Degradable absorbent material and manufacturing process therefor
DCFirst Claim
1. A process for forming a degradable particulate absorbent material having not more than 30% inorganic solids content by weight and comprising the steps of:
- a. obtaining waste cellulose fiber material having not more than 30% inorganic solids content by weight with a total dry solids content ranging from approximately 20% to approximately 50% by weight;
b. rehydrating the waste cellulose fiber material to produce a water/fiber slurry comprising on the order of about 96.5% water by weight and about 3.5% total solids by weight;
c. adding a water insoluble latex emulsion to the slurry produced in Step (a) in an amount ranging from about 0.5% to about 5.0% of the total dry solids by weight in the slurry;
d. dewatering the slurry to form a shreddable press cake;
e. particulating the press cake by means of a shredding device to form discrete particles;
f. conditioning the discrete particles produced in Step (e) by imparting a tumbling motion to such particles in the presence of a water mist; and
,g. drying the conditioned discrete particles to produce a generally flat planar particulate to produce a generally flat planar particulate absorbent medium ranging from 80% total dry solids by weight to 92% total dry solids by weight and having not more than 30% inorganic solids content by weight.
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Abstract
Degradable particulate absorbent materials, together with processes for manufacture thereof, wherein the absorbent materials: (i) have, in most forms of the invention, only on the order of 0% to 10%, by weight, of inorganic solids or "fillers", and in all forms have less than 30% inorganic solids by weight; (ii) are not in pellet form; (iii) are characterized by an open porous fiber structure having relatively low bulk densities on the order of not more than 13 lbs./ft.3 and preferably only from about 6 to about 10 lbs./ft.3 ; (iv) are characterized by high rates of absorption and high absorptive capacities; (v) are highly flammable both before and after absorption of liquid materials which are often themselves non-flammable and, therefore, are characterized by high heat values during recycling; (vi) produce relatively little ash when incinerated, thus minimizing disposal costs and problems; and (vii), readily permit of treatment to render the degradable particulate absorbent materials hydrophobic and/or characterized by their ability to remove, and/or form a barrier for, toxic and/or noxious odorants.
39 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A process for forming a degradable particulate absorbent material having not more than 30% inorganic solids content by weight and comprising the steps of:
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a. obtaining waste cellulose fiber material having not more than 30% inorganic solids content by weight with a total dry solids content ranging from approximately 20% to approximately 50% by weight; b. rehydrating the waste cellulose fiber material to produce a water/fiber slurry comprising on the order of about 96.5% water by weight and about 3.5% total solids by weight; c. adding a water insoluble latex emulsion to the slurry produced in Step (a) in an amount ranging from about 0.5% to about 5.0% of the total dry solids by weight in the slurry; d. dewatering the slurry to form a shreddable press cake; e. particulating the press cake by means of a shredding device to form discrete particles; f. conditioning the discrete particles produced in Step (e) by imparting a tumbling motion to such particles in the presence of a water mist; and
,g. drying the conditioned discrete particles to produce a generally flat planar particulate to produce a generally flat planar particulate absorbent medium ranging from 80% total dry solids by weight to 92% total dry solids by weight and having not more than 30% inorganic solids content by weight. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification