Apparatus to enhance fiber development by addition of treatment agent during mechanical pulping

Abstract

A mechanical pulping apparatus including: a pre-treatment defibration device receiving comminuted cellulosic material; a primary refiner receiving the comminuted cellulosic material discharged from the pre-treatment defibration device; a source of a biological agent; a first conduit from the source of the biological agent coupled to pre-treatment defibration device, wherein the first conduit delivers the biological agent to or immediately upstream of an inlet to the defibration device; a source of a chemical agent, and a second conduit from the source of the chemical agent coupled to primary refiner, wherein the second conduit delivers the chemical agent to the primary refiner.

1 . A mechanical pulping apparatus comprising:
 a pre-treatment defibration device receiving comminuted cellulosic material;   a primary refiner receiving the comminuted cellulosic material discharged from the pre-treatment defibration device;   a source of a biological agent;   a first conduit from the source of the biological agent coupled to pre-treatment defibration device, wherein the first conduit delivers the biological agent to or immediately upstream of an inlet to the defibration device;   a source of a chemical agent, and   a second conduit from the source of the chemical agent coupled to primary refiner, wherein the second conduit delivers the chemical agent to the primary refiner.   
     
     
         2 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first conduit delivers the biological agent to the pre-treatment defibration device. 
     
     
         3 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second conduit delivers the chemical agent to the primary refiner at an inlet to the primary refiner. 
     
     
         4 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pre-treatment defibration device comprises a pressurized chip press operating at a pressure at or below 2 bar gauge pressure and a fiberizer refiner operating at a pressure at or below three bar gauge pressure, and wherein the primary refiner operates at a bar pressure of 5 to 6 bar gauge pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the first conduit introduces the biological agent at the fiberizer refiner or at a conduit between the fiberizer refiner and the pressurized chip press. 
     
     
         6 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a bleaching tower receiving the cellulosic material from the primary refiner. 
     
     
         7 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cellulosic material includes wood chips. 
     
     
         8 . A mechanical pulping apparatus comprising:
 a pre-treatment defibration device receiving comminuted cellulosic material;   a primary refiner receiving the comminuted cellulosic material discharged from the pre-treatment defibration device;   a biological source of a biological agent and a chemical source of a chemical agent, and   a biological inlet to the pre-treatment defibration device for a biological agent, wherein the biological inlet is connected by a conduit to the biological source, and   a chemical inlet to the primary refiner for a chemical agent, wherein the chemical inlet is connected by a conduit to the chemical source.   
     
     
         9 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the pre-treatment defibration device comprises a pressurized chip press operating at a pressure at or below 2 bar gauge pressure and a fiberizer refiner operating at a pressure at or below three bar gauge pressure, and wherein the primary refiner operates at a bar pressure of 5 to 6 bar gauge pressure. 
     
     
         10 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the biological inlet to the pre-treatment defibration device is at the fiberizer refiner or a conduit connecting the pressurized chip press and the fiberizer refiner. 
     
     
         11 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising a bleaching tower receiving the cellulosic material from the primary refiner. 
     
     
         12 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the cellulosic material includes wood chips. 
     
     
         13 . The mechanical pulping apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising a chip washing device discharging the comminuted cellulosic material to the pre-treatment defibration device.