Abstract: A refiner plate for forming accepts from a pulp material includes a first side and a second side spaced a distance from the first side, and a channel extending through the refiner plate and communicating with the first side for directing at least some accepts away from the first side. The refiner plate defines an inner end wall of the channel that physically obstructs the accepts that enter the channel from passing to a pulp feed area.

Abstract: A refiner plate for forming accepts and exhaust from a pulp material includes a first side and a second side and defines a channel extending between the first side and the second side. The channel is operable to direct at least some of the exhaust and at least some of the accepts away from the first side.

Abstract: A refiner plate assembly and method includes an annular arrangement of adapter subplates that mount to a refiner disk of a disk refiner using a conventional mounting technique, such as bolted in a standard pattern associated with the particular disk refiner. The adapter subplate arrangement remains mounted to the disk and provides a universal mounting surface for an annular arrangement of individual removable refiner segments. A steam and/or accept evacuation channel is provided in this assembly via filter passages at a radially intermediate location in one or more refiner segments which communicate with a recess or channel in one or more associated adapter subplates that direct the steam and/or accepts through outlet ports in the outer rim of the adapter subplate(s). Refining efficiency is provided in a universal refiner plate assembly by eliminating steam volume and already refined pulp from outer portions of the refining zone.

Abstract: A power saving method for rotating pulp and paper machinery includes a fiber quality measurement device, a control system and a variable speed drive. The power savings method is applied to either fiber refiners or pressurized screens. Pulp stock enters a rotating machine, which is driven by an electric motor. The electric motor receives electrical current from the variable speed drive to implement rotation. The variable speed drive changes a frequency of the electrical current according to input received by the control system. The control system includes a control algorithm to optimize the efficiency of the rotating machine. The control system receives inputs of pressures, flows, consistency and position. The control system also receives input from the pulp quality measurement device. The algorithm calculates the process values and input from the pulp quality measurement device to determine the appropriate electrical current frequency to output to the electric motor.

Abstract: A fiber quality transducer includes an inlet mixing probe, a rotating valve sleeve, a camera and a sampling cell. Slurry from a pulp tube flow enters a mixing chamber in the inlet mixing probe. The amount of slurry entering the mixing chamber is controlled by the rotating valve sleeve. The sampling cell includes a first sampling lens and a second sampling lens retained in a sampling bore. The first and second sampling lens are spaced apart to form a sampling space to facilitate the flow of diluted slurry. The camera is retained behind the first sampling lens and a LED back light is retained behind the second sampling lens. The diluted slurry flows past the sampling space. The camera photographs the fibers in the diluted slurry flow. The images from the camera are sent to analyzing software, which determine the characteristics of the fibers in the diluted slurry.

Abstract: A refiner plate assembly and method includes an annular arrangement of adapter subplates that mount to a refiner disk of a disk refiner using a conventional mounting technique, such as bolted in a standard pattern associated with the particular disk refiner. The adapter subplate arrangement remains mounted to the disk and provides a universal mounting surface for an annular arrangement of individual removable refiner segments. A steam and/or accept evacuation channel is provided in this assembly via filter passages at a radially intermediate location in one or more refiner segments which communicate with a recess or channel in one or more associated adapter subplates that direct the steam and/or accepts through outlet ports in the outer rim of the adapter subplate(s). Refining efficiency is provided in a universal refiner plate assembly by eliminating steam volume and already refined pulp from outer portions of the refining zone.

Abstract: A sensor, sensor disk, sensor measurement correction system, and method used in measuring a parameter in the refining zone. The sensor includes a spacer that spaces its sensing element from the disk. In one preferred embodiment, the spacer is made of an insulating material that insulates the sensing element from the thermal mass of the disk to prevent the thermal mass from affecting sensor measurement. The sensor includes a housing carried by the spacer that, in turn, carries the sensing element. Where the sensing element is a temperature sensing element, the housing is thermally conductive and the housing and spacer enclose the sensing element. Each sensor is disposed in the refining surface, preferably in its own separate bore in the disk and flush with or below axial refiner bar height. Signals from one or more sensors are processed by a processing device linked to a module containing calibration data that is applied to make sensor measurements more accurate.

Abstract: A power saving method for rotating pulp and paper machinery includes a fiber quality measurement device, a control system and a variable speed drive. The power savings method is applied to either fiber refiners or pressurized screens. Pulp stock enters a rotating machine, which is driven by an electric motor. The electric motor receives electrical current from the variable speed drive to implement rotation. The variable speed drive changes a frequency of the electrical current according to input received by the control system. The control system includes a control algorithm to optimize the efficiency of the rotating machine. The control system receives inputs of pressures, flows, consistency and position. The control system also receives input from the pulp quality measurement device. The algorithm calculates the process values and input from the pulp quality measurement device to determine the appropriate electrical current frequency to output to the electric motor.

Abstract: A fiber quality transducer includes an inlet mixing probe, a rotating valve sleeve, a camera and a sampling cell. Slurry from a pulp tube flow enters a mixing chamber in the inlet mixing probe. The amount of slurry entering the mixing chamber is controlled by the rotating valve sleeve. The sampling cell includes a first sampling lens and a second sampling lens retained in a sampling bore. The first and second sampling lens are spaced apart to form a sampling space to facilitate the flow of diluted slurry. The camera is retained behind the first sampling lens and a LED back light is retained behind the second sampling lens. The diluted slurry flows past the sampling space. The camera photographs the fibers in the diluted slurry flow. The images from the camera are sent to analyzing software, which determine the characteristics of the fibers in the diluted slurry.

Abstract: A refiner plate for forming accepts and exhaust from a pulp material includes a first side and a second side and defines a channel extending between the first side and the second side. The channel is operable to direct at least some of the exhaust and at least some of the accepts away from the first side.

Abstract: A refiner plate for forming accepts and exhaust from a pulp material includes a first side and a second side and defines a channel extending between the first side and the second side. The channel is operable to direct at least some of the exhaust and at least some of the accepts away from the first side.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and control operation of a rotary disk refiner. A characteristic of stock in the refining zone is monitored and used to adjust a parameter, such as dilution water, feed screw speed and/or refiner gap to keep some variable substantially constant, close to a setpoint, within a range of the setpoint, close to a setpoint profile based on a distribution of a characteristic over the refining zone or a setpoint profile range. Refiner disk bar angle can be optimized to reduce refining zone temperature and energy use. Thereafter, the control method can be employed. One control method attempts to keep specific energy substantially constant by keeping a ratio between load and production substantially constant. Load is kept substantially constant by regulation dilution flow to keep refining zone temperature substantially constant. The feed screw is regulated to keep production substantially constant.

Abstract: A sensor, sensor disk, sensor measurement correction system, and method used in measuring a parameter in the refining zone. The sensor includes a spacer that spaces its sensing element from the disk. In one preferred embodiment, the spacer is made of an insulating material that insulates the sensing element from the thermal mass of the disk to prevent the thermal mass from affecting sensor measurement. The sensor includes a housing carried by the spacer that, in turn, carries the sensing element. Where the sensing element is a temperature sensing element, the housing is thermally conductive and the housing and spacer enclose the sensing element. Each sensor is disposed in the refining surface, preferably in its own separate bore in the disk and flush with or below axial refiner bar height. Signals from one or more sensors are processed by a processing device linked to a module containing calibration data that is applied to make sensor measurements more accurate.

Abstract: A system (30) and method for determining stock consistency and for using consistency as a process variable to control some aspect of operation of a refiner (32) used to refine stock. The system includes at least one sensor (70 or 180) from which some refiner characteristic is obtained that is used by a processor (38) in determining consistency. The method uses the characteristic, such as temperature or pressure inside the refiner or in a refining zone (304) of the refiner, along with at least one other refiner parameter in determining consistency. A controller (274) uses the consistency determined in controlling some aspect of refiner operation. In one preferred controller, consistency is compared with a consistency setpoint and adjustments are made to try to converge consistency with the setpoint. The controller can be paused to accommodate other changes made to refiner operation and released when steady state refiner operation is achieved.

Abstract: A segment for a rotary disk refiner that has a refining surface offset to compensate for deflection of the segment that occurs during refiner operation. In one preferred embodiment, the refining surface overlying each segment overhang is offset to compensate for deflection that occurs in the region of the overhang during refiner operation. Other regions of the refining surface can also be offset to compensate for deflection. In another preferred embodiment, a mount that extends outwardly from the backside of a segment has a hollow therein to reduce segment mass to reduce refining surface deflection. In a method of making a deflection compensating segment, the location and magnitude of each region of deflection is analytically or experimentally determined and the refining surface is formed with a corresponding offset in each deflection region.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and control operation of a rotary disk refiner. The method regulates refiner operation in response to a process variable preferably in relation to a setpoint. The variable can be temperature, pressure, and/or stock consistency, refiner energy, or a variable based thereon. Volumetric flow rate of stock and/or the flow rate of dilution water can be regulated. Based on a refiner temperature, pressure, and/or stock consistency, refiner energy, or a variable based thereon, the flow rate of stock and/or dilution water can be regulated. Where temperature is used, it preferably can be a temperature inside the refiner or adjacent the inlet or outlet. Where pressure is used, it preferably can be a pressure inside the refiner or adjacent the inlet or outlet. Stock consistency can be determined using a sensor upstream or downstream of the refiner or using a sensed parameter in the refiner.

Abstract: A sensor, sensor disk, sensor measurement correction system, and method used in measuring a parameter in the refining zone. The sensor includes a spacer that spaces its sensing element from the disk. In one preferred embodiment, the spacer is made of an insulating material that insulates the sensing element from the thermal mass of the disk to prevent the thermal mass from affecting sensor measurement. The sensor includes a housing carried by the spacer that, in turn, carries the sensing element. Where the sensing element is a temperature sensing element, the housing is thermally conductive and the housing and spacer enclose the sensing element. Each sensor is disposed in the refining surface, preferably in its own separate bore in the disk and flush with or below axial refiner bar height. Signals from one or more sensors are processed by a processing device linked to a module containing calibration data that is applied to make sensor measurements more accurate.

Abstract: A system, software program, and method for monitoring performance of a fiber processing apparatus that preferably is a disk refiner or a filter screen that analyzes operating data pertaining to apparatus operation to determine when a plate of the apparatus should be replaced before plate wear undesirably affects performance. Operating data over time is analyzed to determine whether it exhibits a trend characteristic of plate wear.I If so, a plate change recommendation is generated. To avoid fluctuations in performance not due to plate wear from affecting the determination, operating data over several hours of apparatus operation is analyzed. When a plate is changed, an inventory of the plates is updated. If the inventory requires replenishing, plates are ordered over a telecommunications link with a remote supplier computer or system. New replacement plates can be entered into the inventory from information downloaded from a portable input device.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and control operation of a rotary disk refiner. A characteristic of stock in the refining zone is monitored and used to adjust a parameter, such as dilution water, feed screw speed and/or refiner gap to keep some variable substantially constant, close to a setpoint, within a range of the setpoint, close to a setpoint profile based on a distribution of a characteristic over the refining zone or a setpoint profile range. Refiner disk bar angle can be optimized to reduce refining zone temperature and energy use. Thereafter, the control method can be employed. One control method attempts to keep specific energy substantially constant by keeping a ratio between load and production substantially constant. Load is kept substantially constant by regulation dilution flow to keep refining zone temperature substantially constant. The feed screw is regulated to keep production substantially constant.

Abstract: A sensor, sensor disk, sensor measurement correction system, and method used in measuring a parameter in the refining zone. The sensor includes a spacer that spaces its sensing element from the disk. In one preferred embodiment, the spacer is made of an insulating material that insulates the sensing element from the thermal mass of the disk to prevent the thermal mass from affecting sensor measurement. The sensor includes a housing carried by the spacer that, in turn, carries the sensing element. Where the sensing element is a temperature sensing element, the housing is thermally conductive and the housing and spacer enclose the sensing element. Each sensor is disposed in the refining surface, preferably in its own separate bore in the disk and flush with or below axial refiner bar height. Signals from one or more sensors are processed by a processing device linked to a module containing calibration data that is applied to make sensor measurements more accurate.