Patent Publication Number: US-2004050510-A1

Title: Filtration of pulp mill liquids

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
     [0001] This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. provisional patent Application No. 60/211,876, filed Jun. 14, 2000, the entirety of which application is incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] In the processing of cellulose material, for example, wood or recycled paper, liquid streams are produced that contain cellulose fibers or other impurities that are typically undesirable in the process in which the liquid is used. For example, cellulose fibers must be minimized or removed from spent cooking liquors before the liquors are forwarded to evaporators in a chemical recovery system. Otherwise, the cellulose fibers are minimized or removed from effluents of pulp washers or pulp presses used in processing of the virgin pulp or recycled pulp before the effluents can be used elsewhere.  
       [0003] Cellulose fibers and other undesirable material can be removed from liquid process streams by a filtering device. One type of filtering device that is typically used is a pressurized screening device. These filtering pressurized screening devices are similar to pulp-processing pressurized screening devices that isolate or “screen” large uncooked pieces of cellulose material, such as pins and shives, from cellulose pulp streams.  
       [0004] Unlike pulp-processing pressure screening devices, pressurized screening filtering devices (typically referred to as “fiber filters”) filter undesirable material from liquid streams. Liquid streams typically have a much lower content of cellulose material than do the pulp streams fed to pulp screening devices. Pressurized pulp screening devices are typically fed cellulose pulp slurries having about 1 to 5% by weight (that is, about 1 to 5% consistency). In contrast, fiber filters are typically fed liquid streams having a fiber content of less than about 1% consistency, and preferably less than about 0.1% consistency, or even less than about 0.05%. For example, the liquid streams treated with fiber filters typically contain fiber in the range of 50 to 250 parts per million (ppm), which corresponds to a consistency of approximately about 0.005 to 0.025%.  
       [0005] Pressurized screen fiber filters typically contain perforated cylindrical screen baskets through which the fiber containing liquid stream is passed to remove the fibers and other materials. One typical fiber filter is the MODUScreen™ FF Pressure Filter provided by Andritz-Ahlstrom, Inc., of Glens Falls N.Y. This pressurized fiber filter screening device consists of a stationary cylindrical screen cylinder mounted about a cylindrical rotor. The stationary perforated cylinder contains circular through-holes, having an exemplary 0.2 mm diameter. However, the cylinder holes may be shaped as parallel bars or machined slots. In operation of the fiber filter, the liquid to be filtered flows from inside of a screen basket in the fiber filter, then radially outward through the screen where the undesirable material particles (for example, cellulose fibers), are prevented from passing through the screen perforations. These undesirable materials captured by the screen basket are passed out through a rejects outlet in the fiber filter and forwarded for further processing.  
       [0006] The cylindrical rotor of the fiber filter is provided with a series of uniformly spaced protrusions or “bumps”. The leading edge of the bumps acts as a hydrofoil to impart a hydraulic pulse to the liquid flowing along the inside of the basket. The trailing edge of the bumps creates a fluid pressure drop which momentarily draws the liquid back through the holes to dislodge any material that may be stuck in the holes so as to minimize screen pluggage. This type of fiber filter has been effective in minimizing or removing cellulose fiber and other undesirable materials from liquid streams in and around pulp and paper mills.  
       [0007] Sometimes the liquid stream introduced to these filtering devices contains undesirable particles that cannot be easily isolated with conventional pressurized screen fiber filters. In particular, smaller particles are not easily isolated and tend to pass through the screen. Particles smaller in diameter than the diameter of the holes in the screen cylinder especially tend to pass through the screen holes. For example, particles smaller than the 0.2 mm diameter (about 0.008 inches) of the holes in the Andritz-Ahlstrom MODUScreen FF Filter are not easily isolated and tend to pass through the screen.  
       [0008] One method of capturing smaller particles is to reduce the size of the screen perforations to 0.15 or 0.1 mm (that is, 0.006 or 0.004 inches), for example. However, smaller diameter screen holes can be much more expensive and difficult to fabricate using existing drilling or cutting technology. Another alternative is to wrap the screen cylinder with a fine cloth, fabric, or wire screen having a tight weave to capture the smaller particles. Such fabrics or wire screen are prone to tearing and other damage from the loading and high speeds under which present fiber filters are operated. Neither of these alternatives are particularly feasible or economical under the present state of the technology.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0009] According to the present invention, a fine screening medium is provided to the screen cylinder of a pressurized screen fiber filtering device. This fine screening medium is formed by adding at least some cellulose fibrous material to the filtering device so as to form a web or mat of cellulose material on the existing perforated surface. This web of cellulose fibers acts as a fine screening medium to filter small cellulose fibers and other undesirable material.  
       [0010] An embodiment of this invention is a process for removing solid particles from a liquid stream in a pulp or paper mill having a filtering device. The filtering device includes an inlet for liquid having at least some undesirable materials, an outlet for treated liquid having reduced concentration of undesirable material, an outlet for undesirable material, and a perforated screen element. A filter forming process is first used that comprises the steps of: (a) introducing a first liquid having an undesirable material content to the filter inlet; (b) introducing a second liquid having at least some comminuted fibrous material to the filter inlet to form a mixture of the first and second liquids; (c) passing the mixture of the first and second liquids through the screen element to produce a third liquid having little or no undesirable material; and (d) discharging the third liquid from the filtering device. As a result of this filter forming process, at least some of the comminuted cellulosic fibrous material introduced with the second liquid is retained on the screen element to form a permeable mat of cellulose material. The mat of cellulose material acts as a filtering medium for the undesirable material in the first liquid. The mat is retained on the screen element and is used to filter liquid streams flowing through the filter.  
       [0011] The filtering device is preferably a pressurized device having a cylindrical screen element. For example, the filtering device with cellulose mat may be a modified MODUScreen FF Pressure Filter provided by Andritz-Ahlstrom. Preferably, the second liquid containing at least some comminuted cellulosic fibrous material (for example, hardwood or softwood fibers), is mixed with the first liquid prior to being introduced to the filter inlet. The second stream containing the cellulose fibers may be introduced continuously to the first stream or may be introduced intermittently. For example, the cellulose steam may be automatically introduced in response to the state of the cellulose web or mat produced on the surface of the filter element, for example, as indicated by an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure drop across the filter element.  
       [0012] The invention may also include a system for treating a liquid stream in a pulp and paper mill to remove undesirable material from the liquid stream. The system comprises a filtering device having a perforated screen element having a filtering surface, an inlet, and a filtered liquid outlet; means for introducing a liquid containing undesirable material to the inlet; means for introducing a liquid containing at least some comminuted cellulosic fibrous material to the inlet; and means for forming a bed of comminuted cellulosic fibrous material on the filtering surface of the screen element to provide a finer screening medium than the screen element without the comminuted cellulosic fibrous material present. The screen element is preferably a cylindrical screen element. The cylindrical screen element may be stationary or it may rotate. The filtering surface of the cylindrical screen element may be an external surface or an internal surface, that is, the liquid may pass radially inward or radially outward through the cylindrical screen element. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES  
     [0013]FIG. 1 is an isometric view, partially in cross section, of a conventional fiber filtering device with which the present invention can be used.  
     [0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of partial cross section of a fiber filtering device according to the prior art.  
     [0015]FIG. 3 is a schematic like FIG. 2 showing one embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0016]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a system in which the present invention is practiced. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES  
     [0017]FIG. 1 illustrates a fiber filtering device  10  in which the present invention can be implemented. The device shown is a conventional MODUScreen™ FF Pressure Filter provided by Andritz-Ahlstrom Inc. of Glens Falls, N.Y. This device consists of a cylindrical housing  11  containing a stationary perforated cylindrical screen basket  12  and a cylindrical rotor  13 . The rotor  13  is driven by an electric motor  14  through a conventional drive train (not shown). The housing  11 , motor  14 , and drive train are mounted in a base structure  15 .  
     [0018] The screen cylinder  12  may be stationary or non-stationary and the rotor  13  may be stationary or non-stationary. The exemplary device  10  shown in FIG. 1 includes a stationary screen cylinder  12  and a rotating rotor  13 . The rotor  13  includes a series of protrusions or “bumps”  16 . The leading edge of these bumps acts as a hydrofoil to impart a hydraulic pulse to the liquid on the inside of the basket. The trailing edge of the bumps create a pressure drop which momentarily draws the liquid back through the holes to minimize screen pluggage. The bumps shown in FIG. 1 are hemispherical. However, the bumps may be implemented as a variety of shapes and contours, including rectangular, triangular, and elliptical shapes and contours. The screen cylinder  12  is perforated with round holes. Although any type of perforations, e.g., non-circular, may be used, including short or elongated slots of rectangular or elliptical shapes. These holes in the screen cylinder are typically less than 1 mm in diameter, preferably less than 0.5 mm in diameter. For the MODUScreen FF of Andritz-Ahlstrom. the holes are typically about 0.2 mm in diameter. The perforated cylinder rotor basket  13  may be fabricated from machined plate, as is conventional, or from a parallel-bar type construction.  
     [0019] In the fiber filter  10  shown in FIG. 1, liquid containing undesirable cellulose fibers or other material is introduced tangentially to the top the housing  11  via an inlet conduit. This tangential inlet flow imparts a centrifugal force to the inlet liquid flow and, in particular, to any larger, denser, “tramp” materials (such as rocks, stones, nuts and bolts, etc.) in that flow. The centrifugal force causes the tramp material in the flow to collect in the periphery of the top of the housing  11  and, if desired, is discharged from tangential outlet  17 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 outlet  17  is closed by a blind flange.  
     [0020] From the inlet at the top of the filter, the liquid bearing the undesirable material passes downward through an annular slot between the stationary screen basket  12  and the rotor  13 . The annular gap between the basket and rotor is between about 2 to 10 mm. With the aid of the pressure pulsations generated by the bumps  16  on rotor  13 , the liquid passes through the holes of the screen basket  12 , and collects in the annular chamber  18  between the screen  12  and the housing  11 . By passing though the screen cylinder, the liquid is “accepted” by the filter. The liquid “accepts” is then discharged through a tangential outlet  19 , and passes to further processing, for example, to an evaporator or washing apparatus.  
     [0021] The oversized or dense material that does not pass through the screen cylinder  12 , continues to flow along the length of the annular gap between the screen and rotor and collects in the annular space  20  below the screen basket  12 . This “reject” material is discharged from the space  20  via reject outlet  21 , and is typically forwarded to recover useful fiber, for example, to a refiner or the reject material may be otherwise disposed.  
     [0022] As described above, the prior art, as exemplified by the filtering device  10  shown in FIG. 1, is limited to removing undesirable material having a size greater than the perforations in the screen cylinder  12 . Smaller particles of undesirable material could be removed by reducing the size of the perforations in the cylinder, which places an excessive burden upon the fabrication process, or placing a cloth-type barrier over the cylinder, which is prone to damage. Both of these alternatives are undesirable. The preferred alternative according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.  
     [0023]FIG. 2 illustrates a partial, cross-sectional view of the cylindrical screen  12  and the cylindrical rotor  13  having spherical bumps  16  shown in FIG. 1. In the conventional design of such fiber filter devices, the liquid bearing the undesirable fiber and other material passes into the annular gap  22  between the screen and rotor as shown by arrow  23 . As the liquid passes through the annular gap  22 , the liquid passes (flow arrows  29 ) radially outward through the holes (or perforations)  24  in cylinder  12 . This liquid then passes to the accepts outlet  19  (shown in FIG. 1). Desirably, the fiber  25  and other undesirable materials  26  are prevented from passing through the screen holes and continue down the length of the annular gap  22  as shown by arrow  27  to be discharged from reject outlet  21  (shown in FIG. 1).  
     [0024] As shown in FIG. 2, particles  28  smaller than the holes  24  in the screen cylinder  12 , can pass through the holes  24  and be included with the accept flow discharged from outlet  19  (see FIG. 1). These small particles  28  may be small cellulose fibers (referred to as “fines”); pigments, fillers, and other additives from recycled paper or paper machine white water; scale; products of corrosion; metal-containing compounds; or any other smaller particulate materials found in pulp and paper mill liquid streams. These small particles  28  can interfere with the operation of the devices to which the accept flow is passed, for example, these particles or their accumulation, can interfere with proper operation of evaporators, heat exchangers, pulp cooking equipment, and pulp washing equipment.  
     [0025] According to the present invention, the concentration of these small particles is minimized. FIG. 3 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of a cylindrical screen  30 , similar to the screen  12  shown in FIG. 2. The construction, operation, and hole size of the screen  30  is essentially identical to the screen  12  as shown in FIG. 2. However, a layer or mat of cellulose material  31  is introduced to an internal surface of the screen cylinder  30 . This layer of material  31  acts as a further barrier to the passage of small particles  32  through the screen perforations  33  and into the accept flow shown by arrows  34 . The small particles  32  are of the same diameter as the particles  28  that pass through the holes in the screen cylinder, but for the fiber mat  31 . This layer of material  31  is comprised of overlapping cellulose fibers introduced to the inlet of the screen housing  11  of FIG. 1. Because of the mat of cellulose fibers on the screen cylinder, the content of fine particles  32  in the accept flow discharged from outlet  19  (in FIG. 1) is minimized. The absence of these small particles will prevent the small particles from interfering with the operation of the equipment to which the accept flow is sent, and will reduce the detrimental effect due to small particles on the operation of that equipment.  
     [0026]FIG. 4 illustrates one system  40  in which the present invention can be practiced. FIG. 4 includes a fiber filter  41 , for example, an Andritz-Ahlstrom MODUScreen FF, which receives a liquid flow containing comminuted cellulosic fibrous material, for example, softwood fibers or other solid contaminants, from source  42  and forwards a filtered liquid having little or no comminuted cellulosic fibrous material to a process  43 . The source of fiber containing liquid  42  may be a cellulose pulp digester, either continuous or batch, a pulp washer, pulp wash press, paper machine, or any other source of liquid that contains cellulose fibers or other solid contaminants that are preferably removed. The process  43  may be a recovery process, for example, an evaporator; a washing process, for example, a diffusion washer or drum washer: or any other pulp or paper mill process that can benefit from the removal of cellulose fibers and other undesirable material from the liquid stream which is fed to it.  
     [0027] The fiber filter  41  includes an unfiltered liquid inlet  44 , a tramp material outlet  45 , a rejects outlet  46 , and an accepts outlet  47 . The inlet  44  receives a stream of liquid from conduit  48 . The tramp material outlet  45  discharges to conduit  49  and typically to disposal. The rejects outlet  46  discharges to conduit  50  and to further processing or disposal. The accepts outlet  47  discharges to conduit  51  which feeds the filtered liquid to the downstream process  43 . Dilution liquid may also be introduced to device  41  as is conventional.  
     [0028] The system of FIG. 4 includes a source of comminuted cellulosic fibrous material  52 , for example, hardwood or softwood fibers, which is fed to the inlet  44  of filter  41  via conduits  53  and  48 . As described with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3, the fibers from source  52  are introduced to filter  41  to provide an additional filtering medium  31  (see FIG. 3) that minimizes or prevents the passage of fine particles through the filter  41 , specifically screen  30  of FIG. 3. Source  52  may be any source of cellulose fibers, for example, a high-density pulp storage tank or a pulp washer or pulp press. The fibers from source  52  may be any form of fibers that will form a filtering medium, e.g., a mat, on the screen surface such as screen  30  of FIG. 3 within filter  41 , including hardwood and softwood fibers; recycled fibers, including fibers from waste paper (MOW, ONP, etc.) and old corrugated container (OCC); fibers from agricultural waste, such as bagasse; and fibers from grasses, such as straw or hemp; or any other form of fibers. The fibers in conduit  53  may be supplied as a slurry at any available fiber to slurry weight concentration (e.g., consistency), for example, from 0.1% to 20% bone-dry (BD) consistency. The fibers are preferably supplied at a consistency less than about 12% BD, and even more preferably, less than about 5% BD.  
     [0029] The flow of fiber-containing slurry or liquid in conduit  53  may be regulated by a flow control valve  54 . The flow control valve  54  may control the flow in conduit  53  in response to a control signal  58  received from a flow controller  55 . This flow controller  55  may control the flow in conduit  53  based on a manual operator input or based on other control parameters in the pulp and paper mill. For example, the controller  55  may control flow in conduit  53  as a function of the pressure drop across the screen  30  (see FIG. 3). This pressure drop may be obtained from the pressure indicator signal  56  received from the pressure indicator in conduit  48  and the pressure indicator signal  57  received from the pressure indicator in conduit  51 . The difference in these pressures indicates the pressure drop across the filter screen. In one mode of control, an increase in this pressure difference indicates that a sufficient layer of mat of fiber has been established on the screen, and that less or no further fiber need be introduced to the filter. A drop in the pressure difference across the screen indicates that more fiber should be added to re-establish the filtering fiber mat.  
     [0030] The flow through valve  54  may also be controlled as a function of the flow in conduit  48  as indicated by flow sensor  59  or the rate of flow through conduit  53  as indicated by flow sensor  60 . These flow sensors  59 ,  60  are conventional flow detecting devices, such as magnetic-type flow meters, or “mag” meters. The control signal  61  from sensor  59  and the control signal  62  form sensor  60  provide a flow indication to controller  55 . For example, the controller  55  may control the amount of flow passing through valve  54  as a function of the flow through flow meter  59 . As the flow through meter  59  increases, the flow of fiber-containing liquid through valve  54  can be increased. Also, the sensor in conduit  51  having a control signal  57  may also be turbidity meter, that is, an optical sensor which indicates the clarity of the liquid passing through conduit  51 . As the clarity of the liquid decreases, suggesting an increase in undesirable material in the liquid passing through conduit  51 , the flow of fiber-containing liquid through valve  54  can be increased to increase the filtering effect and increase the clarity of the liquid in conduit  51 . Other control mechanisms will be apparent to those familiar with the art.  
     [0031] In the above disclosure all specific ranges within a broad range are also included herein. For example, 1-20% includes ranges such as 1-3%, 2.4-8%, 1.36%, and all other narrower ranges within the broad range.  
     [0032] 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 and methods included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, and as broadly as allowed by the prior art.