Low resilience, low dusted peat moss high pressure compression forming process

Abstract

This invention discloses a low-rebound, low-powdering high-pressure compression and shaping process for peat moss, belonging to the field of peat moss deep processing technology. The steps include raw material moisture content control, high-pressure static pressing, and pressure holding and shaping. The process involves the synergistic effect of three factors: limiting the raw material moisture content to 1 wt%–22 wt%, achieving an effective static pressure of 20–70 tons, and a unit pressure ≥980.7 MPa. This invention can control the rebound rate of the compressed preform to within 8%, ensuring fiber integrity, low dust, and eliminating the need for chemical anti-mildew agents. It can withstand 40 days of transoceanic sea transport and 18 months of warehousing without mold growth or bulging. The compressed preforms cover a full range of sizes from 50g to 1000g, suitable for sample packaging, retail, and nursery wholesale. It covers all types of raw materials including seaweed, sphagnum moss, and peat moss, and can be combined with sealed packaging processes to form a complete deep processing solution. Relevant testing indicators can be used as product evaluation criteria, making it suitable for distribution through all domestic and international channels.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of deep processing technology of peat moss, specifically a high-pressure compression molding process for peat moss. The product is suitable for domestic production, warehousing, 40-day transoceanic long-distance transportation, online and offline retail, and cross-border commodity circulation in the fields of horticulture cultivation and exotic pet bedding. The peat moss is commonly known as seaweed in domestic production areas, and is commercially known as sphagnum moss in the fields of horticulture circulation and foreign trade. All three refer to the same processing raw material.

[0002] Sphagnum moss, commonly known as seaweed or sphagnum moss, is a widely used raw material in horticulture and exotic pet breeding, with a large quantity of finished products exported to overseas markets through foreign trade channels. Currently, the industry generally uses pressure equipment for compression molding, but lacks a standardized management system. If the moisture content of the raw material is higher than 22 wt%, the moisture will be trapped inside the material after compression. After being transported across oceans in containers and stored for a long time, it is very easy for mold to grow and the whole thing will swell and deform. If the moisture content of the raw material is lower than 1 wt%, the brittleness of the peat moss fiber will increase significantly. After being compressed, a large number of fibers will break, resulting in serious problems of dust and lint shedding. The quality of the finished product cannot meet the standards for high-quality products.

[0003] When pressing with an effective static pressure of less than 20 tons, the internal pores of the material cannot be completely closed, resulting in a large rebound of the finished product. After 40 days of transoceanic transport, the volume expands by more than 30%, and the storage and international logistics costs increase significantly. When pressing with an effective static pressure of more than 70 tons, the rebound, mildew prevention and low powdering performance of the finished product are not significantly improved, but the equipment purchase cost, production energy consumption and mold wear increase significantly, making it unsuitable for large-scale industrial production for export.

[0004] Existing technologies have not coupled and matched the precise moisture content range of 1 wt% to 22 wt%, the effective static pressure of 20 tons to 70 tons, and the unit pressure of ≥980.7MPa to form a standardized processing technology. As a result, the quality of finished products on the market is inconsistent and cannot meet the needs of long-term storage, long-distance transoceanic transportation, and cross-border circulation of high-quality products at home and abroad. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of existing peat moss compression processes, such as high rebound, easy pulverization, and mold growth and swelling during storage and transportation, and to provide a standardized high-pressure compression process system. The core innovation of this invention is to couple and limit the raw material moisture content of 1 wt% to 22 wt%, the effective static pressure of the material of 20 tons to 70 tons, and the static pressure per unit area of ​​≥980.7 MPa. Relying on the synergistic effect of these three factors, it achieves unexpected technical effects such as low rebound, low pulverization, and suitability for transoceanic sea transport and long-term storage.

[0006] Existing industry-standard processing methods can only control moisture content or pressure individually, without establishing a three-way coupling constraint system, resulting in three inherent defects: Controlling only the moisture content without high-pressure static pressure constraint: the internal pores of the billet cannot be closed, and it continues to rebound during long-distance transportation; Controlling only pressure without precise moisture content control: materials either become moldy during storage and transportation or have excessive dust levels, making them unsuitable for export overseas; Without a unit pressure constraint of ≥980.7MPa: the material is subjected to uneven pressure, the billet is delaminated and cracked, and the finished product has poor consistency.

[0007] Adjusting any single parameter alone cannot achieve all the technical effects of this invention. ① Controlling the moisture content to 1~22 wt% and using static pressure pressing of less than 20 tons: The blank has a large residual porosity, rebounds and expands after sea transport, and the packaging is damaged and moldy; ② Only 20~70 tons of static pressure is used for pressing, and the moisture content of the raw materials is >22 wt%: the material retains water inside, and will become moldy and unusable under the high temperature environment of the container; ③ Only using 20~70 tons of static pressure pressing, raw material moisture content <1 wt%: fiber breakage, excessive dust, customers will refuse to accept; ④ Only when all three parameters meet the standards can the comprehensive effects of rebound rate ≤8%, low powdering, no mold growth at room temperature for 18 months, and no bulging during transoceanic transportation for 40 days be achieved simultaneously. This synergistic performance cannot be predicted through limited tests in the industry and has outstanding innovation.

[0008] The effective static pressure described in this invention specifically refers to the actual load that acts continuously and stably on the peat moss material during the compression and pressure holding stage, and is unrelated to the nominal rated tonnage of the pressurizing equipment. Even if a pressurizing equipment with a nominal tonnage greater than 70 tons is used, as long as the effective static pressure acting on the material is in the range of 20 to 70 tons, it falls within the protection scope of this invention. This invention does not limit the static pressure output method; all equipment structures capable of outputting stable static pressure, such as hydraulic, pneumatic, pneumatic-hydraulic booster, servo electric cylinders, and mechanical screws, are included in the scope of this invention.

[0009] The pressurization method, holding time, and processing sequence can all be flexibly adjusted without changing the core technical effect of the invention.

[0010] The design mechanisms for each parameter are as follows: 1. Moisture content > 22 wt%: The internal moisture of the material is difficult to drain out, and it is prone to anaerobic mold growth and overall expansion during storage and long-distance transportation, thus losing its commodity circulation value; 2. Moisture content < 1 wt%: Peat moss fibers are too brittle and break in large quantities when compressed, resulting in serious dust and lint shedding, making them unsuitable as premium gardening or exotic pet bedding. 3. Effective static pressure < 20 tons: The material is not compacted enough, the amount of residual pores is large, the finished product rebounds significantly, and it cannot meet the requirements of long-term storage and transoceanic long-distance transportation. 4. Effective static pressure > 70 tons: The overall performance of the finished product is not significantly improved, the overall production cost increases significantly, and it does not have the economic value for large-scale mass production. 5. A moisture content of 1 wt% to 22 wt% combined with an effective static pressure of 20 to 70 tons and a unit pressure of ≥980.7 MPa represents the optimal process range that balances finished product quality and production costs. Beneficial effects

[0011] 1. Stable finished product quality: Using the parameter combination limited by this invention, the rebound rate of peat moss after compression can be controlled within 8%, the fiber integrity is high, and the problems of powdering and mildew are effectively solved; no chemical anti-mildew agents are required, which meets the overseas plant import quarantine standards and is suitable for cross-border export. 2. Robust process protection barrier: If competitors want to produce high-quality products of the same grade suitable for foreign trade, they must simultaneously meet the dual constraints of moisture content and pressure of this invention; simply adjusting the pressure or moisture content will significantly degrade the quality of the finished product, and may even make it unsuitable for export; at the same time, this invention does not limit the type of pressure output equipment, and competitors' methods such as changing air pressure, servo electric cylinders, reducing the load of large-tonnage equipment, and adjusting the pressure holding time cannot circumvent the scope of protection of this process. 3. Convenient testing and judgment: The moisture content of raw materials, the rebound rate of finished products, and the dust content can all be tested by sampling finished products. Qualified third-party institutions can issue test reports, which can be used as the core basis for product quality and infringement determination. 4. Full coverage of raw materials and distribution scenarios: Unified coverage of all categories of raw materials, including scientific name peat moss, local name seaweed, and commercial name sphagnum moss; complete coverage of all channels from domestic distribution to cross-border foreign trade exports; 5. Strong process adaptability: The pressurization method, pressure holding time, and processing steps can be flexibly adjusted to adapt to the transformation of production lines of different specifications and meet the stable production needs of large-volume foreign trade orders; 6. Adaptable to multiple application scenarios: Products produced by this process can be adapted to various distribution scenarios such as domestic warehousing and wholesale, cross-border long-distance transportation, and long-term overseas storage. Detailed Implementation Example

[0012] Long-fiber seaweed raw material with a moisture content of 12 wt% was selected and pressed using a 100-ton hydraulic press. The output load was adjusted to allow the material to withstand an effective static pressure of 40 tons, with a pressure-bearing area of ​​0.4 cm² and a static pressure of 980.7 MPa per unit area, held for 10 seconds. After compression, the blank structure is dense, with a measured rebound rate of approximately 4.3% and extremely low lint shedding. After standard packaging, the finished product was subjected to a simulated 40-day high-temperature and high-humidity transoceanic sea transport environment, followed by 18 months of room temperature and sealed storage. No mold growth or significant volume expansion was observed, making it suitable for various warehousing, transportation, and cross-border export scenarios. Example

[0013] The raw material is sphagnum moss with a moisture content of 16 wt%. It is pressurized by air pressure to output 20 tons of effective static pressure. The material is pressurized on an area of ​​0.2 cm², and the static pressure per unit area reaches 980.7 MPa. The pressure is maintained for 40 seconds. The finished product has a rebound rate of about 7.5%, high fiber integrity, and stable morphology after 20 months of storage at room temperature after transoceanic sea transport, which meets the quality standards for premium retail. Example

[0014] Peat moss with a moisture content of 9 wt% was selected as raw material, and a mechanical screw press was used to output an effective static pressure of 68 tons, with a static pressure per unit area greater than 980.7 MPa. The quality of the finished product was basically the same as that of the product pressed with 40 tons of pressure, but the production energy consumption was higher, and the economics of large-scale export production were poor. Example

[0015] Control group 1: Moisture content 25 wt%, pressed with 40 tons of static pressure, simulated sea transport for 30 days, the material had a large area of ​​mold inside and lost its commercial value; Control group 2: Moisture content 12 wt%, 15 tons of static pressure, finished product rebound rate 21%, packaging bulged and damaged after sea transport; Control group 3: Moisture content 0.8 wt%, 40 tons of static pressure pressing, fiber crushing and dust exceeding the standard, unable to meet the requirements for use as a substrate.

[0016] Parameter optimization logic description The preferred moisture content range of 8 wt% to 18 wt% of this invention is suitable for most domestic long-fiber seaweed raw materials; for short-fiber peat moss raw materials, a moisture content range of 5 wt% to 10 wt% can be selected, which still falls within the protection range of 1 wt% to 22 wt% of this invention, and is suitable for flexible production of raw materials from different production areas.

[0017] This process can flexibly press blanks of any weight range from 50g to 1000g. Among them, 50g to 100g is suitable for small sample packaging, 200g to 300g is suitable for regular retail specifications, and 400g to 1000g is suitable for nurseries and offline wholesalers to purchase in bulk. All weight specifications fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A high-pressure compression and shaping process for low-resilience, low-pulverization peat moss, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Raw material moisture content control: Select natural peat moss raw materials, which include moss materials of the same genus, commonly known locally as "sea flower grass" and commercially as "water sphagnum moss"; after air drying, oven drying, or dehumidification treatment, stabilize the overall moisture content of the raw materials between 1 wt% and 22 wt%. Step 2, High-pressure static compaction molding: Apply static compression to the peat moss after moisture content control and compact it into shape; During the compression and holding stage, the effective static pressure borne by the peat moss material is 20 to 70 tons, and the static pressure per unit area of ​​the material's pressure surface is ≥980.7 MPa (1 ton force / cm² ≈ 98.07 MPa). The static compression power supply method is not limited and can be achieved by any equipment capable of outputting stable static pressure, such as hydraulic, pneumatic, pneumatic-hydraulic booster, servo electric cylinder, or mechanical screw. The duration of a single pressurization and the duration of continuous pressure holding can be freely adjusted according to the production order specifications. Step 3: After pressure holding and shaping, a stable compressed preform is obtained; the compressed preform has good fiber integrity, less powdering and lint shedding, and the compression rebound rate is stably controlled within 8%; no additional chemical anti-mildew additives are needed, and it is not easy to mold or expand and deform during normal temperature environment, 40-day transoceanic long-distance sea transport and 18-month long-term warehouse storage. The compressed peat moss preforms can be used as a substrate for orchid cultivation, a feeding mat for reptiles and amphibians, and a horticultural moisture-retaining substrate. They are suitable for warehousing, online and offline retail, and cross-border circulation, meeting the export processing needs of enterprises with plant quarantine qualifications.

2. The low-resilience, low-pulverization peat moss high-pressure compression and shaping process according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two process modes can be adopted: compression molding followed by bagging and sealing, or packing into a packaging container first and then compressing the whole thing under static pressure.

3. The low-resilience, low-pulverization peat moss high-pressure compression and shaping process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The preferred moisture content range for peat moss raw materials is 8 wt% to 18 wt%. When this moisture content range is combined with the pressure range specified in this invention for compression, the product yield can reach over 98%, and the overall storage stability and transoceanic shipping adaptability are optimal.

4. The low-resilience, low-pulverization peat moss high-pressure compression and shaping process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The effective static pressure is the actual load that acts continuously and stably on the peat moss material during the compression and pressure holding stage, and is not related to the nominal rated tonnage of the pressurizing equipment; equipment with a nominal tonnage greater than 70 tons, which only outputs an effective load of 20 to 70 tons to press the material, still falls within the protection scope of this invention.

5. The low-resilience, low-pulverization peat moss high-pressure compression and shaping process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The compressed preforms range in weight from 50g to 1000g, covering small-sized trial packs, standard retail packs, and large-sized wholesale stock packs, suitable for online retail and offline nursery bulk purchases of all product categories and packaging specifications.