FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a disperger and a method for dispersing pulp.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Recycling of wastepaper and packaging material as a source of raw material to new
fibre-based products has long traditions, and its importance has increased in these
days in terms of environment, energy, and sustainability.
[0003] When paper or paperboard is manufactured from pulp, and especially from pulp containing
recycled fibres originating for example from wastepaper, recycled paperboard or packing
board, or waste pulp, it is an intention to process different contaminants in the
pulp before a formation of a paper web or a board web so that negative effects of
the contaminants to the pulp as well as to a web forming in a paper or board machine
are reduced. Said contaminants include for example printing inks and surface coating
agents, such as different stickies, waxes, adhesives, and pastes, remaining in the
wastepaper, recycled cardboard or packing board, or waste pulp.
[0004] Dispersing is one way to process different contaminants in the pulp to reduce the
negative effects of the contaminants to the pulp and to the web forming in the paper
or board machine. Dispersing of the pulp does not actually remove the contaminants
from the pulp but in the dispersing the pulp is slushed or treated to diminish negative
effects of the contaminants to a quality and a runnability of the pulp or to facilitate
a removal of the contaminants in process stages following the dispersing. In the dispersing,
among other things, contaminants such as printing ink particles attached to the fibres
are detached from the fibres and made smaller so that they can be easily removed from
the pulp in a flotation stage following the dispersing or, alternatively, to prevent
them being visible in a finished paper or board web at least by visual examination.
In the dispersing also sticky particles remaining in the pulp are broken up to prevent
a formation of different contaminant aggregates which may have negative effects on
the runnability of the pulp during the formation of the paper or board web and on
the runnability of the formed paper or board web in the paper or board machine. Dispersing
is not intended to cut or break the fibres but only to release fibres from the contaminants
and to reduce particulate size of the contaminants.
[0005] Some dispergers of prior art comprise coaxial oppositely positioned disperger elements
having either disc-like or conical forms and having a stationary dispersing element,
i.e., a stator, and a rotatable dispersing element, i.e., rotor, the rotor being arranged
to be rotated relative to the fixed stator. The stator and the rotor comprise dispersing
surfaces configured to subject a dispersing effect to the pulp to be dispersed. The
pulp to be dispersed is fed into the disperger through a feed connection located on
a front side of the disperger, the feed connection comprising a feed screw therein
for intensifying the feed of the pulp into the disperger.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a novel disperger and a novel method
for dispersing pulp.
[0007] The invention is characterized by the features of the independent claims.
[0008] The invention is based on the idea of arranging a feed connection of the disperger,
or two or more feed connections of the disperger in case of the disperger comprising
at least two feed connections, at least partly between the dispersing elements and
the rotating motor of the disperger.
[0009] An advantage of the invention is a compact structure of the disperger with reduced
length of the disperger when compared to prior art dispergers, thereby decreasing
a space needed for the disperger. A further advantage is that a free space may be
provided on a front-end side of the disperger, making it possible to arrange an easy
access to the dispersing elements of the disperger.
[0010] Some embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] In the following the invention will be described in greater detail by means of preferred
embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 shows schematically a disc-like disperger as seen obliquely from above, and
Figure 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional side view of the disc-like disperger
of Figure 1.
[0012] For the sake of clarity, the figures show some embodiments of the invention in a
simplified manner. Like reference signs identify like elements in the figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a disc-like disperger 1 as seen obliquely from above,
the disperger 1 having a first end 1a, i.e., a front end 1a, and a second end 1b,
i.e., a rear end 1b. Figure 2 is a schematic partial cross sectional side view of
the disc-like disperger 1 of Figure 1. The disperger 1 may be used for dispersing
fibrous material, i.e., pulp, and typically pulp containing recycled fibres originating
for example from wastepaper, recycled paperboard or packing board, or waste pulp.
An intention of the dispersing is to treat the pulp so that contaminants are released
from the fibres so that the contaminants can be easily removed from the pulp in a
flotation stage following the dispersing or, alternatively, to prevent the contaminants
being visible at least by visual examination in a finished paper or paperboard or
other fibre product. Said contaminants include for example printing inks and surface
coating agents, such as different stickies, waxes, adhesives, and pastes, remaining
in the wastepaper, recycled paperboard or packing board, or waste pulp.
[0014] The disperger 1 comprises a disperger frame 2, having a first end 2a, i.e., a front
end 2a, on a side of the first end 1a of the disperger 1, and a second end 2b, i.e.,
a rear end 2b, on a side of the second end 1 of the disperger 1. At the first end
2a of the frame 2 there is a disperger housing 3 contributing to define a dispersing
chamber 3' that is intended to accommodate dispersing elements that will subject a
dispersing effect to the pulp to be dispersed. The disperger housing 3, and consequently
the dispersing chamber 3', has a first end 3a, i.e., a front end 3a, on the side of
the first end 2a of the frame 2 and a second end 3b, i.e., a rear end 3b, on the side
of the second end 2b of the frame 2.
[0015] The disperger 1 further comprises, in the dispersing chamber 3', a stationary, fixed
disc-like dispersing element 4, i.e., a disc-like stator 4. The stator 4 comprises
a number of, i.e., one or more, dispersing plates 5 for the stator 4. The dispersing
plate/plates 5 is/are attached to the disperger frame 2 in the dispersing chamber
3', either directly or indirectly by an appropriate connecting piece. The disperger
plate/plates 5 is/are detachable for replacing a worn or broken plate 5 with a new
one.
[0016] The disperger 1 further comprises, in the dispersing chamber 3', a rotatable disc-like
dispersing element 6, i.e., a disc-like rotor 6. The rotor 6 comprises a hub 7 and
a rotor disc 8 attached to the hub 7, the hub 7 and the rotor disc 8 together forming
a frame of the rotor 6. The rotor 6 further comprises a number of, i.e., one or more,
dispersing plates 9 for the rotor 6. The dispersing plate/plates 9 is/are attached
to the rotor disc 8. The disperger plate/plates 9 is/are detachable for replacing
a worn or broken plate 9 with a new one.
[0017] The stator 4 and the rotor 6 are arranged in the dispersing chamber 3' substantially
opposite to each other such that there is a small gap between the stator 4 and the
rotor 6. This small gap between the stator 4 and the rotor 6 forms a dispersing zone
10 of the disperger 1, wherein the dispersing effect subjected to the pulp to be dispersed
takes place when the disperger 1 is in operation and the rotor 6 is rotated relative
to the stator 4.
[0018] The disperger plates 5, 9 comprise dispersing surfaces facing towards each other,
i.e., facing towards the dispersing zone 10. The dispersing surfaces typically comprise
projecting parts, such as teeth or the like, as well as cavities between the projecting
parts. The cavities may be grooves but most often they are planar areas between the
projecting parts. When the rotor 6 is rotated relative to the stator 4, the projecting
parts in the dispersing surfaces of the stator 4 and the rotor 6 cause impacts to
the pulp to be dispersed, these impacts causing, together with effects of internal
friction in the pulp, the contaminant particles to detach from the fibres and break
down into smaller pieces. Various implementations of the dispersing surfaces are well
known for a person skilled in the art and therefore they are not considered in more
detail herein.
[0019] The disperger 1 further comprises a rotatable shaft 11 coupled to the rotor 6, in
practice to the hub 7 of the rotor 6, and a rotating motor 12 coupled to the rotatable
shaft 11 at the second end 1b of the disperger 1, the rotating motor 12 thus being
coupled to the rotor 6 by the rotatable shaft 11. The rotating motor 12 is intended
to rotate the rotor 6 relative to the stator 4 in a direction of arrow R, for instance,
the arrow R thus indicating an intended rotation direction R of the rotor 6. In response
to the rotation of the rotor 6 the dispersing surface in the rotor 6 rotates relative
to the dispersing surface in the stator 4 and the dispersing effect is subjected to
the pulp to be dispersed in the dispersing zone 10 as discussed above.
[0020] The disperger 1 may further comprise at least one loading device 13 that is coupled
to the rotatable shaft 11. The at least one loading device 13 is arranged to move
the rotatable shaft 11 in an axial direction thereof back and forth, as schematically
shown by arrow A, for moving back and forth the rotor 6 attached to the shaft 11,
i.e., by moving the rotor 6 either away from the stator 4 or towards the stator 4,
for adjusting a size of the dispersing zone 10 between the stator 4 and the rotor
6. The axial direction of the rotatable shaft 11 may also be considered to disclose
an axial direction of the disperger 1.
[0021] The disperger 1 further comprises a feed connection 14 for feeding the pulp to be
dispersed into the disperger 1. The feed connection 14 has a first end 14a for receiving
the pulp to be dispersed, the first end 14a being intended to be connected to a pipeline
(not shown) carrying the pulp to the disperger 1. The feed connection 14 has a second
end 14b fitted inside the disperger 1 for feeding the received pulp into the disperger
1. A consistency of the pulp to be supplied into the disperger 1 is usually quite
high, such as about 15 to 45%, preferably about 20 to 40%. The dispersing of the pulp
is preferably carried out in high consistencies, because in low consistencies a freeness
of the pulp decreases, leading to a decrease in an applicable running speed of the
paper or board machine. The pulp already dispersed in the disperger 1 is discharged
out of the disperger 1 through a discharge outlet 15.
[0022] The shaft 11 has a first end 11a coupled to the rotor 6 and a second end 11b coupled
to the rotating motor 12. The shaft 11 is supported with bearings 22 at its central
part on the side rotating motor 12 relative to the feed connection 14. The shaft 11
is, however, at least from the feed connection 14 up to the first end 11a of the shaft
11 free from bearings, i.e., without comprising supporting bearings, or floating,
so to speak, which simplifies the adjustment or control of the size of the dispersing
zone 10 between the stator 4 and the rotor 6 by moving the rotor 6 either away from
the stator 4 or towards the stator 4. The placement of the rotor 6 at the one end,
i.e., the first end 11a, of the shaft 11 has also the effect of minimizing the length
of the shaft 11 and the length of the disperger 1, correspondingly.
[0023] In the embodiment of the Figures, there is also a dilution water inlet 16 for supplying
dilution water into the dispersing chamber 3' for decreasing the consistency of the
pulp, for example to the consistency of about 4 to 10%, preferably to the consistency
of about 6 to 8% and a discharge connection 17 for discharging the pulp dispersed
in this lower consistency out the disperger 1. When the pulp dispersed in the lower
consistency is discharged out of the disperger 1, the discharge outlet 15 for discharging
the pulp dispersed in the higher consistency is closed.
[0024] In the embodiment of the Figures, the feed connection 14 is arranged between the
dispersing elements 4, 6 and the rotating motor 12 of the disperger 1 such that both
the first end 14a and the second end 14b of the feed connection 14 is located between
the disperger elements 4, 6 and the rotating motor 12 in the direction from the first
end 1a and the second end 1b of the disperger 1, i.e., in the axial direction of the
disperger 1. Other arrangements, wherein at least the second end 14b of the feed connection
14 is in the disperger 1 between the dispersing elements 4, 6 and the rotating motor
12 so that the pulp received through the first end 14b of the feed connection 14 is
discharged into the disperger 14 between the disperger elements 4, 6 and the rotating
motor 12 through the second end 14 the feed connection 14, are possible.
[0025] The disclosed solution makes the structure of the disperger compact by decreasing
the length of the disperger in view of prior art dispergers, thereby decreasing a
space requirement for the disperger. The length of the disperger decreases because
the feed screw and a drive thereof remaining on the front-end side of the prior art
dispergers may be omitted. The disclosed disperger is simpler, cheaper and easier
to maintain than the prior art dispergers.
[0026] A further advantage of arranging the feed connection 14 between the dispersing elements
4, 6 and the rotating motor 12 is that a free space may easily be provided on the
front-end side of the disperger 1, whereby an openable front-end plate 20 of the disperger
housing 3 may be arranged at the front end 3a of the disperger housing 3 to allow
an easy access into an interior of the dispersing chamber 3' for carrying out maintenance
operations subjected to the stator 4 and the rotor 6, as discussed in more detail
below.
[0027] The pulp fed into the disperger 1 through the feed connection 14 is further fed towards
the dispersing zone 10 in an axial direction of the rotatable shaft 11 through an
opening 18 extending through the second end 3b of the disperger housing 3 and a centre
part of the dispersing element remaining on the side of the second end 3b of the disperger
housing 3, i.e., on the side of the second end 14b of the feed connection 14, that
dispersing element being, in the embodiment of the Figures the stator 4 of the disperger
1. According to an embodiment the pulp may be fed towards the dispersing zone 10 by
an effect of pressure affecting in a piping that conveys the pulp to the disperger
1 but a feed screw 19 may be applied to intensify the feed of pulp towards the dispersing
zone 10, as discussed in more detail below.
[0028] According to the embodiment of the Figures, the disperger 1 further comprises a feed
screw 19 at the second end 14b of the feed connection 14. The feed screw 19 is arranged
to extend from the feed connection 14 towards the dispersing zone 10 to intensify
the flow of the pulp to be dispersed towards the dispersing zone 10 in the axial direction
of the rotatable shaft 11 through the opening 18 extending through the second end
3b of the disperger housing 3 and the centre part of the stator 4. The feed screw
19 is coaxial with the rotatable shaft 11 and, in the embodiment of the Figures, the
feed screw 19 is coupled to the rotor 6, and to be more exact, to the hub 7 of the
rotor 6. Alternatively, or additionally, the feed screw 19 may be coupled to the rotatable
shaft 11. When the feed screw 19 is coupled to the rotor 6 and/or to the rotatable
shaft 11, the feed screw 19 is arranged to rotate in response to the rotation of the
rotor 6 and the rotatable shaft 11, whereby the feed screw 19 intensifies the feed
of the pulp received from the feed connection 14 towards the dispersing zone 10 through
the opening 18. Because the feed screw 19 is coupled to the rotor 6 and/or to the
rotatable shaft 11, a separate motor needed in prior art for operating the feed screw
may now be omitted, which reduces the costs of the disperger. Further, to intensify
the flow of the pulp into the dispersing zone 10, the hub 7 of the rotor 6 may be
provided with a number of feeder plates 7' that assist in directing the flow of the
pulp into the dispersing zone 10.
[0029] In the embodiment of the Figures the stator 4 is arranged in the dispersing chamber
3' on the side of the feed connection, or in other words, on the side of the second
end 3b of the disperger housing 3, and the dispersing plates 6 of the stator 4 are
attached to an inner surface of the disperger housing 3 at the second end 3b thereof.
The rotor 6 is arranged, in turn, on an opposite side of the dispersing chamber 3',
or in other words, on the side of the first end 3a of the disperger housing 3. The
feed screw 19 extends through the centre part of the stator 4 from the location of
the second end 14b of the feed connection 14 substantially up to the dispersing zone
10 for feeding the pulp to be dispersed towards the dispersing zone 10. Generally,
in the embodiment disclosed herein, of all the dispersing elements of the disperger
the stationary dispersing element is arranged to be closest to the at least one feed
connection. When a stationary dispersing element is arranged on the side of the second
end 3b of the disperger housing 3, a sealing of the dispersing chamber 3' is simpler
than in an embodiment disclosed below, wherein a rotatable dispersing element is arranged
on the side of the second end 3b of the disperger housing 3.
[0030] During the maintenance operation of the disperger 1 of the Figures, and especially
during the maintenance operations subjected to the stator 4 and the rotor 6 in the
dispersing chamber 3', the front-end plate 20 is opened, allowing the access into
the dispersing chamber 3'. Thereafter the rotor 6 may be detached from the shaft 11
and removed outside from the dispersing chamber 3', thereby allowing an easy access
to the dispersing plates 5, 9 of the stator 4 and the rotor 6. A special tool that
may be integrated with or coupled to the disperger housing 3 may be applied for detaching
the rotor 6 from the shaft 11 for removing the rotor 6 away from the front of the
stator 4. The said tool is intended to be attached to the rotor 6 before detaching
the rotor 6 from the shaft 11 and thereafter to support the rotor 6 detached from
the shaft 11 until the rotor 6 is attached back to the shaft 11. One possible tool
for that purpose is shown schematically in the Figures and denoted with reference
sign 21.
[0031] According to another embodiment that is not disclosed in the drawings, the rotor
6 is arranged in the dispersing chamber 3' on the side of the feed connection 14or
in other words, on the side of the second end 3b of the disperger housing 3. The stator
4 is arranged, in turn, on an opposite side of the dispersing chamber 3', or in other
words, on the side of the first end 3a of the disperger housing 3, whereby the dispersing
plates 5 of the stator 4 may be attached to an inner surface of the openable front-end
plate 20 of the disperger housing 3. In this embodiment the feed screw 19 extends
from the location of the second end 14b of the feed connection 14 substantially up
to the dispersing zone 10 for feeding the pulp to be dispersed towards the dispersing
zone 10. Generally, in the embodiment disclosed herein, of all the dispersing elements
of the disperger the stationary dispersing element is arranged to be farthest away
from the at least one feed connection. In this embodiment, the feed screw 19 thus
extends through the centre part of the rotor 6 from the location of the second end
14b of the feed connection 14 substantially up to the dispersing zone 10 for feeding
the pulp to be dispersed towards the dispersing zone 10.
[0032] During the maintenance operation of the disperger of that kind of embodiment, and
especially during the maintenance operations subjected to the stator 4 and the rotor
6 in the dispersing chamber 3', the front-end plate 20 is opened, allowing the access
into the dispersing chamber 3'. If the dispersing plates 5 of the stator 4 are attached
to the inner surface of the openable front-end plate 20 of the disperger housing 3,
the opening of the front-end plate 20 allows an immediate access to the dispersing
plates 5 of the stator 4 as well as to the dispersing plates 9 of the rotor 6 without
a need for any tool 21 or other arrangements or actions for removing the stator 4
away from the front of the rotor 6.
[0033] In the disperger 1 disclosed above there is only one single stationary dispersing
element 4, i.e., the stator 4, and only one single rotatable dispersing element 6,
i.e., a rotor 6, and thereby only one single dispersing zone 10 between the single
stator 4 and the single rotor 6. However, the disclosed solution may also be applied
in dispergers with two or more stators 4 and/or with two or more rotors 6, and therefore,
consequently, in dispergers with two or more dispersing zones 10. Furthermore, in
the disperger 1 disclosed above, there is only a single feed connection 14 but the
disperger may also comprise two or more feed connections 14. Thus, generally, the
disclosed solution may be applied in a disperger comprising at least one stationary
dispersing element and at least one rotatable dispersing element arranged substantially
opposite to each other for forming a dispersing zone between each oppositely positioned
stationary and rotatable dispersing elements, whereby the pulp may be subjected to
the dispersing effect in one or more dispersing zones, depending on the number of
the stators and the rotors in the disperger. In the dispergers like that, the at least
one feed connection is arranged in the disperger at least partly between the dispersing
elements and the rotating motor, in the direction between the first end of the disperger
and the second end of the dipserger, i.e., at least the second end of the at least
one feed connection is between the dispersing elements and the rotating motor in the
direction from the first end of the disperger towards the second end of the disperger.
[0034] Furthermore, in the description above, the solution and its embodiments are presented
in a disc-like disperger comprising disc-like dispersing elements. However, the solution
and its various embodiments disclosed above, by possibly for example replacing the
attachment of the stationary dispersing element to the end structures of the disperger
housing with the attachment of the stationary dispersing element to an inner circumference
of the disperger housing, may be applied correspondingly also in a conical disperger
comprising conical dispersing elements.
[0035] It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as the technology advances,
the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments
are not limited to the examples described above but may vary within the scope of the
claims.
1. A disc-like disperger (1) for dispersing pulp, the disperger (1) comprising
at least one stationary disc-like dispersing element (4) and at least one rotatable
disc-like dispersing element (6) arranged substantially opposite to each other for
forming a dispersing zone (10) between each oppositely positioned stationary (4) and
rotatable (6) dispersing elements, in which dispersing zone (10) a dispersing effect
is subjected to the pulp to be dispersed,
a rotatable shaft (11) coupled to the at least one rotatable dispersing element (6)
and a rotating motor (12) coupled to the rotatable shaft (11) for rotating the at
least one rotatable dispersing element (6),
at least one feed connection (14) for feeding the pulp to be dispersed into the disperger
(1),
characterized in that
the at least one feed connection (14) is arranged in the disperger (1) at least partly
between the dispersing elements (4, 6) and the rotating motor (12), and
the disperger (1) comprises a feed screw (19) arranged to extend from the at least
one feed connection (14) towards the at least one dispersing zone (10).
2. A disperger as claimed in claim 1,
characterized in that
the at least one feed connection (14) comprises a first end (14a) for receiving the
pulp to be dispersed and a second end (14b) for discharging the pulp into the disperger
(1), and that
at least the second end (14b) of the at least one feed connection (14) is in the disperger
(1) between the dispersing elements (4, 6) and the rotating motor (12).
3. A disperger as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that
the feed screw (19) is coaxial with the rotatable shaft (11) and arranged around at
least one of the following: a hub (7) of the at least one rotatable dispersing element
(6) and the rotatable shaft (11).
4. A disperger as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that
the feed screw (19) is coupled to the at least one of the following: the hub (7) of
the at least one rotatable dispersing element (6) and the rotatable shaft (11), whereby
the feed screw (19) is arranged to rotate in response to a rotation of the at least
one rotatable dispersing element (6) and to feed the pulp received from the at least
one feed connection (14) towards the at least one dispersing zone (10).
5. The disperger as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
the disperger (1) comprises a disperger housing (3) contributing to define a dispersing
chamber (3') arranged to accommodate the dispersing elements (4, 6), the disperger
housing (3) comprising a first end (3a) facing away from the at least one feed connection
(14) and a second end (3b) facing towards the at least one feed connection (14), and
that the first end (3a) of the disperger housing (3) comprises an openable front-end
plate (20) allowing an access into the disperger housing (3).
6. A disperger as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
of all the dispersing elements (4, 6) of the disperger (1) a stationary dispersing
element (4) is arranged to be closest to the at least one feed connection (14).
7. A disperger as claimed in claims 5 or 6, characterized in that
the said stationary dispersing element (4) is arranged in the dispersing chamber (3')
at the second end (3b) of the disperger housing (3).
8. A disperger as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that
of all the dispersing elements (4, 6) a stationary dispersing element (4) is arranged
to be farthest away from the at least one feed connection (14).
9. A disperger as claimed in claims 5 and 8, characterized in that
the said stationary dispersing element (4) is arranged in the dispersing chamber (3')
at the openable front-end plate (20) of the disperger housing (3).
10. A method for dispersing pulp in a disc-like disperger (1) that comprises
at least one stationary disc-like dispersing element (4) and at least one rotatable
disc-like dispersing element (6) arranged substantially opposite to each other for
forming a dispersing zone (10) between each oppositely positioned stationary (4) and
rotatable (6) dispersing elements, in which dispersing zone (10) a dispersing effect
is subjected to the pulp to be dispersed,
a rotatable shaft (11) coupled to the at least one rotatable dispersing element (6)
and a rotating motor (12) coupled to the rotatable shaft (11) for rotating the at
least one rotatable dispersing element (6),
at least one feed connection (14) for feeding the pulp to be dispersed into the disperger
(1),
characterized by
feeding the pulp to be dispersed into the disperger (1) between the dispersing elements
(4, 6) and the rotating motor (12), and by
feeding the pulp fed into the disperger (1) towards the at least one dispersing zone
(10) in an axial direction of the rotatable shaft (11) by a feed screw (19) arranged
to extend from the at least one feed connection (14) towards the at least one dispersing
zone (10).
11. A method as claimed in claim 10, characterized by feeding the pulp fed into the disperger (1) towards the at least one dispersing zone
(10) by a feed screw (19) coupled to the at least one of the following: a hub (7)
of the at least one rotatable dispersing element (6) and the rotatable shaft (11),
whereby the feed screw (19) is arranged to rotate in response to a rotation of the
at least one rotatable dispersing element (6) and to feed the pulp received from the
at least one feed connection (14) towards the at least one dispersing zone (10).
12. A method as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized by a consistency of the pulp to be fed into the disperger (1) being about 15 to 45%,
preferably about 20 to 40%.