Patent ID: 8298460

Claim:
A method for granulating and crystallizing thermoplastic polymers, comprising: granulating a polyester melt for the purpose of producing granules; supplying the granules to a liquid under a pressure d 1 and at a temperature T 1 ; increasing the pressure of the liquid, including the granules contained thereon, to a pressure d 2 >d 1 ; and increasing the temperature of the liquid, including the granules contained therein, to a temperature T 2 >T 1 ; nucleating the granules in the liquid under the pressure d 2 and at the temperature T 2 ; increasing the temperature of the liquid, including the granules contained therein, to a temperature T 3 >T 2 ; crystallizing the granules in the liquid at the temperature T 3 ; decreasing the pressure and temperature of the liquid, including the granules contained thereon, to a pressure d 4 and a temperature T 4 ; and separating the granules from the liquid.