Importance

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Abstract

A continuous foam production system is disclosed wherein a molten thermoplastic resin is mixed with volatile blowing agent at elevated pressure to form an extrusion mass. A helical screw extruder means is adapted to extrude the molten resin with volatile blowing agent into a low pressure foaming zone to form a foam sheet, tube or other shape. An improved fluid handling system includes storage means for holding at least one of a plurality of disparate volatile liquids under pressure sufficient to maintain a normally gaseous blowing agent in liquified state and cooling means for receiving a pressurized first stream of liquified thermally-gaseous blowing agent and cooling below its autogenous temperature. A pump operatively connected between the cooling means and extruder means increases pressure of the first stream higher than the elevated pressure of the extruder, where it may be combined with a pressurized stream of second liquid blowing agent. Flow control means is provided for injecting a predetermined amount of disparate liquid blowing agents from the first and second streams into the extruder means at elevated pressure to form an extrusion mass.

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First Claim