Patent EA-003036-B1 (EA)
Title: Method for processing polymer materials such as rubber and installation to carry out such method
IPC: B29B13/04
Filed: 2000-07-04
Abstract: 1. A method for processing polymer materials such as rubber comprising the step of chopping a material to be treated to small crumbs, feeding said crumbs to a cooling chamber, cooling said crumbs to low temperatures by supplying cooled air from an air cooling chamber, pulverization of said material crumbs to obtain pulverized material, separating textile fiber and crumbs of non-pulverized material from the pulverized material, separating steel and metal cord from pulverized material to obtain rubber crumb, characterized in that the cooling chamber is located in a substantially vertical manner, rubber crumb is fed into the cooling chamber downwards under the its gravity to provide its quick and intensive cooling, supplying the cooled air to the upper and bottom portions of the cooling chamber and removing the vitiated air from the middle portion of the cooling chamber to provide uniform cooling of the cooled rubber crumb, providing uniform passing of the cooled air and its additional purification comprising at least one circular chamber located coaxially with the cooling chamber forming a gap therebetween, simultaneously with supplying and removing the flow of the cooled air an additional purification of the cooled air in the cooling chamber is carried out by making gaps between the cooling chamber and, at least, one circular chamber, as well as regulation of feeding and removing of rubber crumb in the cooling chamber using dosing devices. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that comprises an additional step of chopping the cooled rubber crumb to obtain fine rubber powder carried out immediately after the step of cooling rubber crumb in the cooling chamber to low temperatures. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that comprises the step of purifying the vitiated air from the cooling chamber by means of a cyclone and, at least, one filter, both are positioned on the conduit for removing the vitiated air from the cooling chamber. 4. An installation for processing polymer materials such as rubber comprising means for chopping material to smaller pieces connected to a cooling unit comprising a device for air cooling and a cooling chamber connected to a device for air cooling by means of conduits and having openings for feeding rubber crumb to the cooling chamber and removing it from said chamber and openings for supplying and removing the cooled air, and a conduit for removing air from the cooling chamber into a device for air cooling and located behind the cooling chamber one after another chopping means for pulverizing material, means for separating textile fiber and pieces of non-pulverized material and a magnetic separator for separating steel and metal cord, characterized in that a cooling chamber (6) is located in a substantially vertical manner and dosing devices are installed coaxially at the input of said cooling chamber and at the output thereof, said dosing devices make it possible to control the flow of rubber crumb to be treated at the input as well as at the output, openings made in the top and bottom portions of the cooling chamber are used for the supply of cooled air, and an opening made in the middle portion of said chamber is used to remove the vitiated air, the cooling chamber comprises at least one circular chamber located coaxially with the cooling chamber, separated by a gap with said cooling chamber and having larger radial dimensions than the latter. 5. The installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of the dimensions of the circular chamber and the cooling chamber is between 1.1 and 1.2. 6. The installation according to claim 4, characterized in that comprises means for an additional chopping of rubber crumb positioned immediately after the cooling unit. 7. The installation according to claim 4, characterized in that comprises a cyclone and, at least, one filter, both are positioned on the conduit for removing the vitiated air from the cooling chamber. 8. The installation according to claim 4, characterized in that the dosing means made in the form of a drum and designed for uniform loading and discharging of rubber crumb being processed are provided with blades with rubber seals at their ends to prevent a warm air inflow from the atmosphere. 9. The installation according to claim 4, characterized in that further comprises regulating means made in the form of shutters and arranged on the conduit for supplying cooled air to provide regulation of a cold-productivity of the air cooling unit. 10. The installation according to claim 4, characterized in that further comprises a discharging means made in the form of a belt conveyor with blades located co-axially with the cooling chamber and designed for maintaining the required level of rubber crumb being processed in the cooling chamber and uniformly discharging it.