A volatile cross-linking agent such as liquid peroxide is introduced, at ambient temperature and under atmospheric pressure directly into the input of an extruder at the same pressure as a polyolefin compound to be cross-linked. The resulting compounds are put under pressure within the extruder as the temperature increases so that the mixture reaches its definitive shape at the extruder output and may be fed directly into a hot cross-linking enclosure which is maintained under pressure. The peroxide is thus incorporated in a single operation permitting complete control of the ingredients mixed and allowing perfect homogenization of the mixture while defusion and consequent loss of the highly volatile peroxide are avoided. The system for introducing the highly volatile cross-linking agent includes a peroxide storage tank, a filling pump, a feed vessel, an incremental feed pump with a pressure meter, a flow meter and numerous safety features. These elements control the flow, temperature and ambient conditions of the cross-linking agent feed system within a controlled environment to ensure the safe and precise handling of a highly volatile liquid while at the same time controlling the feeding of the liquid as a function of the material processed by the extruder so that the percentage of the cross-linking agent inserted at the input to the extruder remains at a constant, predetermined percentage, regardless of extruder speed variations. Additionally, various additives which are soluble in the volatile cross-linking agent may be introduced within the feed system therefor in sufficient amounts for effecting protection of the resulting polymer without altering the efficiency of the feed system or that of the additive so that the entire process may be carried out at the processing site without initial preparation of various mixtures to be further processed.
一种挥发性
交联剂,如液态过氧化物,直接在环境温度和大气压力下,以与要交联的聚烯烃化合物相同的压力,直接注入挤出机的进料口。随着温度的升高,混合物在挤出机内受到压力,使其在挤出机的出料口达到其最终形状,并可以直接进入保持在压力下的热交联密闭室中。过氧化物因此在单个操作中被纳入,允许完全控制混合的成分,并允许混合物的完美均质化,同时避免了高度挥发性过氧化物的扩散和损失。引入高度挥发性
交联剂的系统包括过氧化物储罐、灌装泵、进料容器、带有压力计的增量进料泵、流量计和众多安全功能。这些元素在受控环境内控制
交联剂进料系统的流量、温度和环境条件,以确保在安全和精确处理高度挥发性液体的同时,根据挤出机加工的材料控制液体的进料,使
交联剂在挤出机的输入处的百分比保持恒定,而不受挤出机速度变化的影响。此外,可在进料系统中引入可溶于挥发性
交联剂的各种添加剂,以足够的量保护所得聚合物,而不会改变进料系统或添加剂的效率,因此整个过程可以在处理现场进行,而无需预先准备各种待进一步加工的混合物。