Cyclonic digester system and process

Claim 2

A process as set forth in claim 2 characterized by providing a pressurized operating environment for each of said steps such that operating pressures are relatively reduced from one step to the following.

Claim 3

A process as in claim 2 characterized by inhibiting the passage of air with the fibers and/or fiber bundles from the first to the succeeding of said staged steps and directing the fibers and/or fiber bundles and attendant conditioning liquid resulting in the first of said steps to the following of said steps in a relatively non-turbulent flow, and in the following of said steps recreating a vortex flow of the said fibers and/or fiber bundles and the conditioning liquid to further separate the fibers and dissipate and separate therefrom attached inorganic materials and foreign solids while further exposing the fibers to conditioning liquid.

Claim 4

A process as in claim 2 characterized by separating inorganic and attached materials from fibers and/or fiber bundles in the course of said staged steps and subjecting the resultant fiber products to a flow of cooking liquor to further the conditioning and digesting process and then draining prior to discharge of the fiber products from said pressurized environment.

Claim 5

A process as in claim 1 characterized by at least three said staged steps at spaced intervals wherein said fibers and/or fiber bundles are subjected to a vortex flow pattern in the presence of a digesting or cooking type conditioning liquor and in the course of a continuing flow.

Claim 6

A process as set forth in claim 6 characterized by establishing a pressurized environment therefor and in said environment subjecting raw material to reduction to fibers and/or fiber bundles between opposed relatively rotating discs and delivering the said fibers and/or fiber bundles to be directly picked up in a vortex flow of conditioning liquid applied in the first of said steps.

Claim 7

A process as in claim 7 characterized by subjecting said fibers and/or fiber bundles to a shower of liquid in passage from said discs to the first vortex flow of conditioning liquid.

Claim 8

A process as in claim 7 characterized by gradually reducing the pressure to which the fibers and/or fiber bundles are subjected in said steps.

Claim 9

A cycloniC digesting process as in claim 1 characterized by conducting said staged steps in a pressurized environment and subsequent to said staged steps introducing said fibers into a liquid bath in a vessel while maintaining above said bath a pressurized environment substantially corresponding to that in which said staged steps are conducted; and moving said fibers through said bath to digest remaining solids or attachments and then through a vapor path above said bath to cook the fibers prior to their discharge from said pressurized environment.

Claim 10

A cyclonic digesting process including the steps of subjecting fibers and/or fiber bundles to a vortex flow pattern in successive staged steps which are series related and in an environment of elevated temperature and pressure maintained by sealing the entrance to and exit from said environment to inhibit the escape therefrom of pressure while delivering said fibers and/or fiber bundles to said environment in the form of raw fibrous material, in said environment subjecting said raw material to reduction to fibers and/or fiber budnles between opposed relatively rotating discs and delivering said fibers and/or fiber bundles to be directly picked up in a vortex flow of conditioning liquid in the first of said digesting steps, by providing in respect thereto a tangential inflow of digesting or cooking liquid, in said first step and following steps exposing the fibers and/or fiber bundles to said liquid while moving the same in a rotating vortex flow pattern in a manner to influence the fibers to successively separate and effect in the process the thorough exposure and conditioning of the fibers, the subjecting of said fibers and/or fiber bundles to a vortex flow pattern in the presence of the digesting or cooking liquor being provided at spaced intervals and in the course of their continuing flow, there being at least three such intervals.

Claim 11

A process as in claim 11 characterized by subjecting said fibers and fiber bundles to a shower of liquid in passage from said discs to said vortex flow of conditioning liquid.

Claim 12

A process as in claim 11 characterized by the step of separating inorganic and other attached materials from the fibers and fiber bundles in the course of said staged steps and, subsequent to said staged steps, subjecting the resultant conditioned fiber products to a flow of cooking liquor to further the digestion process and then draining the digested fibers prior to their discharge from the pressurized environment.

Claim 13

A process as in claim 11 characterized by draining the fiber products resulting after the said stage steps and cooking them in a vapor phase environment prior to discharge from said environment.

Claim 14

A process as in claim 11 characterized by gradually reducing the pressure to which the fibers and/or fiber bundles are subjected in the course of effecting said staged steps.

Claim 15

A process as set forth in claim 15 characterized by thereafter cooking, draining and washing the resultant fiber products prior to discharge from said environment.

Claim 16

Apparatus providing a cyclonic digesting system including means defining a plurality of chambers connected in series relation, at least one of said chambers having an inlet for an infeed thereto of fibers and/or fiber bundles, and attendant liquids if any, means for separately directing a conditioning liquid into said one chamber, at least said means for separately directing the conditioning liquid into said one chamber and the configuration of said one chamber being arranged for tangential inflow of the conditioning liquid so that within said one chamber said conditioning liquid will move in a vortex type flow receiving, entraining and moving the fibers and/or fiber bundles entering said one chamber in a manner to maintain the same in a continuous fiber separating vortex flow pattern to continuously and progressively expose the fibers to the conditioning liquid for continuing treatment thereof, and means defining connections betwEen said chambers providing for a continuing flow of the conditioning liquid and entrained fibers and/or fiber bundles into a following of said series related chambers which provides means for immediately inducing a further vortex flow pattern thereof of a nature to repeat and continue the fiber separating action as in said one chamber and to progressively and further expose the fiber contents to the conditioning liquid, said apparatus producing thereby a staged cyclonic digesting and conditioning action on the fiber content of said fibers and fiber bundles.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 17 characterized by means for sealing and maintaining a pressurized environment within said chambers of said cyclonic digesting system while accommodating the movement of fibers and/or fiber bundles into and from said system.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 18 characterized by said connections between said chambers providing for direct and continuing flow from one to the other of said chambers which is relatively unobstructed.

Claim 19

Apparatus as in claim 17 characterized by said one chamber being a first said chamber in said series and said means for directing conditioning liquid into said one chamber being positioned relative said inlet to provide that the incoming fibers and/or fiber bundles will drop into the vortex produced by said conditioning liquid and be so entrained.

Claim 20

Apparatus as in claim 20 characterized by means in said one chamber operative to break up the vortex flow pattern of said fibers and/or fiber bundles and conditioning liquid in the exit thereof from said one chamber to the means defining the connection thereof to the following chamber.

Claim 21

Apparatus as in claim 17 characterized by said chambers and the connection therebetween providing for a staged pressure drop within said series of chambers.

Claim 22

Apparatus as in claim 17 characterized by at least two said chambers following said one chamber in said series, said two chambers each having means defining an accepts outlet, means defining a rejects outlet and means defining a tangential inlet, and a means defining the connection between the two said chambers connecting the accepts outlet of one to the tangential inlet of the following of said two chambers.

Claim 23

Apparatus as in claim 17 characterized by a double revolving disc definer having a discharge outlet opening to and connected with said one chamber, said refiner including means to reduce fibrous material to said fibers and/or fiber bundles and to deliver said fibers and/or fiber bundles to said one chamber and means in connection with said one chamber to introduce said conditioning liquid into said one chamber by way of said directing means in an area of said chamber spaced from said inlet to first pick up and embody said fibers and/or fiber bundles in said vortex flow in a manner to separate, expose and wet the fibers with said conditioning liquid, the other of said chambers in series being arranged to subject said fibers and/or fiber bundles resulting and said conditioning liquid to further vortex flow to produce further separation of the fibers and/or fiber bundles and further shifting exposure thereof to conditioning liquid in movement thereof therethrough.

Claim 24

Apparatus as set forth in claim 24 characterized by means sealing the elements of said system to produce therein a pressurized environment and means for receiving, washing and cooling the fiber products delivered from the last of said chambers in series prior to discharge from said environment, and said chambers being so related to provide for differential pressure therein.

Claim 25

Apparatus as set forth in claim 24 characterized by means in connection with and preceding said disc refiner for receiving, conveying and bringing fragments of raw fibrous material up to a predetermined temperature to soften bonds between their fibers, valve means preceding said disc refiner for passing said fragments while forming a pressure seal to the inlet side of said refiner and further vAlve means for discharging the conditioned fiber material delivered from said chambers in series and maintaining at the same time a pressure seal on the discharge side of said chambers whereby, in operation thereof, said disc refiner and said chambers may be maintained under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure, the discs of said refiner being arranged to act on and reduce the fragments of said fibrous material to fibers and fiber bundles, and means interconnecting said chambers providing for a staged reduction of pressure from one to another thereof.

Claim 26

Apparatus as in claim 26 characterized by means for applying a conditioning liquid to wet the surface of exposed fibers in said disc refiner and said refiner being in direct open communication with the interior of said one chamber for discharge of wetted fibers and/or fiber bundles to said one chamber.

Claim 27

A cyclonic digesting system as in claim 27 characterized by digester means connecting with and receiving the discharge from said chambers having in connection therewith means to influence a completion of the conditioning of the fibers and to increase the consistency of their flow in the course of discharge.

Claim 28

Apparatus as in claim 17 characterized by means providing in said chambers a pressurized environment and means in connection with said chambers having therein a corresponding pressurized environment and arranged to receive and complete the conditioning of the fiber products which issue therefrom in a fluid flow and to both drain and cook the fibers prior to discharge from said pressurized environment.

Claim 29

Apparatus as in claim 29 characterized by said last named means including an inclined longitudinally extending chamber in the lower end of which is accommodated a bath of conditioning liquid arranged to directly receive the discharge from the last of said chambers for movement of the resultant fibers through said bath and through a vapor phase thereabove created by means connected to produce said vapor phase as a cooking and liquid stripping environment.

Claim 30

A cyclonic digesting system including a plurality of chambers in series relation, means for directing an infeed of fibers and/or fiber bundles and attendant liquids, if any, inwardly of each of said chambers, means for directing discharge from one to the following of said chambers to provide for infeed thereof to the following of said chambers, at least one of said chambers having infeed means in connection therewith to direct a pressured inflow of conditioning liquid, at least a portion of said liquid infeed directing means and the configuration of the related chamber being arranged for tangential inflow of the conditioning liquid so that within any such related chamber said fibers and/or fiber bundles and the said liquid will move in a rotating vortex producing flow effecting a separation of fibers from fibers and thorough exposure and conditioning thereof by attendant liquid, a double disc refiner having a discharge outlet open to and connected with a first of said chambers, said refiner including means to reduce fibrous material to said fibers and fiber bundles and to deliver said fibers and/or fiber bundles to said first chamber and means in connection with said first chamber for introducing said conditioning liquid in a vortex type flow to first pick up and embody said fibers and/or fiber bundles in said vortex flow in a manner to separate, expose and wet the fibers and the other of said chambers in series being arranged to subject said fibers and/or fiber bundles resulting to further vortex flow producing an inherent further separation of fibers and further exposure to conditioning liquid in movement therethrough.

Claim 31

Apparatus as set forth in claim 31 characterized by said chambers being so arranged to provide for differential pressure in at least a portion thereof arranged in series.

Claim 32

Apparatus as set forth in claim 32 characterized by means sealing the elements thereof to produce therein a pressurized environment anD means for receiving, washing and cooling the fiber products delivered from the last of said chambers in series prior to discharge from said environment.

Claim 33

Apparatus as set forth in claim 31 characterized by means in connection with and preceding said disc refiner for receiving, conveying and bringing fragments of raw fibrous material up to a predetermined temperature to soften the bonds between their fibers, there being valve means preceding said disc refiner for passing said fragments while forming a pressure seal to the inlet side of said refiner and further valve means for discharging the conditioned fibers delivered from said chambers in series and maintaining at the same time a pressure seal on the discharge side of said chambers whereby, in operation thereof, said disc refiner and said chambers may be maintained under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure, the discs of said refiner being operable to act on and reduce the fragments to said fibers and fiber bundles.

Claim 34

Apparatus as set forth in claim 34 characterized by means interconnecting said chambers to provide for a staged reduction of pressure from one to another thereof.

Claim 35

Apparatus as in claim 34 characterized by means for applying a conditioning liquid to wet the surface of exposed fibers in said disc refiner, said refiner being in direct open communication with the interior of the first said chamber for discharge of the wetted fibers to said first chamber and said first chamber having means for maintaining a level of conditioning liquid therein defining an open space through which the fibers and/or fiber bundles discharged from said double disc refiner will fall to said level and there being means in connection with said space to provide for a metered bleed of fluid including air from said first chamber.

Claim 36

A cyclone digesting system as in claim 36 characterized by digester means connecting with and receiving the discharge from said chambers having in connection therewith means to influence a completion of the conditioning of the fibers and to increase the consistency of their flow in the course of discharge.