Polymer melt distributor

Claim 1

In the upper end of a reduced pressure devolatilizer a horizontal polymer melt distributor comprising in cooperating arrangement: (i) an inlet means and a die assembly, said die assembly comprising oppositely facing flange plates connected about a central die plate, said flange plates having essentially equisized central openings therethrough and having an inward taper towards said die plate, said die plate bearing a plurality of holes therethrough connecting the central openings through said flange plates, the total cross sectional area of said holes being less than the minimum cross sectional area of the central openings through said flange plates; (ii) a partially enclosed first section having a cross sectional area greater than the minimum cross sectional area through said flanges, said first section comprising a polyhedron with one or more faces wherein at least one face of said polyhedron provides a back wall cooperating with one of said flanges to provide an inlet for polymer melt into said polyhedron; one or more faces of said polyhedron providing an essentially planar base which relative to said inlet faces downward and slopes forward; one or more faces of said polyhedron providing a weir comprising relative to said base and said inlet one or more upwardly, outwardly facing surfaces and a plurality of holes through the base on the foot of the weir so that there are no areas of low flow in said polyhedron; said polyhedron having at least one or more upwardly facing openings, relative to said inlet, and having a first heating means positioned within said polyhedron at a height above said base but less than the vertical height of said weir; and (iii) spaced below but positioned to receive polymer melt overflow from said weir an essentially horizontal tray comprising a base having a plurality of strand forming holes therethrough, a continuous lip extending around the perimeter of said tray, and a second heating means positioned above said base but below the top of the lip.