Title: Apparatus of improved flat plate heat exchanger design for polymer devolatilizer
Application Number: 95192008 Application Date: 1995.01.12
Publication Number: 1143330 Publication Date: 1997.02.19
Approval Pub. Date: 1999.09.01 Granted Pub. Date: 1999.09.01
International Classifi-cation: B01D1/22;B01D3/06;C08C2/02;C08F6/00;F28D9/00;F28F13/08
Applicant(s) Name: The Dow Chemical Co. Address:
Inventor(s) Name: C. J. Cummings;B. J. Meister
Attorney & Agent: REN ZONGHUA
Abstract:
    An improved polymer devolatilization apparatus comprising a flat plate heater (22) comprising a polymer solution supply means (20), and a liquid/vapor collection and separation means, said flat plate heater further comprising a multiplicity of flat plates defining a plurality of channels (10), each channel having a substantially uniform height, but varying width over the total channel length, each channel comprising three zones: a first zone (12), having a beginning (18) and a terminus, said beginning in operative communication with the polymer solution supply means, characterized by decreasing width as a function of distance from its beginning, a second zone (14) having a beginning at the terminus of the first zone and a terminus, characterized by at least one occurrence of a restrictive cross-sectional area, and a third zone (16) having a beginning at the terminus of the second zone and terminating at a liquid/vapor collection and separation region operating at reduced pressure, said third zone characterized by increasing width as a function of distance from its beginning, and provided further that the ratio of maximum width of the third zone to the maximum width of the second zone is from 2:1 to 20:1.
Time: 5