METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A SOIL IMPROVEMENT MATERIAL AND SUCH A MATERIAL

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a soil improvment material. According to the invention such a material is produced by the steps of mixing wood fiber slurries from paper mills and fly ash from fossil fuel power and heating plants and of further treating the material to obtain a packetable product. The wood fiber slurry is treated to become an almost gruel-like slurry and is pressed through a sieve belt press (4) to become considerably dewatered, down to a water content of about 20 %, after which the slurry is pre-mixed with fly ash, after which the main mixing is carried out to obtain homogenous lump-like particles, which are subjected to a size reduction process through screening or the product after the main mixing and a possible size reduction process is pelletized. The invention also relates to an apparatus (1) designed to carry out the method as well as a soil improvement material obtained according to the method and by means of the apparatus respectively.

Description: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A SOIL IMPROVEMENT MATERIAL AND SUCH A MATERIAL The present invention relates to a method for producing a soil improvement material according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method according to any of the method claims, which is set forth in the preamble of the first apparatus claim. The invention also relates to a soil improvement material, obtained according to said method and by means of said apparatus respectively and defined in a claim setting forth such a material. In the paper pulp industry and in paper mills respectively wood fiber slurries in relatively large amounts are obtained as a residual or waste product. A small paper mill produces e.g. about 40 000 m^ wood fiber slurry per year. This product is regarded and handled at present as a mere waste product, which is dumped on refuse tips. Another waste product is ash, e.g. fly ash from fossil fuel power and heating plants. This waste product also at present ends up on refuse tips, since no practical and economical utilization possibilities are available. US-A-5 505 774 relates to a method for utilizing wood fiber slurries as a filler, particularly in stuckos and cement pastes (see column 4, lines 50-52). This is an application area different from the production of a soil improvement material, which is the main object of the present invention. Another important object of the present invention is to develop bases for an economically and environmentally advantageous handling and utilization of at least one of said waste products. These objects are attained according to the present invention by carrying out a method of the type mentioned in the introduction mainly in the way set forth in the characteri- zing clause of claim 1. These objects are also attained by mainly designing an apparatus of the type mentioned above according to the invention in such a way as is set forth in the characterizing clause of the first apparatus claim. Said objects are attained also by means of a soil improvement material, obtained according to said method and by means of said apparatus respectively and defined in a claim setting forth this material. Fundamental principles for the development of the present invention is the understanding, that the sludge-like wood fiber slurry as such is difficult to handle and is an onesided product comprising about 20 % short wood fibers, about 80 % water and a few percent residuals of chemicals and that a treatment , which results in considerable costs as regards equipment and/or materials and/or energy, would make the end product less attractive and probably make it difficult to sell. Thus, the present inventive idea was developed, which comprises the steps of bringing together the wet wood fiber slurry exactly as it is obtained continuously in the paper mill with at least one dry and consequently moisture and liquid absorbing product, e.g. fly ash, which also is obtained continuously , in fossil fuel combustion plants and otherwise is a not very interesting product and of mixing these two starting products in such proportions and preferably without exterior energy supply, that an easily manageable combination product is obtained , which preferably in pelle- tized form can be sold to buyers. Additional characterizing features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following description, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, which schematic- ly show a few not limiting embodiments . The drawings show in detail in : Fig. 1 in a planar view a method and an apparatus according to the invention for producing a soil improvement material ; Fig. 2 a treatment station according to Fig. 1, designed to recieve, mix, screen and transport the obtained product; and Fig. 3 the station according to Fig. 2 in a planar view from above. In Fig. 1 a plant 1 is shown, which comprises and contains respectively an apparatus according to the invention. The plant comprises a room 2, which preferably is a section of a paper mill och which through a feeder conduit 3 recieves wood fiber slurry from the paper mill. The slurry ,which looks like a gruel, passes through a wire or sieve belt press 4, cylinders (not shown) squeezing out a great deal of the water, after which the slurry, which still contains about 80 % water, is fed through a feed worm 5 into a receiving station 6, preferably located outside room 2, from which station it is collected by e.g. a front-feed truck (not shown) and is delivered to a bin 7 , in the bottom of which there is a feed worm (not shown) , which through a conduit 8 feeds the slurry to a pre-mixer 9, which in its turn, through a conduit 10, which also contains a feed worm (not shown), is fed with fly ash from a storage tank 11 for the same. According to a preferred embodiment 20-50 %,preferably about 35% ash or the like, particularly fly ash from fossil fuel thermal power plants, which ash or the like is dry, up to about 96%, is mixed with 40-80 %, preferably about 65 % wood fiber slurry, which is dry up to about 20 %. Other moisture and liquid absorbing substances can also be used, e.g. torn up peat, in an amount of e.g. 0-30 %. In case lime is used, crushed lime having a particle size of up to 2 mm is preferred. In mixer 9 a pre-mixing is carried out and the mixture obtained in this way is fed through a feed worm 12 into amain mixer 13, which e.g. is relatively long and is provided with a mixing mechanism, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the main mixer, preferably designed as a bar having protruding arms , in which main mixer the two components are mised thoroughly , a product which as such is homogenous being obtained , which comprises small lumps, which at the out- let end of the main mixer are pumped out through a conduit 14 onto a screen 15, through which lumps of up to a certain maximum size fall and then are conveyed e.g. to transport containers 16 in order to packet them in bags. Lumps having a size larger than said maximum size are conveyed back by means of a conveyor belt 17 to the inlet end of the main mixer. Alternatively or furthermore the lumps , which fall through screen 15, can be conveyed by means of a belt conveyor 18 to a pelletizer device 19 with an outgoing conveyor 20 and be removed therefrom according to the description above. Thus, by means of the invention it is not necessary to add e.g. thermal energy, but the invention on the contrary is also based on the idea , that e.g. lime or the fly ash, which i.a. contains lime, generates heat, when it is exposed to the wet wood fiber slurry. In this way and due to the mechanical handling an internal drying process is commenced, which preferably in combination with ventilation means 21, connected to the main mixer, results in a considerably dry end product. The heat from the ventilation means can, in a way known per se, be utilized for other purposes, e.g. for heating room 2. A soil improvement material obtained according to the method described above and by means of the apparatus described above respectively can be used in a simple and direct way by buyers thereof, e.g. gardering people and farmers, because it is alkaline to some extent and has a pH-value of about 8. The end product is, as has been mentioned above a granulate or pellets , which can be spread manually or be means of suitable conventional machine equipment. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, but it can be modified and supplemented in an arbitrary fashion within the scope of the inventive idea and according to the enclosed patent claims. Thus, additional substances can be admixed into the mixture in an arbitrary production phase.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A method for producing a soil improvement material, wood fiber slurry from paper mills being mixed with lime and treated further to obtain a packetable product, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that 20-50 %, about 35 % ash, particularly fly ash from fossil fuel power and heating plants , is mixed with 40-80 %, preferably about 65 % wood fiber slurry, which is dry up to about 20 %, 0-30 % moisture and liquid absorbing material being admixed, partic- larly torn up peat, the wood fiber slurry in an almost gruel-like form being forced to pass a wire or a sieve belt press (4) in order to substantially dewater it down to a water content of about 20 %, after which the slurry is pre- mixed with said ash and possibly other moisture and fluid absorbing materials , particularly torn up peat, after which a main mixing is carried out in order to obtain homogenous lump-like particles , which are subjected to a size reduction process through screening or that the product subsequent to the main treatment and a possible size reduction process is pelletized. 2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the heat, which is generated during the production of the material , is removed by ventilation and re-used, e.g. in heat exchangers. 3. An apparatus for carrying out the method for producing a soil improvement material according to any of claims 1 and 2 and comprising means (3-8) for feeding wood fiber slurry and means (10,11) for feeding other substances and means (9,13) for mixing said components as well as means (14-20) for transporting the homogenized product, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus is integrated in a plant (1), which comprises a room (2) , which is a section of a paper mill and which through a feeder conduit (3) is designed to recieve wood fiber slurry from the paper mill, in that the feeder conduit is connected to a wire or a sieve belt press (4) , designed to press a large portion of the water out of the wood fiber slurry, which wire or the like (4) is connected to a transport device, preferably a feed worm (5) designed to feed the dewatered wood fiber slurry to a receiving station (6), which is located outside the room (2), in that the partially dewatered wood fiber slurry from the receiving station (6) , preferably through a bin (7) and/or a feed worm or the like (8) is fed into a pre-mixer (9) , to which also are connected storage means (11) for ash , particularly fly ash from fossil fuel power and heating plants and for other moisture and liquid absorbing materials respectively through a feed worm or the like (10), proportioning means for the various components also being provided , in that the pre-mixed components by means of a feed worm or the like (12) are fed into a main mixer (13) for a thorough mixing of the components to a homogenous product, preferably in the form av small lumps, which are to be fed through a conduit or the like (14) onto a screen (15) for a particle size maximizing process and transport of the end product , preferably also re-circulation means (17) being provided , which bring back particles, which are too large, to the inlet end of the mixer, or in that the homogenized product is fed from the main mixer (13) to a pelletizing device (19). 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by ventilation means (21) , connected to the mixing means (9 and/or 13) , to remove warm air and heat respectively, generated in the mixing means as well as means for utilizing the removed heat, e.g. a heat exchanger. 5. A soil improvement material obtained according to any of claims 1-2 and by means of an apparatus according to any of claims 3-4 respectively and comprising 40-80 %, preferably 65 % wood fiber slurry, which is dry up to about 20 %, 20- 50 %, preferably about 35 % ash, particularly fly ash from fossil fuel power and heating plants, as well as 0-30 % moisture and fluid absorbing materials , particularly torn up peat.

Inventors: HEDSTROEM KJELL, HENNINGSON BENGT, HEDSTROEM, KJELL, HENNINGSON, BENGT
Applicants: HEDSTROEM KJELL, HENNINGSON BENGT, HEDSTROEM, KJELL, HENNINGSON, BENGT
Application year: 1998
Main classification: C05F7
IPC codes: C05F7, C05F11, C09K17