Gala Industries. Inc.

Maag Gala, Inc.

J Wayne Martin

George Norman Benoit, Jr

Duane A Boothe

Michael A Fridley

Damon M Patton

Boonlert Thepsimuang

Jason Barr

Michael Eloo

Robert Mann

Roger Blake Wright

Samuel F Hannah

Donald W Smith

Jeff Rose

Tsung Cheng Chang

General J Pauley

Dennis M Chaney

Jeff Persinger

Tsung (Daniel) Cheng Chang

Robert G Mann

Described herein are extrusion processes to produce hollow pellets. Also disclosed are pelletizer devices that can be used to produce the hollow pellets. The processes and devices make use of an extrusion die having a die orifice and an insert that is placed in the die orifice to produce the hollow pellets.

Method and device for extrusion of hollow pellets

An apparatus and method for the pelletization of waxes, wax-like and other materials having a sharp melt point include a vessel for forming the wax into a hot molten material. A heat exchanger then cools the molten wax to a temperature just above its melt temperature. The cooled liquid wax is fed to an extruder which further reduces the temperature and mixes the liquid wax into a thoroughly mixed extrudable solid wax. The solid wax is then extruded through die orifices of a die plate into a cutting chamber, and a rotary cutter cooperating with the die face of the die plate cuts the extruded solid wax strands into pellets. The die plate, cutting chamber and rotary cutter can have the same structure as an underwater pelletizer, but operating without water or liquid as a dry face pelletizer. The thus formed wax pellets drop out of the cutting chamber by gravity through an opening in the bottom thereof.

Apparatus and method for pelletizing wax and wax-like materials

A continuous process wherein polymers or polymeric materials can be subjected to multiple sequential processing systems of differing temperatures and process conditions to synergistically enhance the pelletization and conditioning of those polymers and polymeric formulations, dispersions, and solutions. The multiple sequential processing systems include the processes and equipment for mixing/extrusion, pelletization, multiple transportation processes, conditioning, multiple defluidizing processes, and optional post-processing manipulations of pellets formed. Multiple serial and/or parallel conditioning processing systems are disclosed.

Method and apparatus to condition polymers utilizing multiple processing systems

The various embodiments of the present invention are directed to valve devices, systems, and methods for controlling the distribution of materials to multiple locations. The improved valve devices, materials distribution systems, and materials distribution methods disclosed herein are particularly suitable for use in applications where the materials being distributed are, for example but not limited to, non-gaseous fluid materials (e.g., raw liquids, solutions, slurries, colloids, suspensions, and the like) and solid materials having some level of tackiness, moisture content, or like property. The valves, systems, and methods disclosed herein can be operated without having to stop the flow of materials therethrough in order to change the position of the valve from one outlet to another. Further, the valves and systems disclosed herein have few directional changes, therefore there are few, if any, points within the system where the material can get stuck and/or lodged.

Valve devices, systems, and methods for controlling the distribution of materials

A melt cooler and valving system for an underwater pelletizer has a diverter valve that facilitates multiple modes of melt processing. The cooler has a cooler inlet line that conveys the melt to the cooler, and a cooler outlet line that conveys the cooled melt from the cooler. The diverter valve is configured to convey the melt to and from the cooler during a cooling mode of operation, to convey the melt around the cooler during a bypass mode of operation, and to drain the melt from the cooler and the diverter valve during a drain mode of operation. The diverter valve is compact and therefore contains a minimum of product inventory. The valve is streamlined and direct in its bypass mode, and includes a drain capability to allow for faster, easier cleaning of the process line, which in turn provides a fast changeover time with less lost product.

Melt cooler and valving system for an underwater pelletizing process

A continuous process wherein a mechanized and automated feeding system provides precision delivery of thermally and atmospherically conditioned components to a pelletization process including extrusion, pelletization, thermal processing, drying, and post-processing of the polymeric pellets formed. The components can be combined to form solutions, dispersions, emulsions, formulations, and the like. These components can further be reacted and thermally modified to form oligomers, pre-polymers, polymers, copolymers, and many combinations thereof.

Method and apparatus to achieve formulation and reactive polymerization utilizing a thermally atmospherically controlled feeding system for thermoplastic materials

A cutter hub and blade assembly for cutting polymer strands extruded from a die face in a pelletizer has cutter blades mounted on the cutter hub at a steep angle. The blades are beveled along a portion of their leading edge to form a blunt cutting edge or surface to the blades which is generally perpendicular to the die face. By beveling the leading edge of a blade supported at a steep angle to form a blunt cutting edge, the bottom surface area of the blade in contact with the die face can be significantly reduced. The reduced contact area provides several advantages including a clean cut of the pellets and a faster blade grinding when seating the blades to the die face.

Steep angle cutter hub with blunt edge blades

An underwater pelletizer providing more efficient formation of uniform size pellets including the provision of a taper on the die holes so that polymer will freeze near the exit and form an insulated die hole and a resultant cylindrical die hole for smooth polymer flow, axially movable ball bearing assemblies to support the pelletizer shaft in a housing, a threaded assembly with a thrust bearing to axially adjust the pelletizer shaft for compensating for blade wear, radial clearance for the outer race of the thrust bearing to eliminate preloading of the axially movable ball bearings, a gear coupling between the shaft and driving motor to permit axial movement of the shaft for blade adjustment, and a spring support for the pelletizer, all of which cooperate to form an effective underwater pelletizer which will efficiently produce uniform plastic pellets.

Growing community of inventors

Buchanan, VA, United States of America

J Wayne Martin