JPWO2020193543A5 - - Google Patents

Claims (14)

A forming facility,
a feed path for continuously feeding a continuous tow material along a conveying direction;
a forming device connected to the downstream end of the feed path and adapted to form the continuous tow material into a continuous tubular rod, the forming device comprising:
a tubular element adapted to allow the continuous tow material to pass through the tubular element to form the continuous tubular rod;
a steam generator adapted to generate superheated steam, said steam generator in fluid communication with said tubular element for providing superheated steam to said continuous tow material; further comprises several fluid conduits for providing superheated steam from said steam generator to several injection sites disposed along the length of said tubular element; A forming facility wherein at least two or more of the fluid conduits comprise a temperature control unit including a temperature sensor and a temperature influencing factor. 2. The forming facility of claim 1, wherein one of said two or more temperature control units is disposed at said injection site within an end section of a fluid conduit. A forming facility according to any preceding claim, wherein the injection end of said at least one fluid conduit comprising said temperature control unit comprises a nozzle. 4. The forming equipment of claim 3, wherein said temperature sensor is disposed within said nozzle. Forming installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature influencing factor is a heating device, preferably a heating and cooling device. Forming installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each fluid conduit of said several fluid conduits comprises a temperature control unit. Forming installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one fluid conduit of said several fluid conduits comprises a pressure control unit comprising a pressure sensor and a pressure influencing factor. 8. Forming equipment according to claim 7, wherein the pressure influencing factor is a pressure regulator capable of reducing, preferably reducing and increasing pressure in the fluid conduit. A forming facility according to any preceding claim, wherein said tubular element comprises a plurality of tubular element segments, each tubular element segment of said plurality of tubular element segments comprising an injection site. Forming equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tubular element comprises a mandrel for forming a continuous hollow tubular rod from the continuous tow material. A production line for producing a continuous tubular rod, said production line comprising a forming installation according to any one of claims 1 to 10, and applying a plasticizer to said continuous tow material. A production line comprising a plasticizer applicator disposed upstream of said forming equipment for. A method of forming a continuous tubular rod from a continuous tow material comprising:
providing a continuous tow material;
forming the continuous tow material into a continuous tubular rod;
heating said continuous tow material during formation by providing superheated steam from a steam generator through a steam distribution system to said continuous tubular rod, thereby generating of the superheated steam at several injection sites of the superheated steam into the continuous tubular rod along the continuous tow material forming path, and downstream of the steam generator providing a temperature influencing factor in a steam distribution system, said temperature influencing factor having the ability to alter the temperature of said superheated steam delivered from said steam generator to said continuous tow material during forming. a method comprising: 13. The method of claim 12, comprising heating or cooling the superheated steam delivered from the steam generator prior to delivering the superheated steam to the continuous tow material. measuring the pressure of the superheated steam at at least one of the injection sites; and providing a pressure influencing factor in the distribution system, the pressure influencing factor 14. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 13, comprising providing the ability to vary, preferably reduce, the pressure of the superheated steam delivered to the tow material.