Methods for the removal of moisture from polymeric materials

Claim 1

A METHOD OF SUBSTANTIALLY REMOVING ALL LIQUID FROM A LIQUID-BEARING POLYMERIC MATERIAL CONTAINING A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF LIQUID, SAID METHOD COMPRISING (1) ADVANCING THE MATERIAL THROUGH AN ELONGATED ENCLOSURE TO A DISCHARGE POINT, (2) GRADUALLY INCREASING MECHANICAL PRESSURE ON THE ADVANCING MATERIAL AND SIMULTANEOUSLY PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MATERIALLIQUID SYSTEM SUCH THAT THE SENSIBLE HEAT WITHIN THE MATERIAL-LIQUID SYSTEM UPON FLASH COOLING IS SUFFICIENT IN ITSELF TO EVAPORATE THE LIQUID, EXPAND THE MATERIAL AND RUPTURE THE SURFACE THEREOF, (3) ESTABLISHING A MECHANICAL PRESSURE ON THE MATERIAL-LIQUID SYSTEM TO PREVENT ANY SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF LIQUID IN VAPOR FORM, (4) THEREAFTER MAINTAINING THE MECHANICAL PRESSURE ON THE MATERIALLIQUID SYSTEM THROUGHOUT A SUFFICIENT LENGTH OF THE ENCLOSURE ABOVE THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID AT THE PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING TEMPERATURES OF THE SYSTEM TO KEEP THE LIQUID OF THE MATERIAL OF THE MATERIAL-LIQUID SYSTEM IN THE FORM OF A LIQUID IN SAID LENGTH OF THE ENCLOSURE, AND (5) IMMEDIATELY DISCHARGING THE MATERIAL-LIQUID SYSTEM TO ZONE OUTSIDE OF SAID ENCLOSURE, THEREBY INSTANTANEUSLY RELEASING THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID THEREIN TO EXPLOSIVELY VAPORIZE SAID LIQUID, THEREBY EXPANDING THE POLYMERIC MATERIAL AND RUPTURING THE SURFACES THEREOF FOR THE SPONTANEOUS ESCAPE OF SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE LIQUID THEREFROM BY UTILIZING THE SENSIBLE HEAT WITHIN THE COOLING SYSTEM.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF SUBSTANTIALLY REMOVING ALL LIQUID FROM A LIQUID-BEARING POLYMERIC MATERIAL CONTAINING A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF LIQUID, SAID METHOD COMPRISING (1) ADVANCING THE MATERIAL THROUGH AN ELONGATED ENCLOSURE TO A DISCHARGE POINT, (2) GRADUALLY INCREASING MECHANICAL PRESSURE ON THE ADVANCING MATERIAL AND SIMULTANEOUSLY PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MATERIALLIQUID SYSTEM SUCH THAT THE SENSIBLE HEAT WITHIN THE MATERIAL-LIQUID SYSTEM UPON FLASH COOLING IS SUFFICIENT IN ITSELF TO EVAPORATE THE LIQUID, EXPAND THE MATERIAL AND RUPTURE THE SURFACE THEREOF, (3) ESTABLISHING A MECHANICAL PRESSURE ON THE MATERIAL-LIQUID SYSTEM TO PREVENT ANY SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF LIQUID IN VAPOR FORM, (4) THEREAFTER MAINTAINING THE MECHANICAL PRESSURE ON THE MATERIALLIQUID SYSTEM THROUGHOUT A SUFFICIENT LENGTH OF THE ENCLOSURE ABOVE THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID AT THE PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING TEMPERATURES OF THE SYSTEM TO KEEP THE LIQUID OF THE MATERIAL OF THE MATERIAL-LIQUID SYSTEM IN THE FORM OF A LIQUID IN SAID LENGTH OF THE ENCLOSURE, AND (5) IMMEDIATELY DISCHARGING THE MATERIAL-LIQUID SYSTEM TO ZONE OUTSIDE OF SAID ENCLOSURE, THEREBY INSTANTANEUSLY RELEASING THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID THEREIN TO EXPLOSIVELY VAPORIZE SAID LIQUID, THEREBY EXPANDING THE POLYMERIC MATERIAL AND RUPTURING THE SURFACES THEREOF FOR THE SPONTANEOUS ESCAPE OF SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE LIQUID THEREFROM BY UTILIZING THE SENSIBLE HEAT WITHIN THE COOLING SYSTEM.