Patent ID: 6989074

Claim:
Method of operating a rotary paper pulp refiner to refine a paper pulp suspension, said method comprising providing a housing including a stator positioned therein and having a stationary refiner plate and a rotor in such housing that has at least one refining plate mounted for rotary co-action relative to the stationary refiner plate with said pulp suspension flowing therebetween, providing a hydrostatic control space between a non-rotating surface of said stator and an immediate adjacent rotating surface of said rotor, supporting such rotor for rotation in said housing and positioning such rotor either axially or radially with respect to said stationary refiner plate by applying hydrostatic fluid pressure to said hydrostatic control space, said hydrostatic fluid being non-contaminating to said paper pulp suspension, controlling the pressure and volume of such hydrostatic fluid in said hydrostatic control space for supporting the rotor in rotational relation to the stator, and providing a passageway for flow of said hydrostatic fluid into said paper pulp suspension.