Patent ID: 9345985
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: A23P,B01D,C08F,C11D,F28D,F28F

Claim Text:
1. A process for the devolatilization of a flowable material comprising a liquid or flowable solid, and at least one entrained or dissolved volatile component, which process comprises passing that flowable material through a devolatilization apparatus while operating under devolatilization conditions, wherein said devolatilization apparatus comprises: (a) a pump for supplying a pressurized flowable material comprising at least one molten polymer and at least one dissolved or entrained volatile component, which flowable material is characterized by a bubble point pressure which varies with the temperature of the flowable material, (b) a collection-and-volatile-separation vessel, and (c) a multiplicity of plates defining a plurality of heating channels, each heating channel having a substantially uniform height and having two zones consisting essentially of: (d) a plurality of heating elements adapted to heat at least some of the plates so as to increase the temperature of the flowable material as it flows through the heating channels.