Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for producing a mouldable cellulosic fibrous material from a cellulose fibre feedstock, the feedstock having a moisture content greater than about 95% (w/w). The method includes the mechanical pre-treatment of the feedstock to form a fibre furnish, the fibre furnish having fibres with a fibre length distribution such that at least 95% of the fibres have a length less than about 15 mm. The method optionally includes refining the fibre furnish in a high consistency disc refiner before dewatering. The method also includes dewatering the fibre furnish without chemical addition, to produce a cellulose fibre cake and a filtrate, the cellulose fibre cake having a moisture content less than about 40% (w/w). The method finally includes refining the cellulose fibre cake in at least one disc refiner to produce the mouldable cellulosic fibrous material.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for producing sheets from the pseudostems of banana plants in the family Musaceae, each pseudostem having a longitudinal axis. The method includes the steps of feeding a pseudostem (14) into a workstation, supporting (62, 34) the pseudostem for rotation thereof about its longitudinal axis within the workstation, and contacting the rotating pseudostem along substantially its entire length with a fibre-separating device (38), whereby a continuous sheet of fibre (60) is removed from the pseudostem by the fibre-separating device during rotation. Raw paper may also be made by laminating two or more of these sheets together such that the direction of the generally parallel fibres in at least two adjacent sheets is not aligned and then curing the sheets to form raw paper.