Rollers for bast fiber breaking process

Abstract

A method for processing bast fibers includes orienting the bast fibers substantially parallel to one another; and feeding the bast fibers into a roller system to at least one of bend and break stems of the bast fibers. The roller system includes a first roller including a first plurality of teeth and a second roller including a second plurality of teeth having a span distance. The first roller and the second roller are arranged such that each of the first plurality of teeth passes between adjacent pairs of the second plurality of teeth. The first plurality of teeth of the first roller and the second plurality of teeth of the second roller are configured to load the stems of the bast fibers in a shear mode to at least one of bend and break the stems.

1 . A method for processing bast fibers, comprising:
 orienting the bast fibers substantially parallel to one another; and   feeding the bast fibers into a roller system to at least one of bend and break stems of the bast fibers,   wherein the roller system includes a first roller including a first plurality of teeth and a second roller including a second plurality of teeth having a span distance,   wherein the first roller and the second roller are arranged such that each of the first plurality of teeth passes between adjacent pairs of the second plurality of teeth, and   wherein the first plurality of teeth of the first roller and the second plurality of teeth of the second roller are configured to load the stems of the bast fibers in a shear mode to at least one of bend and break the stems.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first plurality of teeth has one of a rectangular cross section and a “W”-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth have different shapes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth have the same shape. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the stems have a diameter; and   the span distance is in a range from four to seven times the diameter of the stems.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the diameter of the stems is in range from 0.5 mm to 3 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the span distance is in range from 2 mm to 21 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bast fibers comprise flax. 
     
     
         9 . A roller system for processing bast fibers, comprising:
 a first roller including a first plurality of teeth; and   a second roller including a second plurality of teeth having a span distance in a range from 4 to 7 times a diameter of stems of bast fibers to be processed,   wherein the first roller and the second roller are arranged such that each of the first plurality of teeth passes between adjacent pairs of the second plurality of teeth, and   wherein the first plurality of teeth of the first roller and the second plurality of teeth of the second roller are configured to load the stems of the bast fibers in a shear mode to at least one of bend and break the stems.   
     
     
         10 . The roller system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first plurality of teeth has a rectangular cross section and wherein each of the second plurality of teeth has a triangular cross-section. 
     
     
         11 . The roller system of  claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth have different shapes. 
     
     
         12 . The roller system of  claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth have the same shape. 
     
     
         13 . The roller system of  claim 9 , wherein the diameter of the stems of the bast fibers is in range from 0.5 mm to 3 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The roller system of  claim 9 , wherein the span distance is in range from 2 mm to 21 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The roller system of  claim 9 , wherein the bast fibers comprise flax. 
     
     
         16 . A roller system for processing bast fibers, comprising:
 a first roller including a first plurality of teeth; and   a second roller including a second plurality of teeth having a span distance,   wherein each of the first plurality of teeth has a rectangular shaped cross section,   wherein each of the second plurality of teeth has a triangular cross section,   wherein the first roller and the second roller are arranged such that each of the first plurality of teeth passes between adjacent pairs of the second plurality of teeth, and   wherein the first plurality of teeth of the first roller and the second plurality of teeth of the second roller are configured to load stems of bast fibers in a shear mode to at least one of bend and break the stems.   
     
     
         17 . The roller system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the bast fibers have a diameter; and   the span distance is in a range from four to seven times the diameter of the bast fibers.   
     
     
         18 . The roller system of  claim 17 , wherein the diameter of the bast fibers is in range from 0.5 mm to 3 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The roller system of  claim 16 , wherein the span distance is in range from 2 mm to 21 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The roller system of  claim 16 , wherein the bast fibers comprise flax.