| 摘要 |
Novel rotary processors including sealing means to control leakage of pressure and/or material between processing passages which are maintained at significantly different pressure levels. The processors comprise a rotatable element carrying a plurality of annular channels and a stationary element providing a coaxial closure surface operationally arranged with the channels to provide enclosed processing passages. Each passage includes inlet means, outlet means and a channel blocking member all associated with the stationary element and arranged and adapted so that viscous material fed to the inlet can be carried forward by the rotatable channel walls to the blocking member for discharge from the passage. The passages are interconnected by material transfer grooves formed in the closure surface. A sealing groove is carried by the rotor surface portions between two adjacent passages maintained at significantly different pressure levels, such as by evacuating one of the two adjacent passages, and is open to the clearance between the rotor and the closure surface. A gate at the inlet to the downstream pasasge pressurizes the material in the transfer groove interconnecting the two passages, and forces pressurized material in the sealing groove as it passes under the transfer groove. Helical grooves in the rotor portion on both sides of the sealing groove reinforce the pressure in the sealing groove and urge the material radially outward so that the material in the sealing groove contacts the closure surface about the entire circumference of the sealing groove, forming a continuous live O-ring seal in the clearance between the passages. |
