Process for converting banana tree stalk into fibers for absorption of hydrocarbons and corresponding system and product
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for producing absorbent materials, the system comprising:
- a reducer configured to reduce a banana tree stalk into separated fibers;
a press configured to press the separated fibers to generate pressed fibers having less than 50% moisture content by weight;
an infrared heating device configured to reduce moisture content of the pressed fibers by applying infrared heating to produce pre-dried fibers;
a non-thermal dryer configured to generate dried fibers having less than 10% moisture content by weight for employment in an absorbent material that absorbs hydrocarbons, wherein the non-thermal dryer is separate from the infrared heating device and is configured to generate dried fibers after the infrared heating device produces pre-dried fibers; and
a mesh configured to process dried fibers as the dried fibers pass therethrough, wherein a size of the mesh dictates a corresponding size of the processed dried fibers allowed to pass through the mesh.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process for producing absorbent materials includes reducing a banana tree stalk into separated fibers, pressing the separated fibers to generate pressed fibers having less than 50% moisture content by weight, reducing moisture content of the pressed fibers by applying infrared heating to produce pre-dried fibers, and applying a non-thermal drying process to generate dried fibers having less than 10% moisture content by weight for employment in an absorbent material that absorbs hydrocarbons.
-
Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A system for producing absorbent materials, the system comprising:
-
a reducer configured to reduce a banana tree stalk into separated fibers; a press configured to press the separated fibers to generate pressed fibers having less than 50% moisture content by weight; an infrared heating device configured to reduce moisture content of the pressed fibers by applying infrared heating to produce pre-dried fibers; a non-thermal dryer configured to generate dried fibers having less than 10% moisture content by weight for employment in an absorbent material that absorbs hydrocarbons, wherein the non-thermal dryer is separate from the infrared heating device and is configured to generate dried fibers after the infrared heating device produces pre-dried fibers; and a mesh configured to process dried fibers as the dried fibers pass therethrough, wherein a size of the mesh dictates a corresponding size of the processed dried fibers allowed to pass through the mesh. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
Specification