Vertical package pulper

Abstract

The invention relates to a vertical bale pulper (10) comprising: a vat (13) having a substantially cylindrical upper portion (13A) and a downwardly converging lower portion (13B); the rotor (11) is positioned at the bottom of the large barrel (13); a vertical wall (14) surrounding the substantially cylindrical upper portion (13A); at least one vertical baffle (12, 12X) extending vertically on the vertical wall (14) inside the vat (13). The vertical bale pulper (10) further comprises a bale nose stop (30) which is integrated on the top of at least one of the vertical baffles (12X).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to vertical bale pulpers, in particular in relation to pulp and fiber web production. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vertical bale pulper. Background Art

[0002] As is known from the prior art, in fiber web machines, especially paper and board machines, fiber webs are produced and processed in an assembly formed by a plurality of devices arranged in series in a production line. A typical production and processing line comprises a forming section and a press section, followed by a drying section and a reel, the forming section comprising a headbox and a forming unit. The production and processing line may also comprise further devices and sections for finishing the fiber web, such as a size press, a calender, a coating section. The production and processing line also usually comprises at least one rewinder for forming a customer roll, as well as a roll packaging device.

[0003] Before the headbox, the fiber suspension containing recycled fibers and / or virgin fibers is processed in a processing system to be fed into the headbox for producing a fiber web. For example, the processing system of the fiber suspension includes a pulping section, a deashing system, a detrashing system, a coarse filtration section, a centrifugal cleaning section, a fractionation section, a fine filtration system, a fiber thickening system, and a fiber refining system.

[0004] A pulp mill is a manufacturing site where wood chips or other sources of plant fibers are converted into fibrous material. A pulp mill is not necessarily combined with fiber web production, so such a pulp mill produces market pulp and sells it to fiber web production sites. The market pulp is dried and then cut into sheets, which are stacked into bales for transportation. The pulp sheets are usually pressed into bales that can weigh, for example, 200-250 kg. A pulp dryer usually comprises a forming section, into which the stock to be dried is conveyed through a headbox. The forming section is followed by a pressing section, a drying section, a cutting section and bale forming and finally a baling system. In the cutting section, the web is cut into a plurality of partial webs along its machine direction, which in turn are cut into sheets in the transverse direction, which are stacked into bales.

[0005] In a pulping section connected to a fiber web production line, in a bale pulper (e.g. in a vertical or horizontal pulper), bale fibers are separated (defibered, debonded) into fiber pulp for repulping of baled market pulp. Vertical pulpers are usually used when uniform defibering results and low energy consumption are required, while horizontal pulpers have lower height requirements and are usually used for modifications with limited available space. The present invention relates to a vertical bale pulper for fiber separation of pulp bales. In a vertical bale pulper, a fiber suspension, which usually contains about 95% water and 5% fibers, is caused to flow in rotation by a rotor inside the pulper, i.e. in a vat. The vertical bale pulper has a generally cylindrical shape, and in the vertical bale pulper, the central axis of the cylindrical vat is oriented substantially vertically. The rotor located at the bottom of the pulper, usually an end extension of the cylinder, such as a cone or a disk, causes the rotational flow inside the pulper. During the rotating flow caused by the rotor, the fiber suspension is defibrated. The pulper can be operated batchwise or continuously. Typically, in batch operation, one bale is introduced every 20 seconds, and about 10 bales are introduced into the pulper for one defibration cycle. One cycle usually takes about 15 minutes: 5 minutes for loading the bales and pulping liquor, 5 minutes for defibration and 5 minutes for emptying the pulper.

[0006] The conveyor is used to transport the individual bales positioned sequentially in line on the conveyor to a position at the upper edge of the vertical bale pulper, from which the bales are dropped into the pulper containing pulping liquid (usually water). The falling of the bales into the pulper may cause an impact on the pulper structure, and therefore the pulper structure (especially the rotor and its support) is at risk of rupture, especially when hundreds of bales are usually processed in the vertical bale pulper in one day.

[0007] It is known from the prior art to use a bale breaker to split the bales when they fall into the pulper. The known bale breakers (bale openers) are formed by a beam element positioned across the diameter of a cylindrically shaped pulper, so that when the bales fall, the beam element splits the bales and thus reduces the impact of the bales in the pulper. The ends of the beam element are supported on the upper edge of the pulper and are usually positioned at a distance below the upper edge of the pulper. Therefore, the construction of these known bale breakers is quite complex and the cost of the pulper is increased as a separate additional component of the pulper. In addition, the vertical positioning of the bale breaker must be taken into account when designing the pulper and the connected conveyor. Moreover, there are operational challenges, since the bales may stick between the vertical wall of the pulper and the bale breaker, and for bales with packaging, the beam element is not always effective enough for the splitting of the bales. In addition, in order to provide a splitting effect, a minimum drop height from the conveyor to the beam element is required.

[0008] One object of the present invention is to create a vertical bale pulper that eliminates or at least minimizes the disadvantages and problems associated with bale breaking in prior art vertical bale pulper designs.

[0009] In particular, it is an object of the present invention to create a vertical bale pulper which eliminates or at least minimizes the disadvantages and problems with the impact of falling bales on the pulper. Summary of the invention

[0010] In order to achieve the above objects and objects that will become apparent later, the main features of the vertical bale pulper according to the present invention are described below.

[0011] It has now surprisingly been noticed that the kinetic energy of the bales causing the impact when the bales fall can be significantly reduced by means of a vertical baffle, at the top surface of which there is a combined / integrated bale nose stop. When falling, the bales hit the bale nose stop, and thus, their kinetic energy is significantly reduced, because the kinetic energy is transferred to the supporting structure of the vertical bale pulper, advantageously to the supporting legs of the vertical pulper, in which case the bale nose stop is positioned above the respective supporting legs. In the vertical bale pulper, vertical baffles (also called vertical guide plates) positioned on the inside of the vertical walls of the pulper are used to ensure that the fiber suspension in the vat in the pulper flows towards the rotor and to prevent a tangential flow of the fiber suspension. The bale nose stop is advantageously positioned above the level of the fiber suspension in the vat, and thus, the bale nose stop does not cause interference with the flow of the fiber suspension in the vertical bale pulper.

[0012] Since the bale nose stop acts as a separate bale breaker element, it reduces the kinetic energy of the bales when they fall onto it, thereby increasing the life of the rotor and the rotor support unit in the pulper.

[0013] The bag nose stop integrated / combined with the vertical baffle can be provided for new pulpers as well as used in the modernization of existing pulpers.

[0014] The top surface of the bale nose stop is advantageously sloped downwardly and towards the centre of the vat, so that it also guides the bale downwardly and towards the centre of the vat.

[0015] In case a vertical bale pulper is loaded by more than one conveyor, a bale nose stop in combination with a vertical baffle is advantageously positioned at each conveyor.

[0016] Advantageously, the vertical baffles are attached to the vertical walls of the pulper vat by welding to ensure quick attachment and load bearing capabilities of the vertical baffles.

[0017] Advantageously, the nose-shaped stopper is made of corrosion-resistant steel, for example acid-resistant steel or stainless steel or duplex stainless steel.

[0018] Advantageously, the vertical baffles are made of corrosion-resistant steel, for example acid-resistant steel or stainless steel or duplex stainless steel.

[0019] According to the present invention, a vertical bale pulper comprises: a vat having a substantially cylindrical upper portion and a downwardly converging lower portion; a rotor located at the bottom of the vat; a vertical wall surrounding the substantially cylindrical upper portion; and at least one vertical baffle extending vertically on the vertical wall within the vat, wherein the vertical bale pulper further comprises a bale nose stopper integrated on the top of at least one vertical baffle.

[0020] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the bale nose stop is positioned above the level of the fiber suspension in the vat of the vertical bale pulper.

[0021] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the nose-shaped stopper protrudes obliquely downwards from the vertical wall towards the centre of the vat, and the angle of inclination is advantageously 15-50°, more advantageously 30-45°.

[0022] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the vertical bale pulper comprises a plurality of supporting legs and the bale nose stop is positioned above one of the plurality of supporting legs of the vertical bale pulper.

[0023] According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the nose-shaped stop is integrated on top of the respective vertical baffle by welding.Alternatively, according to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the nose-shaped stop and the respective vertical baffle are integrated in one piece.

[0024] According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the nose-shaped stop has a cross-sectional dimension greater than that of the vertical baffle with which it is integrated.

[0025] According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the thickness of the nose-shaped stop in the radial direction is greater than the thickness of the vertical baffle integrated with the nose-shaped stop in the radial direction.

[0026] According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the upper surface of the nose-shaped stopper is substantially triangular and has three corners, one of which is at a lower level in the vertical direction than at least one of the other two corners.

[0027] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, in the assembly of a vertical bale pulper according to the invention and at least one conveyor for transporting bales to the vertical bale pulper, the bale nose stop is positioned below the conveyor.

[0028] The term "fiber suspension" refers to a liquid and suspension containing the fibers to be defibrated and possibly other components present. The fibers may be synthetic fibers or non-synthetic fibers. The fibers relevant to the present invention are primarily newly produced cellulose fibers, but regenerated cellulose fibers are also in question if they are provided to the process in bale form. The vertical bale pulper according to the present invention is suitable for different types of fiber suspensions of synthetic and / or non-synthetic fiber materials.

[0029] By means of the invention and its advantageous features, several advantages are achieved: The bale nose stop reduces the kinetic energy of the bales when they fall, thereby significantly reducing the impact effect. Furthermore, the structure integrated with the vertical baffle is simple. In addition, the bale nose stop does not restrict the design of the pulper and the conveyor, and even a lowered loading conveyor can be used, so that various layouts can be adopted in the layout engineering. Moreover, the problems associated with the bales sticking between the bale breaker and the inner wall of the pulper, which occur in pulpers with known beam-type bale breakers, are avoided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] However, aspects of the present invention and further objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of certain exemplary embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and hereinafter the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031] exist Figure 1 In the drawing, an advantageous example of a vertical bale pulper and a loading conveyor connected thereto are schematically shown.

[0032] exist Figure 2 In the figure, it is schematically shown that Figure 1 An advantageous example of a vertical bale pulper of FIG. 1 , which is a 3D view of a longitudinal section view from the side.

[0033] Reference numerals used in the figures

[0034] 10 Pulper

[0035] 11 Rotor

[0036] 12 Vertical baffle

[0037] 12X vertical baffles positioned at the conveyor

[0038] 13 Barrels

[0039] 13A cylindrical part of the barrel

[0040] 13B Downward converging portion of the vat

[0041] 14 walls

[0042] 16 Support Leg

[0043] 17 Floor

[0044] 18 Screen Plate

[0045] 20 Conveyor

[0046] 30 pack nose stop

[0047] Corners 31, 32, 33

[0048] A angle

[0049] Package B

[0050] D Distance

[0051] L Horizontal plane

[0052] X12, X30 thickness DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] In the course of this description, similar numerals and symbols will be used to identify similar elements according to different views illustrating the present invention. For the sake of clarity, some repeated reference numerals may have been omitted in the drawings.

[0054] exist Figure 1In the example of FIG. 1 , a vertical bale pulper 10 and a conveyor 20 connected thereto are shown. The bales B are transported on the conveyor 20 in the form of a continuous queue of bales B. The conveyor 20 extends from a position (not shown) where the bales B are loaded onto the conveyor 20 to a position where the bales B are dropped one by one into the vertical bale pulper 10, the conveyor being vertically inclined to the upper edge of the vertical bale pulper 10. The vertical bale pulper 10 has a vat 13 formed by a substantially cylindrical upper portion 13A and a lower portion 13B with a downwardly converging or disc-shaped end. The rotor 11 is located at the bottom of the vat 13 of the vertical bale pulper 10. A screen plate 18 is also located at the bottom of the vat 13, through which the vertical bale pulper 10 is emptied when the fiber suspension is ready and sent for further processing (e.g. refining). At least one vertical baffle 12, 12X is located on the vertical inner wall 14. The vertical baffles 12, 12X have a triangular cross section, and they extend substantially vertically along the vertical wall 14 of the vertical bale pulper 10. The vertical baffles 12, 12X are positioned at intervals along the inner circumference of the vat 13. The triangular shape extends as a protrusion toward the center of the vat 13. The vertical bale pulper 10 is supported on a floor or the like by support legs 16. One of the vertical baffles 12, i.e., the vertical baffle 12X to be positioned under the conveyor 20 is provided with a bale nose stopper 30. When fiber separation is ready or is being performed, the upper surface of the bale nose stopper 30 on the side of the inner wall 14 of the vertical bale pulper 10 is positioned at a distance D from the upper edge of the vertical bale pulper 10, and the bale nose stopper 30 is positioned above the horizontal plane L of the fiber suspension in the vat 13 of the vertical bale pulper 10. The bale nose stop 30 extends as a protrusion obliquely downward from the inner wall 14 towards the center of the vat 13. The upper surface of the bale nose stop 30 is substantially triangular and has three corners 31, 32, 33. One of the three corners 31, 32, 33 is at a lower level in the vertical direction than at least one of the other two of the three corners 31, 32, 33. The inclination angle A is 15-50°, advantageously 30-45°. Therefore, the top surface of the bale nose stop 30 is advantageously inclined downward and towards the center of the vat 13, and therefore, the bale nose stop 30 also guides the bale B downward and towards the center of the vat 13. The bale nose stop 30 is advantageously positioned above one of the support legs 16 of the vertical bale pulper 10 to transfer the kinetic energy caused by the impact of the bale B from the bale nose stop 30 to the floor 17 via the corresponding support leg 16. The cross-sectional dimension of the nose-shaped stopper 30 is equal to or greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the vertical baffle 12X integrated with the nose-shaped stopper 30, as shown in the figure. Therefore, the thickness X30 of the nose-shaped stopper 30 in the radial direction is equal to or greater than the thickness X12 of the vertical baffle 12X integrated with the nose-shaped stopper 30 in the radial direction, as shown in the figure. The height of the vertical baffle 12X integrated with the nose-shaped stopper 30 may be equal to or greater than the height of the other baffles 12.Additionally, additional reinforcements may be positioned inside the vertical baffles 12X integrated with the bale nose stop 30. In case the vertical bale pulper 10 is loaded by more than one conveyor, the bale nose stop 30 in combination with the vertical baffles 12X is advantageously positioned at each conveyor.

[0055] exist Figure 2 It is also shown that according to Figure 1 An example of the vertical bale pulper 10 is a 3D view of a longitudinal section view from the side.

[0056] exist Figure 1-Figure 2 In the vertical bale pulper 10 of the example, the bales B are defiberized into fiber pulp with uniform disintegration results and with low energy consumption. In the vat 13 in the vertical bale pulper 10, a fiber suspension, which typically contains about 95% water and 5% fibers, is subjected to a rotational flow by a rotor 11, and the fiber suspension is defiberized during the rotational flow caused by the rotor 11. The conveyor 20 is used to convey the individual bales B, which are sequentially queued and positioned on the conveyor 20, to a position at the upper edge of the vertical wall 14 of the vertical bale pulper 10, from which the bales B fall one at a time into the vat 13 of the vertical bale pulper 10 containing the pulping liquid, typically water. When the bale B falls into the vertical bale pulper 10, it first hits the bale nose stopper 30, which reduces the kinetic energy and thus reduces the impact effect of the bale B in the pulper structure, thereby eliminating the risk of damage to the structure and components of the vertical bale pulper 10. Figure 1 and Figure 2 It can also be seen that the construction of the bale nose stop 30 is simple, so that its cost impact on the production or modernization of the vertical bale pulper 10 is minimized. Moreover, the vertical positioning of the bale nose stop 30 in the vertical bale pulper 10 is advantageous in view of the design of the vertical bale pulper 10 and the connected conveyor 20. Furthermore, there is no risk of the bales B sticking between the vertical wall 14 of the vertical bale pulper 10 and the bale nose stop 30.

[0057] The kinetic energy of the bale B causing the impact when the bale falls is significantly reduced by the combined / integrated bale nose stop 30 at the top surface of the vertical baffle 12. The vertical baffle 12, 12X is positioned inside the vertical wall 14 of the vertical bale pulper 10 to ensure that the fiber suspension in the vat 13 flows towards the rotor 11 and prevents a tangential flow of the fiber suspension. The bale nose stop 30 is positioned above the horizontal plane L of the fiber suspension in the vat 13 and does not interfere with the flow of the fiber suspension in the vertical bale pulper 10. Advantageously, the vertical baffle 12, 12X is attached to the vertical wall 14 of the vertical bale pulper 10 by welding to ensure quick attachment and load-bearing capacity of the vertical baffle 12, 12X. The nose-shaped stop 30 can be separate, but can also be an integrated part advantageously welded on top of the corresponding vertical baffle 12X, or the vertical baffle 12X and the nose-shaped stop 30 can be produced in one piece.

[0058] In the foregoing description, although some functions have been described with reference to certain features, these functions may be performed by other features, whether described or not. Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments or examples, these features may also be present in other embodiments or examples, whether described or not. The present invention has been described above only by reference to some advantageous examples, but the present invention is not narrowly limited to these examples. Many modifications and changes are possible within the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vertical bale pulper (10), comprising: a vat (13) having a substantially cylindrical upper portion (13A) and a downwardly converging lower portion (13B), The rotor (11) is located at the bottom of the barrel (13), a vertical wall (14) surrounding said substantially cylindrical upper portion (13A), at least one vertical baffle (12, 12X) extending vertically on the vertical wall (14) inside the vat (13), It is characterized in that The vertical bale pulper (10) further comprises a bale nose stopper (30), The nose-shaped stopper (30) is integrated on the top of at least one of the vertical baffles (12X).

2. The vertical bale pulper (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that The bale nose stop (30) is positioned above the level (L) of the fiber suspension in the vat (13) of the vertical bale pulper (10).

3. The vertical bale pulper according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The nose-shaped stopper (30) protrudes obliquely downward from the vertical wall (14) toward the center of the vat (13), and the inclination angle (A) is advantageously 15-50°, more advantageously 30-45°.

4. A vertical bale pulper (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The vertical bale pulper (10) includes a plurality of support legs (16) and the bale nose stop (30) is positioned above one of the plurality of support legs (16) of the vertical bale pulper (10).

5. A vertical bale pulper (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The nose-shaped stopper (30) is integrated on the top of the corresponding vertical baffle (12X) by welding.

6. A vertical bale pulper (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The nose-shaped stopper (30) and the corresponding vertical baffle (12X) are integrated into one piece.

7. A vertical bale pulper (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The cross-sectional dimension of the nose-shaped stopper (30) is greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the vertical baffle (12X) integrated with the nose-shaped stopper (30).

8. A vertical bale pulper (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The thickness (X30) of the nose-shaped stopper (30) in the radial direction is greater than the thickness (X12) of the vertical baffle (12X) integrated with the nose-shaped stopper (30) in the radial direction.

9. A vertical bale pulper (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The upper surface of the nose-shaped stopper (30) is substantially triangular and has three corners (31, 32, 33), and one of the three corners (31, 32, 33) is at a lower level in the vertical direction than at least one of the other two of the three corners (31, 32, 33).

10. Assembly of a vertical bale pulper (10) according to any of the preceding claims and at least one conveyor (20) for conveying bales (B) to the vertical bale pulper (10), characterized in that The bag nose stop (30) is positioned below the conveyor (20).

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