Abstract:
In a screening device, a rotor element on a rotor coaxial with a cylindrical screen drum and a cylindrical screen including: an upper surface and a front face between the surface of the rotor and the upper surface, wherein the front face faces upstream into pulp flow through a gap between the screen drum and the cylindrical screen; a trailing surface extending downstream of the pulp flow from the upper surface, wherein the trailing surface tapers to the surface of the rotor and meets the surface of the rotor at a back region of the trailing surface, and opposite sidewalls extending between the trailing surface and the surface of the rotor, wherein the opposite sidewalls gradually converge towards the back region.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a screen for treating fibrous suspensions, such as pulps, of the wood processing industry. Especially it relates to the construction of a rotor element for the screen. 
         [0002]    Pressure screens are essential devices in the production of pulp and paper. They remove from the pulp suspension mainly impurities, over-sized pieces of wood and fiber bundles as well as other undesired substances. The screen can also fractionate fibers according to their length for improving the properties of the pulp. The precise function of the screen is dependent on the location in the process where it is used. In the screening process the water suspension of the pulp fibers is typically pumped into a cylindrical chamber, wherein the suspension is brought to contact with the screen surface and a rotor moving at high velocity. The rotational velocity of the rotor pushes the fibrous material into movement, whereby part of it is passed as accept through apertures in the screen surface. The high-speed rotor applies positive and negative impact pulses to the suspension. The positive impact pulses push the fibers through the apertures in the screen and may fractionate the fibers. The negative impact pulses provide for a regular flush-back of the apertures in the screen surface so that the fibers do not plug the apertures. 
         [0003]    The pulp suspension consists of millions of elastic fibers that easily attach to each other forming so-called fiber flocks. Even at a low consistency such as 0.01% the fibers form unstable flocs. In a typical screening consistency, 1-3% the fibers form stable flocks and fiber networks hamper the screening. The fibers and undesired solid matter are periodically removed from the net in order to enable the screening the remaining fibers from the flocks and fiber networks into reject and accept fibers. When the pulp consistency increases, the force required for decomposing the fiber network increases intensively and finally a process limit is reached, where the apertures in the screen surface or the reject line is clogged. A large number of various rotor solutions has been developed with the aim of ensuring a continuous screening operation. 
         [0004]    In principle, the rotors can be divided into two basic groups, open and closed rotors. Both are being used and their purpose is, as known, to keep the screening surface clean, i.e. to prevent the formation of a fiber mat on the screening surface. The first group is characterized in that the interior of the screen drum is provided with a rotary shaft or a rotor, whereto blades are attached by means of arms. An example of this kind is the rotor solution according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,865, where the rotor is arranged rotatably inside a cylindrical stationary screen drum, said rotor comprising blades located in the vicinity of the screen drum surface, which blades in the construction according to said patent form an angle with the drum axis i.e. the blades extend obliquely from one end of the screen drum to another. When moving, the blades impact pressure pulses on the screen surface, which pulses open the surface apertures. There are also solutions, in which the blades have been located on both sides of the screen drum. In that case, the suspension to be treated is fed to the inside or to the outside of the drum and the accept is, respectively, discharged from the outside or inside of the drum. 
         [0005]    In stationary rotors the rotor is an essentially closed cylindrical piece, the surface of which is provided with pulsation members, for instance almost hemispherical protrusions, so-called bulges. In this kind of an apparatus the pulp is fed into a treatment space located between the rotor cylinder and the screen drum outside thereof, whereby the purpose of the rotor protrusions, e.g., the bulges, is both to press the pulp against the screen drum and by means of its trailing edge to withdraw the fiber mat off the screen drum apertures. The bulges can be replaced by other kinds of protrusions. 
         [0006]    A solution widely used in the market is a represented by a method according to FI patent 77279 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,842) and the solution developed for the implementation thereof. The method according to said patent is characterized in that the fiber suspension is subjected to axial forces with varying intensity and effective direction, the direction and intensity of which are determined based on the mutual axial positioning of the point of application and the countersurface of the screen drum and by means of which the axial velocity profile of the fiber suspension is changed while maintaining the flow direction continuously towards the discharge end. Preferably the surface of the rotor is divided into four zones: feed, feed and mixing, mixing, and efficient mixing. The rotor surface is typically provided with 10-40 protrusions, the shape of which varies according to the zone i.e. the axial part of the rotor that they are located on. The protrusions on the housing surface of the rotor are mainly formed of front surfaces facing the flow, preferably surfaces parallel to the housing surface and back surfaces that descend towards the housing surface of the rotor. The housing surface of the rotor is provided with protrusions of several different forms, which have been arranged onto the rotor housing so that two or more circumferential zones are formed separated from each other in the axial direction of the rotor, such as e.g. 4 zones. At least part of the front surfaces of the protrusions forms an angle with the axial direction. The front surface of the protrusions can be divided into two parts that form with the axial direction angles of different size. The variation interval of the angles is −45°-+45° compared to the axial direction. However, the functioning principle of the protrusions is the same as in other corresponding devices. The abrupt front surface imparts a strong pressure shock to the fiber mat on the screen drum, whereby the accept is pressed through the apertures of the drum. The sloping back surface of the protrusion withdraws some water back to the screening zone and thus releases from the grooves and apertures major particles and fiber flocks thus cleaning the screen drum. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,438 describes a rotor which provides high intensity axial shear stress in addition to high positive pulses and negative pulses. The rotor has a contoured surface including a plurality of protrusions. A protrusion has a front plane, an upper plane, an inclined plane and edge surfaces, which may converge. The trailing surface of the protrusion is abrupt. 
         [0008]    So, in prior known solutions the functional prerequisite of pressure screens starts from the presumption that the rotor element is to develop an adequate pressure impulse on the interface to make the fiber particles flow through the screening surface and that the rotor element is to create by its trailing edge a negative pressure impulse to generate a turbulence that cleans the apertures clogged by the previous positive impulse. It has also been generally presented in the field that a negative impulse withdraws liquid back towards the feeding space preventing excess thickening of the fiber suspension in the feeding space and in its part cleaning the apertures of the screening surface. For enabling to create these conditions, the rotor must have an adequate rotational speed, which is, however, limited by energy consumption and mechanical durability of the screen, a typical speed for a rotor described in FI-patent 77279 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,842) is 24 m/s. 
         [0009]    In the present industrially used pressure screen applications the rotor solutions have enabled to reach the maximum feed consistency level of pulp. The consistency level is almost the same for different rotor types, for instance for softwood (SW)-pulp approximately 2-3%. Thus, there is a need in the field to develop a screen rotor that will allow higher feed consistencies. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    A screen, especially a pressure screen, has been developed having a rotor element construction such that thicker pulp than before can be treated and thus essentially increase the feed consistency of the pulp compared to known solutions. 
         [0011]    The screen apparatus, in one embodiment, comprises a housing, conduits therein at least for the fiber suspension being fed in, for reject and accept, as well as a rotor and a cylindrical screen drum installed in the housing, at least one of which is rotatable, whereby the rotor surface is provided with rotor elements that are in proximity to the screen drum surface, whereby a rotor element mainly comprises a front surface facing the flow, an upper surface and a descending trailing surface. The trailing surface of the rotor element may be curved and the sidewalls thereof converge at least along a part of their length towards the back point of the element. The length of the element, i.e. the distance between the front surface and the back point, is essentially greater than the greatest width of the element, i.e., the distance between the sidewalls. 
         [0012]    The sidewalls of the trailing surface converge towards the back point such that the opposite sidewalls converge at the back point or substantially converge such that the back point is a narrow back section that may be curved. 
         [0013]    According to one embodiment in a screening device, a rotor element is on a rotor coaxial with a cylindrical screen drum, wherein a gap between the rotor and screen drum receives a pulp flow and at least one of the rotor and screen drum rotates relative to the other, wherein the rotor element protrudes radially outward from a surface of the rotor and towards the screen drum, the rotor element comprising:
       an upper surface and a front face between the surface of the rotor and the upper surface, wherein the front face faces a circumferential movement of the pulp-flow in the gap;   a trailing surface extending downstream of the pulp flow from the upper surface and the trailing surface tapers to the surface of the rotor and meets the surface at a back point of the trailing surface, and   opposite sidewalls of the trailing surface gradually converging at the back point.       
 
         [0017]    The trailing surface of the rotor element allows the pulp to flow without stalling, as smoothly as possible and without causing a strong turbulence on the screening surface. In the rotor elements disclosed herein, a positive pulse is first created, but after that by the design of the trailing surface of the rotor element a situation is generated where the trailing surface releases the pulp fibers as calmly as possible, minimizing turbulence on the screening surface. In the rotational direction of the rotor, the pulp first contacts the front surface of the rotor element, which guides the pulp to a capacity zone where the flow-through of the pulp is generated. The capacity zone is formed by a zone in the vicinity of the surface of the screen basket, where fibers enter the accept side. The front surface can be planar. It can be perpendicular or inclined in relation to the rotor surface. The front surface can be formed of two pieces positioned symmetrically or asymmetrically in relation to the longitudinal center axis of the element forming a wedge to receive the flow. The front surface of the rotor element can also be curved. The front end, i.e. the front surface of the rotor element, the upper surface or plane parallel to the rotor surface and optionally a shoulder are designed so that the pulp is led as an essentially smooth film into the space between the screening surface and the rotor element, wherefrom the accepted pulp fibers are run and pressed through the screening surface into the accept side. According to an embodiment, the rotor element can also be devoid of a shoulder, such that the pulp may as well contact directly a front surface and a trailing surface that curves therefrom towards the back point. A rotor element&#39;s planar upper surface devoid of a shoulder can have an advantageous influence on energy consumption. 
         [0018]    The trailing surface of the rotor element is curved and the sidewalls thereof converge at least along a part of their length towards and at the back point of the element. According to an embodiment, the trailing surface has at least a first part and a second part, whereby the first part is closest to the front surface or the possible shoulder and its sidewalls are substantially parallel to each other, i.e. the width does not change, while the sidewalls of the second part converge towards and to the back point. According to another embodiment, the sidewalls of the trailing surface converge towards and to the back point essentially starting from the shoulder. 
         [0019]    In the initial point of the curved trailing surface of the rotor element a lag angle is preferably less than 10°, whereby the angle is formed between a tangential plane intersecting said initial point of the of the trailing surface curve and a tangential plane of a curvature radius of the trailing surface curve. 
         [0020]    According to an embodiment the front part and/or back part of a novel rotor element can also be hydrofoil-like. One end of the rotor element is a stationary piece, whereby the element can e.g. be constructed as a stationary piece, but the front portion&#39;s part facing the rotor body has been cut away. That way, the front part&#39;s surface receiving the pulp flow is hydrofoil-like and guides the pulp smoothly. Preferably, the front edge of the hydrofoil-like front portion is curved. 
         [0021]    The rotor elements disclosed herein allow the fiber suspension to be led as a film-like flow into the narrow space between the element and the screening surface, in which space the fiber suspension is pressed through the apertures in the screen surface. The gently curved trailing surface the sidewalls of which converge towards the back point guides the flow towards the back point and minimizes stalling of the flow, increase of flow resistance caused by cavitation, and decreases turbulence that prevents water from being removed to the accept side and the reject from thickening. Thus, the escape of small impurities and first of all water into accept is prevented, as the retention capacity of the fiber net is improved due to calm flow conditions. Thus, the thickening of the reject is decreased compared to known screens. 
         [0022]    The design of rotor element disclosed herein is hydro-dynamically efficient, and it allows a greater rotational speed without remarkable increase in energy. Simultaneously, the mechanical stress of the device is decreased. The rotor having the elements according to the invention operates at low circumferential speeds as well, which results in remarkable saving in energy. 
         [0023]    The rotor elements disclosed herein may be applied in connection with a closed rotor, most usually having a cylindrical shape, but it can also be e.g. conical. The rotor can also be open, whereby the rotor elements are supported by arms or other supporting members. 
     
    
     
       SUMMARY OF DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The present invention is described in more detail with reference to the appended figures, in which 
           [0025]      FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b ,  1   c  and  1   d  illustrate schematically the flow conditions surrounding a known rotor element ( FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b ) and an embodiment of novel rotor element according ( FIGS. 1   c  and  1   d ); 
           [0026]      FIGS. 2   a  to  2   d  illustrate preferred embodiments of the rotor element; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic cross section of a screen; 
           [0028]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  illustrate a top view of a plurality of rotor elements arranged on a surface of the rotor, where the rotor is shown in planar form for illustrative purposes, 
           [0029]      FIGS. 5   a  to  5   f  illustrate preferred embodiments of the novel rotor element, and 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a graph that illustrates the capacity of a screen device having a rotor with the novel rotor elements as disclosed herein and that of a prior art screen device having a rotor with conventional rotor elements, such as shown in  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b.    
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  illustrate a conventional rotor element  10  in side view and as seen from above, respectively. The rotor element has a front surface  11 , a plane surface  12  parallel to the rotor surface, a shoulder  13  and a trailing surface  14  descending angularly towards the rotor surface. The front surface  11  is perpendicular towards the rotor surface and divided into two parts, which together form a plow-like surface. The abrupt front surface imparts a pressure shock to the pulp flow in the screen drum, by means of which the accept is pressed through the screen drum. After the shoulder, an intensive turbulence starts in the pulp flow under the effect of the suction impulse resulting as the taper of the trailing edge causes the surface of the rotor element to move radially away from the screen. The turbulence keeps the screen surface open and thus allows water to flow into the accept, contributing to thickening of the reject. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 1   c  and  1   d  illustrate a novel rotor element  20  on the surface of a cylindrical rotor. The element has a front surface  21 , an upper plane  22  parallel to the rotor surface, a shoulder  23  and a trailing surface  24  descending curvedly towards the rotor surface. The sidewalls  27  and  28  of the trailing surface converge towards and at the back point  29 . The front surface  21  of the rotor element  20  is perpendicular towards the rotor surface and divided into two parts  25  and  26 , which together form a plow-like front surface  21 . The front surface and the upper plane  22  assist in guiding the pulp as a thin smooth film onto the screening surface, from where the accepted fiber fraction is passed to the accept side of the screen drum in a zone where the clearance between the screen drum and the rotor element is the smallest. After the shoulder the curved trailing surface  24  has a long gentle slope which minimizes the turbulence of the pulp flow to promote a homogeneous pulp flow that conforms to the curvature of the screening surface. The homogeneous pulp flow reduces the amount of water entering the accept side and thus minimizes the thickening disturbing the screening of the reject. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 2   a  to  2   d  illustrate schematically preferred forms of a novel rotor element, both in side view ( FIGS. 2   a  and  2   c ) and from above ( FIGS. 2   b  and  2   d ).  FIG. 2   a  shows a rotor element  30  in the form of a protrusion on the surface  31  of the rotor, which protrusion can be formed on said surface or the element is attached to the surface by appropriate means known per se, such as by welding, with a screw and other attachment means. The views from above ( FIGS. 2   b  and  2   d ) each show two different embodiments of the novel rotor element. The first rotor element embodiment is shown by a continuous line in  FIGS. 2   b  and  2   d , the front surface  32  is perpendicular in relation to the rotor surface, but the front edge  33  is curved, so that the energy consumption is decreased. After the front surface follows a plane  34  parallel to the rotor surface, which plane ends in a shoulder  35 . The trailing surface  36  is curved to promote laminar and smooth pulp flow between the screen and trailing surface and downstream of the shoulder. In this embodiment (continuous lines in  FIGS. 2   b  and  2   d ), the trailing surface has at least a first part  37  and a second part  38 , whereby the first part is closest to the shoulder and its sidewalls are substantially parallel to each other, while the sidewalls of the second part converge towards the back point  39 ,′  54 , such that the opposite sidewalls converge at the back point or substantially converge such that the back point is a narrow back section that may be curved. 
         [0034]    In the initial point of the curved trailing sidewalls of the rotor element the lag angle is preferably less than 10°, whereby an angle α is formed between a tangential plane T 2  intersecting said initial point of the curve and a tangential plane T 1  of the radius of curvature r 1 . 
         [0035]    Another embodiment of the novel rotor element is shown by the dash lines in  FIGS. 2   b  and  2   d . In this another embodiment, the front surface of the rotor element is divided into two parts  40  and  41  or  56  and  57  (dash line), which together form a plow-like surface. Then the front edge has a wedge-like form. The sidewalls  42  or  58  of the trailing surface converge towards and to one of the back points  39 ,  39 ′,  54  and  54 ′ essentially as early as starting from the shoulder  35  or  55 . A trailing surface converging starting from the shoulder can also be arranged in connection with a curved front surface or a wedge-like front surface, or a two-part trailing surface described in connection with the first embodiment can be arranged in connection to a wedge-like front surface. 
         [0036]    According to an embodiment the rotor element can also be devoid of a shoulder, i.e. the pulp may as well contact directly a front surface and a trailing surface that curves therefrom towards the back point. This alternative is illustrated with dash lines  44  or  59  on the rotor&#39;s upper surface in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b . A rotor element&#39;s planar upper surface devoid of a shoulder can have an advantageous influence on energy consumption. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 2   c  and  2   d  show a rotor element  50  is attached to surface  52  of the rotor via a support member  51 . The rotor element  50  is similar to the rotor element illustrated in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , except the front surface  53  is curved, as shown in the side view of  FIG. 2   c  and the element is supported by a post  51  on the rotor surface  52 . 
         [0038]    In accordance with  FIG. 3 , a screen device  60  comprises an outer housing  62 , conduit  63  therein for incoming pulp and discharge conduits for accept  64  and reject  65 , a stationary screen drum  67  and an essentially cylindrical rotor  66  therein. The screen drum  67  can in principle be of any type, but the best results are obtained if a profiled screen drum is used. The operation of the screen device  60  is essentially the following: the fiber suspension is fed via conduit  63  inside the device, wherein the fiber suspension is passed into the gap between the screen drum  67  and rotor  66 . The accept flown through the apertures of the screen drum is discharged from conduit  64 , and the pulp flown to the lower end of the gap between the screen drum  67  and rotor  66  and thereout is discharged from reject conduit  65 . 
         [0039]    Further,  FIG. 3  shows that the surface of rotor  66  on the side of the screen drum  67  is provided with rotor elements  68  in the form of protrusions on the rotor surface. The rotor elements each have curved trailing surface with sidewalls that converge at a back point. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  illustrates rotor elements  68 ,  68 ′ arranged on the surface of a rotor  66  bent, whereby the rotor surface is shown in planar form for purposes of illustration. The novel rotor element  68  (such as shown in  FIGS. 1   c  and  1   d , and  FIGS. 2   a  to  2   d  and  5   a  to  5   f ) allows using a greater number of rotor elements  68  on one and the same circumferential sector without decreasing the goodness criteria of screening. Additional screening capacity can be obtained by locating more rotor elements on the same circumferential line around the rotor. Adding rotor elements may increase the feeding consistency. In contrast, conventional rotor elements cause strong cavitations and flow stall in the pulp flow over and after the trailing surfaces. The cavitations and stalling results in turbulence in the pulp flow that interferes with pulp flow over downstream rotor elements. The cavitation and stalling of the pulp flow, limits the number of conventional rotor elements that can be positioned on the same circumferential line around a rotor while providing effective screening. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4   b  illustrates a rotor element  68 ′ embodiment (the lower drawing), in which the novel rotor element is elongated in the circumferential direction. The arcuate length of the elongated element can be at least 35°, even 50°-200°. The number of elements on the same circumferential segment can be e.g. two. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 5   a - 5   f  show additional embodiments of a rotor element according to the invention in a way similar to that in connection with  FIGS. 2   a - 2   d , as well as in side view ( FIGS. 5   a ,  5   c  and  5   e ) and from above ( FIGS. 5   b ,  5   d  and  5   f ). 
         [0043]    In  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b , a rotor element  70  is on the surface  71  of the rotor in form of a protrusion that can be formed in the said surface, or the element is fixed onto the surface by means known per se, such as by welding, with a screw etc. However, the front part  74  of the rotor element is clear of the rotor surface, so that there is a gap  75  between the rotor element and the rotor surface and that the front part is similar to a hydrofoil. Thus the pulp flow can pass it smoothly, i.e. without a major pressure shock. At the same time, the rotor element penetrates the pulp flow smoothly, whereby the flow is distributed more evenly to the capacity zone. This facilitates a smooth and efficient flow of the pulp onto the rotor element. The view from above ( FIG. 5   b ) illustrates two different embodiments. In the first embodiment (continuous line) the front edge  73  of the front surface  72  is curved. In the other embodiment the front surface is divided into two parts  75  and  75 ′ (dash line) that together form a wedge-like surface. Thus the front surface has a wedge-like shape. In accordance with the invention the trailing surface  77  is curved and its sidewalls  78  and  79  or  78 ′ and  79 ′ converge towards the back point  76  or  76 ′, respectively. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 5   c  and  5   d  illustrate an alternative shape of a front part  82  of rotor element  80  on the rotor surface  81 . The rotor element is machined or gouged at the sides  83  of the front part  82  so that the flow is smoothly directed under the front part to the sides of the element. The purpose is to pierce the pulp flow with the rotor element so that a smooth flow onto the element is achieved. Otherwise the shape of the rotor element is similar to that of  FIGS. 5   a - 5   b.    
         [0045]      FIGS. 5   e  and  5   f  illustrate on alternative embodiment, wherein both the front part  85  and the back part  86  of the rotor element  84  are machined or gouged so that they are clear of the rotor surface  87 . The trailing surface  88  of the element is curved and its sidewalls converge towards the back point  89 . The view from above ( FIG. 5   f ) illustrates two different embodiments, in which the front edge  90  (continuous line) of the front surface is curved or the front surface is divided into two parts  91  and  91 ′ (dash line) that together form a wedge-like surface. 
         [0046]      FIG. 6  illustrates the maximum functional capability of a screen having the novel rotor elements disclosed herein and a prior art screen in a pulp production line with normal equipment. The dash line illustrates the consistency of the reject as a function of feeding consistency, and the continuous line the specific energy consumption (OEK) of the rotor as a function of feeding consistency. The pulp in question is oxygen-delignified SWSA (softwood sulphate) pulp. Lines  1  illustrate a screen with the novel rotor elements and lines  2  a prior art screen. The device with the novel rotor elements operates at a significantly higher feeding consistency than the prior art device, and still the energy consumption is lower. Also, the thickening of the reject is lower in the device with the novel rotor elements, although it is operated at the same or a higher feeding consistency as the device with the prior art screen. The device with the novel rotor elements is further characterized in that lower rotor speeds can be used at the required feeding consistency, which decreases energy consumption. 
         [0047]    The screen with novel rotor elements disclosed herein may provide at least the following advantages: 
         [0048]    A. low thickening tendency of the reject. 
         [0049]    B. high feeding consistencies can be used, e.g. in the apparatus disclosed herein had a feeding consistency of SW-pulp of 1.5% higher than the prior art device. As a result of this, the number of water cycles in the mill is decreased, need for pumping is decreased, apparatuses, such as containers, are required in decreased numbers, sizes of the apparatuses are decreased, pipe lines become shorter, the overall space requirement is decreased. 
         [0050]    C. decreased energy consumption compared to prior art. 
         [0051]    D. better running security of the screen, because cavitation is decreased, and 
         [0052]    E. more reserve capacity. 
         [0053]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.