Method for reclaiming polyurethane foam

摘要

A method if provided for continuously hydrolyzing urethane foam in a vertically oriented hydrolysis reactor. In a preferred practice, a bed of foam particles is formed in the reactor. Superheated steam is flowed continuously upward through the bed at a temperature and rate such that only the foam particles then adjacent the bottom of the reactor are hydrolyzed and the bulk of the bed is not fluidized. Unreacted steam heats the unhydrolyzed foam. Liquid hydrolysis products are drained as they are formed to prevent hydrolysis-impeding liquid saturation of unhydrolyzed particles.