1. A mixer-distributor-collector apparatus located between an upper and a lower bed of solid particles in a vessel having a vertical axis, said apparatus comprising:
an upper boundary comprising means for retaining the upper bed of solid particles and permitting the downward flow of a fluid having a fluid velocity profile through the mixer-distributor-collector apparatus;
a fluid distributor located below and spaced apart from the upper boundary, the fluid distributor improving the uniformity of the fluid velocity profile;
a fluid deflection plate extending horizontally across the cross sectional area of the vessel and being located between and spaced apart from the upper boundary and the fluid distributor,
a passageway through the fluid deflection plate which provides fluid communication between the upper boundary and fluid distributor; and
a flow manipulator selected from the group consisting of perforated plates, screens, grids, porous solids, honeycombs, and combinations thereof;
wherein the upper boundary, the fluid distributor, and the flow manipulator are oriented substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the vertical vessel axis, and the flow manipulator being located below and spaced apart from the fluid distributor by a distance, X, and has an open area, OAM, such that the ratio OAMOAD is greater than 1 where, OAD is the open area of the fluid distributor.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein OAM ranges from about 25% to about 50%.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein OAD ranges from about 1% to about 20%.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the distance X between the fluid distributor and the flow manipulator, is defined by the ratio XMD where MD is the mesh of the fluid distributor and the ratio XMD is at least 1.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ratio MDMM is less than 3 where MD is the mesh of the fluid distributor and MM is the mesh of flow manipulator.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a conduit which provides for the addition, withdrawal, or addition and withdrawal of a second fluid stream from an apparatus volume, V, the apparatus volume, V, defined as the volume between the upper boundary and the fluid distributor.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a mixing box; the mixing box being located at least partially within the volume of the apparatus, V, and connected to the conduit and having at least one opening providing fluid communication between the mixing box and the apparatus volume, V.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow manipulator is a profile wire screen.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow manipulator is a perforated plate.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the perforations through the flow manipulator are circular and have a diameter between about 0.5 mm (0.02 inches) and about 5 mm (0.2 inches).
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fluid distributor is selected from the group consisting of perforated plates, screens, and grids.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the fluid distributor is a perforated plate.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the fluid distributor is a profile wire screen.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-8. (canceled)
9. A device for manufacturing at least one of a fibril or filament yarn from at least two liquified materials, said device comprising:
a nozzle plate defining a plurality of front holes and a plurality of spinning capillaries, wherein each of said plurality of front holes passes into at least one of said plurality of spinning capillaries;
a perforated plate disposed on said nozzle plate, said perforated plate having a plurality of projections extending therefrom into said front holes of said nozzle plate, said perforated plate receiving multiple material flows of said at least two liquified materials;
at least one first capillary arranged in the center of each of said projections, said first capillary guiding at least one material flow of a first material of said multiple material flows;
a plurality of second capillaries arranged on a peripheral edge of each of said projections, said plurality of second capillaries arranged in a surrounding area of said first capillary and said plurality of second capillaries receiving at least one material flow of a second material of said multiple material flows; and
said first capillaries in said projections conduct said material flow of said first material and said pluralities of second capillaries on said peripheral edge of said projections conduct said material flow of said second material through said front holes and into said spinning capillaries, so that each of said spinning capillaries spins at least one of a fibril or filament yarn comprising said first material and said second material.
10. A device as in claim 9, further comprising a trough disposed within said perforated plate, said trough connected to said pluralities of second capillaries so as to provide said material flow of said second material.
11. A device as in claim 9, further comprising a distribution system positioned proximal to said perforated plate upstream in a direction of flow of said multiple material flows, said distribution system having at least a first system and second system of main passage apertures, whereby said first capillaries are in communication with said first system of main passages apertures and said second capillaries are in communication with said second system of main passage apertures.
12. A device as in claim 11, wherein said first system of main passages apertures of said distribution system are fed jointly by at least two sources of said first material, and said second system of main passage apertures of said distribution system are fed by at least one source of said second material.
13. A device as in claim 11, wherein said distribution system is disposed on an inlet side of said perforated plate, said distribution system exhibiting slots for distribution of said first material into said first capillaries and said second material into said second capillaries.
14. A device as in claim 11, wherein said distribution system includes a melt plate defining slots for the guidance of said first material and said second material, said slots being flush with multiple rows of core holes and multiple rows of sheath holes defined by said perforated plate and said slots being restricted to different zones on an inlet side for conducting said first material and said second material.
15. A device as in claim 9, wherein a plurality of first capillaries are arranged in the center of each of said projections.
16. A device as in claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of spinning capillaries spins at least one of a fibril or filament yarn so that said first material from a corresponding plurality of first capillaries forms a connected core having a filament core and at least one filament lobe and said second material from a corresponding plurality of second capillaries contacts and at least partially surrounds said connected core.
17. A device as in claim 9, wherein each of said front holes of said nozzle plates has a depth that is at least twice the diameter of said front holes.
18. A device as in claim 9, wherein said perforated plate defines at least one row of core holes for receiving and guiding said first material and at least one row of sheath holes for receiving and guiding said second material, said core holes in communication with said first capillaries and said sheath holes in communication with said second capillaries.
19. A device as in claim 18, wherein said perforated plate defines multiple rows of said core holes and multiple rows of said sheath holes, with said rows of core holes and said rows of sheath holes alternating.
20. A device as in claim 18, wherein said sheath holes are in communication with a trough disposed on an outlet side of said perforated plate, said sheath holes guiding said second material into said trough and said second capillaries are in communication with said trough, said second capillaries receiving said second material from said trough, while said core holes are in direct communication with said first capillaries so as to directly pass said first material.