Abstract: A process is provided for inexpensively producing high yield mechanical cellulose pulp having good paper properties, which comprises preheating particulate lignocellulosic material; defibrating the preheated material under a superatmospheric steam pressure within the range from about 2 to about 4.5 bar above atmospheric pressure in a disc refiner under conditions such that steam is generated during the defibration; continuing the defibration until a cellulose pulp is obtained having a freeness within the range from about 300 to about 700 ml CSF; flash drying the defibrated cellulose pulp while maintaining a superatmospheric steam pressure within the said range during the drying; withdrawing steam generated during the defibration and passing it in indirect heat exchange with steam utilized in the flash drying, so as to utilize in the drying at least 30% of the heat content thereof; and then removing and baling the flash-dried cellulose pulp.

Abstract: A process is provided for the efficient conversion of water-containing organic materials such as bark, peat and sludge as fuels into energy, including drying the materials to convert them into fuels and then combusting the fuels in order to recover as much energy as possible at the lowest possible cost; which comprises heating the material in a steam vessel while enveloping the material in steam at superatmospheric pressure, heating the steam by heat exchange with steam at a higher pressure and higher temperature than the steam in the vessel; mechanically dewatering the material; and then drying the material to convert the material into a fuel, converting water driven from the material into steam, and forming excess steam in the dryer, of which steam all or part is recycled and condensed directly on the material in the steam vessel; and then combusting the dry material in finely divided form in a steam boiler, utilizing the high pressure steam that is generated in a turbine, which in turn operates a generator

Abstract: Process and apparatus are provided for continuously conveying particulate compressible fibrous material from a first zone at a first gas pressure to a second zone at a second gas pressure with a pressure differential therebetween of at least 0.5 bar while retaining the prevailing gas pressure in each zone, which comprises:(1) continuously compressing the particulate material in the first zone into a gas-containing but gas-impermeable mass extending across the interface between the two zones;(2) continuously passing the mass of material out from the first zone into the second zone while maintaining the gas pressure within the mass constant at the gas pressure of the first zone; and(3) continuously breaking up the mass entering the second zone into particulate material.

Abstract: A process is provided for the chemical refining of cellulose pulp which comprises, in sequence, the steps of:(1) impregnating the cellulose pulp with refining chemicals in an amount selected to effect chemical modification of the pulp;(2) adjusting the pulp consistency to within the range from about 30 to about 70%; and(3) passing the pulp in turbulent flow through an elongated reaction zone from one end to another end thereof in a gaseous atmosphere consisting essentially of steam and preferably containing less than 1% by volume of oxygen at a superatmospheric pressure within the range from about 5 to about 400 kPa and a temperature within the range from about 100 to about 150.degree. C. at which the chemical modification proceeds without a mechanical working sufficient to change the degree of beating of the pulp by more than about 2.degree.