Apparatus for solvent extraction of catalyst from polymer solids

Claim 1

CONTACTING APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTION OF SOLUBLE MATTER FROM PARTICULATE SOLIDS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) AN UPRIGHT, ELONGATED VESSEL HAVING AN ENLARGED CENTER SECTION OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CROSS-SECTION AND VERTICALLY EXTENDED UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS HAVING UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN SAID CENTER SECTION, SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS BEING POSITIONED AT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CENTER SECTION; (B) AGITATION MEANS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CENTER SECTION; (C) MEANS FOR INTRODUCING FEED MATERIAL COMPRISING SOLIDS AND SOLUBLE MATTER TO THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID CENTER SECTION; (D) MEANS FOR INTRODUCING WASH LIQUID TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID LOWER SECTION; (E) MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING LIWUID FROM THE TOP OF SAID UPPER SECTION; (F) MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING SOLIDS FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID LOWER SECTION SAID WITHDRAWING MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN A PRESSURE SEAL WITHIN SAID VESSEL; AND (G) SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS BEING OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH AND DIAMETER TO PROVIDE VOLUMES SO THAT MATERIALS CONTAINED THEREIN ARE SUBSTANTIALLY UNEFFECTED BY TURBULENCE CREATED BY SAID AGITATION MEANS, THE MINIMUM DIAMETER OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS BEING FURTHER CHARACTERIZED AS BEING SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT UPWARD LIQUID FLOW AT A VELOCITY BELOW THE TRANSPORT VELOCITY OF SAID SOLIDS.