Refiner plate to prevent grooves plugging

Abstract

A refiner plate includes at least one refining zone including a first plurality of refining bars and a plurality of grooves. At least one groove of the plurality of grooves has a first width between adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars at an inlet of the at least one refining zone narrower than a second width along a remaining portion of the at least one groove. At least one of the adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars has a widened portion in a circumferential direction of the refiner plate at an inlet portion of the at least one refining zone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refiner plate, comprising:
 at least one refining zone including a first plurality of refining bars and a plurality of grooves;   at least one groove of the plurality of grooves having a first width between adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars at an inlet of the at least one refining zone narrower than a second width along a remaining portion of the at least one groove; and   at least one of the adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars having a widened portion in a circumferential direction of the refiner plate at an inlet portion of the at least one refining zone.   
     
     
         2 . The refiner plate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the adjacent refining bars has a third width at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone wider than a fourth width of a remaining portion of the at least one of the adjacent refining bars. 
     
     
         3 . The refiner plate of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one adjacent refining bar comprises a transition portion configured to transition a width of the at least one adjacent refining bar between the third width of the at least one adjacent refining bar and the fourth width of the remaining portion of the at least one adjacent refining bar. 
     
     
         4 . The refiner plate of  claim 3 , wherein at least one side of the at least one adjacent refiner bar has a transition portion comprising one of a chamfer, a radius, or a step. 
     
     
         5 . The refiner plate of  claim 3 , wherein both sides of the at least one adjacent refiner bar have a transition portion comprising one or a combination of a chamfer, a radius, or a step. 
     
     
         6 . The refiner plate of  claim 3 , wherein the transition portion comprises an extended widened portion in a radial direction and a chamfer on both sides of the at least one refining bar. 
     
     
         7 . The refiner plate of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the widened portion of the at least one adjacent refining bar comprises a ramp rising at an angle from a substrate towards a top of the at least one refining bar. 
     
     
         8 . The refiner plate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one refining zone comprises a second plurality of refining bars, each refining bar of the second plurality of refining bars having a third width of the widened portion at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone greater than a fourth width of the remaining portion of each of the second plurality of refining bars,
 wherein the widened portion has a first width at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone greater than a second width in the circumferential direction of the refiner plate of a remaining portion of the at least one refining bar.   
     
     
         9 . The refiner plate of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone comprises a distributed refining zone inlet transition. 
     
     
         10 . The refiner plate of  claim 1 , wherein widened portions of the first plurality of refining bars are staggered in a radial direction at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone such that adjacent refiner bars have different radial distances from an inner circumference of the refiner plate to inner ends of the adjacent refiner bars. 
     
     
         11 . The refiner plate of  claim 1 , wherein the refiner plate is a one-piece ring or a one-piece cone. 
     
     
         12 . A refiner plate, comprising:
 a plurality of refiner plate segments, each refiner plate segment having:
 at least one refining zone including a first plurality of refining bars and a plurality of grooves; 
 at least one groove of the plurality of grooves having a first width between adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars at an inlet of the at least one refining zone narrower than a second width along a remaining portion of the at least one groove; and 
 at least one of the adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars having a widened portion in a circumferential direction of the refiner plate at an inlet portion of the at least one refining zone. 
   
     
     
         13 . The refiner plate of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one of the adjacent refining bars has a third width at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone wider than a fourth width of a remaining portion of the at least one of the adjacent refining bars. 
     
     
         14 . The refiner plate of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one adjacent refining bar comprises a transition portion configured to transition a width of the at least one adjacent refining bar between the third width of the at least one adjacent refining bar and the fourth width of the remaining portion of the at least one adjacent refining bar. 
     
     
         15 . The refiner plate of  claim 14 , wherein at least one side of the at least one adjacent refiner bar has a transition portion comprising one of a chamfer, a radius, or a step. 
     
     
         16 . The refiner plate of  claim 14 , wherein both sides of the at least one adjacent refiner bar have a transition portion comprising one or a combination of a chamfer, a radius, or a step. 
     
     
         17 . The refiner plate of  claim 14 , wherein the transition portion comprises an extended widened portion in a radial direction and a chamfer on both sides of the at least one refining bar. 
     
     
         18 . The refiner plate of  claim 12 , wherein at least part of the widened portion of the at least one adjacent refining bar comprises a ramp rising at an angle from a substrate towards a top of the at least one refining bar. 
     
     
         19 . The refiner plate of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one refining zone comprises a second plurality of refining bars, each refining bar of the second plurality of refining bars having a third width of the widened portion at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone greater than a fourth width of the remaining portion of each of the second plurality of refining bars. 
     
     
         20 . The refiner plate of  claim 19 , wherein widened portions of the second plurality of refining bars are staggered or distributed in a radial direction at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone. 
     
     
         21 . The refiner plate of  claim 12 , wherein the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone comprises a distributed refining zone inlet transition. 
     
     
         22 . The refiner plate of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of refiner plate segments form a ring or a cone.