A METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TREATING FIBRE MATERIAL

Abstract: A method and a device for the admixing of treating agent to a pulp suspension. The pulp and agent are supplied through inlets (3 and 5) to a housing (1) with a chamber (10) comprising a substantially cylindric rotor (2). The mixing is carried out in a mixing zone (11) where the pulp is subjected to kneading between mixing members (6) on the rotor (2) and stationery treating members (12) in the chamber (10). After mixing, the pulp is discharged through an outlet (4).

Description: A method and device for treating fibre material This invention relates to a method and a device for admixing a treatment agent to a pulp suspension. The treatment agent can be chemicals, for example bleaching chemicals, in liquid or gaseous state. At all kinds of chemical delignification, a persistently uniform and proportional admixing of chemicals to pulp is of decisive importance for obtaining an acceptable result. A uniform result of treatment and an optimum utilization of the chemicals to the smallest required amount, lowest re¬ quired temperature and shortest required reaction time can thereby be obtained. In order to minimize the -chemical demand and reduce the energy demand still further, it is desirable to carry out this treatment at a relatively high pulp con¬ centration, preferably 10-25%'. At known devices, however, high pulp concentrations involve problems of achieving--, a uniform distribution of the chemicals in the pulp. Devices at present available normally comprise rotary members, which intensively agitate the pulp while simultaneously chemicals are added. Available devices also are relatively large and require much energy. A substantial part of the energy supplied is transformed only to heat and is not utilized efficienly at the mixing operation proper. According to the present invention, these problems are reduced in that the mixing work is carried out with a relatively small mixing volume and at high .energy density, ϊhis can be achieved by carrying out the mixing work in thin layers or gaps, whereby also energy supplied is utilized at a higher optimum. The characterizing features of the invention are apparent from the attached claims. The invention is described in greater detail in the foll¬ owing, with reference to various embodiments and to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a cross-section through a mixer according to the invention, where the treatment agent is added prior. o the supply of the pulp, Fig. 2 is a section along II-II in Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 is a cross-section through a mixer according to the invention, where the treatment agent is added after the supply of the pulp. According to the embodiments shown, the device comprises a housing 1 , in which a rotor 2 is mounted rotatably. An inlet 3 and an outlet 4- for the pulp and an inlet 5 for the treatment agent are connected to the housing. The inlet 5 for the treatment agent can be located either before or after the supply of the pulp 3, see Figs. 1 and 3, respectively. The substantially cylindric rotor 2 is provided on its casing surface with mixing members 6, which can extend subst¬ antially- axially along the entire casing surface or a portion thereof. In the latter case, the members should be offset relative to each other in the circumferential direction. The members 6 preferably- have a transverse, preferably right-angled leading edge 7 and a sloping trailing edge 8. Between the leading edge and trailing edge, the members 6 haveasubstantially levelled-off portion 9. The clear height of these members 6 from the root circle should be 10-30 mm. The housing 1 comprises a chamber 10 located radially outside the rotor 2 and limited so that its width extends only along the axial length of the rotor. The chamber 10 can be limited outward by a cylindric or edged surface, for example hexagonal. On a portion of the circumference, preferably within an angle of 15 - 180°, the chamber 10 is formed with a mixing zone 11, the outer limiting surface of which is provided with stationary mixing members 12, which preferably have trapezoid cross-section and extend substantially axially along the entire mixing zone or a portion thereof. The radial distance between the mixing members 6 of the rotor and the station¬ ary mixing members 12 preferably is between 2 and 20 mm. The chamber 10 is provided directly in front of the mixing zone 11 between the inlet and outlet of the pulp with a cylindric surface 13, which extends along a portion of the circumference, preferably within an angle of 5 - 180°. The surface 13. " = should be located slightly spaced, prefer¬ ably 1-4. mm, from the mixing members 6 of the rotor. The said surface can be a portion of the outer wall of the chamber or be formed as a separate detail attached in the chamber. The pulp inlet 3 and pulp outlet 4- are connected to the chamber 10 of the housing 1 in the outer casing surface thereof before and, respectively, after the mixing zone 11, seen in the rotation direction of the rotor 2. The inlet 3 and outlet 4- preferably shall extend along the entire width of the chamber. The inlet 5 for treatment agent can be located as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 > i.e. before or efter the inlet 3 for pulp. In both cases the inlet preferably shall extend along the width of the chamber 10. When the inlet 5 is located before the pulp inlet 3, it can be placed in or after the cylindric surface 13. In certain cases it may be suitable to place inlets for treatment agents both before and after the inlet 3 for pulp. According to this embodiment, for example, different treatment agents can be added each through its inlet 5. Due to the design of the device, the treatment agent is admixed with high energy input to a small volume in the form of a thin layer, whereby substantially all of the energy is utilized for the admixing work. The pulp and treatment agent are added each in well formed thin layers through the respective inlets 3 and 5. Immediately thereafter the mixing is carried out in the mixing zone 11 by means of the mixing members 6 of the rotor 2 in co-operation with the stationary mixing members 12. In the mixing zone 11, the pulp subjected to kneading, which implies that fibre flocks in the pulp repeatedly are stretched and compressed between the mixing members. The staying time in the mixing zone is very short (for example 1/100 - 1/5 sec), but due to the fact that the mixing takes place in a thin layer as described above, an efficient and uniform admixing is achieved. The energy input can be, for example, 0,5 - 5 kWh/ton pulp. The cylindric surface 13 has the object to prevent pulp from flowing backward past the rotor. The small amounts of treated pulp returned in the gaps between the mixing members 6 of the rotor have no detrimental effect on the result of the mixin . The invention, of course, is not restricted to the embodiments shown, but can be varied within the scope of the invention idea.

Claims: Claims 1. A method for admixing a treatment agent to a pulp susp¬ ension, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that pulp is caused to flow in the form of a thin layer through a mixing zone (11), that the treatment agent is supplied to the width of the entire pulp flow immediately before the mixing zone, and the pulp in the mixing zone (11) is subjected to kneading, which implies that fibre flocks in the pulp repeatedly are stretched and compressed. 2. A method as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d i n that the mixing work is carried out at a pulp concentration of 10-25%. 3- A method as defined in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d i that the mixing work is carried out with an energy input of 0,5-5 kWh/ton pulp. 4.. A method as defined in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the staying time in the mixing zone is 1/100-1/5 sec. 5. A device for admixing a treatment agent to a pulp susp¬ ension, comprising a housing (1) with a mixing chamber (10) with an inlet (3) and an outlet (4-) for the pulp and an inlet (5) for the treatment agent,andάasubstantially cylindric rotor (2) provided with mixing members (6) on its casing surface located in the housing (1), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the chamber (10) inwardly is defined by the casing surface of the rotor (2) and outwardly by the wall of the housing (1), and has a width corresponding to the axial length of the rotor, and that a portion of the outer defining surface of the chamber (10) is provided with stationary mixing members (12), which portion together with the rotor (2) define a mixing zone (11). 6. A device as defined in claim 5 . c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d i that the mixing zone (11) comprises 15-180° of the circumference of the chamber (10). 7. A device as defined in claim 5 or 6, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d i n that the mixing members (6) of the rotor (2) extend substantially axially along the casing surface of the rotor, and that the members (6) have a transverse leading edge (7) and a sloping trailing edge (8). 8. A device as defined in any one of the claims 5-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the stationary mixing members (12) have a substantially trapezoid cross- -section and the radial distance between opposed mixing members (6 and 12, respectively) is 2-20 mm. 9- A device as defined in any one of the claims 5-8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the chamber (10) directly after the pulp outlet (4-) is formed with a cylindric surface (13), which occupies 5-180° of. the circumference of the chamber and is located at a radial distance of 1-4- __ from the mixing members (6) of the rotor (2). 10. A device as defined in any one of the claims 5-9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the inlet (5) for the treatment agent is located in the chamber (10) between the pulp inlet (3) and the mixing zone (11). 11. A device as defined in any one of the claims 5-9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the inlet (5) for the treatment agent is located in the chamber (10) before the pulp inlet (3). 12. A device as defined in any one of the claims 5-9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that inlets (5) for treatment agents are located in the chamber (10) both before and after the pulp inlet (3).

Inventors: FORSLUND KJELL, FREDRIKSSON BOERJE, FORSLUND, KJELL, FREDRIKSSON, BOERJE
Applicants: SUNDS DEFIBRATOR IND AB, SUNDS DEFIBRATOR INDUSTRIES AKTIEBOLAG
Application year: 1992
Main classification: D21C9
IPC codes: B01F3, B01F7, B28C5, D21B1, D21C9