Process for en masse production of spherules by desiccation

Abstract

Abstract A METHOD IS PROVIDED FOR MANUFACTURING SOLID SPHERULES, EN MASSE, IN A LIQUID SPHERULE PROCESSING VEHICLE BY A TECHNIQUE EMPLOYING DESICCATION. THE PROCESS INCLDUES THE STEPS OF PROVIDING, DISPERSED IN THE SPHERULE PROCESSING VEHICLE, "PRELIMINARY CAPSULES" CONTAINING WITHIN CAPSULE WALLS OF POLYMERIC MATERIAL, A LIQUID SOLUTION OR SLURRY OF THE SOLID MATERIAL TO BE SPHERIFIED AND THEN REMOVING THE CONTAINED LIQUID TO YIELD, SUBSTANTIALLY SPHERICAL CAPSULES, I.E., SPHERULES, OF DRY, SOLID MATERIAL. PRODUCTION OF THE PRELIMINARY CAPSULES IS ACCOMPLISHED BY WELL-KNOWN ENCAPSULATING METHODS UTILIZING, FOR EXAMPLE, LIQUID-LIQUID PHASE SEPARATION. REMOVAL OF THE CONTAINED LIQUID IS ACCOMPLISHED, IN ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE NOVEL PROCESS, BY INTRODUCING PARTICLES OF A SOLID, INSOLUBLE, DESICCATING MATERIAL INTO THE DISPERSION OF PRELIMINARY CAPSULES IN SPHERULE PROCESSING VEHICLE. THE CONTAINED LIQUID IS, THEREBY ATTRACTED THROUGH THE PRELIMINARY CAPSULE WALL AND, BEING TRANSPORTED BY THE SPHERULE PROCESSING VEHICLE, IS SROBED BY THE DESICCATING MATERIAL. SPHERULES PRODUCED BY THIS INVENTION CAN BE MADE TO INCLUDE, AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS, FERTILIZERS, INSECTICIDES, PESTICIDES, FLAVORS, FRAGRANCES, FOODS AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS.

Inventors

• 👤 Thomas C Powell
• 👤 Jerrold L Anderson

Bibliographic Details