Abstract: A method for refining lignocellulose-containing material into pulp in a disc refiner comprises preheating the material to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature of lignin in the material, and holding this temperature for under one minute. The heated material is then subject to high speed refining in a disc refiner to produce pulp. The resulting pulp may then be subject to secondary refining steps to produce paper quality pulp. The preheat retention time is preferably in the range of 5-30 seconds, and can be controlled as a process variable to optimize energy savings, pulp strength, and optical qualities. High quality pulp can be obtained with preheat at high temperature and low retention time, followed by primary refining at disc speed of at least 2300 rpm.

Abstract: A continuous cylindrical wood pulp refiner comprising a rotor disposed in a housing having a plurality of structural members. At least one refining plate is mounted to a holder portion of each member such that the entire periphery of the rotor is exposed to refining plates. The pulp to be refined continuously flows axially along the periphery of the rotor. The members define two shells which are pivotally mounted to the refiner base such that the shells may be pivoted away from each other to provide access to the interior surface for changing the refiner plates. Each holder portion has a pair of bores which are parallel to the axis of the rotor. A cam portion of a cam shaft is disposed in each bore. Rotating the cam shaft causes the cam portion to engage the surface of the bore thereby moving the holder portion radially towards or away from the rotor whereby the gap between the refining plates and the rotor can be adjusted.

Abstract: An impeller is for separating a conveyed stream of material. The impeller has a central rotatable hub with a plurality of blades extending radially therefrom. The hub and blades form a number of generally wedge-shaped material receiving spaces within the impeller. One set of spaces has a baffle arrangement which is configured to direct material in this set outwardly from the impeller on the upstream side of the baffle arrangement. Another set of spaces has a guide arrangement which is configured to guide the material in this set of spaces outwardly from the impeller on the downstream side of the baffle arrangement. The impeller is particularly useful for separating streams of particulates, such as wood chips, compressed shavings, or the like.

Abstract: A method for refining lignocellulose-containing material into pulp in a disc refiner comprises preheating the material to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature of lignin in the material, and holding this temperature for under one minute. The heated material is then subject to high speed refining in a disc refiner to produce pulp. The resulting pulp may then be subject to secondary refining steps to produce paper quality pulp. The preheat retention time is preferably in the range of 5-30 seconds, and can be controlled as a process variable to optimize energy savings, pulp strength, and optical qualities. High quality pulp can be obtained with preheat at high temperature and low retention time, followed by primary refining at disc speed of at least 2300 rpm.

Abstract: An air lift pump for wet particulates has a plurality of transport tubes and air injectors disposed in a central column for transporting particulate matter from a lower elevation to a higher elevation. The central column has a closed top and an open bottom. Each tube has a lower, intake end, a lower first air injector and an upper second air injector. Each air injector is comprised of a housing disposed around an air injection section of the transport tube in which is mounted a first or second air jet, respectively. Compressed air is supplied to the first air injector via an air supply line and to the second air injector via an air supply line and the central column.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for calibrating a gap sensing probe (12) in a refiner having first (76) and second (80) grinding plates facing each other and supported by respective first and second plate holders, each grinding plate having a face (78, 82) defining a grinding gap (86). The gap measuring device, which is secured within one of the plates, includes a sensor probe (12) for measuring gap width data having a substantially cylindrical tip (14) with a flat frontal portion (16), an attached conical portion (18) and a longitudinal axis (20) therebetween. A cable (22) is electrically connected to the conical portion of the probe, for transmitting the gap width data. A protective sleeve (24) can be positioned around and contact the cylindrical tip, wherein the flat frontal portion of the tip is exposed through the sleeve.

Abstract: The comminution apparatus comprises a drive shaft having a roller bearing which is disposed in a housing. A temperature detector mounted in the housing monitors the temperature of the roller bearing. Hydraulic fluid is supplied to a circumferential groove in the housing to apply hydraulic pressure to the outer raceway. The hydraulic fluid pressure is monitored by a pressure detector and gage and may be vented by a manually operated relief valve. The drive shaft is rotated at normal operating speed and normal load with the bearing clearance at maximum until the bearing reaches an equilibrium temperature. Raising the hydraulic pressure develops a force on the rear surface of the outer raceway, biasing the outer raceway towards the shaft and reducing the bearing clearance. Reducing the bearing clearance reduces waste heat generated by skidding between the rollers and the raceway.

Abstract: The double tapered die mount defines a channel to support the die shoulder. No contact occurs between the die and die housing. The die shoulder is machined to be in generally congruent relationship with the channel shape of the die mount of the invention. In the prior art, the die shoulder is perpendicular to both the inner radial surface and the outer radial surface of the die mount. In the preferred embodiment, the die shoulder is tapered from the inner radial surface toward the die edge to define an inner die taper. The die shoulder also tapers from the outer radial surface to the die edge to define an outer die taper. The side walls of the channel defined by the die mount of the invention taper inwardly to be congruent with tapered surfaces of the die shoulder. The inner channel wall, i.e., the channel wall closer to the axis of rotation of the die, contacts the inner die taper. The outer channel wall, i.e., the channel wall farther from the axis of rotation of the die, contacts the outer die taper.

Abstract: A vessel for steeping grain having a tank (12). A central column (44) is disposed in the center of the tank (12) having transport lines (42) with air lifts (46) on the lower end of the lines for the transporting of grain and steeping fluid from the bottom of the tank to the top of the tank. Air for the air lifts (46) is introduced to the air lifts along line (50). Air is withdrawn from the tank by line 25 and compressed for the line (50) by air compressor (27).

Abstract: The single tapered die mount employs a radially inner surface at an angle to the axis of rotation of the die mount, die and die holder. The radially inner surface of the die mount acts on an annular shoulder of the die to support and position the die in the die holder. The die mount of the invention is located between the radially outer surface of the die and the extended lip of the die housing. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the radially inner surface of the die mount in contact with the radially outer surface of the die shoulder has an angle of a modified Morse taper. The radially outer surface of the die shoulder is machined to a matching angle.

Abstract: A feeder assembly for lignocellulosic chip refiner has a conical core having a major diameter end and a minor diameter end. A helically coiled ribbon is supported by and extends longitudinally in spaced relation with the core. The ribbon is defined by turns of increasing diameter extending from the minor to the major diameter end of the core. A conical feed housing surrounds the ribbon.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly (1) for use in a separation apparatus for separation of liquid suspensions the separation including such nozzle assembly, and a method for its use. In the nozzle assembly, the outlet end of the nozzle is biasable towards the inner surface of the rotatable screening drum (7) of the separation process, and a roller or pad is provided on the nozzle to contact the drum and maintain a substantially constant distance between the the nozzle outlet and the drum surface. The outlet end of the nozzle can be swivable relative to the feed means of the nozzle.

Abstract: An air lift pump for wet particulates has a plurality of transport tubes and air injectors disposed in a central column for transporting particulate matter from a lower elevation to a higher elevation. The central column has a closed top and an open bottom. Each tube has a lower, intake end and first and second air injectors comprised of a housing disposed around an air injection section of the transport tube in which is mounted a first or second air jet, respectively. Each air jet may be composed of either a plurality of circular ring members or a coiled member. The ring members and the coiled member have a substantially triangular-shaped cross section wherein the base of the triangle defines the exterior surface of the air jet. The ring members and coiled member form a plurality of circular slots or a coiled slot, respectively, having substantially trapezoid-shaped cross sections.

Abstract: The present invention employs a main shaft cantilevered from a frame. A die holder is disposed around the outside of the shaft, and in the preferred embodiment rotates by the use of adjustable tapered roller bearings around the shaft. Fixed to the die holder is a die, and the die and die holder define a pelletizing chamber. The shaft supports a roller frame with a plurality of rollers within the pelletizing chamber. The resulting construction is a pelletizer shaft support structure that uses only a single set of bearings. In the preferred embodiment, the main shaft is comprised of an inner shaft and an outer shaft. The inner shaft is located coaxially within the outer shaft and supported within the outer shaft by static bushings. The roller frame and rollers are mounted to the inner shaft. The inner shaft and the outer shaft are both fixed to the frame structure.

Abstract: A deep bed filter system comprising a plurality of filter media beds, each having a respective media regeneration sub-system that includes some components associated with an individual filter bed and other components that are shared with all filter beds in the system, thereby improving the utilization of available space and lowering the materials and labor costs relative to known systems. A central column extends upwardly along the axis through the upper and lower portions of the vessel, thereby defining an annular volume extending substantially from the bottom of the vessel through the upper and lower portions. A plurality of distinct tubes extend through the central column, with each tube having a lower, intake end situated at the bottom for drawing dirtied filter media from the lower portion of the vessel into the column and transporting the drawn media upwardly through the column to a second discharge end at an elevation above the filtrate level of the filtrate region.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in the context of a pellet former (10) that is integral to an annular gap extruder/expander (11). A housing (30) is disposed around the annular gap extruder outlet end. Material is received from annular gap (37) on the face of a rotating disc (14) and, upon expansion, is directed into a roller area (43) by feed plows (23) or a screw flight (42). Pellet rollers (24) rotatably mounted on the disc push the material through a ring pellet die (22) disposed around the roller area. Cut off knives (25) attached to the disc cut the material into pellets as it exits the pellet die.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in the context of a rotating conveying screw situated within a cylindrical housing which has an inlet port on one end of the cylinder and a discharge opening on the other end of the cylinder. A resistance plate is mounted transversely to the conveying screw near the discharge opening for corotation with the screw. The plate is mounted to define a discharge gap between the opening and the plate. A sleeve on the housing is employed to adjust the size of the gap between the plate and the opening. A process controller positions the sleeve by means of a pair of screw jacks. The controller adjusts the discharge gap width to maintain feed material temperature within a predetermined band. Alternatively the controller adjusts the discharge gap width and feed screw speed to maintain a predetermined specific energy input into the feed material. The helical screw is preferably supported at both ends by a bearing means.

Abstract: In an apparatus (10,100,300,400) for refining a low consistency fibrous slurry, which includes a plurality of refining zones (38,40; 188,128; 324,334; 411,413) within a casing, the improvement comprises providing a unique discharge flow path from each refining zone to a respective unique discharge line (56,58; 130,142; 308,310; 411,413) out of the casing, and means (57,59; 141,143; 344,346; 432,434) for differentially adjusting the flow rate in each discharge line. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, a divider (42,132,340) is provided between the casing and the rotor member, thus dividing the discharge between the two refining gaps, into two separate flow streams. The first and second gaps are monitored in any conventional manner. Under operating conditions, the flow control valves are adjusted for combined flow from the refiner casing as required by the production demands.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for the mechanical refining of high consistency lignocellulosic feed material in a frustroconical refining zone, by facilitating the backflow of steam generated in the refining zone through the upstream feed zone which, despite the backflow of steam, imparts outward force on the feed material sufficient for the material to enter the refining zone and pass therethrough, without blockage or flow interruption. This is accomplished by providing, immediately upstream of the frustroconical refining zone (46), a hybrid feed/grinding zone (104), which acts on the wood chips with relatively high refining intensity at low refining power, so as to reduce the size of the material and outwardly convey the material by centrifugal force into the frustroconical refining zone against the backflowing steam, but without generating steam in the hybrid zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for splitting a stream of material into two or more streams. The apparatus includes a cylindrical housing with an axial inlet and two or more radial outlets which are axially spaced from each other. The apparatus includes an impeller which has a central shaft with a plurality of blades extending radially therefrom defining two or more sets of material receiving chambers. Each set of material receiving chambers has guide means directing any material which enters the chambers in that particular set outward through a specific outlet. Due to the rapid rotation of the impeller, each set of material receiving chambers receives material from the inlet at a predetermined ratio of flow rates relative, and guides that material outward through a particular outlet. The device is particularly useful for splitting a stream of particulate material into two separate streams having equal flow rates, even if the flow rate at the inlet to the stream splitter is inconsistent.