A cooling apparatus for an extruder includes a supply line configured to receive bulk coolant from a supply circuit via an inlet. The supply line delivers supply coolant to the extruder along a flow path. A return line communicates expelled coolant from the extruder, and a circulation line connects the supply line to the return line. The circulation line supplies a recirculated portion of the expelled coolant to the supply line and mixes the bulk coolant with the recirculated portion of the expelled coolant forming the supply coolant. A bypass line connects the supply line to the return line, and a flow control valve connects one of the supply line and the return line to the bypass line. A proportion of the expelled coolant to the bulk coolant forming the supply coolant is adjusted by the flow control valve to control the temperature of the supply coolant.

A cooling apparatus for an extruder includes a supply line configured to receive bulk coolant from a supply circuit via an inlet. The supply line delivers supply coolant to the extruder along a flow path. A return line communicates expelled coolant from the extruder, and a circulation line connects the supply line to the return line. The circulation line supplies a recirculated portion of the expelled coolant to the supply line and mixes the bulk coolant with the recirculated portion of the expelled coolant forming the supply coolant. A bypass line connects the supply line to the return line, and a flow control valve connects one of the supply line and the return line to the bypass line. A proportion of the expelled coolant to the bulk coolant forming the supply coolant is adjusted by the flow control valve to control the temperature of the supply coolant.

The present invention relates to compostable tools for eating and for drinking, such as drinking straws or cutlery. The present invention furthermore relates to biodegradable medical commodities such as cotton swabs, tongue depressors or disposable toothbrushes. The tools and the medical commodities of the present invention comprise plant starch and plant-based thickener and gelling agents and can furthermore comprise cellulose/mechanical pulp, wax, oil and/or glycerine. The tools and the medical commodities of the present invention can furthermore comprise an outer coating which preferably comprises wax and/or a bipolymer, preferably rubber. The present invention additionally relates to a method for producing compostable tools for eating or drinking and for biodegradable medical commodities.

A screw having a longitudinal body and, around this longitudinal body, at least one flight extending in the shape of a helix, the flight including, over part of its length, internal partitioning delimiting a plurality of internal channels that extend in the shape of helices following the helix shape of the flight. The screw includes manifold-like cavities into which the ends of the interior canals open, the manifold-like cavities extending radially and opened into a longitudinal bore of the body at longitudinally spaced locations. This screw can be produced by additive manufacturing using laser-induced fusion.

A screw having a longitudinal body and, around this longitudinal body, at least one flight extending in the shape of a helix, the flight including, over part of its length, internal partitioning delimiting a plurality of internal channels that extend in the shape of helices following the helix shape of the flight. The screw includes manifold-like cavities into which the ends of the interior canals open, the manifold-like cavities extending radially and opened into a longitudinal bore of the body at longitudinally spaced locations. This screw can be produced by additive manufacturing using laser-induced fusion.

A method for producing thermally crosslinkable polymers in a planetary roller extruder is presented. The planetary roller extruder has a filling part and a compounding part made of a roller cylinder region that comprises at least two, preferably at least three coupled roller cylinders, planetary spindles of which are driven by a common central spindle. The polymers are supplied in a plasticized state. The filling part is supplied with a vacuum. The flow temperatures of the central spindle and the at least two roller cylinders under a vacuum are set such that the polymers to be degassed remain in the plasticized state. One or more liquids, such as thermal crosslinkers, crosslinking accelerators, dye solutions, or dye dispersions, are metered to the plasticized polymers downstream of the vacuum degassing, preferably in a continuous manner. Finally, the resulting mixture is directly supplied to a coating assembly.

A method for producing thermally crosslinkable polymers in a planetary roller extruder is presented. The planetary roller extruder has a filling part and a compounding part made of a roller cylinder region that comprises at least two, preferably at least three coupled roller cylinders, planetary spindles of which are driven by a common central spindle. The polymers are supplied in a plasticized state. The filling part is supplied with a vacuum. The flow temperatures of the central spindle and the at least two roller cylinders under a vacuum are set such that the polymers to be degassed remain in the plasticized state. One or more liquids, such as thermal crosslinkers, crosslinking accelerators, dye solutions, or dye dispersions, are metered to the plasticized polymers downstream of the vacuum degassing, preferably in a continuous manner. Finally, the resulting mixture is directly supplied to a coating assembly.

Various measures increase the cooling effect on a planetary roller extruder section/module. Those measures include a choke being arranged at an outlet of the planetary roller extruder section or module, a distance between centerlines of adjacent planetary spindles being at least equal to an outer diameter of the planetary spindles, providing a pressurized melt supply, having a cooling section composed of several sections/modules, providing at least one section/module in which a flow, during melt supply is converse to the conveying direction of the extruder, and providing cooling tubes arranged within the central spindle.

Various measures increase the cooling effect on a planetary roller extruder section/module. Those measures include a choke being arranged at an outlet of the planetary roller extruder section or module, a distance between centerlines of adjacent planetary spindles being at least equal to an outer diameter of the planetary spindles, providing a pressurized melt supply, having a cooling section composed of several sections/modules, providing at least one section/module in which a flow, during melt supply is converse to the conveying direction of the extruder, and providing cooling tubes arranged within the central spindle.

A sealing device for sealing the intermediate space between a housing and a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, having a first plate-shaped body with a front face, a rear face, and a first opening, which extends from the front face to the rear face and is suitable for feeding through the shaft, and having a cooling line, which runs in the body and is suitable for conducting a cooling medium. The first body is suitable for being tightly secured to the housing such that the shaft rotatably mounted in the housing is guided through the first opening. The first opening is suitable for introducing sealant such that the sealant seals an intermediate space between the shaft and the first body. The cooling line is guided around the first opening between a cooling line inlet and a cooling line outlet for the cooling medium such that heat produced from rotating the shaft can be dissipated by the cooling medium in a spatially homogenous manner.