Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Lewis Erwin, Ii

Nam Pyo Suh

Christopher A Rotz

James R Melcher

James F Hoburg

A method of accelerating the cooling of articles made from polymeric particles, such as thermoplastic particles, in which compacted particles are subjected to a heat effect so that selected regions thereof are preferentially heated and the remaining regions thereof remain substantially unheated to produce a heterogeneous temperature distribution within the particles. When the heating effect is removed the preferentially heated regions cool in a rapid fashion by heat transfer therefrom to the unheated regions thereof.

Method of accelerating the cooling of polymeric articles

A fluid mixing apparatus having means for producing vortex-like motions of the fluids introduced therein, one embodiment of such an apparatus, for example, using two concentrically mounted inner and outer members, preferably cylindrical, moveable relative to each other at rotational speeds such as to produce the desired vortex-like motions of the fluids introduced into the region therebetween. In one embodiment thereof, the vortex-like motions may be obtained at relatively low rotational speeds by the use of V-shaped grooves on the inner member. In addition, suitable means can further be used to generate a de-stabilizing force for the fluids in a direction substantially perpendicular to the velocity streamlines thereof to further enhance the mixing effectiveness and to improve the quality of the mix, such de-stabilizing force in one embodiment, for example, being generated by the application of an electric field across the region between the inner and outer members.

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Belmont, MA, United States of America

Lewis Erwin, Ii