Background
A chemical company who was producing functional resins for cosmetics and information devices was asked by their customer to thoroughly remove unreacted monomers from newly-developed functional resin powders.
They originally planned to install an unreacted monomer remover and a dryer independently. Based on our experiences with the Ribocone that both of drying and monomer removal could be implemented on a single unit, we proposed the machine to them. Through repeated testing with them, we could carry out drying and thorough removal of unreated monomers with one unit of the Ribocone.
Challenges
- Only a single unit must perform drying and unreacted monomers removal.
- The machine must be sanitary design with excellent cleanability for high-mix low-volume production of value-added products.
- The dryer heat source must be easily changed from steam to hot water for some products. However, we have no hot water utility now.
Solutions
- Unreated monomers will be removed just after drying is finished by control system.
- The top lid of helical ribbon agitator is detachable with air clampers to go up and down, using a hoist.
- The machine will be sanitary design to facilitate the disassembly for cleaning.
- A hot water generator to produce hot water by steam will be included as an accessory.
Results
- The drying and removal of unreacted monomers can be implemented only with one unit of the Ribocone. We did not have to purchase an unreated monomer remover separately.
- The machine can be easily cleaned when products are changed.
- The heat source can be easily changed from steam to hot water with the control panel.
