Double revolving disc refiners and methods of their use

Claim 2

Apparatus as in claim 1 characterized by said directing means having in connection tHerewith a source of liquid and said directing means being arranged to deliver said liquid to peripheral surface portions of the disc refining surfaces at a temperature and location to inhibit the formation of steam between said disc units.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 3 characterized by nozzle delivery means for said liquid the discharge end of which is positioned relatively adjacent said disc unit peripheries to discharge, at least in part, therebetween.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 1 characterized by said directing means including discharge nozzle means positioned to forcefully deliver fluid in a plane between said disc units.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 5 characterized by said nozzle means being formed to produce a shower discharge.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 6 characterized in that said nozzle means has a fish-tail discharge slit oriented in the plane of separation between said disc units.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 6 characterized by nozzle means positioned to discharge at least at spaced generally opposite portions of the peripheries of said disc units.

Claim 8

A disc refiner comprising a pair of revolvable discs one of which rotates relative the other, said discs being opposed and mounting projected refining surfaces which in operating position are in immediately adjacent cooperating relation, peripheral edges of said projected refining surfaces defining therebetween the peripheral discharge area of said refiner, means for infeed of fibrous material to said refiner for passage between said disc refining surfaces and means for directing fluid substantially on and between said refining surfaces to inhibit the formation of steam in the refining procedure.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said directing means include spray means discharging at one radial extremity of said refining surfaces.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 10 characterized in that said spray means is defined by at least one nozzle device the discharge end of which provides at least one slit opening directed substantially in a plane of operation of said refining surfaces.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 9 characterized by said directing means terminating in nozzle means directed at the peripheral edges of said projected refining surfaces.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 12 characterized by said nozzle means being oriented to discharge radially of said refining surfaces and in a sense inwardly of an operating plane thereof, keeping said peripheral discharge area clear of pulp accumulation while inhibiting the incidence of steam forming between said plates in the refining procedure.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said nozzle means is positioned between about 1 and 5 inches from the peripheral edges of said refining surfaces.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 13 characterized by said nozzle means opening to said refining surfaces between one and 3 1/2 inches from the periphery thereof.

Claim 16

The method of claim 16 characterized by directing said fluid inwardly of said discs in a sense to flow in a plane of their refining surfaces, from one radial extremity thereof.

Claim 17

The method of claim 17 characterized by directing said fluid at the outer periphery of said discs, in a radial sense.

Claim 18

The method of claim 17 characterized by directing said fluid in jet shower form from positions immediately adjacent the periphery of said refining surfaces to impact on and clean the same while simultaneously driving inwardly in a sense of the plane of separation of said refining surfaces.

Claim 19

The method of claim 19 characterized by directing said jets in fish-tail form from positions Within 6 inches of the outer peripheral edges of said refining surfaces.

Claim 20

A disc refiner comprising a pair of revolvable discs one of which rotates relative the other, said discs being opposed and mounting projected refining surfaces which in operating position are in immediately adjacent cooperating relation, peripheral edges of said projected refining surfaces defining therebetween the peripheral discharge area of said refiner, means for infeed of fibrous material to said refiner for passage between said disc refining surfaces and means for directing fluid inwardly between said refining surfaces under pressure, from a periphery thereof, to condition the fibrous particles as they move radially outward and apply a force factor to expose and loosen the individual fibers to render them more susceptible to separation in the final portion of their outward flow.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 16 wherein the material to be refined infeeds between said discs in accompaniment with a fluid to form a slurry, characterized in that the fluid inflowing with said material is limited to provide a high consistency flow in the range of 25 to 30 percent and said fluid simultaneously flowed between said discs is applied in a manner to create a low pressure in the region of the peripheral portions of the refining surfaces of such discs.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 16, wherein the simultaneously flowing fluid is directed under pressure to impinge on the disc peripheries to penetrate between the discs and suppress vaporizing of fluid infeeding with said material whereby substantially to reduce fluid requirements in infeeding material.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 23, wherein the refining surfaces of said discs define a relatively narrow clearance space therebetween, the simultaneously flowing fluid being introduced into said space in flat stream form from a plurality of circumferentially spaced locations.

Claim 24

A disc refiner according to claim 21, wherein the infeeding fibrous material is passed between said disc refining surfaces in the form of a high consistency slurry, and the fluid inwardly directed under pressure between said refining surfaces is applied in a manner to inhibit fluid infeeding with the fibrous material from vaporizing between said discs and without excessively decreasing the consistency of the slurry discharging from the refiner.

Claim 25

A disc refiner according to claim 21, wherein the projected refining surfaces of said discs define a clearance space therebetween, the means for directing fluid inwardly between said refining surfaces including a fluid discharge means disposing substantially radially of said discs and terminating in a nozzle aimed into said clearance space and flatted to discharge a fish tail shaped flat spray, said discharge means being oriented to dispose the discharging spray in the plane of said clearance space.