METHOD OF MAKING PULP

Abstract: A method of making refiner pulp by refining lignocellulose-containing material having a concentration of 8-15%, measured as discharge concentration. The material is refined in a disc refiner during the passage out through the gap (10) between the refining discs (6, 7) of the refiner to a surrounding refiner housing (15). Water is continuously supplied to the housing (15) outside the refining discs (6, 7) to dilute the refined material to a fibre suspension of a concentration easy to pump. The housing (15) is maintained filled with said suspension in order to reduce the pulp flow through the refiner and thereby the retention time of the material between the refining discs (6, 7).

Description: Method of making pulp This invention relates to a method of making refiner pulp of high yield ( * 785/S) by refining lignocellulose-containing material such as chips, sawdust or defibred chips. The material is preheated arid/or/treated with ligπin-softeniπg chemicals prior to the refining, which usually is carried out in disc refiners. At conventional embodiments of the refining process the fibre material is refined at. very high fibre concentrations, in such a manner, that the amount of water supplied to the refiner is held at the lowest possible level. This is necessary for obtaining good properties of the exposed fibres and for rendering them suitable for the manufacture of a series of different paper qualities. The re¬ fining process, however, requires much energy. Therefore, in view of the ever increasing energy prices and the restricted energy supply it is increasingly disadvantageous to make mechanical or ' chemi-mechaπical pulps of the above yields by this process. It was, however, found very surprisingly that it is possible by the present invention to substantially reduce the energy con¬ sumption at the refining without abandoning the quality of the re¬ sulting pulp. In certain cases even an improvement of the quality was observed. The fibre material is decomposed at the refining to fibres or fibre fragments while the material is passing through the narrow gap between the refining segments in the disc refiner. As regards the process parameters, such as pressure, temperature, concentration, production, refining disc pattern etc. in the refiner, it is essen¬ tial to choose them so as to obtain a gap of adequate size at the desired effect input and processing of the fibre material. Too narrow a gap implies difficulties for the pulp transport through the gap and often results in a poor pulp quality, because many fibres during their passage between the discs are cut off or damaged "fri. OMPI some other way. Too wide a gap, on the other hand, causes proble due to a high shives content in the pulp or, in other words, the result of the refining operation is not satisfactory. The pulp concentration affects the gap for a certain energy input as follows. At a high pulp concentration a certain treatme of the material with resulting energy consumption at a certain ga is obtained. In order to obtain with conventional refining tech¬ nology the same treatment of the fibre material or the same energ consumption at a low pulp concentration, the gap must be reduced. The reason thereof should be that the pulp fibres form a bed of greater thickness at a higher concentration, and that the fibres • remain for a longer time between the refiner discs-, because the transport resistance is higher at increased concentration. At low pulp concentrations the material is transported at a higher rate through the gap. When still the same beating degree of the fibre (the same energy consumption) is to be obtained, the gap must be reduced. This implies an increased intensity of the energy trans fer from the refining segments to the fibres and, thereby, a grea ter risk of fibre damage. When applying the process technology of to-day, it is, ther fore, necessary to work in the refiner with relatively high pulp concentrations, usually above 20?& calculated as discharge concen¬ tration,in: order to enter the correct gap interval where a satis- factory pulp quality is obtained and fibre damages are prevented. This applies to all types of processes using the highest yield interval ( " " 85 ), for example thermo-mechanical or chemi-mechσni cal processes. At these high pulp concentrations, however, the steam formation is high and causes a series of problems difficult to cope with, when flows of the chips, fibres, water and steam through the refiner shall be controlled individually in order to proceed troublefree. The pulp fibres, moreover, per se are difficult to handle from a flow aspect, and the energy con¬ sumption at the processing is very high. The main part of the steam formed during the process flows out of the refiner, together with the fibre material and unvapori water, through the gap and flows into the surrounding refiner hou ing. The steam amount is great, and the steam rates through the gap are very high. This, of course, limits the erεrgy inpu in many cases is limited so substantially that the desired cessing of the fibre material is not obtained during a single pas¬ sage, but the refining operation must be repeated two or more times with the entire pulp amount or with a part thereof, i.e. the re¬ fining must be carried out in several steps. The steam, besides, occupies a very large part of the space in the gap between the operating refining discs. For this reason, and because the fibre material at high concentrations is not distributed uniformly in the gap and over the refining segments, the possibilities offered by the refining segments cannot all be utilized for processing the fibre material. Although the greater part of the steam formed flows out at the periphery of the refining segments, a non-neglectible part thereof flows back and out of the refiner where the chips are being fed in. This feed, of course, is obstructed thereby, which gives rise to serious effect variations. Such a varying fibre flow through the refiner, of course, has a detrimental effect on the pulp quality. When the fibre flow is too great, the fibres are refined insuffici¬ ently, and when the flow is too small, the fibres will be refined much too intensely. The steam flow, partially in forward and partially in rearward direction, is due to the fact that the pressure in the gap between the refining segments increases with increased energy transfer in the direction to the periphery and reaches a maximum somewhere in the outer part. The energy transfer and the steam formation are here at their maximum, and this area constitutes a natural divider for the forward/rearward stearaflow. Thus, great steam amounts difficult to manage are formed when the refining of fibre material must be carried out at high fibre concentrations. The fibre concentrations, determined immediately after the refining, mostly are in the range of 25-35^. The steam problems, therefore, determine to a high degree the design of the disc segments, i.e. of the instruments applied to refining the fibre material. Grooves and ridges, thus must be formed so that the grooves are sufficiently wide and deep for not obstructing the steam transport. Often, on the other hand, a narrower groove and a wider ridge would be more advantageous with respect to the refining of the fibres, but are not permissible in view of the steam transport. It further is desirable to maintain the fibre material for as long as possible upwardly about ridge surfaces and edges, so that tire raa OMPI ~WΪPO~ rial will be accessible to the refining effected by the edges and surfaces of the ridges. Grooves with great depth would render th difficult. Furthermore, according to new refining theories an ef fective refining of the fibre material requires a continuous and rapid redistribution of the material, which also is rendered diff cult by too deep grooves and high fibre concentration. It is apparant from the aforesaid, that it is highly desira to carry out the refining of fibre material at fibre concentratio which are lower than permissible according to the technology of t day. By lowering the concentration, the steam formation is reduc and the fibre flow through the refiner is facilitated. The fibre material is distributed more uniformly across the refining surfac the material in the grooves is more easily and rapidly redistri¬ buted, and the possibilities of refining fibres and chips are better utilized. The substantially reduced steam formation permi a more rational design of the refining segments. These advantages of a low pulp concentration express themse ves in such a way, that at a lowering of the pulp concentration b low 15/δ a distinct reduction of the energy consumption for a cert refining degree of the fibre material, calculated as freeness, ca be observed. It is difficult,, however, to utilize this effect wi the technology of to-day, because simultaneously the gap decrease so much at the refining of these low concentrations, that the strength properties of the pulp deteriorate due to fibre damages, as mentioned above. The present invention provides a sufficient retention time the fibre material in the refiner, so that the specific effect in put can be held at a level where fibre damages are prevented al¬ though the refining is carried out in the concentration range 8-1 calculated as discharge concentration. This implies, that the energy consumption at the refining can be reduced substantially a at the same time the quality of the pulp produced is maintained o even improved. This is possible due to the fact that the pulp flow through the refiner according to the invention is reduced effectively. The characterizing features of the invention become apparen from the attached claims. The invention is described in greater detail in the followi with reference to the attached Figure, which schematically shows - refiner for carrying out the method according to the invention. The refiner shown is a disc-refiner, of which both refining discs rotate in relation to one another, but the invention is applicable also to a refiner comprising one stationary and one rotating refining disc. The refiner comprises a stand 1 , in which two shafts 2, 3 are supported. The shafts are driven in opposed directions by motors 4, 5 and are provided at one end with refining segment holders 6, 7, on which refining segments 8, 9 are attached. Between the refining segments 8, 9 a gap 10 is formed which can be adjusted by displacing one shaft 2 and associated segment holder 6 in axial direction. The second segment holder 7 is provided with openings 11 for material supply which communicate with a charging device 12. A supply con¬ duit 13 for diluting water is connected to the material inlet. The amount of diluting water supplied is controlled by a valve 14. The segment holders 6, 7 are enclosed by a closed refiner housing 15, to which, preferably to its lower portion, a supply con¬ duit 16 for diluting water is connected. The supply can be con¬ trolled by a valve 17. For the discharge of the refined material an outlet conduit 18 is connected to the refiner housing, preferably to its upper portion. The pressure in the refiner housing is con¬ trolled by a valve 1 . The lignocellulose-containing material to be refined is pre¬ heated with steam and/or treated with lignin-softening chemicals, for example prior to the refining in a known manner. The material is advanced by a feed screw 12 and flows in through the openings 11 in the segment holder 7 and flows out through the gap 10. The pressure in the feed zone, i.e. where the material is charged through the openings 11, usually is maintained between 10 and 260 kPa, preferably between 20 and 140 kPa. This corresponds to a temperature of approx. 100-140 C, preferably 105-125 C. The material concentration is held at the refining within 8- 15S, calculated as discharge concentration, i.e. the concentration of the material when leaving the gap. This concentration is adjus¬ ted by the supply of diluting water of a suitable temperature through the conduit 13. By continuous and controlled supply of diluting water, pre¬ ferably backwater of the mill, through the conduit 16, the pulp is diluted after the refining to a concentration easy to pump, suit¬ ably 1 -6%, and preferably 2-5S, so that the refiner housing held filled with the fibre suspension. Hereby the fibre suspensi in the refiner housing forms α wall about the outlet opening of t gap and brakes the acceleration of the fibre material through the gap. The material remains longer in the gap, and the low concen- tration permits a more uniform distribution of the material. The flow through the gap assumes the character of plug flow. The staying time of the material in the gap also is affecte by the pattern of the refining segments. In the present case a dense pattern is desired, i.e. the grooves shall have small depth and width dimensions. The refining segments, for example, may be designed with a refining zone where the groove width is smaller than 2 mm and the groove depth below 4 mm. The grooves of the re fining segments also are to be provided with a great number of ridges. Such a pattern, as mentioned before, also contributes to a more effective refining of the fibres. In the refiner housing 15, outside the refining discs a pressure is maintained which substantially corresponds to the pre sure in the feed zone. It may, however, be suitable under certai circumstances to maintain in the refiner housing a higher pressur than in the feed zone. Hereby the retention time of the material in the gap can be extended still more. The pressure in the refin housing is controlled by the valve 19 in the discharge conduit 18 from the refiner housing. The low concentration in the refiner housing provides a uniform flow through said housing. The low co centration also implies that the pressure drop over the valve 19 easier to control, whereby also the pressure in the refiner housi and the entire refining operation are easier to control. Due to the fact that the concentration at the refining is . held at a low level (8-15?0, the amount of steam formed is much smaller than it normally would be. No steam, or very little stea flows backward against the incoming chips, and the steam flowing o through the gap has low speed and condenses substantially immedi.a tely in the fibre suspension surrounding the segment holders.Owin to the fact that the refiner housing is filled with a fibre sus- pension of low concentration, also heat is conducted away more effectively from the refining zone, which further contributes to limitation of the steam formation in the refining zone. It is also possible to utilize defibred chips as starting material. The feed screw 12 then can be replaced by a pulp O the discharge conduit of which is connected directly to the feed zone of the refiner. Defibred chips in this case are to be under¬ stood as a fibre material which in a preceding operation partially has been defibred with very little energy. The defibring operation may take place subsequent to a preheating and/or treatment with lignin-softeπing chemicals. The gap at this operation is great, and the fibre damages are insignificant. The refining, i.e. the main application of energy, thereafter takes place in the way de¬ scribed above. The refining of fibre material at low concentration, prefer¬ ably in the range 2-5δ, per se has been applied since long. The material, however, was fibre material of low yield, most usually about 50$, so-called chemical pulps, or of yields up to 8Ct%, so- called semi-chemical pulps. In both cases the fibres have a charac- ter quite different from that in the yield range, to which the present invention refers { ~~ > 857-0 • Said low yields, below 80/-, render flexible fibres, which can be refined at low concentration and in small gaps without destroying the fibres. Moreover, never or very seldom the energy requirements are higher than 400-500- • RWh/ton, which is about half or one third of the energy amount re- q uired for a satisfactory refining of high-yield fibre according to the invention. It is, further, to be observed that the fibre con¬ centration in these cases (2-57?). is the same both in the gap and in the refiner housing. A fibre material, which after refining can be characterized as mechanical or chemi- echanical pulp, is refined according to conventional technology from raw material to pulp at high concentration, 20-407S. The invention, of course, is not restricted to the embodi¬ ments described, but can be varied within the scope of the inven- tioπ idea.

Claims: AM D (received by the International Bureau on 19 June 1979 (19.06.79)) 1. A method of refining lignocellulose-contαining material, which first is preheated and/or treated with ligπin-softening chemicals and possibly defibred and thereafter charged into a disc refiner and refined during the passage out through the gap (lθ) between the refining discs (6, 7) of the refiner to a surrounding housing (15), characterized in that the refining is carried out at so low concentration of the material that the concentration at the discharge of the material from the gap (lθ) is 8-15%, that water continuously is supplied to the refiner housing (15) outside the refining discs (6, 7) for di¬ luting the refined material to a fibre suspension of a concentration easy to pump, preferably 1-6%, and that the refiner housing (15) is maintained filled with said suspension. 2. A method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that at the entrance of the material into the space between the re¬ fining discs (6, 7) an overpressure is maintained, and substantially the same overpressure is maintained in the refiner housing (15) out¬ side the refining discs. 3. A method as defined in claim 2, characterized in that the overpressure is maintained between 20 and 1 0 kPa. 4. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material concentration at the refining is maintained by controlled supply of diluting water when the material enters the space between the refining discs (6, 7). 5. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water for diluting the material in the refiner housing is supplied to the lower portion of the refiner housing (15), and that- the material is discharged from the upper portion of the refiner housing. JU EA T STATEMENT UNDER ARTICLE 19 With re ference to the search report of 1979-0-4-27 we want to re¬ place the claims on file by the attached new claims. In the "new claim we have more clearly defined the concentration of the material in the refiner, see the description page 4, lines 29-30. Re ference numerals are inserted in the new claims. - REAT?

Inventors: HOEGLUND H, PETERSON P
Applicants: HOEGLUND H, PETERSON P, SCA DEVELOPMENT AB, SCA DEV AB
Application year: 1979
Main classification: D21B1
IPC codes: B02C7, D21B1, D21D1