Abstract:
A method for treating cellulosic biomass feed stock including: feeding the feed stock to an upper inlet of a vertical reactor vessel, wherein the feed stock is deposited on a pile of feed stock within the vertical reactor vessel; adding heat energy to heat the feed stock by injecting steam to an upper region of the vertical reactor vessel; propelling the feed stock through an outlet in a lower region of the vertical reactor vessel by injecting steam into the biomass at, near or after the bottom outlet of the vertical reactor vessel, and moving the propelled feed stock through an expansion device, such as a steam explosion device, to subject the feed stock to a steam explosion process.
Abstract:
A system for refining lignocellulosic material including a first stator plate segment refining zone and a first rotor place segment refining zone, each of which has grooves. The rotor plate groove width is larger than the stator plate groove width in the inner part of the refining zone, but substantially similar in the outer part of the refining zone.
Abstract:
A shower pipe assembly to provide a wash liquid for washing a pulp mat, comprising: a shower pipe with areas defining oblong orifice openings extending through the wall; and a combination plate paddle configured to be removed and configured to be adjusted along the wall, wherein the combination plate paddle comprises a plate and a paddle, wherein the plate has areas defining a plate opening as adjacent to and configured to communicate with at least one oblong orifice opening of the shower pipe in an open position, wherein the opening formed by the oblong orifice opening in the pipe and the plate can be adjusted by moving the combination plate paddle along the wall of the pipe, and the combination plate paddle is slideably engaged to the shower pipe by fasteners.
Abstract:
A method for using a washer press for washing and dewatering a wide range of solids concentrations of pulp in liquid suspensions includes multiple distinct displacement wash zones about a drum with multiple nips.
Abstract:
A light weight plate segment configured to be mounted on a disc of a disperser or refiner for comminuted cellulosic material including: a front face having disperser teeth or refining bars; a back face having a raised post surrounding a fastener attachment structure and a raised plate positioning section; side edges of the plate segment; and a radially outer edge and a radially inner edge extending between the side edges; wherein the back face lacks raised structures along the side edges.
Abstract:
A refining system and process using a specially designed stator refiner plate that includes a major refining surface comprising a series of bars and grooves, the bars include a leading surface that comprises an irregular surface hosting a series of protrusions extending along the bar, and a trailing surface that is relatively smooth compared to the leading surface that lacks an irregular surface.
Abstract:
A washer press apparatus for washing and dewatering a wide range of solids concentrations of pulp in liquid suspensions includes multiple distinct displacement wash zones about a drum with multiple nips.
Abstract:
The amount or extent of expositions as a result of hot smelt from a pulp mill recovery boiler impacting cool liquid in a dissolving tank is reduced more effectively by regulating the smelt flow via a restrictor assembly. The restrictor assembly may be positioned to permit the smelt to flow, unrestricted, from the recovery boiler to the dissolving tank, or the restrictor assembly may be positioned so as to fully or partially block the smelt flow from the boiler to the dissolving tank. In some embodiments, a source of cooling fluid may be coupled to the restrictor assembly so as to assist in cooling parts of the restrictor assembly when hot smelt is in contact with the assembly.
Abstract:
A continuous digester for producing chemical cellulose pulp from cellulose chips including: a digester vessel with an upper section attached to a top separator and said vessel at least partially filled with the cellulose chips and a liquor; a top separator at least partially in said upper section having a lower chip inlet port, a chip conveyor, a screen adjacent the conveyor, an upper chip discharge chute, and a liquor outlet facing a side of the screen opposite to the conveyor, and a chip inlet conduit extending into the vessel and having a first operational mode in fluid communication with the chip inlet port and a second operational mode in which the chip inlet conduit discharges directly into the vessel.
Abstract:
An apparatus and process for solvent pulping of cellulose-containing biomass utilizes at least one steaming vessel, a plug screw feeder or compression screw device, at least one super-atmospheric impregnation vessel, a solvent delignification reactor capable of operating at a pressure of 350 psig or more, and a solvent containing line for introducing solvent-containing liquor at the plug screw feeder outlet or compression screw device outlet. The process and system can also include at least one series connected pressure diffuser and optionally a retention tube downstream of each pressure diffuser to provide sufficient retention time to substantially preclude re-deposition of lignin on the cellulose fibers of the biomass, a blow tank connected to the last of the pressure diffusers and retention tubes, and vessels for multistage alcohol washing. The method steams the biomass and impregnates it with solvent to produce an aqueous slurry of biomass and solvent, delignifies the particulate biomass in the slurry, removes solvent while continuing delignification of the biomass in the slurry and while substantially precluding re-deposition of lignin on the cellulose of the biomass, reduces the pressure of the slurry; and then washes the slurry.