Dried singulated crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers

Abstract

This invention provides a dried singulated crosslinked cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated, crosslinked, and dried fibers. In accordance with the process, a feed pulp containing a crosslinker is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be further treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A pulp product comprising: 
 singulated, crosslinked, and jet dried fibers, said product having a knot count equal to or less than 15%.    
     
     
         2 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the knot count is equal to or less than 10%.  
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the knot count is equal to or less than 5%.  
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the knot count is equal to or less than 2%.  
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers have an additional treatment substance associated with said fibers, and the treatment substance selected from the group consisting of surfactants and mineral particulates during jet drying.  
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 5 , wherein the treatment substance is clay.  
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 5 , wherein the treatment substance is fly ash.  
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are crosslinked with a crosslinker, selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, glyoxal, malic acid, and tartaric acid.  
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 1  admixed with concrete products.  
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 1  incorporated into an absorbent article.  
     
     
         11 . The product of  claim 1  incorporated into a plastic product.  
     
     
         12 . The product of  claim 1  incorporated into a paper product.  
     
     
         13 . The product of  claim 1  incorporated into a filter product.