Drying systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040320-B2
Application number	US-201615558658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2016
Priority date	Mar 20, 2015
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

Provided are improved steam-drying systems, the systems being configured so as to multiple resin streams into steam streams.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system, comprising:
an inlet that diverges into a plurality of branches including a first branch and a second branch;
a first plurality of resin channels configured for fluid communication with the first branch;
a first steam channel in fluid communication with the first plurality of resin channels, and the first plurality of resin channels being configured to deliver resin to an interior of the first steam channel;
a second plurality of resin channels configured for fluid communication with the second branch;
a second steam channel in fluid communication with the second plurality of resin channels, and
the second plurality of resin channels being configured to deliver resin to an interior of the second steam channel; and
the first and second steam channels converging at a first stage 1 manifold;
wherein the system is configured to establish a choke flow of a fluid passing through the first stage 1 manifold of the system; and
wherein at least one of
the first stage 1 manifold has a cross-sectional area within about 20% of total cross-sectional areas of the first and second steam channels in fluid communication with the first stage 1 manifold;
further comprising a third steam channel and a fourth steam channel; or
the system comprising from 2 to about 30 stage 1 manifolds.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first stage 1 manifold has the cross-sectional area within about 20% of the total cross-sectional areas of the first and second steam channels in fluid communication with the first stage 1 manifold.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second pluralities of resin channels comprises from 2 to about 50 channels.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the third steam channel and the fourth steam channel.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the third and fourth steam channels are in fluid communication, respectively, with third and fourth pluralities of resin channels.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first stage 1 manifold is configured to receive one or both of the third and fourth steam channels.

7. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a second stage 1 manifold, the second stage 1 manifold being configured to receive one or both of the third and fourth steam channels.

8. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a second stage 1 manifold, the second stage 1 manifold being configured to receive one or both of the third and fourth steam channels, and further comprising a first stage 2 manifold configured to receive one or both of the first stage 1 manifold and the second stage 1 manifold.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the first stage 2 manifold is less than the total cross-sectional area of the first and second stage 1 manifolds that the first stage 2 manifold receives.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises from 2 to about 30 stage 1 manifolds.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least 2 of the stage 1 manifolds receive from 2 to about 50 resin channels.

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising from 2 to about 30 stage 2 manifolds.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein at least 2 stage 2 manifolds receive 2 or more stage 1 manifolds.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising at least one stage 3 manifold.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one stage 3 manifold receives at least one stage 2 manifold.

16. The system of claim 1 , comprising the third steam channel and the fourth steam channel; and further comprising: a second stage 1 manifold, the second stage 1 manifold being configured to receive one or both of the third and fourth steam channels, a stage 2 manifold configured to receive one or both of the first stage 1 manifold and the second stage 1 manifold; and optionally a stage 3 manifold configured to receive the stage 2 manifold; wherein a cross-sectional area of the stage 2 manifold is less than a total cross-sectional area of the first and second stage 1 manifolds that the stage 2 manifold receives; and/or the stage 3 manifold is present and a cross-sectional area of the stage 3 manifold is less than the total cross-sectional area of the stage 2 manifold that the stage 3 manifold receives.

17. A method, comprising:
forming, by additive manufacturing a workpiece that comprises
an inlet that diverges into a plurality of branches including a first branch and a second branch;
a first plurality of resin channels configured for fluid communication with the first branch;
a first steam channel in fluid communication with the first plurality of resin channels, and the first plurality of resin channels being configured to deliver resin to an interior of the first steam channel;
a second plurality of resin channels configured for fluid communication with the second branch;
a second steam channel in fluid communication with the second plurality of resin channels, and
the second plurality of resin channels being configured to deliver resin to an interior of the second steam channel; and
the first and second steam channels converging at a first stage 1 manifold;
wherein the system is configured to establish a choke flow of a fluid passing through the first stage 1 manifold of the system; and
wherein at least one of
the first stage 1 manifold has a cross-sectional area within about 20% of total cross-sectional areas of the first and second steam channels in fluid communication with the first stage 1 manifold;
further comprising a third steam channel and a fourth steam channel; or the system comprising from 2 to about 30 stage 1 manifolds.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Gautam Pankaj Singh
• Hocker Thomas
• Hollar Jr William E
• Mahood James Alan
• Peters Richard

Classifications

• B01J2/04 Primary

  in a gaseous medium {(if combined with suspending the material in a gas, e.g. fluidised beds B01J2/16)} · CPC title

• B29B13/065

  of powder or pellets · CPC title

• B29B13/06

  by drying (B29B13/08 takes precedence {; drying moulded articles or half products B29C37/0092}) · CPC title

• B01J2/06 Primary

  in a liquid medium · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title