Abstract 10. A method of preparing particulate spheres by the gelling of liquid drops comprising feeding a gellable liquid mix to a drop forming means disposed adjacent to the upper end of a cylindrical column containing a gelling liquid capable of causing said gellable liquid to gel, forming drops of gellable liquid above the level of the gelling liquid and independently of any concurrent flow of gelling liquid, allowing the drops so formed to contact the gelling liquid so as to form gel spheres, feeding gelling liquid to the column through both a valveless gel sphere outlet channel extending below the base of the column and an inlet adjacent the base, so as to produce a non-fluidising upward flow in the column, allowing said gel spheres to pass down the column countercurrent to the gelling liquid, and proportioning the flow of gelling liquid into the column between the channel and the inlet thereby to control the outflow of gel spheres from the column through said valveless outlet channel, the greater the inflow through the channel compared with that through the inlet the smaller the outflow of gel spheres from the column.
A method of preparing particulate spheres by the gelling of liquid drops comprising feeding a gellable liquid mix to a drop forming means disposed adjacent to the upper end of a cylindrical column containing a gelling liquid capable of causing said gellable liquid to gel, forming drops of gellable liquid above the level of the gelling liquid and independently of any concurrent flow of gelling liquid, allowing the drops so formed to contact the gelling liquid so as to form gel spheres, feeding gelling liquid to the column through both a valveless gel sphere outlet channel extending below the base of the column and an inlet adjacent the base, so as to produce a non-fluidising upward flow in the column, allowing said gel spheres to pass down the column countercurrent to the gelling liquid, and proportioning the flow of gelling liquid into the column between the channel and the inlet thereby to control the outflow of gel spheres from the column through said valveless outlet channel, the greater the inflow through the channel compared with that through the inlet the smaller the outflow of gel spheres from the column.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
189 words
A method of preparing particulate spheres by the gelling of liquid drops comprising feeding a gellable liquid mix to a drop forming means disposed adjacent to the upper end of a cylindrical column containing a gelling liquid capable of causing said gellable liquid to gel, forming drops of gellable liquid above the level of the gelling liquid and independently of any concurrent flow of gelling liquid, allowing the drops so formed to contact the gelling liquid so as to form gel spheres, feeding gelling liquid to the column through both a valveless gel sphere outlet channel extending below the base of the column and an inlet adjacent the base, so as to produce a non-fluidising upward flow in the column, allowing said gel spheres to pass down the column countercurrent to the gelling liquid, and proportioning the flow of gelling liquid into the column between the channel and the inlet thereby to control the outflow of gel spheres from the column through said valveless outlet channel, the greater the inflow through the channel compared with that through the inlet the smaller the outflow of gel spheres from the column.