Patent ID: 9639013
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: B01F,G03G

Claim:
1. A continuous process for coalescing particles, comprising: feeding an aggregated particle slurry into a multi-screw extruder for a predetermined residence time; heating the aggregated particle slurry to a temperature of about 70° C. to about 98° C. in a first zone of the extruder; adding a caustic solution to raise the pH of the aggregated particle slurry and form a coalesced particle slurry in a second zone of the extruder downstream of the first zone; homogenizing the particles in the coalesced particle slurry in a third zone of the extruder downstream of the second zone; measuring circularity of the particles in the coalesced particle slurry and changing the residence time within the extruder until the circularity of the particles in the coalesced particle slurry are of a predetermined value; and pumping the coalesced particle slurry of the predetermined particle circularity from an outlet port of the multi-screw extruder.