Abstract: A set of plate segments for refining comminuted cellulosic material including: a first plate segment and a second plate segment, wherein the first plate segment and the second plate segment each have a refining side configured to oppose the refining side on the other segment, and each of said refining sides includes a refining zone having bars and grooves between adjacent ones of the bars, wherein distance between the grooves in the first plate segment and the grooves in the second plate segment is substantially constant along an arc through the refining zone while the set is mounted to discs in a refiner.

Abstract: An assembly of opposing discs or cones for a disperser where each disc or cone has mounted to it a plate or an array of plate segments with a front surface on each plate or array of plate segments and each surface has a series of bars, grooves and dams. The bars are in rows, with the rows separated by annular dams at substantially fixed radial locations, and the grooves are adjacent the bars in the rows so that the grooves form a serpentine passage extending radially between the opposing plates or array of plate segments on the opposing discs or cones. The opposing plate or array of plate segments are arranged such that the annular dams on one plate or array of plate segments face roughly the middle of the row of bars on the opposing plate or array of plate segments.

Abstract: A system for refining lignocellulosic material including a first stator plate segment refining zone and a first rotor place segment refining zone, each of which has grooves. The rotor plate groove width is larger than the stator plate groove width in the inner part of the refining zone, but substantially similar in the outer part of the refining zone.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a planar and volumetric dosimeter for use with a radiotherapy machine having a radiation source. The dosimeter includes a scintillating assembly including a plurality of scintillating optical fibers and configured to generate a light output in response to incident dose distribution thereon from the radiation source, and a photo-detector operable to convert optical energy emitted by the scintillating assembly to electrical signals for determining actual two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) dose distribution incident on the scintillating assembly using a tomographic reconstruction algorithm.

Abstract: A cast metal plate segment for a refiner of lignocellulosic material or a disperser of comminuted paper or packaging products, the plate segment including a front side with a front surface configured to refine the lignocellulosic material or disperge the comminuted paper or packaging products, and a back side, opposite to the front side, including a corner or edge, wherein the corner or edge comprises a casted surface between machined planar surfaces adjacent the corner or edge.

Abstract: An assembly of opposing discs or cones for a disperser where each disc or cone has mounted to it a plate or an array of plate segments with a front surface on each plate or array of plate segments and each surface has a series of bars, grooves and dams. The bars are in rows, with the rows separated by annular dams at substantially fixed radial locations, and the grooves are adjacent the bars in the rows so that the grooves form a serpentine passage extending radially between the opposing plates or array of plate segments on the opposing discs or cones. The opposing plate or array of plate segments are arranged such that the annular dams on one plate or array of plate segments face roughly the middle of the row of bars on the opposing plate or array of plate segments.

Abstract: A refiner plate carrier for use in refining lignocellulosic material including a mounting mechanism for mounting to a refiner plate segment and not a rotor or stator disk. The combined plate carrier and refiner plate segment may be then attached to a refiner disk. The refiner plate carrier need not provide structural support to the segment during lignocellulosic refining.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a fluence monitoring detector for use with a multileaf collimator on a radiotherapy machine having an x-ray radiation source. The fluence monitoring detector includes a plurality of scintillating optical fibers, each scintillating optical fiber configured to generate a light output at each end thereof in response to incident radiation pattern thereon from the radiation source and multileaf collimator, a plurality of collection optical fibers coupled to the opposing ends of the scintillating optical fibers and operable to collect the light output coming from both ends of each scintillating optical fiber, and a photo-detector coupled to the collection optical fibers and operable to converts optical energy transmitted by the collection optical fibers to electric signals for determining actual radiation pattern information.

Abstract: A refining plate for refining lignocellulosic material including: a radially outer peripheral edge and a substrate surface; a refining zone having a plurality of substantially radially disposed bars and grooves between the bars, wherein the bars protrude upward from the substrate surface and the grooves each have a groove width, and a steam channel traversing the bars and grooves of the refining zone, wherein the steam channel has a radially outer end radially inward of the outer peripheral edge of the plate and the steam channel has a width substantially greater than the groove width.

Abstract: A refining plate segment for a mechanical refiner of lignocellulosic material including: a convex conical refining surface on a convex conical substrate of the plate, wherein the refining surface is adapted to face a concave conical refining surface of an opposing refiner plate, the convex conical refining surface including bars and grooves formed between adjacent bars, wherein an angle of each bar with respect to a reference line parallel to a rotational axis of the refiner increases at least 15 degrees and the angle is a holdback angle is 10 to 45 degrees at a periphery of the refining surface, and wherein the bars each include a leading sidewall having an irregular surface having protrusions extending outwardly from the sidewall toward a sidewall on an adjacent bar.

Abstract: A method of mechanically refining lignocellulosic material in a refiner having opposing refiner plates including: introducing the material to an inlet in one of the opposing refiner plates; rotating at least one of the plates with respect to the other plate, wherein the material moves radially outward through a gap between the plates due to centrifugal forces created by the rotation; as the material moves through the gap, passing the material over bars in a refiner zone of a first one the plates, each bar in the refiner zone having a leading face and an upper ridge, wherein the leading face includes a sidewall of the bar facing a direction of rotation of the opposing plate and the leading edge has an interior angle of between 150 degrees to 175 degrees, and discharging the material from the gap at a periphery of the refiner plates.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a fluence monitoring detector for use with a multileaf collimator on a radiotherapy machine having an x-ray radiation source. The fluence monitoring detector includes a plurality of scintillating optical fibers, each scintillating optical fiber configured to generate a light output at each end thereof in response to incident radiation pattern thereon from the radiation source and multileaf collimator, a plurality of collection optical fibers coupled to the opposing ends of the scintillating optical fibers and operable to collect the light output coming from both ends of each scintillating optical fiber, and a photo-detector coupled to the collection optical fibers and operable to converts optical energy transmitted by the collection optical fibers to electric signals for determining actual radiation pattern information.

Abstract: A radiation dosimetry apparatus and method use a scintillating optical fiber array for detecting dose levels. The scintillating optical fiber detectors generate optical energy in response to a predetermined type of radiation, and are coupled to collection optical fibers that transmit the optical energy to a photo-detector for conversion to an electrical signal. The detectors may be embedded in one or more modular, water-equivalent phantom slabs. A repeatable connector couples the collection fibers to the photo-detector, maintaining the fiber ends in a predetermined spatial relationship. The detector fibers may be distributed as desired in a three-dimensional detection space, and may be oriented with their longitudinal axes at different orientations relative to a transmission axis of an incident radiation beam. A calibration method uses two measurements in two spectral windows, one with irradiation of the scintillator at a known dose and one with only irradiation of the collection fiber.

Abstract: A method of mechanically refining lignocellulosic material in a refiner having opposing refiner plates including: introducing the material to an inlet in one of the opposing refiner plates or array of plate segments; rotating at least one of the plates with respect to the other plate, wherein the material moves radially outward through a gap between the plates due to centrifugal forces created by the rotation; passing the material over bars in a refining section of a first one the plates and through grooves between the bars, wherein the bars each include a sidewall with an irregular surface, and discharging the material from the gap at a periphery of the refiner plates.

Abstract: A refining plate for refining lignocellulosic material including: a radially outer peripheral edge and a substrate surface; a refining zone having a plurality of substantially radially disposed bars and grooves between the bars, wherein the bars protrude upward from the substrate surface and the grooves each have a groove width, and a steam channel traversing the bars and grooves of the refining zone, wherein the steam channel has a radially outer end radially inward of the outer peripheral edge of the plate and the steam channel has a width substantially greater than the groove width.

Abstract: A method of mechanically refining lignocellulosic material in a refiner having opposing refiner plates including: introducing the material to an inlet in one of the opposing refiner plates; rotating at least one of the plates with respect to the other plate, wherein the material moves radially outward through a gap between the plates due to centrifugal forces created by the rotation; as the material moves through the gap, passing the material over bars in a refiner zone of a first one the plates, each bar in the refiner zone having a leading face and an upper ridge, wherein the leading face includes a sidewall of the bar facing a direction of rotation of the opposing plate and the leading edge has an interior angle of between 150 degrees to 175 degrees, and discharging the material from the gap at a periphery of the refiner plates.

Abstract: A refiner plate carrier for use in refining lignocellulosic material including a mounting mechanism for mounting to a refiner plate segment and not a rotor or stator disk. The combined plate carrier and refiner plate segment may be then attached to a refiner disk. The refiner plate carrier need not provide structural support to the segment during lignocellulosic refining.

Abstract: A refiner plate for a mechanical refining system, the plate including: a refining surface including bars and grooves, wherein the bars have a leading edge defined by an interior angle of between 150 degrees to 175 degrees.

Abstract: A refining plate for refining lignocellulosic material including: a radially outer peripheral edge and a substrate surface; a refining zone having a plurality of substantially radially disposed bars and grooves between the bars, wherein the bars protrude upward from the substrate surface and the grooves each have a groove width, and a steam channel traversing the bars and grooves of the refining zone, wherein the steam channel has a radially outer end radially inward of the outer peripheral edge of the plate and the steam channel has a width substantially greater than the groove width.

Abstract: A method of mechanically refining lignocellulosic material in a refiner having opposing refiner plates including: introducing the material to an inlet in one of the opposing refiner plates or array of plate segments; rotating at least one of the plates with respect to the other plate, wherein the material moves radially outward through a gap between the plates due to centrifugal forces created by the rotation; passing the material over bars in a refining section of a first one the plates and through grooves between the bars, wherein the bars each include a sidewall with an irregular surface, and discharging the material from the gap at a periphery of the refiner plates.