Modified mechano-chemical pulping

Claim 1

A MECHANO-CHEMICAL PROCESS FOR PRODUCING PULP COMPRISING SUBJECTING AN UNDEFIBERED NON-WOODY FIBER MATERIAL TOT HE ACTION OF A PULPING LIQUOR CONTAINING A CHAMICAL REAGWNT IN SOLUTION IN A LIQUID MEDIUM, SAID REAGENT BEING CAPABLE OF DIGESTING SAID MATERIAL BY REMOVING LIGNIN AND OTHER ENCRUSTANTS THEREFROM, AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT FROM 90* TO 100*C. AND AT ABOUT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, SAID PULPING LIQUOR BEING ESSENTIALLY NON-HYDROLYTIC UNDER SAID CONDITIONS OF TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SUBJECTING THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF SAID MATERIAL TO VIGOROUS NON-CUTTING IMPACT BLOWS WHILE SUBMERGED IN THE PULPING LIQUOR AND WHILE THEY ARE IN A RELATIVELY FREE STATE, SAID NON-CUTTING IMPACT BLOWS COMPRISING MECHANICALLY-INDUCED CYCLES OF EXPRESSION AND ABSORPTION, EACH CYCLE COMPRISING COMPACTING THE PIECES IN AN UNCONFINED ZONE OF IMPACT TO EXPRESS LIQUID, IMMEDIATELY REMOVING SAID PIECES FROM THE ZONE OF IMPACT TO A ZONE OD ABSORPTION OF FRESH LIQUID AND RETURNING SAID PIECES CONTAINING ABSORBED LIQUID INTO ANOTHER ZONE OF IMPACT, AND CONTINUING SAID BLOWS FOR A PERIOD OF FROM 5 TO 20 MINUTES, PERMITTING THE REACTION MIXTURE OD REMAIN QUIESCENT IN SITU FOR A PERIOD OF ZUK TO 30 MINUTES TO COMPLETE SUBSTANTIAL DELIGNIFICATION OF THE MATERIAL, AND THEN CONTINUING SAID BLOWS FOR A FINA PERIOD OF 1 TO 20 MINUTES TO HOMOHENIZE AND DEFIBER THE MATERIAL.