which supports a suction of humid air. However, this is not the case in the treatment of material with low residual moisture, but rather by mixing moisture-saturated air in a central outlet of the mixing vortex just above the material level. No supporting dynamics are built up and sucking in or out of this moist air is essentially more difficult. The object of the present invention is therefore to create a process or a device whereby undesirable harmful substances can be removed from the material which impair further treatment or finishing of the material, for example fluid substances, especially moisture or moisture. water vapor, and influence and guide the preparation process in an advantageous manner.

This object is achieved by the process according to claim 1 as well as by the device according to claim 11, wherein a gas having the capability, especially air or an inert gas, carries or drags with it. undesired substances from below, that is, from a zone below the material level, which is inside the working compactor, or below the level of the mixing vortex material that forms inside the compactor. compactor and gas, enriched or saturated with unwanted substances, is sent to an area above the level of the material contained in the working cutter or above the material level of the cutter-compactor mixing vortex. This forms a pressure stream and the gas flows through at least a partial zone of the material. Moisture or unwanted substances present in the material, especially in the area between the discs or mixing tools, in a device with two mixing tools installed one above the other, are thus effectively removed.

Other advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the subordinate claims.

The gas inlet means may be constructed as passive gas inlet means, for example as simple through openings through which the gas passively enters, for example suctioned only due to the depression created within the cutter-compactor. The gas introducing means may, however, also be performed as active gas inlet means, for example in the form of nozzles or the like, through which the gas is actively introduced into the overpressure compactor by blowing, spraying or pumping media produced by pumps, fans etc.

Likewise the gas inlet means may be constructed as passive inlet means through which gas is only forced or penetrates into the collecting vessel due to overpressure, or as active gas inlet means, for example driven by of suction pumps.

Advantageously, the gas is heated or dried prior to being introduced into the collecting container by means of a heating device or an upstream gas drying device. In this way removal of unwanted substances or also process control can be effectively conducted.

For regulating gas inlet or outlet, the gas inlet and / or outlet means are at least partially lockable or controllable.

The gas inlet means may be constructed as separate individual apertures having a diameter between 10 and 300 mm, preferably between 50 and 90 mm.

On the inwardly facing side of the collecting vessel of the gas inlet means, especially upstream of the direction of rotation of the material, a cover or shield may be provided to prevent the material from clogging the gas inlet means. In order, as best as possible, not to disturb the rotational movement within the collecting container and to prevent local overheating, it is further advantageous for the gas inlet means to terminate at the inner wall of the collecting container and not project or point beyond it. The characteristic construction of the gas inlet means as well as their position influences the flow of material through the gas and therefore the expulsion of unwanted substances.

The gas inlet means may, on the one hand, be constructed on the bottom surface of the cutter under the lower lower mixing tool and there preferably within the innermost third of the bottom surface radius. . When the gas inlet means are constructed on the bottom surface, the sediment is also cleaned by venting the gases from below, which ensures better material preparation.

The gas inlet means may therefore be constructed as separate singular apertures or in the form of an annular slit quasi-perforating aperture around the through passage of the mixing tool drive shaft through the bottom surface. .

Alternatively or in addition to the opening in the bottom surface, the gas inlet means may also be placed on the side wall of the cutter, where it must be ensured that the gas inlet means are permanently below the material level. . Advantageous positions of the gas inlet means are situated in the middle of the lower third of the total height of the cutter, especially below the lower or lower installed bottom mixing tool.

In devices with several mixing tools installed on top of each other, it is extremely advantageous for the process execution that the gas inlet means flows between the mixing tools located higher and lower or in the space created between them. In this way the material is well traversed by gas or air and the current acts in collaboration with the mixing by means of the mixing tool.

Advantageously, the gas inlet means do not flow into the area of the edges of the pressure discs or mixing tools, but rather each one of them flows out or is placed particularly in the area between each two impeller discs or mixing tools in the collecting container to whereby the gas inlet means is preferably located midway between each two impeller discs or mixing tools.

In this context, it is especially advantageous that perforating discs are provided with perforations, since unwanted substances can thus be effectively removed from the area between the mixing tools.

When the gas inlet means is constructed in any area of the container sidewall where the rotating material particles exert the greatest pressure, it is necessary that the gas inlet means counteract the action of that pressure and cause the pressure to enter. pressurized gas into the vessel as active means of

Also in the sidewall, the gas inlet means may be constructed as separate unit openings. However they can also be constructed in the form of an annular groove extending along the periphery.

Alternatively or in addition to the placement possibilities described above, the gas inlet means may also be located in at least one of the mixing tools or the impeller discs. For this purpose, a placement in the mixing tool or the lower impeller disc closer to the bottom surface is advantageous. When placing the gas inlet means in the mixing tools or pressure discs, it is advantageous that the gas inlet means are constructed on the side facing the bottom surface.

Further, it is advantageous for the gas inlet means to be located near the axis of the pressure discs or mixing tools and advantageously near the rear edges of the tools with respect to rotation of the impeller discs or near the perforation. In this way an effective removal of unwanted substances can be ensured.

According to a preferred embodiment it is advantageous that on the underside of the impeller discs, thrust vanes are constructed which produce an upstream material and gas stream from below the impeller discs. In this embodiment the thrust vanes thus advantageously act in conjunction with the gas inlet means and optionally with constructed perforations and thus guarantee an efficient transport of the material out of the zone below the impeller discs and an advantageous development. of the process. In order to prevent entrainment of particles or material fragments due to excessively strong gas aspiration, it is advantageous that the gas inlet means is positioned as far as possible from the material level, in particular on the lid of the collecting container.

Other features and advantages of the invention are derived from the description of exemplary embodiments of the object of the invention which are schematically depicted in the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a vertical section through a device according to a first example embodiment. Figure 2 shows a plan view of Figure 1, partly in section. Figure 3 shows axonometrically the construction of perforation covers. Figure 4 shows another example embodiment in vertical section. Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4, partly in section. Figure 6 shows in detail a vertical section through the impeller disc. Figure 7 shows a vertical section through another example embodiment. Figure 8 shows a plan view of the same. Figure 9 shows another example embodiment in vertical section. Figure 10 shows another example embodiment in vertical section. Figure 11 shows a plan view thereof. Figure 12 shows another example embodiment in vertical section.

In the embodiment according to Figures 1 and 2, the device has a collecting container or a cutter-compactor 1 for the plastic material to be worked, especially thermoplastic, which is introduced into that container 1 from above by of a power device or power belt, not shown. The introduced plastics material may be pre-ground and / or dried.

The collecting container 1 is in the form of a cylindrical pot with vertical sidewalls 2 and has a horizontal flat bottom 3 with a circular perpendicular cut. The collecting container 1 may be upper closed or opened. A sealed shaft 4 traverses the sealed bottom 3 and has a vertical axis 8 which corresponds to the axis of the container. The shaft 4 is driven by a geared motor 5 installed below the bottom 3 in a rotational motion. In the container 1, a rotor 7 and a pusher disc 9 are mounted on the shaft 4, fixed in relation to the rotation. The rotor 7 consists of a cylindrical circular block whose axial extension h is essentially larger than that of the impeller disc 9, but whose radial extension d, however, is essentially smaller than that of the impeller disc 9. In this way it is created underneath the impeller disc 9 is a free space 10 which is in free communication of current for the material to be worked with the space 26 of the container 1 which is above the impeller disc 9 through an annular slot 11 which exists between the perimeter of the pusher disc 9 and the side wall 2 of the container 1. Through this free annular slot 11 the plastic material to be worked comes unimpededly to the annular space 10 underneath from the upper space 26. O the upper impeller disc 9 carries on its upper side a fixed upper mixing tool 21 which mixes and / or grinds and / or heats the material in the container space 26. For effective grinding, the tool 21 may be constructed with sharp edges 22 which may be constructed curved or angled (Figure 2) relative to the direction of rotation of the impeller disc 9 (Arrow 23) in order to obtain a cut. efficient.

The rotation of the impeller disc 9, through the influence of the tool 21, produces a rotation of the plastic mass introduced into the container 1, in which the material to be worked accumulates in height along the side wall 2 of the container 1 in space 26 (Arrow 24) and in the container axis area (Arrows 25) falls again. The mixing vortex thus created causes a whirlwind through the introduced material, so that a greater mixing effect is achieved. Material introduced into the container 1 and, if necessary crushed therein, gradually reaches through the annular slot 11 to the space 10 below the impeller disc 9 and is treated there by means of the mixing tools 12 closest to the surface of the container. bottom 3, which are hingedly attached to rotor 7 by vertical bolts 12 in annular grooves 14 of rotor 7 so that these tools 12 can swing freely around the axes of bolts 13. The free ends of the lower tools 12 are spaced from the side wall 2 of the container 1. These lower tools 12 perform, by their tapping action, a complementary mixing and / or grinding and / or heating of the material in space 10.

By means of the centrifugal force exerted on the material by these lower tools 12, near the bottom, the material is directed to an outlet opening 15 of the container 1, which is about the height of the complementary lower tools 12 and connects the space 10 of the container 1 to an inlet opening 27 for the compartment of a helical conveyor 16, in which a worm conveyor 17 is rotatably positioned and driven by one of its top ends via a motor 18 with gears 19 for rotary movement and compressing through its other top end the plastic material introduced therein, for example through an extrusion head 20. This can be a single screw auger conveyor. a double screw auger conveyor or a multiple screw auger conveyor. As can be seen, the auger conveyor housing 16 is positioned in a more or less tangential position with respect to the container, so that returns of the plasticized material through the auger conveyor 16 are prevented in the region of its exit from the container. compartment 16. Instead, the auger conveyor 17 may also be a feed auger conveyor which carries the material prepared in the container 1 for other uses, for example for an extruder.

In operation after a short time a state of weight balance is established between the material carried by the endless screw conveyor and the material that penetrates from above through the annular slot 11 in space 10. This results in It is very unlikely that a particle of plastic material introduced into the container 1 will reach the worm conveyor compartment 16, without sufficient time spent in the container 1. This ensures sufficient treatment of all the particles. plastic material by means of the mixing tools 12, 21, so that the material provided by the endless screw conveyor 17 has approximately uniform properties, especially as regards the temperature and particle size of the plastic material. This means that the plasticization work provided by the auger screw conveyor 17 or the extrusion endless screw conveyor attached to it is comparatively smaller, so that there are no high thermal tip requirements for the plastic material in the plasticizing work. . This saves the plastic material and essentially saves the drive energy for the endless screw conveyor 17 or the extrusion screw conveyor.

As noted, the material introduced into the container 1 is generally not completely dry and / or impurities which in the treatment within the container produce fluid substances, eg water vapor, decomposition products of the treated material, vaporized cooling medium. , fluid substances from coloring and / or printing materials, etc. In order to effectively remove such unwanted substances or to prevent such fluid substances from accumulating in space 10, below the upper pusher disc 9 and thereby preventing passage of the material to be treated out of space 26 and into space 10 and / or arrival into the worm conveyor housing 16, the pusher disc 9 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 has at least one, but preferably several perforations 36 which join the space. 26 above the impeller disc 9 to the space 10 underneath it. Through these perforations 36 the space-retained fluid substances 10 can pass through the impeller disc 9, expanding upwards and thus being led out of the container 10, for example through a suction 51.

These perforations may consist of holes with a circular or slotted perpendicular cut. At least some of these perforations 36 are located near the axis 8 of the container 1 and indeed just below the tool 21, so that the perforations 36, viewed in the direction of rotation (Arrow 23) of the impeller disc 9, are at the edges 37 or rear edges of the tool 21. The suction action exerted by the tool 21, supported by the rotation of its rear edges, supports the upward aspiration of the fluid substances through the perforations 36.

The axes of the perforations 36 may be vertical, however, it is convenient to place these axes 38, as shown in Figure 6, obliquely and in fact, also along the axis of the container 8. The inclination of the perforation walls 40 (Angle a Figure 6) is conveniently between 30 and 60 °, preferably about 45 °. This inclination is chosen such that the inlet end 41 of each of the perforations 36, viewed in the direction of rotation of the impeller disc 9 (Arrow 23) is further ahead than the outlet end 42. This measure also supports said suction action and counteracts a direct fall of the material out of the space 26 through the perforations 36 into the space 10. It is further advantageous, as can be seen from Figure 3, to provide the perforations, or at least some of them having a cover 28 which covers the perforation 36 surrounding it to an outer opening 35 directed towards the perimeter 43 of the impeller 9 or radial disc (relative to the axis 8). The size, i.e. the perpendicular cutting surface of the perforations 36, depends on the amount of fluid materials to be removed. It is generally sufficient to construct the perpendicular cutting surfaces of all perforations 36, at most as large as the perpendicular cutting surface of all worm conveyors or worm conveyor, extruder or helical conveyor compartments. auger 17 which are in power connection with outlet opening 15 of container 1.

In the lower portion of the sidewall 2 of the collecting vessel 1 is installed or flows into the sidewall 2 of the collecting vessel 1, a gas inlet means 50, 50a, 50b into said vessel. This gas inlet means 50 is constructed as an active gas inlet means 50a in the form of a nozzle 50a, that is, it can blow gas under pressure into the cutter-compactor. The nozzle 50a is at such a height or at such a distance from the bottom surface that it is continuously below the process-predetermined full fill state of the material particles which are in the process. or rotate within the cutter-compactor 1, or the level of the whirling mixture formed by the movement or rotation of the material particles. The nozzle 50a is in the lower third of the total height of the cutter 1. The nozzle 50a is located on the side wall 2, in the area between the upper mixing tools 21 or the impeller disc 9 and the lower mixing tools 12 or the lower pusher disc 29 and thus flows into the lower part of the inner space 10. With more than two support discs or mixing tools mounted on top of one another, the gas inlet means advantageously flows into the area between the uppermost impeller disc and the lowermost impeller disc or in the region between the uppermost and the lowermost mixing tools respectively. In this way an advantageous downflow and mixing can be ensured and thereby favorable treatment of the material.

Advantageously, the gas inlet means 50, 50a, 50b do not flow into the edge region of the impeller discs or mixing tools, but rather, each in particular, into the zone between each two support discs or mixing tools. in the collecting container 1 or is placed therein. The nozzle 50a is constructed as a single opening in the sidewall 2 and has a diameter of about 70 mm. In addition, there may be other openings at the same height, in particular evenly distributed along the periphery. The nozzle 50a is provided with a cover or shield 60 which prevents rotating material from entering pressure into the nozzle. The cover is therefore advantageously placed upstream with respect to the direction of rotation of the material before the nozzle 50a. The nozzle 50a is essentially located opposite the outlet opening 15 of the collecting vessel 1. In the area above the material level there is provided a gas outlet 51 in the form of an active gas aspiration or a pump. Alternatively, the gas outlet means 51 may also be constructed as passive gas outlet means, which is the case in a simpler embodiment, especially in the case of a collecting container 1 open from above.

Through the nozzle 50a, dry, heated air is then blown into the collecting vessel 1. This air is driven upwards by the violent current produced by the moving material and receives the moisture present or drags unwanted substances with it. . By means of suction 51a, air enriched with unwanted substances leaves the collecting vessel 1. Behind it is a residue of material almost free of unwanted substances. In this way, the advantageous synergistic coordinated action of the gas passage 50, 51, the two mixing tools 21, 21 and the perforations 36 can be almost completely released from the unwanted substances. The alternative embodiment according to Figures 4 and 5 differs from that of Figures 1 and 2, mainly in that the lower mixing tools 12 are not pendularly supported, but rather are fixedly seated on another pusher disc 29. which is coaxially installed with the impeller disc 9 and can be driven by the same shaft 4 in its rotational movement. Thus the rotor 7 may be of smaller construction or not even have an extension of the shaft 4. As in the embodiment according to Figures 1 and 2, the lower mixing tools 12 are placed at the height of the opening. outlet 15 of container 1 so that they can effectively guide the treated plastic material present in space 10 to the inlet opening 27 of the worm conveyor compartment 16.

The other lower mixing tools 12 which are in space 10 below the upper pusher disk 9 are fixedly connected to another pusher disk 29 installed below the pusher disk 9, but may however also be joined together. hinged to the pusher disc 9 or shaft 4.

As already shown in Figures 1 and 2, a gas inlet means 50 is located in the area between the support discs 9, 29 or between the upper and lower mixing tools 21, 12 and flows into space 10. It is favorable that the temperature of the treated material within the container 1 be monitored. For this, as shown in Figure 4, in the upper cutting space 26, above the impeller disc 9, a temperature measuring unit 30 and a cooling device 33 are provided, the latter being constructed in the form of of a cooling medium inlet nozzle.

As already mentioned, the removal of the fluid undesirable substances entering the upper cutting space 26 may be supported by a suction 51. As shown in Figure 4, a suction device 51 may be provided above the mixing whirl that forms in this cutting space 26.

In accordance with Figure 4, a measuring device 56 is provided in the gas pathway from the collecting vessel 1, with which the temperature of the outgoing gas and / or its humidity and / or the content of unwanted substances present in that gas.

A control device 58 is shown schematically with which the device according to the invention or its singular elements can be controlled or regulated. In the present case the control device 58 is shown connected to the gas outlet means 51 and the gas inlet means 50. In the introduced gas path there is a heating device 54 as well as a gas drying device 55 and a pumping or venting device 52. With these units it is possible, under the action of the control device 58, to regulate the volume, or the temperature, or the humidity of the introduced gas. It is also possible to use the temperature or humidity of the gas leaving to regulate the temperature and / or the amount and / or pressure of the gas introduced.

Provided that the collecting vessel 1 is constructed as a closed vessel, the amount of gas introduced through the inlet port 50 corresponds essentially to the amount of gas exiting through the gas outlet 51. The outgoing gas may have separation units intended for entrained unwanted substances, for example cyclones or gas separators, and may be reintroduced as purified gas, always recycled, into the gas inlet port 50. The device of Figures 7 and 8 is similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2. 2, but nonetheless no perforations 36 are constructed in the upper pusher disk 9. Referring to their shape, reference is made to the above embodiments.

Also in the present embodiment below the upper pusher disk 9 is a free internal space portion 10 which is in free current connection to the material treated with the upper free internal space 26 of the container 1 by means of of the annular slot 11 created between the outer perimeter of the pusher disk 9 and the sidewall 2 of the container 1. By means of that annular slot 11 the treated plastic material can thus pass unimpededly from the space 26 situated above the pusher disk 9, to reach the annular internal space portion 10 underneath it.

In this annular space 10 are installed lower mixing tools 12 which run in this annular space around the axis 8. By means of the centrifugal force exerted by these mixing tools on the plastic material, the plastic material is pressed into an outlet opening 15 of container 1, which opening 15 is at the height of the tools 12 and which connects the internal space portion 10 of container 1 to a cylindrical housing 16 in which an endless helical conveyor 17 is provided. is rotatably installed. The upper pusher disk 9 also carries upper mixing tools 21 which are however attached to the pusher disk 9. These upper mixing tools 21 mix and / or grind and / or heat the material in the part of the upper inner space 26 of container 1. For effective grinding it is favorable that tools 21 are constructed with sharp edges 22.

When moving, on the periphery of the impeller disc 9, under the influence of the tools 21, a rotation of the plastic mass is introduced into the container 1, whereby the plastic material rises (Arrow 24) along the side wall 2 of the container 1, the upper inner space portion 26 and the container 1 axis area moves back downwards> (Arrow 25). The resulting mixing vortex whirls the introduced material so that a better mixture is obtained. A smaller portion of the material introduced into the already crushed container 1, however, reaches through the annular slot 11 to the lower inner space 10 below the upper pusher disc 9 and is treated therewith by the lower mixing tools 12. Past a short working time establishes a state of equilibrium between the material driven by the endless screw conveyor 17 out of the outlet opening 15 and thus out of the annular space 10 and the material passing from above, through annular slot 11 to circular space 10. This results in a very unlikely or even impossible possibility for a particle of plastic material, once introduced into container 1, to reach the worm conveyor compartment 16 without sufficient time spent in container 1 or without being sufficiently treated by means of tools 12, 21. The straps that pass through the outlet opening 15, which are driven by the endless helical conveyor 17, thus have more or less uniform properties, especially as regards the temperature and particle size of the plastics material. The auger conveyor 17 therefore does not need to apply much work to the plastics mass to bring the plastics mass to the desired degree of plasticity, which results in no high end thermal requirements being present in the housing. worm conveyor 16 acting on the plastic material. In this way the plastic material is saved and essentially the energy is saved for driving the endless helical conveyor 17. The shape and size of the annular space 10 are governed by the field of application. The distance h at which the underside of the impeller disc 9 lies at the bottom 3 of the container 1 depends on the height of the impeller 7 and also on the size and position of the outlet opening. Favorable characteristics are obtained when the height h of the impeller annular space 10 is at least equal to, preferably substantially larger, than the diameter d of the endless screw conveyor 17 or the internal diameter of the endless screw conveyor housing 16. In the example embodiment shown in Figure 7 is h: d = 1.56 and the favorable arrangement has been found, wherein the part of the annular space 10 covered by the impeller disc 9, external to the rotor 7, has an approximately quadrangular perpendicular section. Other forms of perpendicular sectioning of this annular space are possible, especially when other tools work in this annular space 10, for example a rotor 7 constructed as a paddle wheel.

As can be seen, the size of the annular slot 11 influences the described operation. This annular slot should not be too large to prevent 11 larger particles of material from entering the annular slot. On the other hand, this slot should not be too small either, because then very little material will reach the interior of the lower space 10 below the pusher disc 9 and thus there is a danger that the auger conveyor 17 will not be sufficiently completed. In order to be adaptable to different materials to be treated, the size of the annular slot 11 may be of variable construction, for example by means of the impeller disc carrier 9, relative to its movable construction parts, whereby the slot may be be partially covered or released to a greater width. Such construction parts may optionally be provided on container wall 2. Tests have shown that favorable values for the width, measured in the radial direction s (Figure 7) of annular slot 11 are in the region of 20 to 150 mm, preferably 20. 100 mm, regardless of the diameter of the collecting container 1, but depending on the type of product to be treated. It is convenient that the tools 12 within the lower inner space 10 of the collecting container 1 have a shape such that the plastic material therein is treated less intensively than that carried by the tools 21 mounted on the disc. impeller 9 in the upper inner space portion 26 of container 1.

Also in this embodiment a gas inlet means 50 is installed in the area between the support discs 9, 29 or between the upper and lower mixing tools 21, 12, which flows into space 10. Figure 9 shows, in vertical section, another embodiment.

This device has a collecting container 1 in which only a single pusher disk 9, 29 with mixing tools 12, 21 in the lower region adjacent to the bottom 3 at the height of the outlet opening is provided. These mixing tools 12, 21 produce a movement of the material particles or a mixing whirl 25.

At bottom 3 and indeed at the innermost third of bottom surface 3 there is provided an active gas inlet means 50a in the form of an annular slot around shaft 4, especially if almost perforating through which gas, driven by a fan 52 is introduced. In addition, the side wall 2 of the container 1 is constructed and in effect at the height when, through the moving material particles, the greatest pressure is exerted on the side wall 2, another active gas inlet 50a which It is also constructed as a peripheral slit, which extends to almost the entire periphery. Through both gas inlet means 50a, gas is blown into the container 1, which passes through the material and is expelled, enriched with unwanted substances, through the gas outlet means 51.

Figures 10 and 11 show, in vertical and plan view, another example of embodiment. The device, only partially shown in Figures 10 and 11 - thus only the lowermost pusher 29 or the lowermost mixing tools - is shown to correspond to the characteristics not shown to the devices shown in Figures 1 to 9. reference is therefore made, with regard to the characteristics not shown, to these Figures 1 to 9.

On the lower side of the lowermost pusher disc 29 are placed several thrust blades 65. These thrust blades 65 start from the center of the pusher disc 29, radially curved and counter-rotating and extend throughout. the radius of the pusher disk 29. The pusher blades 65 are constructed as bar-shaped souls and protrude in the area between the pusher disk 29 and the bottom surface 3.

The thrust paddles 65 produce, when in operation, a material flow, acting in such a way that no treated material remains in this area, located below the impeller disc 29. The material to be treated is forced by the thrust pads 65 passing through the annular slit 11, again upwards, to the area above the impeller disc 29. When the impeller disc 29 is provided with perforations 36, the material can then also penetrate through these perforations 36.

On the bottom surface 3 of the collecting vessel 1, gas inlet means 50 are constructed near the central axis 8, which flow into the area below the pusher disk 29. Gas inlet means 50 may be constructed. as active or passive gas inlet means 50a, 50b. In this way the gas or air can either be actively brought into the zone underneath the impeller disc 29 or sucked in by means of the thrust paddles 65. The gas then flows upwards as shown in Figure 10 by means of arrow 68 through annular slit 11 and thereby supports the outlet of the material to be treated out of the area below the impeller disc 29. Gas also flows through the perforations 36, where constructed, as shown in Figure 10 i. of Arrow 69 and thereby drives up the material.

In this embodiment the thrust paddles 65 thus advantageously act in collaboration with the gas inlet means 50 and possibly with the perforations and thereby guarantee an effective transfer of the material out of the area beneath the disc. impeller 29.

This type of push paddles 65 or a combined arrangement of this type of push paddles 65, perforations 36 and / or gas inlet means 50 may be constructed in all devices shown in Figures 1 to 9.

In Figure 12 one more advantageous embodiment is shown. This construction is analogous to the embodiment according to Figures 4 and 5. Reference is therefore made to the embodiments of Figures 4 and 5. As a difference from Figures 4 and 5, the gas inlet means 50, 50a, 50b are, however, constructed on the bottom surface 3, as is also the case in the embodiments of Figures 9, 10 or 11.

Claims (15)

Process for treating a polymer material in pieces into a collecting container or cutting compressor (1) cylindrical, with a bottom surface (3) horizontal and side walls (2) vertical, said polymer material being stirred, mixed heated and optionally fragmented by at least one mixing and fragmenting tool (12, 21) and a gas, especially air or an inert gas, being introduced into the collecting container (1) in a region below the level material in the collecting container (1), when in operation, or below the material level of the mixing trunk. so as to eliminate undesirable interfering substances which negatively affect the further treatment or processing of the material, especially moisture or water vapor, said gas being transported at least through a piece of material by forming a forced stream and being, enriched or saturated with interfering substances, discharged from the collecting receptacle (1), in a region above the level of the material in the collecting receptacle (1), during operation or above the material level of the created mixing tube, characterized in that gas is introduced into the collecting container (1) through the side wall (2) or through the gas supply means (50) provided in the side wall (2) of the collecting container (1). Process according to claim No. 1. 1, characterized in that the gas is actively infected or inflated, and in a pressurized state, into the collecting container (1) below the material level by active gas supply means (50), for example via nozzles or blowholes which may be pressurized by pumping or ventilation installations (52) and / or by the gas being actively evacuated from the collecting container (1) by suction or pumping by means of active gas (51) above the material level and / or because the gas is heated and / or dried before being introduced. Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas is additionally introduced into the collecting container (1), also by means of gas supply means (50) arranged on the bottom surface (3) of the container. rccolctor (1) below the mixing and fragmenting tool (12) which is closest to the bottom surface (3), preferably within the third third of the bottom surface radius (3), Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas is introduced into the collecting container (1) by means of gas supply means (50) arranged in the region of the lower third of the height of the collecting container (1). and / or in the region below the nearest mixing and shredding tool (12), preferably actively and in a pressurized state or via active gas supply means (50), and / or, in the case of if there are two or more overlapping mixing and chipping tools (12, 21), gas is introduced into the region between said mixing and chopping tools (12, 21) and / or gas is introduced into that region of the container (1) wherein the particles of material being agitated or circulating in the container (1) exert the greatest pressure on the side wall (2) of the container U), and / or because the gas is further introduced into the container. collector (1) via active gas supply means (50), preferably in an active and pressurized state, or via gas supply means (50) arranged in at least one mixing and fragmenting tool (12, 21) especially in the blending and shearing tool (12) which is closest to the bottom, preferably on the underside or the bottom-facing side (3) of the respective blending and shearing tool (12, 21). Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the temperature, humidity and / or the content of interfering substances of the gas removed from the collecting container (1) are measured, and that the quantity, temperature and / or the humidity of the gas introduced into the collecting container (1) is controlled based on the values of this measurement, Device for the implementation of a process according to any one of the preceding claims, with at least one cylindrical cutting receiver (1) or receiving container with a horizontal bottom surface (3) and a vertical side wall (2) wherein at least one mixing and fragmenting tool (12, 21) is arranged which rotates mainly about a vertical axis (8) for mixing, heating and possibly fragmentation of the synthetic material to be treated, provided that, at least one gas supply means (50) for introducing a gas into the collecting container (1), being disposed in the collecting container (1), below the level of the material in said functioning collecting container (1) or below the material level of a mixing tube created during operation and at least one gas discharge means (51) provided for the discharge of enriched or saturated gas with the interfering substances. outside the discharge container (1), being arranged in the collection container (1), above the level of the material in said functioning collection container (1), or above the material level of the created mixing trunk, characterized in that the means gas supply (50) may be disposed on the side wall (2) of the collector container (1) or flow there to the collector container (1). 7. Device according to claim no. 6, characterized in that at least one screw (1 ') is provided for transporting the material out of the collecting container (1), whose box (16) is connected, for example tangentially or radially, to an opening (15) from the collecting container (1) through a feed opening (2 '), the discharge opening (15} being disposed on the side wall (2), near the bottom surface {3} of the collecting container (1). Device according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that each mixing and fragmenting tool (12, 21) is arranged in a support disc (9, 29) whose rotational movement in accordance with around the shaft (8) of shaft ¢ 4) is driven by said shaft (4) inserted into the collecting container (1} and / or that at least two mixing tools are provided in the collecting container (1) and overlapping {12,21}, preferably exactly two overlapping mixing and shredding tools {12,21), namely upper mixing and shredding tools {21} arranged primarily on an upper support disk (9), and mixing and lower or near bottom fragmentation portions (12) arranged mainly on a lower support disc (29) near the bottom, with a portion of the upper interior space (26) disposed on the collecting container (1) above that of the upper mixing and chopping tools (21), and a portion of the lower interior space (10) in which the mixing and chopping tools (12) and the discharge opening (15) are disposed in the same container (1) below the upper mixing and fragmenting tools (21), the upper inner space part (26) being connected to the lower inner space part (10) of the collecting container (1), mainly through an annular crack (11). ) free between the outer circumference of the upper support disk (9) and the side wall (2) of the collecting container (1), a part of the material being in the upper interior space part (26) being transported to the lower interior space (10), especially through said annular fissure (11), when the upper mixing and fragmenting tools (21) are rotating, and being transported thereafter to the discharge opening (15) by lower mixing and discharge tools (12) near the bottom and / or an upper support disc (9) have at least one passage (36), which pierces it, preferably near the axis (8), and in particular, near the edges (37) of the tools (21), operating inertially when rotating the support disc (9), said passage (36) connecting the upper interior space part (26) with the interior space part ( 10) bottom. Device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the gas supply means (50) are formed as passive gas supply means (50), for example as passenger openings; through which gas can be passively sucked into the collecting container (1), for example by a negative pressure in the collecting container (1), or by the gas supply means (50) being formed as active gas supplies (50), for example as nozzles or the like, pressurizable through pumping or venting installations (52), through which gas can be actively injected, inflated or pumped into the collecting container ( 1) in a state of pressurization and / or that the gas discharge means (51) is formed as passive gas discharge means (51), for example in the form of passage openings through which gas may be evacuated. passively by the collector container (1), for example by excessive pressure on the collector container (1), or by the gas discharge means (51) being formed as active gas discharge means (51), which may by be pressurized by suction installations (53), through which gas may be drawn or pumped out of the collecting container (1) and / or by a heating installation (54) provided upstream of the supply means which may heat the gas to be introduced into the collecting container (1), and / or by providing a gas desiccator (55) connected upstream of the gas supply means (50) whereby the gas to be introduced into the collecting container (1) can be dried. Device according to one of claims Nn. 6 to No. 9, characterized in that the gas supply means (50) and / or the gas discharge means (51) can be closed and controlled at least partially so as to regulate gas supply and discharge. respectively and / or the gas supply means (50) are formed as individual single openings with a diameter between 10 and 300 mm, preferably between 50 and 90 mm and / or the gas supply means (50). ) have on their face facing inwardly the collecting container (1) a cover or a plate (60) to protect them from the material in the collecting container (1), particularly upstream with respect to the direction of movement of the material within the (1) and / or the gas supply means (50) are at the same level as the inner wall of the container (1) and / or the mixing and fragmenting tool (12, 21) and, above all, not protrude from the inside of the container (1) or mixing and fragmenting tool (12, 21) into the container (1). Device according to one of the claims. 6 to No. 10, characterized in that the gas supply means (50) are additionally disposed also on the bottom surface (3) of the collecting container (1) below the lower and nearest mixing and fragmentation tool (12) preferably within the inner third of the radius of the bottom surface (3), the gas supply means (50) being formed primarily in the form of an annular crack extending around the passage of the shaft (4) through bottom surface (3). Device according to one of Claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the gas supply means (50) are arranged in the collecting container (1) at a height or at a distance from the floor surface. (3) to which said gas supply means (50) are constantly below the process-determined fill level of material particles present or in circulation within the collecting container (1) or below the level of the mixing trunk created by the movement or rotation of the material particles, said gas supply means (50) being arranged mainly in the region of the lower third of the height of the collecting container (1), preferably below the mixing and shredding tool closest to the bottom , or if the gas supply means (50) are arranged on the side wall (2) in the region between at least two support discs (9, 29) or mixing tools and fragmentation (12, 21), or na. the area between an upper and a lower support disk or mixing and shredding tools, preferably between the upper mixing and shredding tools (21), or. between the upper support disk (9) and the lower or closer mixing and fragmentation tools <12) at the bottom or the lower support disk (29), or in the region of the lower interior space (10), said gas supply means (50) preferably arranged, particularly each of them, in the region between respectively two support discs or. mixing and fragmenting tools, especially centrally and / or by the gas supply means (50) being arranged in the region of the sidewall (2) of the container (1), in which the particles of material agitated or rotating in the container ( 1) exert the greatest pressure on the side wall (2) of the container (1) and / or that the gas supply means (50) are disposed on the side wall (2) at the same height along the circumference of the inner wall of the container. collecting container (1), preferably evenly distributed and / or by means of the gas supply means (50) being formed in the side wall (2) in the form of an annular crack, which extends preferably over the entire circumference, Device according to one of claims N ', 6 to N n. 12, characterized in that the gas supply means (50) are additionally arranged in at least one mixing and fragmenting tool (12, 21) or at least one support disc (9, 29), in particular on the lower mixing or chipping tool (12) closest to the bottom surface (3) or the lower support disc (29), preferably on the bottom or bottom-facing side (3) of the respective mixing tool and fragmentation (12, 21) or the respective support disk (9, 29), the gas supply means (50), in this case preferably active gas supply means (50a), and / or by the gas supply means (50) are arranged near the axis (8) and, above all, near those edges (37) of the inertial tools (21) rotating the support disc (9), or about a passageway (36) and / or through η the underside of an infrared support disc (29) facing the bottom surface (3) and optionally also on the undersides of any other support discs (9) are arranged at least one preferably several radially extending extraction wings (65) and possibly curved in shape, protruding from the support disc (29), creating a stream of material and gas from the region below the lower support disc (29) upwards, especially through the annular fissure (11). and / or through the passages (36) in the region above the lower support disc (29). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas discharge means (51) are arranged in a region distant from the bottom surface (3) of the collecting container (1) and away from the material and the mixing trunk, mainly on the collection container lid (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one measuring device (56) is provided, which is pressurized by the evacuated gas and, above all, disposed downstream of the gas discharge means (51) for the measurement. temperature, and / or possibly the moisture or content of interfering substances in the evacuated gas from the collecting container (1) by means of the gas discharge means (51) and / or by the provision of a control installation (58) which is connected heating installation (54) and / or gas desiccation installation (55) and / or pumping or ventilation installation (52) and / or suction installation (53) in case of , which eventually controls and regulates the latter based on predefined material parameters, and / or the temperature of the evacuated gas, and / or the nature of the interfering substances.