Importance

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Abstract

The invention teaches continuous process for rapidly drying a population of pressure sensitive microcapsules. The process comprises the steps of a) preparing a slurry comprising pressure-sensitive microcapsules dispersed in an aqueous carrier solution and encapsulating a non-solid core material; b) providing a pulse combustor having a means for generating a pulsating flow of hot gases, the pulse combustor having an associated combustion chamber with inlet means for introducing fuel and combustion air to the combustion chamber whereby the combination of the pulse combustor and the combustion chamber generate a pulsating flow of hot gases, the pulse combustor having an outlet means for discharging the pulsating flow of hot gases, and a material feed introduction chamber connected proximate the outlet means of the combustion chamber; c) inputting the slurry of microcapsules into the material feed introduction chamber; d) converting the slurry of microcapsules to dried microcapsules in a drying chamber communicating with the combustion chamber through the outlet means, the drying chamber receiving the microcapsule slurry fed into the material feed introduction chamber and the pulsating flow of hot gases; and, e) collecting in a collection assembly associated with the drying chamber the microcapsules dried in the drying chamber, whereby the collected microcapsules are substantially free of breakage.

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First Claim