Apparatus for treating textiles and use thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for treating fibrous material, such as textiles. The fibrous material is fed into a reactor volume having an upper end and a lower end, and the reactor volume is delimited by a first filter in the lower end of the reactor volume and a second filter in the upper end of the reactor volume through which the solvent stream is directed, through the first filter into the reactor volume, through the second filter into the reactor volume, through which the solvent stream is directed. And exit the reactor volume through the second filter.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for treating textiles, for example by dissolving and extracting dyes and / or textile fibers from other textile fibers, preferably from natural fibers, or for example by chemically modifying textile fibers. Background Art

[0002] About 85% of all textiles are thrown away, amounting to about 13 million tons in the United States alone in 2017. Traditionally, textile waste is either dumped in landfills or incinerated. It is estimated that 92 million tons of textile waste is generated globally each year, which is equivalent to one garbage truck full of clothes being sent to landfill every second. By 2030, it is expected that more than 134 million tons of textiles will be discarded each year.

[0003] Dealing with such large amounts of textile waste is a growing problem for the apparel industry. Rising costs, reduced available space and environmental concerns have made incineration and landfilling textile waste less of an option.

[0004] For decades, people have been studying the reuse or recycling of fibers from textiles, and several methods exist. However, a large part of textile waste includes fiber blends, such as polyester / cellulose fabrics, for example polyester / cotton and polyester / TencelTM blends, but may also include other fibers, such as elastic fibers. Due to the inherent differences in the physical properties and composition of the components, the reuse or recycling of individual blended materials is complicated. In addition, the fabrics have been treated with resin materials and other finishing compounds such as dyes. This makes it almost impossible to find potential commercial end uses for reusing textile materials except for rags or scraps of low monetary value.

[0005] Therefore, there is interest in the industry to provide efficient recycling of textile waste comprising fiber blends such as polyester / cotton blends, which can be reused in, for example, textiles.

[0006] Another challenge in reusing textile waste containing fiber blends is the presence of dyes in the textiles. In textile fiber to fiber recycling processes, decolorization of textile waste (pre- and post-consumer) is a huge problem because there are a large number of different dyes and they need to be removed before the textile waste material can be dissolved and spun into recycled fibers.

[0007] When it comes to dyeing fibers, some fibers easily adhere to and accept dyes, while others do not. Depending on the purpose of the dyed fabric and the type of dye you plan to use, very different processes are required. Dyes are classified by different classification systems, such as chemical classes (e.g., indigoid dyes and azo dyes, such as monoazo dyes, disazo dyes, and triazo dyes) and dye classes (e.g., disperse dyes, vat dyes, insoluble azo dyes, and reactive dyes).

[0008] Reactive dyes are widely used for dyeing of cellulosic fabrics such as cotton. Reactive dyes form covalent bonds with polymer fibers and thus become an integral part thereof. The term "reactive" is due to the fact that this type of dye is the only one that has a reactive group that chemically reacts with the polymer fiber molecules to form a covalent bond. The use of reactive dyes is increasing. However, one of the challenges of reactive dyes is the subsequent stripping from the fibers during recycling. Traditionally, it was believed that reactive dyes could not be satisfactorily stripped from the fibers due to the covalent bonds between the dye molecules and the fibers. Since stripping of dyes, including reactive dyes, is necessary when the textiles are to be reused, satisfactory stripping of reactive dyes from textile fibers is desirable.

[0009] It would therefore be desirable to provide an apparatus and process for treating finely divided materials such as textile fibers or shredded textiles by, for example, removing dyes or other components from used textiles and thereby increasing the potential for reuse. Summary of the invention

[0010] A first aspect relates to an apparatus for treating textile fibers in a solvent suspension, the apparatus comprising a reactor, wherein the reactor comprises:

[0011] - lower and upper ends,

[0012] - a first filter located near the lower end and a second filter located near the upper end, the distance between the first filter and the second filter defining a reaction volume for treating textile fibers,

[0013] - a solvent inlet located below said first filter,

[0014] - a solvent outlet located above the second filter,

[0015] - an inlet for the fibrous material located below and generally adjacent to said second filter, and

[0016] - an outlet for suspended or wetted fibrous material located above and typically close to said first filter,

[0017] wherein a solvent is forced from the solvent inlet through the reactor to the solvent outlet, and the fiber material moves from the fiber material inlet to the suspended filter material outlet.

[0018] The inventors of the present invention have found that the device is particularly suitable for removing dyes from textiles. Surprisingly, not only water-soluble dyes, but also water-insoluble dyes can be effectively removed from textile products with the device. Especially, the device according to the present invention shows a significant effect in removing disperse dyes, insoluble azo dyes, vat dyes and reactive dyes from textile products.

[0019] The invention makes it possible to decolorize untreated or pretreated (alkali and / or acid pretreatment) textile fabrics. In addition, natural fibers can be separated from synthetic fibers. For example, natural fibers can be produced by plants or algae and can include cellulose and, for example, can be made of cotton, hemp, sisal, bamboo, viscose, lyocell or TENCEL. TM The synthetic fibers are available in large quantities compared to the separation of natural fibers, but for clothing, natural fibers have advantages over their synthetic counterparts, such as comfort and absorbency.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a solvent pump adapted to pump the solvent, optionally and preferably, from a buffer or balance tank to the solvent inlet.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, the device further comprises:

[0022] - buffer or balance tanks for solvents, and

[0023] - a solvent inlet connected by a conduit to said solvent outlet from said reactor and connected by a conduit to said solvent inlet.

[0024] In one or more embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a fibrous material feed pump adapted to pump the suspended fibrous material to the suspended fibrous material inlet.

[0025] In one or more embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a fiber preparation tank having a dry or wet fiber inlet and a suspended or pumpable fibrous material outlet.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a separation unit located downstream of the outlet for the suspended or wetted fibrous material, the separation unit separating the fiber-rich fraction from the solvent fraction.

[0027] In one or more embodiments, the buffer or balance tank or fiber preparation tank has a recycle solvent inlet, which is connected to the suspended or wet fiber material outlet through a conduit. Preferably, the conduit is connected to the outlet of the separation unit located downstream of the suspended fiber material outlet.

[0028] In one or more embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a heat conditioning unit configured to regulate the temperature of the solvent in the reactor, for example, to a temperature above ambient temperature, for example, to a temperature above 50°C or above 100°C. As an example, the bleaching step may be performed at a temperature different from the step of separating the synthetic fibers from the natural fibers. In one or more embodiments, the bleaching step is performed at a temperature in the range of 30-120 degrees Celsius, such as in the range of 40-95 degrees Celsius, preferably in the range of 50-90 degrees Celsius, for example in the range of 55-85 degrees Celsius, more preferably in the range of 70-90 degrees Celsius, for example at a temperature of about 85 degrees Celsius. In one or more embodiments, the defibration step is performed at a temperature in the range of 20-180 degrees Celsius, such as in the range of 30-175 degrees Celsius, for example in the range of 40-170 degrees Celsius, such as in the range of 50-165 degrees Celsius, for example in the range of 60-160 degrees Celsius, preferably in the range of 80-150 degrees Celsius, more preferably in the range of 100-140 degrees Celsius, for example at a temperature of about 140 degrees Celsius. The same type of solvent can be used, but at different temperatures.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, the apparatus may be used in a process for providing a solid polyester fraction from a textile product comprising natural fibers and polyester fibers, the process comprising the steps of:

[0030] (i) proof that the textile product comprises natural fibres and polyester fibres;

[0031] (ii) adding a liquid decolorizing agent to the textile product, thereby providing a decolorized first solid portion and a first liquid portion;

[0032] (iii) separating the first solid portion from the first liquid portion;

[0033] (iv) adding a solvent to said first solid portion and heating the mixture at a temperature between 170-190 degrees Celsius, preferably in the range of 175-185 degrees Celsius, even more preferably at about 180 degrees Celsius, thereby providing a second solid portion comprising natural fibers, and a second liquid portion comprising polyester;

[0034] (v) separating the second liquid portion from the second solid portion; and

[0035] (vi) separating the polyester fraction from the second liquid fraction to provide a solid polyester fraction.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the solvent is selected from the group consisting of: dihydro-levoglucose ketone, dimethyl sulfoxide, methyl-sulfonyl-methane, cyclopentane, 4-valerolactone, 6-caprolactone, 5-(dimethylamino)-2-methyl-5-oxy-pentylidene methyl ester, 2-hydroxy-N,N-dimethylpropionamide, isosorbide dimethyl ether, 1,3-dioxolane-4-methanol, 1,3-dioxane-5-ol, dimethyl succinate, diacetate Oily esters, N,N-dimethyloctanamide, diethyl glutarate, ethyl benzoate, 1,2-propylene glycol carbonate, 5-(dimethylamino)-2-methyl-5-oxypentanoic acid methyl ester, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethyl adipate, benzyl alcohol, butyl benzoate, 3-hydroxybutyrate butyl ester, dipropylene glycol mono-N-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol, propylene glycol phenyl ether, 2-phenoxyethanol, hexanediol, cyclademol, CH3O2C(CH2) n CO2CH3 (wherein n=2, 3 or 4) or a combination thereof.

[0037] In one or more embodiments, the apparatus may be used in a process for providing at least one solid portion from a colored textile product comprising natural fibers and / or synthetic fibers, the process comprising the steps of:

[0038] (i) proof that the coloured textile product comprises natural fibres and / or one or more synthetic fibres;

[0039] (ii) adding a liquid solution of dihydro-levulinic ketone and / or a derivative of dihydro-levulinic ketone in water, thereby providing a decolorized textile product;

[0040] The bleached textile product is separated from the liquid fraction to provide at least one solid fraction.

[0041] In one or more embodiments, the apparatus may be used in a process for providing at least one solid portion from a textile product comprising natural fibers and / or synthetic fibers, the process comprising the steps of:

[0042] (i) providing textile products comprising natural fibres and / or one or more synthetic fibres;

[0043] (ii) performing a first decolorizing step by adding a liquid solution of a first decolorizing agent in water to the textile product; thereby providing a first decolorized textile product;

[0044] (iii) separating the first decolorized textile product from the colored portion;

[0045] (iv) performing a second decolorizing step, adding a second decolorizing agent comprising an aprotic solvent to the textile product, thereby providing a second decolorized textile product; and

[0046] (v) separating the second decolorized textile product from the colored fraction to provide at least one solid fraction;

[0047] Wherein, the first decolorizing agent in the first decolorizing step (ii) is an aqueous solution of a water-soluble salt of dithionous acid.

[0048] In one or more embodiments, the reactor further comprises a solvent horizontal inlet located between the first filter and the second filter, the solvent horizontal inlet pushing the solvent into the reaction volume, the solvent horizontal inlet may be positioned radially or tangentially. Preferably, one or more solvent horizontal inlets are located close to the first filter and / or the second filter, which means that one or more horizontal inlets are located within a short distance from the first or second filter so that the solvent flow can clean the material from the filter. The apparatus may further comprise a device, such as a pump, configured to control the amount of solvent entering the reactor through one or more of the solvent horizontal inlets.

[0049] Another aspect relates to a process for treating textile fibers in a reactor, wherein

[0050] - feeding the fibrous material into a reactor volume having an upper end and a lower end, and said reactor volume being bounded by a first filter in the lower end of said reactor volume and a second filter in the upper end of said reactor volume, and

[0051] - A solvent flow is directed through the reactor volume, enters the reactor volume through the first filter, and leaves the reactor volume through the second filter.

[0052] In some embodiments, the temperature in the reactor can be controlled by controlling at least a portion of the solvent stream added to the reactor, for example, by increasing the temperature of at least a portion of the solvent stream entering the reactor.

[0053] A further aspect of the invention relates to the use of the apparatus according to the invention for bleaching or otherwise cleaning or treating textile material, such as textile fibers or shredded or otherwise comminuted textiles.

[0054] In some embodiments, the equipment for treating textiles can be used to chemically modify textile fibers, for example, by adding groups to derive the textile fibers at the molecular level. One such example can be by adding urea to a cellulose solution in a suitable solvent. Urea reacts with the hydroxyl groups of the textile fibers (cellulose fibers) to produce ammonia (byproduct) and cellulose carbamate. Another example can be the process of manufacturing the intermediate cellulose xanthate for viscose rayon (Rayon). Here, CS2 is added to the cellulose in the alkaline solution. The aspect of chemically modifying textile fibers can be, for example, enhancing dissolution for separation, adding thermoplasticity, or changing the strength properties of the fibers. Other known derivatives can be methylcellulose, cellulose acetate, ethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose. Another application can be to change the molecular weight of textile fibers. For cellulose fibers, this can be, for example, treated with acid or enzymatically completed by cellulase (preferably rich in endocellulose).

[0055] Yet another aspect of the invention relates to the use of the device according to the invention for chemically modifying textile fibers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] Figure 1 A first embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown,

[0057] Figure 2 A second embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] definition

[0059] Before discussing the present invention in further detail, the following terms and conventions will first be defined:

[0060] Generally - means that the features listed after this expression can be used in all embodiments of the invention.

[0061] However, it should be noted that embodiments and features described in the context of one aspect of the invention also apply to other aspects of the invention, unless it is specifically stated that the feature may only be used in the context of one or a limited number of aspects.

[0062] The invention will now be described in further detail in the following non-limiting examples.

[0063] The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating fibrous materials, such as textiles, which are usually in the form of shredded or otherwise finely divided textiles. The textile product can be shredded into smaller pieces. Preferably, the smaller pieces of the textile product can be less than about 10×10 cm, such as less than 5×5 cm, for example, less than 1×1 cm. The textile is treated in a solvent and maintained in a solvent suspension inside a reaction volume RV.

[0064] The solvent may be any liquid which may provide a suitable phase for dissolving or reacting with components of the fiber material. Suitable examples of solvents may be as discussed above.

[0065] Figure 1 A first embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is shown, in which a continuous process can be carried out by continuous feeding of fiber material and solvent. Figure 2 A second embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown, in which a batch process can be carried out, in which a portion of the fiber material is added to the reaction volume RV before or after the addition of the solvent. In both embodiments, the solvent is generally circulated continuously through the reaction volume RV. In the two embodiments shown, identical features or features having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0066] The device according to the invention comprises a reactor 1 comprising the following features:

[0067] -3 lower ends and 2 upper ends.

[0068] - a first filter 5 located near the lower end 3 and a second filter 4 located near the upper end 2. The distance between the first filter 5 and the second filter 4 defines the reaction volume (RV) in which the treatment of the textile fibers is carried out. In addition to the distance between the first and second filters 5, 4, the filters define the top and bottom of the reaction volume, the size of the reaction volume being also determined by the internal cross-section of the reactor housing. The required or necessary size of the reaction volume will depend on the type and amount of textile material to be treated and the solvent used. The purpose of the filter is to retain the fiber material in the reaction volume and not leave with the flow. The filter may comprise or consist of: a polymer filter material, a cellulose filter, a metal mesh and / or a porous plate.

[0069] - The solvent inlet 6 is located below the first filter 5, i.e. outside the reaction volume, and the solvent outlet 7 is located above the second filter 4, i.e. outside the reaction volume. Since the solvent outlet 7 is located outside the reaction volume, the risk of textile fibers contaminating the solvent flow is reduced or eliminated. The solvent inlet 6 is located below the reaction volume in order to provide a suitable solvent upward flow distribution so that the upward flow can remove the fallen textile material from the packing on the first filter 5. In general, the cross-sectional shape and size of the reactor 1 are such that the upward solvent flow velocity v can be maintained. u , which is at least 0.6·v d , where "v d ” is the average rate of decline of the fiber settling, preferably, the ratio Between 0.8-1.5.

[0070] - A fibrous material inlet 8 is located below and usually near the second filter 4, and a suspended or wetted fibrous material outlet 9 is located above and usually near the first filter 5. The location of the fibrous material inlet and outlet and the number of fibrous material inlets and outlets may depend on the type of reactor and process used for the treatment. If the process is a batch process, the fibrous material may be added before the solvent, and thus the fibrous material inlet may be located anywhere suitable for the feeding equipment, but if the process is a continuous process, where the fibrous material is added while the reactor 1 is filled with solvent and the material falls through the reaction volume, the fibrous material should be fed to the upper end of the reaction volume, preferably near the second filter 4.

[0071] During operation, solvent is forced through the reactor 1 from a solvent inlet 6 near the bottom of the reactor 1 to a solvent outlet 7 near the top of the reactor 1, and the fibrous material moves from a fibrous material inlet 8, typically near the top of the reactor 1, to a suspended filter material outlet 9, typically near the bottom of the reactor 1. This means that the reaction or treatment is carried out in countercurrent if no other agitation or flow generating means are used.

[0072] The first and second filters 5, 4 may be fixed relative to the reactor housing by a flange 24. The flange 24 may be formed by surfaces of two adjacent parts of the reactor housing facing each other, which are pressed together, for example when the reactor 1 is used, and which surfaces may be provided with or include gasket material.

[0073] The apparatus according to the invention may further comprise a solvent pump 10 which pumps solvent from a solvent supply to a solvent inlet 6 in the reactor 1. Optionally, the solvent supply is a buffer or balance tank 11 which, in addition to storing the solvent, may also contain cleaning or other conditioning of the solvent.

[0074] The buffer or balance tank 11 for the solvent may comprise a solvent inlet 12 which may be connected to the solvent outlet 7 from the reactor 1 by means of a conduit (13) and to the solvent inlet 6 by means of a conduit 14. Such a connection allows the solvent to be recirculated inside the apparatus, which is very advantageous when the solvent is expensive to purchase and / or expensive to remove as waste.

[0075] Figure 1 The apparatus of the first embodiment comprises a fibrous material feed pump 15. Generally, it is advantageous to use the fibrous material feed pump 15 when the fibrous material feed is pre-treated, for example in a fiber preparation tank 16, where the fibrous material is wetted or dispersed into a suspension, which makes it possible to pump the suspended fibrous material to the fibrous material inlet 8 of the reactor 1.

[0076] The fiber preparation tank 16 may have a dry or wet fiber inlet and a suspended or pumpable fiber material outlet 17. In addition, the fiber preparation tank 16 may have a dry fiber material inlet and a solvent or other wetting fluid inlet, i.e., the fluid used to suspend or wet the fiber material need not be the same as the solvent.

[0077] Typically, the apparatus according to the present invention comprises one or more separation units 18, which are located downstream of the outlet 9 for the suspended or wetted fiber material. The one or more separation units 18 separate the fiber-rich fraction from the solvent fraction, and the separation unit 18 can be of any suitable type found by any skilled person in the art. Some solutions can be horizontal screw centrifuges, dewatering screw presses, drum filters, belt filters, basket filters, etc. For the polymer liquid fraction, it can be transferred to unit operations such as heat quenching, anti-solvent addition, and then filtration.

[0078] According to an embodiment of the invention, the buffer or balance tank 11 or the fiber preparation tank 16 may have a recycle solvent inlet 19 connected to the suspended or wetted fiber material outlet 9 via a conduit 20. For example, such a conduit 20 may be connected to an outlet 21 of a separation unit 18 located downstream of the suspended fiber material outlet 9. This feature makes it possible to recirculate the solvent into the tank 11, 16, where it can be conditioned, cleaned or modified before returning the used solvent to the reactor 1.

[0079] Typically, the apparatus according to the invention may comprise a thermal conditioning unit 25 which is capable of controlling the temperature inside the reactor volume RV to maintain the desired operating temperature. According to one embodiment, the thermal conditioning unit 25 controls the temperature of a solvent stream which is fed to the reaction volume RV after thermal conditioning. Typically, regulating the temperature means that the temperature inside the reaction volume RV is increased compared to the ambient temperature, for example to a temperature above 50° C., or for example to a temperature above 100° C., or for example to a temperature above 130° C. Alternatively, the thermal conditioning unit 22 may comprise a surface of a heat exchange shell or reactor housing to heat or cool the reaction volume RV by, for example, electricity or a water flow.

[0080] The reactor 1 may comprise one or more auxiliary solvent horizontal inlets 22 between the first filter 5 and the second filter 4 forcing the solvent into the reaction volume RV. Such one or more solvent horizontal inlets 22 may be radially oriented, i.e. towards the center of the reaction volume RV, or tangentially oriented, i.e. the inlet flow is tangential and provides a swirling motion of the suspension inside the reaction volume RV, or any angle between radial and tangential.

[0081] One or more solvent horizontal inlets 22 may be located close to the first filter 5 and / or close to the second filter 4, where "close" means that the one or more horizontal inlets 22 are located so close to the first or second filter 5, 4 that the solvent flow can affect the deposition and compaction near the filter and clean or loosen the material near the filter.

[0082] The apparatus according to the invention may comprise means, such as a pump 23 , which controls the amount of auxiliary solvent entering the reaction volume RV through one or more solvent horizontal inlets 22 .

[0083] The steps that occur at startup, during operation, and at shutdown may vary depending on the implementation of the device. Figure 2 The process is carried out in the apparatus shown, which is intended for batch operation:

[0084] Step 1: Solvent feed

[0085] The solvent can be fed at process temperature or ambient temperature, before or after the fiber material is added to the reaction volume. The valve is opened to allow fresh solvent to be pumped into the reactor via solvent pump 10. The pump 23 controlling the auxiliary solvent inlet can also be opened to fill the internal pipe.

[0086] Step 2: Fiber Feed

[0087] The reaction volume RV is filled with the fiber material.

[0088] The fibers can enter the reactor before or after the system is filled with solvent. It is also possible to feed the fiber material together with the solvent feed.

[0089] Step 3: Solvent / Solution Flow

[0090] After the reactor is filled with solvent and fiber material, the heating unit is turned on and the solvent can be circulated through the reactor until the desired temperature is reached.

[0091] Once the desired temperature is reached, the heating is adjusted to maintain the desired temperature and only compensate for heat losses.

[0092] Recirculation of the solvent is maintained until the fibers of the fibrous material have reached the desired consistency and dissolution of the dye or polymer moiety has occurred.

[0093] Step 4: Fiber Elimination

[0094] The fibers are pushed into the separation unit by turning on the pump 23, and then the separation unit 18 is emptied. Finally, the pump 23 is turned off.

[0095] During this step, the liquid level in the system may be virtually the same.

[0096] Step 5: Solvent removal

[0097] Depending on the purpose of the solvent / solution, this can be done before or after the system is cooled. The solvent is removed for reuse, downstream regeneration, or discharged as waste.

[0098] Reference numerals Reference Name 1 Reactor 2 The upper end of the reactor 3 The lower end of the reactor 4 Second filter 5 First filter 6 Reactor solvent inlet 7 Reactor solvent outlet 8 Fiber material inlet 9 Suspended or wetted fiber material outlet 10 Solvent pump 11 Buffer or balance tank for solvent 12 Solvent inlet for buffer / balance tank 13 Solvent conduit between reactor outlet and buffer / balance tank 14 Solvent conduit between buffer / balance tank and reactor inlet 15 Fibrous material feed pump 16 Fiber preparation tank 17 Outlet of fiber material from fiber preparation tank 18 Separation unit 19 Used solvent inlet 20 Conduit between separation unit and buffer / balance tank 21 Separation unit outlet 22 Horizontal inlet of the reactor 23 Pump to control auxiliary solvent inlet 24 Flange 25 Thermal regulation unit 26 Fresh feed RV Reaction volume .

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating textile fibers in a solvent suspension, comprising a reactor (1), characterized in that The reactor (1) comprises - a lower end (3) and an upper end (2), - a first filter (5) located near the lower end and a second filter (4) located near the upper end, the distance between the first filter (5) and the second filter (4) defining a reaction volume for treating textile fibers, - a solvent inlet (6) located below the first filter (5), - a solvent outlet (7) located above the second filter (4), - an inlet (8) for the fibrous material located below and generally close to said second filter (4), and - an outlet (9) for suspended or wetted fibrous material located above said first filter (5) and generally close to said first filter, Therein, the solvent is forced from the solvent inlet (6) through the reactor (1) to the solvent outlet (7), and the fiber material moves from the fiber material inlet (8) to the suspended filter material outlet (9).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a solvent pump (10) adapted to pump solvent, optionally from a buffer or balance tank (11), to the solvent inlet (6).

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: - a buffer or balance tank (11) for the solvent, and - a solvent inlet (12) connected to the solvent outlet (7) from the reactor (1) via a conduit (13) and to the solvent inlet (6) via a conduit (14).

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising a fibrous material feed pump (15) adapted to pump the suspended fibrous material to the suspended fibrous material inlet (8).

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a fibre preparation tank (16) having an inlet for dry or wet fibres and an outlet (17) for suspended or pumpable fibre material.

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a separation unit (18) located downstream of the suspended or wetted fibrous material outlet (9), the separation unit (18) separating the fiber-rich fraction from the solvent fraction.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 5, wherein: The buffer or balance tank (11) or the fiber preparation tank (16) has a recycling solvent inlet (19), which is connected to the suspended or wetted fiber material outlet (9) through a conduit (20), preferably, the conduit (20) is connected to the outlet (21) of the separation unit located downstream of the suspended fiber material outlet (9).

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a heat regulating unit (25) configured to regulate the temperature of the solvent in the reactor (1), for example, to a temperature above ambient temperature, for example, to a temperature above 50°C or above 100°C.

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The reactor (1) comprises a solvent horizontal inlet (22) between the first filter (5) and the second filter (4), which pushes the solvent into the reaction volume. The solvent horizontal inlet (22) can be positioned radially or tangentially.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein: One or more of the solvent horizontal inlets (22) are located close to the first filter (5) and / or the second filter (4), which means that one or more of the horizontal inlets are located within a short distance from the first or the second filter (5, 4) so ​​that the solvent flow can clean the material from the filter.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising means, such as a pump (23), configured for controlling the amount of solvent entering the reactor (1) through one or more of the solvent horizontal inlets (22).

12. A process for treating textile fibers in a reactor, wherein: - feeding the fibrous material into a reactor volume having an upper end and a lower end, and said reactor volume being bounded by a first filter in the lower end of said reactor volume and a second filter in the upper end of said reactor volume, and - A solvent flow is directed through the reactor volume, enters the reactor volume through the first filter, and leaves the reactor volume through the second filter.

13. The process of claim 9, wherein: The temperature in the reactor is controlled by controlling at least a portion of the solvent stream added to the reactor, for example, by increasing the temperature of at least a portion of the solvent stream entering the reactor.

14. Use of an apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10 for decolorizing or otherwise cleaning or treating textile materials such as textile fibers or shredded or otherwise finely divided textiles.

15. Use of the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10 for chemically modifying textile fibers, for example by an addition reaction.

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