PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR INTRODUCING ADDITIVE MATERIALS IN A RECEPTACLE AT THE AREA OF HIGHEST PRESSURE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for introducing and/or adding non-dry-powder additive materials and/or coating materials with a liquid, solid, semi-solid, or paste-like consistency or in suspended or emulsified form, for example, peroxides, fats, waxes, IV improvers, polymers, or similar materials, to an existing lumpy or particulate material which is moved and mixed, and optionally warmed and reduced to small pieces in a receptacle and/or compressor (1), said material being in particular polymer particles and/or flakes, wood fibers, paper cuttings, or similar materials. According to the invention, the additive material is introduced below the level of the material and/or material particles already in the receptacle (1).

Claims

1. A device for introducing and adding non-dry particulate, additives, or coating stuffs of a liquid, solid, semi-solid, or pasty consistency to a lumpy or particulate material, the device comprising: at least one receiving receptacle or cutting condenser comprising: a lateral wall, at least one mixing tool disposed inside the receptacle or cutting condenser, wherein the at least one mixing tool moves the material, and at least one feeding device for adding the particulate, additives, or coating stuffs, wherein said feeding device is disposed on the lateral wall and displaced vertically above an upper edge of the mixing tool such that a vertical gap is present between the feeding device and the mixing tool upper edge, and wherein said feeding device is arranged in a region of the lateral wall such that during operation the at least one mixing tool is operated to move the material above the gap to communicate with the feeding device such that said material exerts maximum pressure onto the region of the lateral wall where said feeding device is positioned.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one feeding device is arranged at an inner side of said lateral wall of said receptacle to discharge into said receptacle through said lateral wall, or is formed in the lateral wall of said receptacle.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one feeding device comprises an outlet opening or a nozzle.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one feeding device is flush with the inside of the lateral wall of said receptacle.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the inner side of said receptacle is a non-wettable surface.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mixing tool is rotatable about a vertical axis.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mixing tool also comminutes the lumpy or particulate material.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the material is plastic material in the form of non-molten polymeric particles, wood fibers or scraps of paper.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the non-dry particulate, additives, or coating stuffs is in a suspended or emulsified form.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the non-dry particulate, additives, or coating stuffs is of an elevated viscosity.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the non-dry particulate, additives, or coating stuffs comprises at least one member of the group consisting of: peroxides, fats, waxes, IV enhancers, and polymers.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the material particles are moved within the receptacle.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the material particles are rotated within said receptacle.

14. The device according to claim 3, wherein said at least one feeding device is fed by at least one metering pump.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the at least one metering pump is a gear pump or diaphragm pump.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the at least one metering pump is configured to meter said additives in the form of droplets.

17. The device according to claim 4, wherein the feeding device does not protrude or project from the inner side of said receptacle towards an interior of said receptacle.

18. The device according to claim 5, wherein the non-wettable surface comprises anti-adhesion coating or embossing.

19. A device for introducing an additive to a material, the device comprising: a receptacle, comprising: a lateral wall; a mixing tool disposed inside the receptacle and configured to mix the material; and a feeding device disposed on the lateral wall and configured to introduce the additive to the receptacle, wherein a vertical location of said feeding device has been predetermined and preselected as a location above a top of the mixing tool at which a pressure of the material is highest.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The FIGURE shows a schematic view of a device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] A device according to the invention is shown in a schematic sectional view in The FIGURE.

[0039] The device in the form of a cutting compacter shown in The FIGURE has a receptacle 1 in the bottom area of which a crushing or mixing tool 4 that is pivotable about a vertical axis is provided which is actuated by a drive motor 5. At the level of this crushing and mixing tool 4, an opening is provided in the side wall of the receptacle 1 to which the housing 2 of a screw extruder is attached. An extruder screw 3 which is actuated by a drive motor 6 is located in the housing 2. The crushed and mixed material, in particular a plastic material, conveyed by the screw extruder emerges from the screw housing through the outlets 7. When plastic material is processed, the material is first melted or plasticized in the extruder. The container 1 may also be acted upon with a vacuum.

[0040] The material to be treated is given in the receptacle 1. The material is present in the receptacle 1 in a fragmented or particle-like form and thus has a large surface in relation to its volume. The material can be, for example, thermoplastic material in the form of flakes, granules, foil waste or the like. Wood fibres, newsprint paper or the like are also feasible. Due to the continuous dynamic movement or rotation of the material particles in the receptacle 1 caused by the mixing tool 4, the individual particles are thoroughly mixed and, optionally, depending on the configuration of the mixing tool 4, the material is also crushed and/or precompacted and perhaps also heated or dried or crystallized. The movement of the material particles in the receptacle 1 serves, in particular with plastic materials, to ensure that the individual plastic particles do not stick together when heated and that the fragmented character of the material remains intact.

[0041] Furthermore, a feeding device 10 in the form of a feed connection is provided in the lower area of the side wall of the container 1, which opens into the container 1 via an opening, whereby the opening seals flush with the inner surface of the side wall and no part of the feeding device 10 protrudes inside the container. One or more additives or coating substances can be dosed into the receptacle 1 via this feeding device 10.

[0042] The feeding device 10 is configured such that it is suitable for feeding non-dry particle-shaped or non-dry powdery or non-dry granular or non-dry crystalline additives. Dry powdery or granular additives, e.g. pigments, fillers or the like, are for the most part added from the top via a simple feed funnel. Thus, pumpable highly fluid or viscous, solid, semi-solid or pasty additives, in particular of higher viscosity, are added via the feeding device 10. For example, the feeding device 10 is suitable for adding highly fluid additives, such as plasticizers, peroxides, etc., viscous additives or also pasty, or more solid additives having a cream-like or pasty consistency, e.g. fats or waxes or also polymers. The term solid additives refers, for example, to waxes or fats which are inherently stable at room temperature, but nevertheless are still ductile and moldable. Originally, powdery additives or aggregates, such as pigments, fillers or the like, can also be added in this way by means of a carrier solution as dispersion or suspension, perhaps also as a suspension or emulsion.

[0043] According to the Figure, the feeding device 10 is placed below the level of the rotating material particles found in the container 1 or below the uppermost edges of the mixing vortex. Additives are therefore not added from the top, for example by spraying or drop by drop, but through the side wall of the container 1. The feeding device 10 or the feed opening is thereby always brushed over by material that moves past and the emerging additives are carried along and in this way applied to the material particles and dispersed or distributed within the material particles. As is clearly seen in the Figure, the feeding device 10 is displaced vertically above the upper edge of the mixing tool 4 such that a vertical gap is present between the feeding device 10 and the mixing tool upper edge.

[0044] The dispersion of the additives functions all the better, the larger the surfaces of the material particles are.

[0045] The additives, in particular reactive additives, are added, depending on the degree of dilution, through an eventual carrier of the additives, in amounts of between 0.01 and 20% by weight. For example, when using PET flakes as receiver material, a quantity of 0.2 to 0.6% of an additive is applied.

[0046] The maximum amount with which the additives are to be used is that amount which is necessary to wet the entire surface of the material found in the container 1 or the entire surface of the material particles.

[0047] Depending on the type of additive used and its reactivity, a reaction of the additive with the material perhaps does not take place until in the extruder or in the molten mass.

[0048] Finally, the material is completely melted in the extruder and, if necessary, filtered and/or degassed.

[0049] The process according to the invention can be carried out in one step, but can also be included in a two or more step process. Advantageously, the additives are thereby already added in the first step, in a pretreatment container connected upstream or in a first receptacle 1. For this purpose, the feeding devices are arranged in this pretreatment container. The further treatment of the material and/or the addition of further additives or an eventual drying or crystallizing then takes place in further containers 1.