Rotary processors and vacuum systems

Claim 1

A rotary processor for processing liquid material having volatiles contained therein and comprising: a plurality of processing passages formed by a rotatable element comprising a rotor carrying a plurality of annular processing channels, each channel having opposed side walls extending radially inwardly from the rotor surface, a stationary element having a coaxial closure surface spaced apart from the rotor surface to provide a clearance between the rotor and closure surface and cooperatively arranged with the channels to provide the plurality of processing passages, each processing passage having an inlet, an outlet and a channel blocking member associated with the stationary element and arranged so that material fed to the inlet can be carried forward by the rotating channel walls to the blocking member for discharge through the outlet, and one or more transfer grooves designed, sized and arranged for precluding material blockage by transferring the material from one passage to another; and wherein at least two of the processing passages provide a devolatilizing stage designed and arranged to cooperate with a vacuum source to evacuate the devoltilizing passages to separate at least some of the volatiles from the material; and characterized by a vacuum system for simultaneously evacuating the devolatilizing passages, which comprises a manifold associated with and extending outwardly from the stationary element and completely enclosing an opening through the stationary element extending axially over two or more passages of the devolatilizing stage to provide operational communication for transfer of the separated volatiles between the two or more devolatilizing passages and the vacuum source through a vacuum port provided by the manifold, the vacuum port being spaced apart from the opening sufficiently and the manifold, the opening and the vacuum port being designed and sized to provide sufficient cross-sectional area for transfer of the separated volatiles to substantially reduce vacuum loss, decrease pressure drop through the vacuum system and minimize orifice effects; and means to effectively prevent buildup of material on the closure surface at least in the region of the vacuum system including circumferential ribs arranged adjacent the axially upstream channel wall of the most upstream devolatilizing passage and adjacent the axially downstream channel wall of the most downstream devolatilizing passage, each circumferential rib extending radially into the passage to provide a close clearance between each rib and the adjacent wall and each circumferential rib arranged to extend in the direction of rotation from a point in the passage at or upstream of the leading edge of the opening to a point at or beyond the trailing edge of the opening.