Patent Description:
A super absorbent polymer (SAP) is a synthetic polymer material having a function of absorbing about <NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM> times its own weight of moisture. Various manufacturers have called it with different names such as a super absorbency material (SAM) and an absorbent gel material (AGM).

The super absorbent polymer started to be practically applied in sanitary products and is currently widely used for water retaining soil for gardening, water stop materials for civil engineering and construction, sheets for raising seedling, fresh-keeping agents for food distribution fields, and materials for poultices, as well as hygiene products such as disposable diapers for children.

As a method for preparing a super absorbent polymer, a reverse phase suspension polymerization method, an aqueous solution polymerization method, and the like have been known.

For example, the reverse phase suspension polymerization method is disclosed in <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, and also in <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

As the aqueous solution polymerization method, a thermal polymerization method of polymerizing a hydrous gel phase polymer while fracturing and cooling the hydrous gel phase polymer in a kneader equipped with a plurality of shafts, a photo-polymerization method of irradiating an aqueous solution having a high concentration with UV rays and the like on a belt to perform polymerization and drying at the same time, and the like have been known.

Meanwhile, in order to obtain a hydrous gel phase polymer having more excellent physical properties, a method using a belt type SAP polymerization apparatus has been currently widely used.

That is, a monomer is fed using a cylindrical dispenser including the belt type SAP polymerization apparatus with a vertical pipe to convey the monomer at a uniform speed and thickness.

Such a cylindrical dispenser includes a main channel through which a monomer is moved and a plurality of discharge channels branched from the main channel and through which the monomer is discharged. Here, in a process in which the monomer is discharged, the monomer may be fed to the belt type SAP polymerization apparatus in a state in which an initiator and a foaming agent are injected together and mixed with the monomer.

However, in the cylindrical dispenser as described above, during the process in which the monomer is discharged through the discharge channel by passing through the main channel, a dead zone where a flow of the monomer is blocked is formed therein to often cause generation of foreign substances. Accordingly, an outlet of the cylindrical dispenser is blocked by the foreign substances, resulting in deterioration of working efficiency and damage of a belt of the belt type SAP polymerization apparatus.

The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a chute type monomer dispenser having advantages of preventing a belt of a polymerization apparatus from being damaged due to foreign substances by preventing a formation of a dead zone where a flow of a monomer is blocked during feeding the monomer.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a chute type monomer dispenser including: a chute dispenser installed to be slanted in a direction of a polymerization apparatus, injecting a monomer to the polymerization apparatus through an injection pipe, and having an injection portion opened at an upper portion of the chute dispenser; and an injector injecting an initiator and a foaming agent to the injection portion.

The chute dispenser includes a dispenser body on which the monomer is moved in the direction of the polymerization apparatus, and guide portions formed at sides of the dispenser body and guiding the movement of the monomer.

The dispenser body has a slanted movement portion on which the monomer, the initiator, and the foaming agent are moved in the direction of the polymerization apparatus.

The slanted movement portion is formed in a fan shaped plane suitable for feeding a monomer to the polymerization apparatus while maintaining a uniform thickness, and may be formed from a portion where the first guide protrusion and the second guide protrusion are connected to each other.

The injection pipe may have an opened fan-shaped portion where the monomer is discharged to the injection portion.

The injector may inject the initiator and the foaming agent to a portion of the injection portion of the chute dispenser in a spray manner.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a time required for a monomer to move from an injected position to a discharged position and a flow rate of the monomer are further increased, such that the monomer is stably fed without generation of foreign substances, thereby preventing a belt of the polymerization apparatus from being damaged due to the foreign substances.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may easily implement the exemplary embodiments. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

In the drawings, portions irrelevant to the description are omitted for clearly describing the present invention and the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when any one part is referred to as being "connected to" another part, it means that any one part and another part are "directly connected to" each other or are "indirectly connected to" each other with the other member interposed therebetween. In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary, "comprising" any components will be understood to imply the inclusion of other components rather than the exclusion of any other components.

Throughout the specification, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, a film, a region, or a substrate is referred to as being positioned "on" another element, the element may be directly positioned on another element or an intervening element may also be present between the two elements. In addition, the term "above" or "on" means positioning on or below the object portion, but does not essentially mean positioning on the upper side of the object portion based on a gravity direction.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a chute type monomer dispenser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, <FIG> is a perspective view schematically illustrating an operation state of a chute dispenser and an injector of the chute type monomer dispenser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and <FIG> is a side view of the chute type monomer dispenser of <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a chute type monomer dispenser <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a chute dispenser <NUM> installed to be slanted in a direction of a polymerization space inside a polymerization apparatus, injecting a monomer into the polymerization space through an injection pipe <NUM>, and having an injection portion <NUM> formed at an upper portion of the chute dispenser, and an injector <NUM> injecting an initiator and a foaming agent to the injection portion <NUM>.

The polymerization apparatus <NUM> is for preparing a super absorbent polymer (SAP), and a belt type polymerization apparatus is described in the present exemplary embodiment by way of example.

That is, as illustrated in <FIG>, the polymerization apparatus <NUM> may include a plurality of rotation shafts <NUM>, a conveyer belt <NUM> movably installed in a certain direction between the rotation shafts <NUM>, and a polymerization energy feeding unit <NUM> feeding polymerization energy.

For a polymerization reaction, the monomer, the initiator, and the foaming agent may be injected to the polymerization apparatus <NUM>.

The monomer <NUM> may be injected to the polymerization apparatus <NUM> by the chute dispenser <NUM>.

The chute dispenser <NUM> is installed to be slanted in the direction of the polymerization apparatus and may inject the monomer to the polymerization apparatus.

More specifically, the chute dispenser <NUM> has an injection portion <NUM> opened at the upper portion of the chute dispenser, and the monomer <NUM> may be fed through the injection portion <NUM> and be injected into the polymerization apparatus <NUM>.

The monomer <NUM> may be fed into the injection portion <NUM> of the chute dispenser <NUM> through the injection pipe <NUM>.

The chute dispenser <NUM> includes a dispenser body <NUM> on which the monomer <NUM> is moved in the direction of the polymerization apparatus <NUM>, and guide portions <NUM> formed at sides of the dispenser body <NUM> and guiding the movement of the monomer <NUM>.

The dispenser body <NUM> is installed to be slanted in the direction of the polymerization apparatus, and is installed so that the monomer <NUM> is injected into the polymerization apparatus <NUM> by its own weight.

The dispenser body <NUM> has a slanted movement portion on which the monomer <NUM> is moved. Hereinafter, the dispenser body and the slanted movement portion are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The slanted movement portion <NUM> is formed at the upper portion of the dispenser body <NUM> and is formed in a fan-shaped plane with a long length in the present exemplary embodiment so that the monomer <NUM> is moved in the direction of the polymerization apparatus <NUM> by its own weight.

As such, the slanted movement portion <NUM> is formed in the fan-shaped plane, such that the monomer may be fed to the polymerization apparatus <NUM> while maintaining a uniform thickness, in a process in which the monomer <NUM> is discharged in the direction of the polymerization apparatus.

The dispenser body <NUM> has guide portions <NUM> guiding the movement of the monomer <NUM>.

The guide portions <NUM> may include a first guide protrusion 25a protruding at an edge of a first side of the slanted movement portion <NUM> and a second guide protrusion 25b protruding at an edge of a second side of the slanted movement portion <NUM>, the second side being opposed to the first side.

The first guide protrusion 25a protrudes at the edge of the first side of the slanted movement portion <NUM>, and may prevent the monomer <NUM> moved along the slanted movement portion <NUM> from escaping from the first side thereof to the outside.

The first guide protrusion 25a may protrude at the first side of the slanted movement portion <NUM>, while being in a slanted state.

That is, the first guide protrusion 25a may protrude in a slanted state so as to have a maximum height at a portion at which the monomer <NUM> is injected and a minimum height at a portion at which the monomer <NUM> is discharged, depending on a slant angle of the slanted movement portion <NUM>.

The second guide protrusion 25b may protrude at the second side of the slanted movement portion <NUM>, while being in a slanted state.

That is, the second guide protrusion 25b is formed in the same size and shape as those of the first guide protrusion 25a, and may protrude at the second side opposed to the first side of the slanted movement portion <NUM>.

That is, the second guide protrusion 25b may protrude in a slanted state so as to have a maximum height at a portion at which the monomer <NUM> is injected and a minimum height at a portion at which the monomer <NUM> is discharged, depending on a slant angle of the slanted movement portion <NUM>.

As such, the second guide protrusion 25b protrudes at the second side of the slanted movement portion <NUM>, and may prevent the monomer <NUM> from escaping from the second side of the slanted movement portion <NUM> to the outside in a process in which the monomer is injected.

The first guide protrusion 25a and the second guide protrusion 25b described above each are formed in a protruding state at the edges of the both sides of the slanted movement portion <NUM> formed in a fan shape, such that the monomer <NUM> discharged along the slanted movement portion <NUM> may be guided to be stably injected to the polymerization apparatus <NUM> while maintaining a uniform thickness.

<FIG> is a view schematically illustrating a state in which an injection pipe of the chute type monomer dispenser of <FIG> is installed, and <FIG> is a perspective view schematically illustrating the injection pipe according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the monomer <NUM> may be injected into the injection portion <NUM> of the chute dispenser <NUM> through the injection pipe <NUM>.

The injection pipe <NUM> may have an opened fan-shaped portion 26a where the monomer <NUM> is discharged to the injection portion <NUM>. More specifically, the injection pipe <NUM> may be installed in a state in which one side of an end of the injection pipe <NUM> is in contact with an inner surface of the first guide protrusion 25a and the other side of the end of the injection pipe <NUM> is in contact with an inner surface of the second guide protrusion 25b.

Accordingly, the monomer <NUM> injected through the injection pipe <NUM> may be stably moved along the slanted movement portion <NUM> without a dead zone where a flow of the monomer is blocked.

Meanwhile, an initiator and a foaming agent <NUM> may be injected to the chute dispenser <NUM> by the injector <NUM>.

The injector <NUM> installed outside the chute dispenser <NUM> may be installed to inject the initiator and the foaming agent toward the injection portion <NUM> of the chute dispenser <NUM>.

That is, the injector <NUM> may inject the initiator and the foaming agent toward the injection portion <NUM> from the outside of the chute dispenser <NUM> in a spray manner.

The injector <NUM> injects the initiator and the foaming agent in a spray manner in a state in which the injector <NUM> is spaced apart from an upper side of the chute dispenser <NUM> at a predetermined distance to feed the initiator and the foaming agent to the chute dispenser <NUM>. One injector <NUM> may be installed above the chute dispenser <NUM>.

Although the case in which one injector <NUM> is installed outside the chute dispenser <NUM> is described by way of example, a plurality of injectors <NUM> may be installed depending on injection amounts and injection positions of the initiator and the foaming agent.

As described above, the chute type monomer dispenser <NUM> of the present exemplary embodiment may uniformly distribute and feed the monomer <NUM> fed through the vertical type injection pipe <NUM> to the belt type polymerization apparatus <NUM>.

Here, the chute dispenser <NUM> is formed in an open type, and the initiator and the foaming agent may be fed to the open type chute dispenser <NUM> by the injector <NUM> in a spray manner.

Accordingly, the monomer, the initiator, and the foaming agent fed to the chute dispenser <NUM> may be fed to the polymerization apparatus while turbulence for mixing is sufficiently formed.

In this process, the chute dispenser <NUM> has the opened injection portion <NUM>, such that the monomer, the initiator, and the foaming agent may be efficiently fed without a dead zone where a flow is blocked.

<FIG> is a view schematically illustrating a state in which a dead zone is formed in a cylindrical dispenser according to the related art, and <FIG> is a view schematically illustrating a state in which a dead zone is not formed in the chute type monomer dispenser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in <FIG>, it can be confirmed that in a cylindrical dispenser <NUM> according to the related art, a wide dead zone is formed between a first outlet A and a second outlet B that are formed between an edge and an inlet of the cylindrical dispenser <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, it can be confirmed that in the chute type monomer dispenser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a time required for a monomer to move from an injected position to a discharged position and a flow rate of the monomer are further increased, such that the monomer is stably fed without generation of foreign substances.

Claim 1:
A chute type monomer dispenser (<NUM>) comprising:
a chute dispenser (<NUM>) installed to be slanted in a direction of a conveyor belt (<NUM>) of a polymerization apparatus (<NUM>) and having an injection portion (<NUM>) opened at an upper portion of the chute dispenser (<NUM>); an injection pipe (<NUM>) suitable for injecting a monomer to the polymerization apparatus (<NUM>); and
an injector (<NUM>) suitable for injecting an initiator and a foaming agent to the injection portion
characterized in that
the chute dispenser (<NUM>) includes a dispenser body (<NUM>) installed to be slanted in the direction of a conveyor belt (<NUM>) of the polymerization apparatus (<NUM>), so that the monomer (<NUM>) is injected into the polymerization apparatus (<NUM>) by its own weight and having a slanted movement portion;
the slanted movement portion is formed in a fan-shaped plane suitable for feeding the monomer (<NUM>) to the polymerization apparatus (<NUM>) while maintaining a uniform thickness, in a process in which the monomer (<NUM>) is discharged in the direction of the polymerization apparatus (<NUM>); and
the dispenser body (<NUM>) has guide portions (<NUM>) formed at sides of the dispenser body and configured to guide the movement of the monomer (<NUM>).