Methods and apparatus to enhance paper and board forming qualities

Claim 2

A paper forming machine headbox component for receiving a paper fiber stock and generating a jet therefrom for discharge upon a wire component moving in a machine direction (MD), the headbox component comprising: a distributer for distributing stock flowing into the headbox component in a cross-machine direction (CD), the distributer effective for supplying a flow of said stock across the width of the headbox in the machine direction; a nozzle chamber having an upper surface and a lower surface converging to form a rectangular outlet lip defining a slice opening for the jet; and a diffuser block coupling said distributer to said nozzle chamber, said diffuser block comprising: a multiplicity of tubular elements disposed between said distributer and said nozzle chamber, said tubular elements being oriented axially in the machine direction, a plurality of the tubular elements having a longitudinal axes in the direction of the flow of stock, and the tubular elements arranged within the diffuser block as a matrix of rows and columns for generating multiple jets of said stock flowing into said nozzle chamber; and at least one pressure pulse generating element mounted in or on each of said plurality of said tubular elements of said diffuser block, said pressure pulse generating element being effective for swirling said stock in controlled axial vortices around the longitudinal axes of the tubular elements as said stock flows through said tubular elements in the machine direction, each vortex being directed in a defined direction having a specific vorticity vector sign, defined as positive being in the machine direction or negative being opposite the machine direction based upon the right hand rule, said vortices promoting mixing of the jets of said stock as said jets flow into said nozzle chamber from the tubular elements to form a uniform flow of stock at the slice opening for the jet.

Claim 3

A paper forming machine headbox component as set forth in claim 1 wherein the number of pressure pulse generating elements mounted on or in said plurality of said tubular elements is from 2 to 12.

Claim 4

A paper forming machine headbox component as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure pulse generating elements are acoustic devices.

Claim 5

A paper forming machine headbox component as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure pulse generating elements are electromagnetic devices.

Claim 6

A paper forming machine headbox component as recited in claim 1 wherein said tubular elements comprise a flat section inlet for receiving said stock from said distributer and an elongated section outlet for directing the jets of said stock from said tubular elements as said jets flow into said nozzle chamber.

Claim 7

A paper forming machine headbox component as recited in claim 1 wherein said tubular elements comprise an insert tube insertable in said diffuser block for receiving said stock from said distributer.

Claim 8

A paper forming machine headbox component as recited in claim 1 wherein one row or column of tubes has a stock with controlled axial vortices having a specific vorticity vector sign which is positive and an adjacent row or column has a stock with controlled axial vortices having a specific vorticity vector sign which is negative.

Claim 11

A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said positioning step positions said positive jets of each of said plurality of said tubes adjacent one another in the diffuser block generating small scale turbulent flows in the nozzle chamber as the jets emanate from said tubes promoting mixing of said stock in the nozzle chamber.

Claim 12

A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said positioning step positions said positive jets along at least one of the rows of the matrix in the diffuser block generating a first secondary flow in the nozzle chamber in a cross-machine direction (CD), substantially perpendicular to the machine direction, as the row of positive jets emanate from the tubes.

Claim 13

A method as recited in claim 8 comprising the steps of: generating negative jets of paper fiber stock emanating from the diffuser block in controlled axial vortices in the machine direction for a second plurality of said tubes, the direction of each vortex being directed in a second negative-defined direction about the axes of each of said second plurality of said tubes; and positioning at least one of said negative jets adjacent another one of said negative jets promoting mixing as said jets flow into the nozzle chamber.

Claim 14

A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said positioning step positions said positive jets of said first plurality of said tubes adjacent said negative jets of said second plurality of said tubes in the diffuser block promoting uniform flow of said stock emanating from said tubes into the nozzle chamber.

Claim 15

A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said positioning step positions said positive jets along at least one of the rows of the matrix in the diffuser block generating a first secondary flow in the nozzle chamber in a cross-machine direction (CD), substantially perpendicular to the machine direction, as the row of positive jets emanate from the tubes.

Claim 16

A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said positioning step positions said negative jets along at least another one of the rows of the matrix in the diffuser block generating a second secondary flow in the nozzle chamber in an opposite cross-machine direction as the row of negative jets emanate from the tubes.

Claim 17

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said positioning step positions the row of negative jets adjacent the row of positive jets generating opposing secondary flows in the cross-machine direction as the rows of jets emanate from the tubes providing shear layers aligning the paper fibers of said stock in the cross-machine direction.

Claim 18

A method as recited in claim 8 wherein the number of pressure pulse generating elements mounted on or in said plurality of tubes is from 2 to 12.

Claim 19

A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said pressure pulse generating elements are acoustic devices.

Claim 20

A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said pressure pulse generating elements are electromagnetic devices.

Claim 21

A paper forming machine headbox component for receiving a paper fiber stock and generating a jet therefrom for discharge upon a wire component moving in a machine direction (MD), the headbox component comprising: a distributer for distributing stock flowing into the headbox component in a cross-machine direction (CD), the distributer effective for supplying a flow of said stock across the width of the headbox in the machine direction; a nozzle chamber having an upper surface and a lower surface converging to form a rectangular outlet lip defining a slice opening for the jet; and a diffuser block coupling said distributer to said nozzle chamber, said diffuser block comprising: a multiplicity of tubular elements disposed between said distributer and said nozzle chamber, said tubular elements being oriented axially in the machine direction, a plurality of the tubular elements having a longitudinal axes in the direction of the flow of stock, and the tubular elements arranged within the diffuser block as a matrix of rows and columns for generating multiple jets of said stock flowing into said nozzle chamber; and a body with at least two fins mounted within each of said plurality of said tubular elements of said diffuser block, at least three magnetic rings mounted around each of said plurality of said tubular elements, said magnetic rings being spaced along the length of said tubes in a position to coact with said finned body for swirling said stock in controlled axial vortices around the longitudinal axes of the tubular elements as said stock flows through said tubular elements in the machine direction, each vortex being directed in a defined direction having a specific vorticity vector sign, defined as positive being in the machine direction or negative being opposite the machine direction based upon the right hand rule, said vortices promoting mixing of the jets of said stock as said jets flow into said nozzle chamber from the tubular elements to form a uniform flow of stock at the slice opening for the jet.

Claim 22

A paper forming machine headbox component for receiving a paper fiber stock and generating a jet therefrom for discharge upon a wire component moving in a machine direction (MD), the headbox component comprising: a distributer for distributing stock flowing into the headbox component in a cross-machine direction (CD), the distributer effective for supplying a flow of said stock across the width of the headbox in the machine direction; a nozzle chamber having an upper surface and a lower surface converging to form a rectangular outlet lip defining a slice opening for the jet; and a diffuser block coupling said distributer to said nozzle chamber, said diffuser block comprising: a multiplicity of tubular elements disposed between said distributer and said nozzle chamber, said tubular elements being oriented axially in the machine direction, a plurality of the tubular elements having a longitudinal axes in the direction of the flow of stock, and the tubular elements arranged within the diffuser block as a matrix of rows and columns for generating multiple jets of said stock flowing into said nozzle chamber; and a body with at least two fins mounted within each of said plurality of said tubular elements of said diffuser block, at least three magnetic rings mounted around each of said plurality of said tubular elements, said magnetic rings being spaced along the length of said tubes in a position to coact with said finned body for swirling said stock in controlled axial vortices around the longitudinal axes of the tubular elements as said stock flows through said tubular elements in the machine direction, each vortex being directed in a defined direction having a specific vorticity vector sign, defined as positive being in the machine direction or negative being opposite the machine direction based upon the right hand rule, said vortices promoting mixing of the jets of said stock as said jets flow into said nozzle chamber from the tubular elements to form a uniform flow of stock at the slice opening for the jet.

Claim 23

A paper forming machine headbox component as set forth in claim 19 wherein the number of fins on said body is from 2 to 12.

Claim 24

A paper forming machine headbox component as set forth in claim 19 wherein said finned body has externally extending fins.

Claim 25

A paper forming machine headbox component as set forth in claim 19 wherein said finned body has internally extending fins.

Claim 26

A paper forming machine headbox component as recited in claim 19 wherein said tubular elements comprise a flat section inlet for receiving said stock from said distributer and an elongated section outlet for directing the jets of said stock from said tubular elements as said jets flow into said nozzle chamber.

Claim 27

A paper forming machine headbox component as recited in claim 19 wherein said tubular elements comprise an insert tube insertable in said diffuser block for receiving said stock from said distributer.

Claim 28

A paper forming machine headbox component as recited in claim 19 wherein one row or column of tubes has a stock with controlled axial vortices having a specific vorticity vector sign which is positive and an adjacent row or column has a stock with controlled axial vortices having a specific vorticity vector sign which is negative.

Claim 31

A method as recited in claim 26 wherein said positioning step positions said positive jets of each of said plurality of said tubes adjacent one another in the diffuser block generating small scale turbulent flows in the nozzle chamber as the jets emanate from said tubes promoting mixing of said stock in the nozzle chamber.

Claim 32

A method as recited in claim 26 wherein said positioning step positions said positive jets along at least one of the rows of the matrix in the diffuser block generating a first secondary flow in the nozzle chamber in a cross-machine direction (CD), substantially perpendicular to the machine direction, as the row of positive jets emanate from the tubes.

Claim 33

A method as recited in claim 26 comprising the steps of: generating negative jets of paper fiber stock emanating from the diffuser block in controlled axial vortices in the machine direction for a second plurality of said tubes, the direction of each vortex being directed in a second negative-defined direction about the axes of each of said second plurality of said tubes; and positioning at least one of said negative jets adjacent another one of said negative jets promoting mixing as said jets flow into the nozzle chamber.

Claim 34

A method as recited in claim 29 wherein said positioning step positions said positive jets of said first plurality of said tubes adjacent said negative jets of said second plurality of said tubes in the diffuser block promoting uniform flow of said stock emanating from said tubes into the nozzle chamber.

Claim 35

A method as recited in claim 29 wherein said positioning step positions said positive jets along at least one of the rows of the matrix in the diffuser block generating a first secondary flow in the nozzle chamber in a cross-machine direction (CD), substantially perpendicular to the machine direction, as the row of positive jets emanate from the tubes.

Claim 36

A method as recited in claim 31 wherein said positioning step positions said negative jets along at least another one of the rows of the matrix in the diffuser block generating a second secondary flow in the nozzle chamber in an opposite cross-machine direction as the row of negative jets emanate from the tubes.

Claim 37

A method as recited in claim 32 wherein said positioning step positions the row of negative jets adjacent the row of positive jets generating opposing secondary flows in the cross-machine direction as the rows of jets emanate from the tubes providing shear layers aligning the paper fibers of said stock in the cross-machine direction.

Claim 38

A method as recited in claim 26 wherein the number of fins mounted on said body is from 2 to 12.

Claim 39

A method as recited in claim 26 wherein said body has externally extending fins.

Claim 40

A method as recited in claim 26 wherein said body has internally extending fins.