Patent ID: 7638593

Claim:
A method of crystallizing polymeric pellets in a crystallizer having an inlet, an outlet, and a contact region between the inlet and the outlet, the method comprising: a) introducing a plurality of polymeric pellets, wherein the plurality of polymeric pellets have an initial average temperature between 135° C. and 200° C., into the inlet of the crystallizer, the plurality of polymeric pellets comprising a crystallizable polymer having a crystallization temperature and a melting temperature, the plurality of polymeric pellets having an average pellet temperature, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pellets crystallize from inside to outside; b) spraying a liquid into the contact region of the crystallizer, the liquid having a temperature sufficient to allow at least partial crystallization of the plurality of polymeric pellets while maintaining the average pellet temperature below the melting temperature while the plurality of polymeric pellets is within the crystallizer; and c) removing the plurality of polymeric pellets from the outlet of the crystallizer wherein the crystallizer conveys the plurality of polymeric pellets along a longitudinal direction from the inlet to the outlet.