Drying system for producing dried singulated cellulose pulp fibers
First Claim
1. A drying system for the processing of pulp into singulated and dried fibers comprising:
- a jet drier with a jet conduit, a manifold for air intake into the jet conduit, a pulp intake for delivery of pulp into the jet conduit, and a fiber outlet for removal of singulated and dried fibers, outlet air, and fines from the jet conduit;
a pulp supply station coupled to the pulp intake for supplying a feed pulp to the pulp intake;
an air supply station coupled to the manifold for delivering air to the manifold;
an outlet flow conduit coupled to the fiber outlet for the transport of the fibers, outlet air, and fines from the jet conduit;
a fiber separation station coupled to the outlet flow conduit for separating the fibers from the outlet air; and
the pulp supply station including a pulp feed device coupled to the pulp intake for delivering the feed pulp to the pulp intake while minimizing the amount of air flow through the pulp supply station, the pulp feed device being a rotary airlock including a rotor housing and a rotor rotatably mounted within the rotor housing, the rotor having rotor vanes for transporting the feed pulp, wherein the rotor vanes and rotor housing are sized so that a gap exists between the rotor vanes and the rotor housing to prevent the feed pulp from jamming the rotary airlock, said gap between said rotor vanes and said housing is in the range of 0.010 to 0.050 inches.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention provides a dried singulated cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated and dried fibers. In accordance with the process a feed pulp is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A drying system for the processing of pulp into singulated and dried fibers comprising:
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a jet drier with a jet conduit, a manifold for air intake into the jet conduit, a pulp intake for delivery of pulp into the jet conduit, and a fiber outlet for removal of singulated and dried fibers, outlet air, and fines from the jet conduit;
a pulp supply station coupled to the pulp intake for supplying a feed pulp to the pulp intake;
an air supply station coupled to the manifold for delivering air to the manifold;
an outlet flow conduit coupled to the fiber outlet for the transport of the fibers, outlet air, and fines from the jet conduit;
a fiber separation station coupled to the outlet flow conduit for separating the fibers from the outlet air; and
the pulp supply station including a pulp feed device coupled to the pulp intake for delivering the feed pulp to the pulp intake while minimizing the amount of air flow through the pulp supply station, the pulp feed device being a rotary airlock including a rotor housing and a rotor rotatably mounted within the rotor housing, the rotor having rotor vanes for transporting the feed pulp, wherein the rotor vanes and rotor housing are sized so that a gap exists between the rotor vanes and the rotor housing to prevent the feed pulp from jamming the rotary airlock, said gap between said rotor vanes and said housing is in the range of 0.010 to 0.050 inches. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A drying system for the processing of pulp into singulated and dried fibers comprising:
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a jet drier with a jet conduit, a manifold for air intake into the jet conduit, a pulp intake for delivery of pulp into the jet conduit, and a fiber outlet for removal of singulated and dried fibers, outlet air and fines from the jet conduit;
a pulp supply station coupled to the pulp intake for supplying a feed pulp to the pulp intake;
an air supply station coupled to the manifold for delivering air to the manifold;
an outlet flow conduit coupled to the fiber outlet for the transport of the fibers, outlet air, and fines from the jet conduit; and
a fiber separation station coupled to the outlet flow conduit for separating the fibers from the outlet air;
the fiber separation station including a vacuum conveyor having a screen for passing outlet air and retaining fibers to form a mat of fibers on the screen;
a first roller, a second roller, a primary fan, a secondary fan, a primary fan vacuum box, and a secondary fan vacuum box;
said screen being a continuous loop draped about the first and second rollers so that the screen has an upper portion and a lower portion;
the upper portion of the screen having an upper and lower surface;
the upper surface of the screen being associated with the outlet flow conduit;
the primary fan vacuum box being associated with the lower surface and in flow communication with the primary fan;
the primary fan vacuum box being positioned between the lower and upper portions and directly beneath the outlet flow conduit;
the secondary fan vacuum box being associated with the lower surface and in flow communication with the secondary fan;
the secondary fan vacuum box being positioned between the lower and upper portions and between the primary fan vacuum box and the second roller;
the primary fan providing vacuum to the primary fan vacuum box and the outlet flow conduit;
the secondary fan providing vacuum to the secondary fan vacuum box and the upper surface. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification