Patent ID: 6622868
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: B07B,D21D,D21F

Abstract:
A fiber recovery system for use in a papermaking process for recovering usable fibers contained in papermaking white water, comprising:a movable screen formed of a flexible and pliable screen material; a white water supply arrangement for directing papermaking white water onto a surface of the screen at one or more impingement locations at which the white water strikes the surface of the screen, wherein the movability of the screen functions to vary the one or more impingement locations; wherein the screen assumes an at-rest configuration when not in use and wherein, during operation of the fiber recovery system and movement of the screen, the flexibility and pliability of the material of the screen is operable to deform the screen outwardly relative to the at-rest configuration at the one or more impingement locations; wherein the screen is sized so as to retain usable fibers contained in the white water on the surface of the screen and to allow water and small particles of waste material contained in the white water to pass through the screen; a fiber collection and recovery arrangement for collecting usable fibers from a discharge area defined by the screen and for recirculating the usable fibers into the papermaking process; wherein the flexible and movable screen is suspended from a frame arrangement; wherein the screen defines a conical configuration having an upper end connected to the frame arrangement and a lower end defining the discharge area; and wherein the frame arrangement is rotatable about a generally upright axis of rotation coincident with a longitudinal axis defined by the screen.