Patent ID: 8518212

Claim:
A devolatilization apparatus comprising: (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 channel having a substantially uniform height and having two zones comprising: a first zone having (1) an average hydraulic radius, and (2) an inlet adapted to receive the flowable material from the pump, and a second zone constituting the remainder of each channel, which second zone is adapted to receive the flowable material from the first zone and has at least one outlet adapted to discharge the flowable material into the collection-and-volatile-separation vessel, wherein the outlet of the second zone consist essentially of a smaller hydraulic radius than the average hydraulic radius of the first zone, and wherein the design or operation of at least some of the heating channels is such that the pressure of the flowable material at essentially all positions within the first zone of those heating channels exceeds the bubble point pressure of the flowable material, and (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.