APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR EXPANDING EXPANDABLE POLYMERIC MICROSPHERES

• Main Authors: SVENSSON Fredrik, GAMBATESA Darren, SMITH James Curtis, PAPONETTI Richard, BURY Mark A, MUESSIG Stefan, ONG Frank Shaode, NORDIN Jan, SIMMONS Jermaine
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.03.2018
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F,C08G; BLASTING; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS,IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT; HEATING; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; LIGHTING; MEASURING; MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER,MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; TESTING; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS; WORKING-UP

An apparatus including: (a) a fluid material conduit in fluid communication with a source of a fluid material, wherein the fluid material comprises unexpanded, expandable polymeric microspheres; (b) a treatment zone in heat transfer communication with a source of heat and in fluid communication with the fluid material conduit, such that the fluid material is directly or indirectly contacted by heat within the treatment zone; and (c) a back pressure generator in fluid communication with the treatment zone, capable of increasing pressure in the treatment zone, which results in expansion of the expandable polymeric microspheres when the fluid material exits the treatment zone.