PULP REFINING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS

• US 3,765,613 A
• Filed: 09/23/1971
• Issued: 10/16/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1965
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprout-Bauer Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman W. Steiniger
• Inventors: Steiniger, Herman W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Custer, Jr., Granville Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/182,945
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 241/65,245,246,251,255,256,259.1,259.2 162/23,236
• US Class Current: 241/251
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/47 Mixing of ingredients for making paper pulp, e.g. wood fibres or wood pulp
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/56 by introducing solids in liquids, e.g. dispersing or dissolving
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/271 with means for moving the materials to be mixed radially between the surfaces of the rotor and the stator
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/2714 the relative position of the stator and the rotor, gap in between or gap with the walls being adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/60 with stirrers rotating about a horizontal or inclined axis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/75 Discharge mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 7/02 with coaxial discs
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 7/11 Details
• CPC Class Codes: D21D 1/30 Disc mills

Abstract

A pressurized refining system characterized in a preferred embodiment by a refiner case consisting in the main of two mating parts forming a shell-like housing enclosing a pair of discs both of which are rotatable, one relative to the other, one of said case parts being simply retractable relative to the other and there being means sealing the shell at the joint defined by the interengagement of the parts in the relatively closed position thereof. The refiner features an environment for and a relationship of the refining discs enabling an improved method of refining fibrous materials particularly under a pressurized condition wherein cutting and abrading is minimized and the fibers are distinctly separated individually and in bundle form so as to preclude unnecessary damage and reduction in their quality and length.

Claims

1. Refining apparatus comprising means defining a pressurized segment of a refining system, including a shell-like refiner case comprised of mating separable parts sealed together to form a pressure vessel, a pair of refiner discs, means mounting said discs within said case in a directly opposed relation, spaced from each other and from said case, means for rotating both said discs through their mounting means, one relative the other, said case being constructed and provided with means for operation of said discs therein under conditions where the internal pressure ranges up to about 150 p.s.i. above atmospheric pressure, one of said case parts being separable therefrom to expose peripheral portions of said discs for access thereto as and when required, said pressurized segment including valve means for directing fibrous material to said segment and to said discs in a continuing flow while maintaining a pressure seal at the entrance to said segment, said discs being arranged to operate on said fibrous material to loosen and separate therefrom, in a single pass, individual fibers in a condition in which they maintain, to a substantial degree, their natural physical characteristics, and said pressurized segment further includes valve means for controlling the discharge of the refined material from said case while maintaining a pressure seal of said segment.

2. Refining apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said pressurized segment includes a digester for subjecting the fibrous material to treatment under conditions of elevated pressure and temperature immediately in advance of said refiner discs and there being means within said digester for conducting said fibrous materials therethrough to said discs.

3. Refining apparatus comprising a shell-like case having an inlet thereto and an outlet therefrom, a pair of refining discs, said case being comprised of mating separable parts sealed together to form a pressure vessel for said discs one of which parts is separable to expose peripheral portions of said discs for access thereto, means mounting said discs within said case in a dirEctly opposed relation spaced from each other and from said case, means for rotating both said discs through their mounting means, one relative the other, means for providing a pressure seal of said case and including means for delivery of fragments of raw fibrous material to said case and between said discs in a free moving flow while maintaining a pressure seal of said case, means for maintaining an environment of elevated temperature and pressure within said case and about said discs, said discs being mounted, disposed and formed to roll the raw fragments therebetween to separate the same into individual fibers and fiber bundles in a manner to inhibit disintegration and cutting the individual fiber content of said fragments, said case including two interengaging opposing parts encompassing peripheral portions of said discs, individual shaft means providing means for mounting said discs, said one of said parts of said case being retractable to expose peripheral portions of both said discs and said shaft means being projected from said case and having sealing means thereabout in which they bear at the portions thereof projected through said case, characterized by said case being comprised of two parts, a first part being on one side of said pair of discs in a surrounding relation to one of said shaft means and a second said part being on the other side of said pair of discs in a surrounding relation to the other one of said shaft means, said parts having a relatively closed position in which portions thereof interfit, and said second part being relatively retractable along said other shaft means while retaining an assembled relation thereto whereby to cause said parts to assume an open position peripherally exposing said discs for access thereto, and means sealing said case at the joint defined by said interfitting portions and relative to said shaft means whereby to allow interior pressurization of said case in the closed position of said parts thereof.

4. Refining apparatus comprising a shell-like case having an inlet thereto and an outlet therefrom, a pair of refining discs, said case being comprised of mating separable parts sealed together to form a pressure vessel for said discs one of which parts is separable to expose peripheral portions of said discs for access thereto, means mounting said discs within said case in a directly opposed relation spaced from each other and from said case, means for rotating both said discs through their mounting means, one relative the other, means for providing a pressure seal of said case and including means for delivery of fragments of raw fibrous material to said case and between said discs in a free moving flow while maintaining a a pressure seal of said case, means for maintaining an environment of elevated temperature and pressure within said case and about said discs, said discs being mounted, disposed and formed to roll the raw fragments therebetween to separate the same into individual fibers and fiber bundles in a manner to inhibit disintegration and cutting the individual fiber content of said fragments, a digester for subjecting the fibrous material to treatment under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure, said means for providing a pressure seal of said case including means isolating said digester and said refining discs to establish within said shell-like case and said digester a substantially common pressurized high temperature environment and provide for the delivery of the fibrous material in fragment form to said environment and the discharge of the resulting fiber product from said environment, and means for conducting said fibrous materials from said digester to and through said case to said discs under conditions of common elevated temperature and pressure and said case forming the sole enclosure for said discs and serving the dual function of a pressure vessel and of a means to collect and discharge refined fiber material.

5. Refining apparatus comprising a shell-like case having an inlet thereto And an outlet therefrom, a pair of refining discs, means mounting said discs within said case in a directly opposed relatively spaced relation to each other and said case, means for rotating both said discs through their mounting means, one relative the other, means for providing a pressure seal of said case and including means for delivery of fragments of raw fibrous material to said case and between said discs in a free moving flow while providing a pressure seal of said case, means for maintaining an environment of elevated temperature and pressure within said case and about said discs, said discs being mounted, disposed and formed to roll the raw fragments therebetween to separate the same into individual fibers and fiber bundles in a manner to inhibit disintegration and cutting the individual fiber content of said fragments, and said case being comprised of mating separable parts sealed together to form a pressure vessel, said separable parts being free of said discs and at least one being relatively retractable to peripherally expose said discs for access, characterized by said case being comprised of two mating separable parts one of which includes said case inlet and said case outlet.

6. Refining apparatus comprising a shell-like case having an inlet thereto and an outlet therefrom, a pair of refining discs, means mounting said discs within said case in a directly opposed relatively spaced relation to each other and said case, means for rotating both said discs through their mounting means, one relative the other, means for providing a pressure seal of said case and including means for delivery of fragments of raw fibrous material to said case and between said discs in a free moving flow while providing a pressure seal of said case, means for maintaining an environment of elevated temperature and pressure within said case and about said discs, said discs being mounted, disposed and formed to roll the raw fragments therebetween to separate the same into individual fibers and fiber bundles in a manner to inhibit disintegration and cutting the individual fiber content of said fragments, and said discs having means defining relatively opposed working surfaces which are fully spaced and have a free space therebetween of not less than 0.04 inches.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 characterized by said discs having their working surfaces spaced apart in a range from about 0.04 inches to about 0.10 inches.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 characterized by said discs having means defining relatively opposed working surfaces which are separated by a free space in the range of approximately 0.04 to 0.08 inches.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 characterized by means to establish within said case pressures on the order of 100 to 150 psig.

10. In the art of pulping and refining, a double disc refiner including a pair of opposed rotatable discs, plural interengaged parts defining a case enclosing said discs, said case having an outlet for worked material, one of said parts being stationary and another being relatively movable to expose said discs, chute means on said stationary part having an inlet passage for material to be worked opening through said stationary part and communicating through one of said discs with the space between said discs, individual opposing shafts, each mounting one of said discs, the shaft mounting said one disc having a bearing in said chute means and extending beyond said bearing through said inlet passage and into said case, and means for sealing said case to allow working of the contained material under conditions of selected pressure, including means in said bearing for effecting a seal around said shaft.

11. A double disc refiner according to claim 10, wherein said inlet passage terminates in a chamber intermediate said bearing and said one disc, said stationary part having an opening for inflow of material from said chamber, said one disc being open to admit inflowing maTerial to move between said discs, said shaft projecting through said chamber and through said opening and being undersized relative to said opening for free flow of material thereby.

12. A double disc refiner according to claim 11, wherein the removable part of the case is adjustable to peripherally expose the discs for access.

13. A double disc refiner according to claim 12, wherein the removable part of the case has the outlet formed integral therein.

14. A double disc refiner according to claim 12, wherein the stationary part of the case has the outlet formed integral therein.

15. In the art of pulping and refining, a double disc refiner comprising a pair of opposed relatively rotatable discs, a case in enclosing relation to said discs and providing a peripheral outlet opening substantially in the line of separation between said discs, said case comprising first and second parts on opposite sides of said pair of discs, each having a dish-like asymmetrical complementary configuration and rotatively positioned in complementary fashion to define a line of separation therebetween diagonal to the line of separation between said discs, said outlet opening being in a projected peripheral portion of said first part in underlying relation to said discs, a corresponding projected peripheral portion of said second part overlying said discs, sealing means installed between said parts in the line of separation therebetween inhibiting loss of pressure from within said case, and shafts extending into said case through respective parts mounting respective discs thereon.

16. In the art of pulping and refining, a double disc refiner including a pair of opposed relatively rotatable discs, individual opposing shafts mounting respective discs, opposing interengaging parts defining a case enclosing said discs, said case including a first part on one side of said pair of discs in a surrounding relation to one of said shafts and further including a second part on the other side of said pair of discs in a surrounding relation to the other one of said shafts, said parts having a relatively closed position in which portions thereof interfit and said second part being relatively retractable to cause said parts to assume an open position peripherally exposing said discs for access thereto, means for sealing said case at the joint defined by said interfitting portions and relative to said shafts whereby to allow interior pressurization of said case in the closed position of said parts thereof, and means for admitting pulp to and discharging it from said case, said last named means including an inlet formed in the said first part of said case and an outlet formed in the said second part of said case, said outlet being disposed substantially in line with the separation of said discs, said second part being dished to present a longitudinally projected periphery, said outlet being formed in said projected periphery.

17. In the art of pulping and refining, a double disc refiner including a pair of opposed relatively rotatable discs, individual opposing shafts mounting respective discs, opposing interengaging parts defining a case enclosing said discs, said case including a first part on one side of said pair of discs in a surrounding relation to one of said shafts and further including a second part on the other side of said pair of discs in a surrounding relation to the other one of said shafts, said parts having a relatively closed position in which portions thereof interfit and said second part being relatively retractable to cause said parts to assume an open position peripherally exposing said discs for access thereto, means for sealing said case at the joint defined by said interfitting portions and relative to said shafts whereby to allow interior pressurization of said case in the closed position of said parts thereof, and means for admitting pulp to and discharging it from said case, said last named means including an inlet and an outlet both in said first part of said case, saiD outlet being disposed substantially in the line of separation of said discs, said first part having a longitudinally projected peripheral portion in which said outlet is formed.

18. In the art of pulping and refining, a double disc refiner including a pair of opposed relatively rotatable discs, a case for said discs, said case consisting of a pair of mating parts separable from one another to provide access to said discs, and means in connection therewith for sealing the case so provided, both said pair of parts being cup-shaped and having mating edges which meet on a bias.

19. In the art of pulping and refining, a double disc refiner including a pair of opposed relatively rotatable discs, a case for said discs, said case consisting of a pair of mating parts separable from one another to provide access to said discs, and means in connection therewith for sealing the case so provided, one of said parts including both an inlet to and an outlet from said case, and adapted to be bridged by said sealing means.

20. In the art of pulping and refining, a double disc refiner including a pair of opposed relatively rotatable discs, individual opposing shafts mounting the respective discs for individual and relative drive thereof, a shell-like case enclosing said discs and spaced to be free thereof, said case including readily separable parts having a relatively closed position in which portions thereof interfit, at least one of said parts being separable to freely retract and provide access to peripheral portions of said discs, sealing ring means installed between said interfitting portions to be compressed in a closed position of said parts and means for admitting to and discharging pulp from said case and for establishing and maintaining said discs in a sealed pressurized environment, said discs having spaced working surfaces adapted for a rolling passage therebetween of fibrous materials and a pulling free of individual fibers and fiber bundles from surface portions of such materials in a manner to inhibit cutting and abrading thereof.

21. Apparatus as in Claim 20 characterized by said admitting means including an inlet chute integrally connected to one of said parts opening to an area within said case to the rear of one of said discs, said one of said discs having feed passages therethrough which open to the space between said discs adjacent their centers and said chute having therein means for expediting the free flow of material to and through said feed passages.

22. Apparatus according to Claim 20 characterized in that one of said parts has an outlet for discharge of refined material from said case disposed approximately in line with the separation of said discs and both said parts being dish shaped in a symmetrical complementary configuration, the line of separation between said parts being inclined to and intersecting the plane of the line of separation of said discs.

23. Apparatus according to claim 20 characterized in said case being comprised of two parts having projected peripheries of asymmetrical complementary configuration, one of said parts including an outlet opening for discharge of refined material and the other of said parts which is retractable having a projected peripheral portion in diametrically opposed relation to said outlet.