Fiber processing equipment

Abstract

To provide a fiber body processing device capable of improving quantitativeness of rough debris feed amount.SOLUTION: A fiber body processing device comprises: a rough debris storage part to store rough debris consisting of materials including fibers; a humidification part to generate humidified air and feed the humidified air to the rough debris storage part; a measuring part to measure weight of the rough debris discharged from the rough debris storage part; a quantitative feeding part to quantitatively feed the rough debris measured by the measuring part; a fibrillating part to fibrillate the rough debris fed from the quantitative feeding part; a first conveyance part to convey the rough debris from the rough debris storage part to the measuring part; a second conveyance part to convey the rough debris from the quantitative feeding part to the fibrillating part; and a humidified air feeding passage that has an upstream side end and a downstream side end and feeds the humidified air generated at the humidification part to the fibrillating part by bypassing the measuring part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fibrous body processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a sheet manufacturing apparatus including a crushing section for crushing waste paper, a metering section for weighing the crushed pieces obtained in the crushing section and quantitatively supplying them, a defibrating section for defibrating the supplied crushed pieces, a deposition section for depositing the defibrated material obtained in the defibrating section on a plane, a heating and pressing section for heating and pressing the deposited web, a cutting section for cutting the sheet obtained in the heating and pressing section into a predetermined shape, a sheet recovery section for recovering the obtained sheet, and a humidifying section for humidifying each section.

[0003] In the sheet manufacturing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the humidified air generated in the humidifying section passes through the metering section and the defibrating section in order and is supplied to the metering section and the defibrating section.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the sheet manufacturing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when the humidified air passes through the metering section, the accuracy of weighing the crushed pieces may be impaired due to the influence of the wind pressure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The fibrous body processing apparatus of the present invention includes a crushed piece storage section for storing crushed pieces made of a material containing fibers, a humidifying section for generating humidified air and supplying the humidified air to the crushed piece storage section, a weighing section for weighing the weight of the crushed pieces discharged from the crushed piece storage section, A quantitative supply unit that quantitatively supplies the coarse crushed pieces measured by the weighing unit, A defibration unit for defibrating the coarse fragments supplied from the quantitative supply unit, A first conveying unit that conveys the coarse crushed pieces from the coarse crushed piece storage unit to the weighing unit, A second conveying unit that conveys the coarse fragments from the quantitative supply unit to the defibration unit, The device is characterized by having an upstream end and a downstream end, and comprising a humidified air supply passage that supplies humidified air generated in the humidification section to the defibration section, bypassing the metering section. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a fiber processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the coarse fragment supply unit and its surrounding area as shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the measuring unit and quantitative supply unit shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a block diagram of the fiber processing device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the fiber processing apparatus according to the second embodiment, and in particular, a schematic diagram of the coarse fragment supply section and its surrounding section. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the fiber processing apparatus according to the third embodiment, and in particular, a schematic diagram of the coarse fragment supply section and its surrounding section. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The fiber processing apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail below based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0009] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a fiber processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the coarse crushing section and its surrounding area shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the weighing section and quantitative supply section shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a block diagram of the fiber processing apparatus shown in Figure 1.

[0010] In the following, the upper side of Figure 1 may be referred to as "up" or "upward," and the lower side as "down" or "downward." Also, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram, and the positional relationships, orientations, sizes, etc., of the various parts of the fiber processing apparatus 100 are not limited to those shown. Furthermore, in Figure 1, the direction in which the coarse fragments M2, defibrated material M3, first sorted material M4-1, second sorted material M4-2, first web M5, subdivided material M6, mixture M7, second web M8, and recycled paper S are transported, i.e., the direction indicated by the arrow, is also called the transport direction. In addition, the tip of the arrow in Figure 1 is also called the "downstream side" in the transport direction, and the base of the arrow in Figure 1 is also called the "upstream side" in the transport direction. The same applies to the humidified air WA, WA1, WA2, and coarse fragments M2 in Figures 2, 3, 5, and 6.

[0011] The fiber processing apparatus 100 shown in Figure 1 is a fiber processing apparatus that produces sheet-like recycled paper S from coarse fragments M2 obtained by shredding waste paper such as used copy paper. However, the products produced by the fiber processing apparatus 100 are not limited to recycled paper S, and may also be, for example, block-shaped molded bodies.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the fibrous material processing apparatus 100 includes a coarse fragment supply unit 10, a defibration unit 29, a sorting unit 14, a first web forming unit 15, a subdivision unit 16, a mixing unit 17, a dispersion unit 18, a second web forming unit 19, a molding unit 20, a cutting unit 21, a stock unit 22, and a recovery unit 27.

[0013] Furthermore, the fiber processing apparatus 100 includes a humidifying unit 231, a humidifying unit 232, a humidifying unit 233, a humidifying unit 234, a humidifying unit 235, and a humidifying unit 236. In addition, the fiber processing apparatus 100 includes a blower 261, a blower 262, and a blower 263.

[0014] In the fibrous body processing apparatus 100, a crushed piece supply step, a fiber separation step, a sorting step, a first web formation step, a cutting step, a mixing step, a loosening step, a second web formation step, a sheet formation step, and a cutting step are executed in this order.

[0015] The configurations of each part will be described below. The crushed piece supply unit 10 is a part that executes a crushed piece supply step of supplying the crushed pieces M2 to the fiber separation unit 29, and includes a crushed piece storage unit 11, a crushed piece transport unit 247, a weighing unit 12, and a metering supply unit 13. The configurations of each part of the crushed piece supply unit 10 will be described in detail later. The crushed pieces M2 are, for example, those obtained by crushing a sheet-like material made of a fiber-containing material containing cellulose fibers. The cellulose fibers may be any fibrous material mainly composed of cellulose (narrow sense cellulose) as a compound, and may contain hemicellulose and lignin in addition to cellulose (narrow sense cellulose).

[0016] The shape and size of the crushed pieces M2 are preferably suitable for the fiber separation process in the fiber separation unit 29. Examples of the shape of the crushed pieces M2 include small pieces with a square planar shape, rectangular shapes, particularly strip-shaped small pieces. Also, the size of the crushed pieces M2 is preferably, for example, small pieces with an average side length of 100 mm or less, and more preferably small pieces with a size of 3 mm or more and 70 mm or less. The shape of the small pieces may be other than square or rectangular. Also, the thickness is preferably 0.07 mm or more and 0.10 mm or less.

[0017] Further, a humidifying unit 231 is connected to the crushed piece storage unit 11 of the crushed piece supply unit 10 via a humidified air transport unit 237 described later. As shown in FIG. 2, the humidifying unit 231 humidifies the crushed pieces M2 in the crushed piece storage unit 11. This humidifying unit 231 is composed of a vaporizing type humidifying unit that has a filter 32 containing moisture and generates humidified air WA by passing air through the filter 32. By supplying the humidified air WA to the crushed pieces M2, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of the crushed pieces M2 to the inner wall of the crushed piece storage unit 11 or the like due to electrostatic force.

[0018] Note that the humidifying unit 231 is not limited to the vaporization type, and may be, for example, an ultrasonic type. Similarly, the humidifying units 232, 233, and 234 described later may also be of the ultrasonic type.

[0019] Further, the crushed piece supply unit 10 is connected to the fibrillation unit 29 via a pipe 241 which is the second conveyance unit. The crushed pieces M2 supplied by the crushed piece supply unit 10 pass through the pipe 241 and are conveyed to the fibrillation unit 29.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the fibrillation unit 29 is a part that performs a fibrillation process for fibrillation of the crushed pieces M2 in the air, that is, in a dry manner. By the fibrillation treatment in this fibrillation unit 29, a fibrillated material M3 can be generated from the crushed pieces M2. Here, "fibrillation" means unraveling a crushed piece M2 formed by binding a plurality of fibers into individual fibers. And the unraveled material becomes the fibrillated material M3. The shape of the fibrillated material M3 is linear or strip-shaped. Further, the fibrillated materials M3 may exist in a state where they are entangled and form a lump, that is, a so-called "ball".

[0021] The fibrillation unit 29 can use, for example, one configured by a turbo type fine crusher. As shown in FIG. 2, this turbo type fine crusher includes a cylindrical casing 290 having a crushed piece inlet 291 and a fibrillated material outlet 292, a liner 294 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the casing 290, a rotor 293 that rotates in the casing 290 without contacting the liner 294, and a motor (not shown) which is a drive source for rotationally driving the rotor 293. The liner 294 has a plurality of teeth (not shown) along the circumferential direction, and the rotor 293 has a plurality of blades (not shown) arranged radially.

[0022] The motor installed in the fibrillation unit 29 for rotationally driving the rotor 293 is electrically connected to the control device 28, and its operation is controlled. Corresponding to the on / off of the power supply to this motor, the rotation / stop of the rotor 293 is performed, and the execution / stop of the fibrillation process is performed.

[0023] When the defibration unit 29 is operating and defibration is being performed, the coarse fragments M2 introduced into the casing 290 from the coarse fragment inlet 291 are crushed and defibrated as they pass through the gap 295 between the rotating rotor 293 and the liner 294. As a result, the resulting defibrated material M3 is discharged from the defibrated material outlet 292 and sent to the sorting unit 14 via the pipe 242.

[0024] A pipe 242 is connected to the downstream side of the defibration section 29. A blower 261, for example, consisting of a turbo-type fan, is installed in the middle of the pipe 242. The blower 261 is an airflow generator that generates an airflow directed toward the sorting section 14. This promotes the introduction of coarse fragments M2 into the defibration section 29 and the delivery of defibrated material M3 to the sorting section 14. As will be described later, due to its structure, the defibration section 29 allows for the smooth passage of the raw material, coarse fragments M2, and the defibration process. However, the operation of the blower 261 installed downstream of the defibration section 29 promotes the passage of the coarse fragments M2 within the defibration section 29 and the defibration process. The blower 261 may also be installed upstream of the defibration section 29.

[0025] The sorting section 14 is the part that performs a sorting process to separate the defibrated material M3 according to the size of the fiber length. In the sorting section 14, the defibrated material M3 is sorted into first sorted material M4-1 and second sorted material M4-2 which has a larger fiber length than the first sorted material M4-1. The first sorted material M4-1 is of a size suitable for subsequent production of recycled paper S. On the other hand, the second sorted material M4-2 includes, for example, material that has not been sufficiently defibrated or material in which the defibrated fibers have excessively aggregated.

[0026] The sorting unit 14 includes a drum section 141 and a housing section 142 that houses the drum section 141.

[0027] The drum section 141 is a sieve composed of a cylindrical mesh body that rotates around its central axis. The defibrated material M3 flows into this drum section 141. As the drum section 141 rotates, the defibrated material M3 smaller than the mesh opening is sorted as the first sorted material M4-1, and the defibrated material M3 larger than the mesh opening is sorted as the second sorted material M4-2.

[0028] The first sorted item, M4-1, falls from the drum section 141. Meanwhile, the second sorted material M4-2 is sent to a pipe 243 connected to the drum section 141. The pipe 243 has its end opposite to the drum section 141, i.e., the downstream end, connected to the middle of the pipe 241. After passing through this pipe 243, the second sorted material M4-2 merges with the coarse fragments M2 within the pipe 241 and flows into the defibration section 29 together with the coarse fragments M2. As a result, the second sorted material M4-2 is returned to the defibration section 29 and subjected to defibration processing together with the coarse fragments M2.

[0029] Furthermore, the first sorted material M4-1 that falls from the drum section 141 disperses into the air as it falls toward the first web forming section 15 located below the drum section 141. The first web forming section 15 is the part that performs the first web forming process, which forms the first web M5 from the first sorted material M4-1. The first web forming section 15 has a mesh belt 151, three tension rollers 152, and a suction section 153.

[0030] The mesh belt 151 is an endless belt on which the first sorted material M4-1 accumulates. This mesh belt 151 is wrapped around three tension rollers 152. The rotational drive of the tension rollers 152 then transports the first sorted material M4-1 on the mesh belt 151 downstream.

[0031] The first sorted material M4-1 is larger than the mesh opening of the mesh belt 151. As a result, the passage of the first sorted material M4-1 through the mesh belt 151 is restricted, and it can therefore accumulate on the mesh belt 151. Furthermore, as the first sorted material M4-1 accumulates on the mesh belt 151 and is transported downstream along with the mesh belt 151, it forms a layered first web M5.

[0032] Furthermore, the first sorted material M4-1 may contain, for example, dust and dirt. Dust and dirt can be generated, for example, by coarse crushing or defibration. Such dust and dirt will be collected in the recovery unit 27, which will be described later.

[0033] The suction unit 153 is a suction mechanism that draws air from below the mesh belt 151. This allows dust and dirt that has passed through the mesh belt 151 to be drawn in along with the air.

[0034] Furthermore, the suction unit 153 is connected to the collection unit 27 via the pipe 244. Dust and dirt sucked up by the suction unit 153 are collected in the collection unit 27.

[0035] A pipe 245 is further connected to the recovery unit 27. A blower 262 is installed in the middle of the pipe 245. The operation of this blower 262 generates suction force in the suction unit 153. This promotes the formation of the first web M5 on the mesh belt 151. This first web M5 is formed from dust and dirt that have been removed. The dust and dirt are also passed through the pipe 244 by the operation of the blower 262 and reach the recovery unit 27.

[0036] The housing section 142 is connected to the humidification section 232. The humidification section 232 is composed of an evaporative humidification unit. As a result, humidified air is supplied into the housing section 142. This humidified air can humidify the first sorted material M4-1, and thus it is possible to suppress the adhesion of the first sorted material M4-1 to the inner wall of the housing section 142 due to electrostatic force.

[0037] A humidification unit 235 is located downstream of the sorting unit 14. The humidification unit 235 is composed of an ultrasonic humidifier that sprays water. This supplies moisture to the first web M5, thereby adjusting the moisture content of the first web M5. This adjustment suppresses the adhesion of the first web M5 to the mesh belt 151 due to electrostatic force. As a result, the first web M5 is easily detached from the mesh belt 151 at the position where the mesh belt 151 is folded back by the tension roller 152.

[0038] A subdivision section 16 is located downstream of the humidification section 235. The subdivision section 16 is the part that performs the subdivision process of dividing the first web M5 that has been separated from the mesh belt 151. The subdivision section 16 has a rotatably supported propeller 161 and a housing section 162 that houses the propeller 161. The first web M5 can be divided by the rotating propeller 161. The divided first web M5 becomes a subdivision body M6. The subdivision body M6 then descends within the housing section 162.

[0039] The housing section 162 is connected to the humidifying section 233. The humidifying section 233 is composed of an evaporative humidifier. As a result, humidified air is supplied into the housing section 162. This humidified air also helps to suppress the adhesion of the fragments M6 to the propeller 161 and the inner wall of the housing section 162 due to electrostatic force.

[0040] A mixing section 17 is located downstream of the subdivision section 16. The mixing section 17 is the part that performs the mixing process of mixing the subdivision material M6 with the additive. This mixing section 17 includes an additive supply section 171, a pipe 172, and a blower 173.

[0041] The pipe 172 connects the housing 162 of the subdivision section 16 and the housing 182 of the dispersion section 18, and is a flow path through which the mixture M7 of the subdivision material M6 and the additive passes.

[0042] An additive supply unit 171 is connected to the middle of the pipe 172. The additive supply unit 171 has a housing unit 170 containing the additive and a screw feeder 174 provided inside the housing unit 170. The rotation of the screw feeder 174 pushes the additive inside the housing unit 170 out and supplies it into the pipe 172. The additive supplied into the pipe 172 is mixed with the fractionated product M6 to form a mixture M7.

[0043] Here, examples of additives supplied from the additive supply unit 171 include binders that bind fibers together, colorants for coloring fibers, flocculation inhibitors to suppress fiber aggregation, flame retardants to make fibers less flammable, paper strength enhancers to increase the paper strength of recycled paper S, and defibrations. One or more of these can be used in combination. Below, as an example, the case in which the additive is a binder P1 will be described. By including a binder that binds fibers together in the additive, the strength of recycled paper S can be increased.

[0044] Examples of binders P1 include natural product-derived components such as starch, dextrin, glycogen, amylose, hyaluronic acid, kudzu, konjac, potato starch, etherified starch, esterified starch, natural gum glue, fiber-inducing glue, seaweed, and animal protein, as well as polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, and polyacrylamide. One or more of these can be selected and used in combination, but it is preferable that the binder be a natural product-derived component, and more preferably starch. In addition, thermoplastic resins such as various polyolefins, acrylic resins, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, and polyamide, and various thermoplastic elastomers can also be used.

[0045] Furthermore, a blower 173 is installed in the middle of the pipe 172, downstream of the additive supply section 171. The action of the rotating parts such as blades of the blower 173 promotes the mixing of the fractionated material M6 and the binder P1. The blower 173 can also generate an airflow directed toward the dispersion section 18. This airflow can agitate the fractionated material M6 and the binder P1 within the pipe 172. As a result, the mixture M7 is transported to the dispersion section 18 in a state where the fractionated material M6 and the binder P1 are uniformly dispersed. In addition, the fractionated material M6 in the mixture M7 is loosened as it passes through the pipe 172, becoming finer and more fibrous.

[0046] The blower 173 is electrically connected to the control device 28, and its operation is controlled. Furthermore, by adjusting the airflow rate of the blower 173, the amount of air supplied to the drum 181 can be adjusted.

[0047] Although not shown in the diagram, the pipe 172 is branched into two at the end facing the drum 181, and each branched end is connected to an inlet (not shown) formed on the end face of the drum 181.

[0048] The dispersion unit 18 shown in Figure 1 is the part that performs a loosening process in which intertwined fibers in the mixture M7 are loosened and released. The dispersion unit 18 has a drum 181 for introducing and releasing the mixture M7, which is the defibrated material, and a housing 182 for housing the drum 181.

[0049] The drum 181 is a sieve composed of a cylindrical mesh body that rotates around its central axis. As the drum 181 rotates, fibers and other materials in the mixture M7 that are smaller than the mesh opening can pass through the drum 181. In the process, the mixture M7 is loosened and released along with the air. In other words, the drum 181 functions as a release unit that releases materials containing fibers.

[0050] The drum 181 is connected to a drive source (not shown) and rotates due to the rotational force output from the drive source. The drive source is electrically connected to a control device 28, and its operation is controlled.

[0051] Furthermore, the housing 182 is connected to the humidifying unit 234. The humidifying unit 234 is composed of an evaporative humidifying unit. As a result, humidified air is supplied into the housing 182. This humidified air humidifies the inside of the housing 182, and thus suppresses the adhesion of the mixture M7 to the inner wall of the housing 182 due to electrostatic force.

[0052] Furthermore, the mixture M7 released from the drum 181 disperses into the air and falls toward the second web forming section 19 located below the drum 181. The second web forming section 19 is the part that performs the second web forming process, in which the mixture M7 is deposited to form the second web M8, which is the deposited material. The second web forming section 19 has a mesh belt 191, tension rollers 192, and a suction section 193.

[0053] The mesh belt 191 is a mesh member, and in the illustrated configuration, it is composed of an endless belt. The mixture M7 dispersed and released by the dispersion unit 18 accumulates on the mesh belt 191. This mesh belt 191 is wrapped around four tension rollers 192. The rotational drive of the tension rollers 192 then transports the mixture M7 on the mesh belt 191 downstream.

[0054] In the illustrated configuration, a mesh belt 191 is used as an example of a mesh member, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a flat plate may also be used.

[0055] Furthermore, most of the mixture M7 on the mesh belt 191 is larger than the mesh opening of the mesh belt 191. This restricts the mixture M7 from passing through the mesh belt 191, and thus it can accumulate on the mesh belt 191. In addition, as the mixture M7 accumulates on the mesh belt 191, it is transported downstream along with the mesh belt 191, forming a layered second web M8.

[0056] The suction unit 193 is a suction mechanism that draws air from below the mesh belt 191. This allows the mixture M7 to be drawn onto the mesh belt 191, thereby promoting the accumulation of the mixture M7 on the mesh belt 191.

[0057] A pipe 246 is connected to the suction unit 193. A blower 263 is installed in the middle of this pipe 246. The operation of this blower 263 generates suction force in the suction unit 193.

[0058] A humidification unit 236 is located downstream of the dispersion unit 18. The humidification unit 236 is composed of an ultrasonic humidification unit similar to the humidification unit 235. This allows moisture to be supplied to the second web M8, thereby adjusting the moisture content of the second web M8. This adjustment suppresses the adhesion of the second web M8 to the mesh belt 191 due to electrostatic force. As a result, the second web M8 is easily detached from the mesh belt 191 at the position where the mesh belt 191 is folded back by the tension roller 192. Note that the humidification units 235 and 236 may also be of the evaporative type.

[0059] The total amount of moisture added to humidification sections 231 to 236 is preferably, for example, 0.5 parts by mass or more and 20 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of material before humidification.

[0060] A molding section 20 is located downstream of the second web forming section 19. The molding section 20 is the part that performs the sheet forming process to form recycled paper S from the second web M8. This molding section 20 has a pressurizing section 201 and a heating section 202.

[0061] The pressurizing section 201 has a pair of calender rollers 203, and can pressurize the second web M8 between the calender rollers 203 without heating it. This increases the density of the second web M8. When heating is used, it is preferable to heat it to an extent that does not melt the binder P1. The second web M8 is then conveyed toward the heating section 202. One of the pair of calender rollers 203 is a driven roller driven by a motor (not shown), and the other is a driven roller.

[0062] The heating section 202 has a pair of heating rollers 204, and can heat and pressurize the second web M8 between the heating rollers 204. Due to this heating and pressurizing, the binder P1 melts within the second web M8, and the fibers bond together via this molten binder P1. This forms recycled paper S. This recycled paper S is then conveyed toward the cutting section 21. One of the pair of heating rollers 204 is a driven roller driven by a motor (not shown), and the other is a driven roller.

[0063] A cutting section 21 is located downstream of the molding section 20. The cutting section 21 is the part that performs the cutting process for cutting the recycled paper S. This cutting section 21 has a first cutter 211 and a second cutter 212.

[0064] The first cutter 211 cuts the recycled paper S in a direction intersecting, and especially perpendicular to, the direction in which the recycled paper S is transported.

[0065] The second cutter 212 is located downstream of the first cutter 211 and cuts the recycled paper S in a direction parallel to the transport direction of the recycled paper S. This cutting removes unnecessary portions from both ends in the width direction of the recycled paper S, thereby leveling the width of the recycled paper S.

[0066] By cutting with the first cutter 211 and the second cutter 212 in this manner, recycled paper S of the desired shape and size is obtained. This recycled paper S is then transported further downstream and stored in the stock section 22.

[0067] Each component of the fiber processing apparatus 100 is electrically connected to the control device 28 shown in Figure 4. The operation of each component is controlled by the control device 28.

[0068] As shown in Figure 4, the control device 28 includes a control unit 281, a storage unit 282, and a communication unit 283.

[0069] The control unit 281 has at least one processor and executes various programs stored in the memory unit 282. For example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) can be used as the processor. The control unit 281 also has various functions, such as a function to control the drive of various parts of the fiber processing apparatus 100 related to sheet manufacturing, such as a function to control the drive of the blower 261.

[0070] The memory unit 282 stores, for example, a program related to sheet manufacturing. The communication unit 283 is configured, for example, as an I / O interface and communicates with various parts of the fiber processing apparatus 100. The communication unit 283 also has the function of communicating with a computer or server (not shown) via a network.

[0071] The control device 28 may be built into the fiber processing device 100, or it may be provided in an external device such as an external computer. Furthermore, the control unit 281 and the storage unit 282 may, for example, be integrated and configured as a single unit, or the control unit 281 may be built into the fiber processing device 100 and the storage unit 282 may be provided in an external device such as an external computer, or the storage unit 282 may be built into the fiber processing device 100 and the control unit 281 may be provided in an external device such as an external computer.

[0072] Next, the coarse fragment supply unit 10 will be described. As shown in Figure 2, the coarse crushed piece supply unit 10 includes a coarse crushed piece storage unit 11, a coarse crushed piece conveying unit 247, a weighing unit 12, and a quantitative supply unit 13.

[0073] The coarse fragment storage section 11 stores the coarse fragments M2, which are the raw material, and humidifies the coarse fragments M2 using humidified air WA supplied from the humidification section 231.

[0074] The coarse fragment storage unit 11 has a storage tank 111 having a coarse fragment inlet 112, a coarse fragment outlet 110A, and a humidified air outlet 110B. The coarse fragment inlet 112 is provided with a lid 113 that opens and closes the coarse fragment inlet 112 by rotating. When the lid 113 is opened, coarse fragments M2 are introduced into the storage tank 111 from the coarse fragment inlet 112. When the coarse fragments M2 in the storage tank 111 are subjected to humidification treatment, the lid 113 is closed. Alternatively, the lid 113 may be omitted, and a coarse fragment supply pipe (not shown) may be connected to the coarse fragment inlet 112, and the coarse fragments M2 may be introduced into the storage tank 111 via this coarse fragment supply pipe.

[0075] The coarse fragments M2, which have been humidified in the storage tank 111, are discharged outside the storage tank 111 through the coarse fragment discharge port 110A. The coarse fragment discharge port 110A is equipped with an opening / closing mechanism, such as a shutter, which is not shown in the diagram, to switch the opening and closing of the coarse fragment discharge port 110A. The operation of this opening / closing mechanism is controlled by, for example, a control device 28, and the opening and closing of the coarse fragment discharge port 110A are switched according to the operation of this mechanism. This allows the desired amount of coarse fragments M2 to be discharged from the storage tank 111 at the desired timing.

[0076] The humidification unit 231 is composed of an evaporative humidifier and humidifies the coarse fragments M2 in the coarse fragment storage unit 11 by supplying humidified air WA. In other words, the humidification unit 231 generates humidified air WA and supplies this humidified air WA to the coarse fragment storage unit 11. The humidification unit 231 has a container 31, a filter 32, and a fan 33.

[0077] The container 31 has an air intake port 311, an exhaust port 312, and a water inlet port 313. The air intake port 311 is an opening that draws air into the container 31 when fans 33 and 314 are operating. The exhaust port 312 is an opening that discharges humidified air WA to the outside of the container 31 when fans 33 and 314 are operating.

[0078] The humidified air conveying section 237 is composed of a conveying pipe having an upstream end 238 and a downstream end 239. The upstream end 238 is connected to the exhaust port 312, and the downstream end 239 is connected to the storage tank 111 of the coarse fragment storage section 11. The humidified air conveying section 237 has a fan 314 in the middle of the conveying pipe.

[0079] The fan 314 forms an airflow in the transport pipe of the humidified air transport section 237, moving from the upstream side to the downstream side. That is, it forms an airflow toward the coarse fragment storage section 11. The fan 314 has a rotating blade and a motor that rotates the blade. As shown in Figure 4, the motor of the fan 43 is electrically connected to the control device 28, and its operation is controlled. The operation of the fan 314 causes the humidified air WA to be supplied through the humidified air transport section 237 from the upstream side to the downstream side.

[0080] The water inlet 313 is the part that takes in a humidifying liquid, such as water, into the container 31. The water inlet 313 is equipped with a lid or shutter (not shown) and can be opened and closed.

[0081] The filter 32 is installed inside the container 31 and is capable of absorbing and impregnating the water stored inside the container 31. It is made of a porous material such as woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, or sponge. The fan 33 has rotating blades and a motor that rotates the blades. As shown in Figure 4, the motor of the fan 33 is electrically connected to the control device 28, and its operation is controlled. The operation of the fan 33 causes air to pass through the moisture-containing filter 32 and vaporize, thereby generating humidified air WA with increased humidity, which can be released from the exhaust port 312.

[0082] By supplying the humidified air WA generated in the humidification unit 231 to the storage tank 111 of the coarse fragment storage unit 11 via the humidified air transport unit 237, the coarse fragments M2 in the coarse fragment storage unit 11 can be appropriately humidified. When the coarse fragments M2 are humidified, they become less susceptible to the effects of electrostatic force. Therefore, this has the advantage of suppressing the coarse fragments M2 from becoming entangled with each other or adhering to the inner wall of the coarse fragment storage unit 11.

[0083] The amount of moisture added to the coarse crushed pieces M2 by humidification in the humidification unit 231 is preferably, for example, 0.01 parts by mass or more and 5.0 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of coarse crushed pieces before humidification. This ensures that the coarse crushed pieces M2 are humidified appropriately, and the aforementioned anti-adhesion effect due to electrostatic force is effectively exerted.

[0084] The coarse crushed pieces M2, which have been humidified in the coarse crushed piece storage section 11, are transported to the weighing section 12 via the coarse crushed piece transport section 247, which is a first transport section connecting the coarse crushed piece storage section 11 and the weighing section 12.

[0085] The coarse fragment conveying section 247 has a conveying path 249, and a feeder 248 capable of conveying the coarse fragments M2 from the upstream side to the downstream side is installed in this conveying path 249. At least a part of the conveying path 249 is made up of tubular members. Specific examples of the feeder 248 include, for example, a screw feeder with the same configuration as the screw feeder 174, a vibrating feeder equipped with a vibrator, and a belt conveying mechanism, and a combination of two or more of these may also be used.

[0086] However, the coarse fragment conveying section 247 is not limited to this configuration and may be composed of an air conveying mechanism, a free-fall mechanism, or the like, or these may be combined with the feeder 248.

[0087] When the coarse fragments M2 in the storage tank 111 are discharged from the coarse fragment discharge port 110A, they are discharged together with the humidified air WA in the storage tank 111. Therefore, the coarse fragment conveying unit 247 conveys the coarse fragments M2 and the humidified air WA downstream.

[0088] Downstream of the coarse crushed material storage section 11, a weighing section 12 is installed via a coarse crushed material conveying section 247.

[0089] As shown in Figure 3, the weighing unit 12 includes a bottomed cylindrical container 121 which is a receiving section for the coarse crushed pieces M2, and a load cell 122 which is a weight measuring section provided on the bottom side of the container 121. The container 121 temporarily contains the coarse crushed pieces M2 discharged from the upstream end of the coarse crushed piece conveying unit 247. Note that the container 121 is not limited to the bottomed cylindrical container described above, and may be box-shaped. In this case, the shape of the bottom in plan view is not particularly limited and may be any shape such as circular, elliptical, polygonal, etc.

[0090] The load cell 122 has the function of detecting external force and converting the detection result into an electrical signal for output. The load cell 122 is also installed to support the container 121 from the bottom. This allows for the detection of the weight of the crushed material M2 contained inside the container 121.

[0091] Furthermore, the load cell 122 is electrically connected to the control device 28 shown in Figure 4, and the detection signal from the load cell 122 is transmitted to the control device 28, and a detection result regarding the weight of the crushed piece M2 is obtained. The type of load cell 122 is not particularly limited and may be a magnetostrictive type, capacitive type, gyro type, strain gauge type, etc.

[0092] A quantitative dispensing unit 13 is installed downstream of the weighing unit 12. The quantitative dispensing unit 13 has a shutter 131 that opens and closes an opening 120 provided at the bottom of the container 121. The shutter 131 has a drive source (not shown), such as a solenoid, which is electrically connected to a control device 28 and controls its operation. In other words, the control device 28 controls the opening and closing of the shutter 131.

[0093] With the shutter 131 closed, the coarse fragments M2 transported from the coarse fragment transport unit 247 gradually accumulate in the container 121. When the weight of the coarse fragments M2 detected by the load cell 122 reaches a predetermined amount, the shutter 131 opens, and a predetermined amount of coarse fragments M2 is discharged from the opening 120, falls, and is supplied to the defibration unit 29 via the pipe 241 installed downstream. Then, by closing the shutter 131 again, the coarse fragments M2 gradually accumulate in the container 121. By repeating this operation, the coarse fragments M2 can be supplied quantitatively to the defibration unit 29.

[0094] The quantitative supply unit 13 is not limited to the above configuration, and may also be configured to include a rotational drive source for rotating the container 121. In this case, when the weight of the coarse fragments M2 detected by the load cell 122 reaches a predetermined amount, the container 121 is rotated to invert it upside down, causing the coarse fragments M2 accumulated in the container 121 to fall downwards and be supplied to the defibration unit 29.

[0095] As shown in Figure 2, the second conveying section consists of a pipe 241, the upstream end of which is connected to the quantitative supply section 13, and the downstream end of which is connected to the coarse fragment inlet 291 of the defibration section 29.

[0096] Next, we will explain the flow of the humidified air WA generated in the humidification unit 231. The humidified air WA generated in the humidification unit 231 is supplied to the coarse fragment storage unit 11 via the humidified air transport unit 237. The humidified air WA in the coarse fragment storage unit 11, along with the coarse fragments M2, is supplied to the defibration unit 29 via the coarse fragment outlet 110A, the coarse fragment transport unit 247, and the pipe 241. In other words, the humidification unit 231 serves to humidify both the coarse fragment storage unit 11 and the defibration unit 29, and sequentially supplies the humidified air WA to the coarse fragment storage unit 11 and the defibration unit 29. In this configuration, as shown in Figure 3, the humidified air WA passes through the metering unit 12 and the quantitative supply unit 13. If the flow rate of the humidified air WA is too high during this passage, the air pressure may reduce the accuracy of metering by the metering unit 12. As a result, the quantitative accuracy of the supply of coarse fragments M2 in the quantitative supply unit 13 may be impaired. Therefore, the present invention can solve these problems by having the following configuration.

[0097] As shown in Figure 2, the fiber processing apparatus 100 has a humidified air supply passage 4 that supplies humidified air WA generated in the humidification section 231 to the defibration section 29, bypassing the metering section 12 and the quantitative supply section 13. The humidified air supply passage 4 is composed of an air supply pipe 40 having an upstream end 41 and a downstream end 42. The upstream end 41 of the humidified air supply passage 4 is connected to the humidified air outlet 110B of the storage tank 111. The downstream end 42 of the humidified air supply passage 4 is connected to the portion of the pipe 241 downstream of the metering section 12 and the quantitative supply section 13.

[0098] The humidified air WA in the coarse fragment storage section 11 is divided into humidified air WA1, which goes to the defibration section 29 via the coarse fragment transport section 247 together with the coarse fragments M2, and humidified air WA2, which goes to the defibration section 29 via the humidified air supply passage 4. Humidified air WA1 passes through the metering section 12 and the quantitative supply section 13, but humidified air WA2 bypasses the metering section 12 and the quantitative supply section 13 and is supplied to the defibration section 29. In this embodiment, humidified air WA1 and humidified air WA2 merge in the portion of the pipe 241 downstream of the metering section 12 and the quantitative supply section 13, and the merged humidified air WA1+WA2 is supplied to the defibration section 29 together with the coarse fragments M2 flowing down the pipe 241.

[0099] With this configuration, even if the total amount of humidified air WA(WA1+WA2) discharged from the storage tank 111 is the same as before, the amount of humidified air WA2 that bypasses the weighing unit 12 reduces the flow rate and velocity of the humidified air WA1 that passes through the coarse crushed fragment transport unit 247 together with the coarse crushed fragments M2. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the flow rate and velocity of the humidified air WA1 passing through the weighing unit 12 from becoming excessive. This reduces the adverse effects of the air pressure of the humidified air WA1 on the weighing of the coarse crushed fragments M2 by the weighing unit 12, such as a decrease in weighing accuracy and repeatability due to large variations in the air pressure of the humidified air WA1. Thus, the accuracy of weighing the coarse crushed fragments M2 by the weighing unit 12 can be ensured, the quantitative accuracy of the supply amount of coarse crushed fragments M2 can be improved, and ultimately, the quality of recycled paper S can be improved.

[0100] Thus, the upstream end 41 of the humidified air supply passage 4 is connected to the coarse fragment storage section 11, and the downstream end 42 of the humidified air supply passage 4 is connected to the pipe 241, which is the second transport section. As a result, when installing the humidified air supply passage 4 in an existing model, it can be installed with simpler modification work compared to a configuration in which the downstream end 42 is directly connected to the defibration section 29.

[0101] In this embodiment, the downstream end 42 of the humidified air supply passage 4 was connected to the pipe 241. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the downstream end 42 of the humidified air supply passage 4 may be connected to the coarse fragment inlet 291 of the defibration section 29 or the housing of the defibration section 29. Furthermore, the upstream end 41 of the humidified air supply passage 4 may be connected to the humidified air transport section 237 or the humidification section 231.

[0102] When the flow rate of humidified air WA1 is R1 and the flow rate of humidified air WA2 is R2, the ratio R1 / R2 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 0.05 ≤ R1 / R2 ≤ 3 or less, and more preferably 0.1 ≤ R1 / R2 ≤ 1 or less. This makes it possible to more reliably reduce the adverse effects of the air pressure of humidified air WA1 on the metering by the metering unit 12.

[0103] A smaller R1 / R2 value is preferable, as it reduces the impact on the weighing unit 12 and improves weighing accuracy. However, if it is too small, the antistatic function of the humidified air may be reduced.

[0104] Furthermore, the humidified air supply passage 4 has a fan 43, which is a first air blower, located midway along its longitudinal direction, specifically between the upstream end 41 and the downstream end 42. The fan 43 forms an airflow within the air supply pipe 40 of the humidified air supply passage 4, moving from the upstream to the downstream side. That is, it forms an airflow toward the coarse fragment inlet 291 of the defibration section 29. The fan 43 has a rotating blade and a motor that rotates the blade. As shown in Figure 4, the motor of the fan 43 is electrically connected to the control device 28, and its operation is controlled. The operation of the fan 43 promotes the supply of humidified air WA2 in the humidified air supply passage 4 and stabilizes the flow rate, thereby more reliably and stably achieving the above effects. In addition, the flow rate of the humidified air WA2 can be adjusted by adjusting the output of the fan 43, i.e., the air blowing capacity. As a result, the value of R1 / R2 can be set more appropriately, i.e., within the above range.

[0105] The fan 43 may be configured to operate continuously, or to operate only when the fans 314 of the humidification unit 231 and the humidified air transport unit 237 are operating, or to operate when the coarse fragments M2 are being discharged from the coarse fragment outlet 110A.

[0106] Thus, the humidified air supply passage 4 has a fan 43, which is a first blower that forms an airflow toward the defibration section 29, between the upstream end 41 and the downstream end 42. This promotes the supply of humidified air WA2 in the humidified air supply passage 4 and stabilizes the flow rate, thereby more significantly demonstrating the aforementioned effect of ensuring the accuracy of the weighing of the coarse fragments M2 by the weighing section 12.

[0107] As described above, the fiber processing apparatus 100 includes a coarse fragment storage unit 11 for storing coarse fragments M2 made of fiber-containing material, a humidification unit 231 for generating humidified air WA and supplying the humidified air WA to the coarse fragment storage unit 11, a weighing unit 12 for weighing the coarse fragments M2 discharged from the coarse fragment storage unit 11, a quantitative supply unit 13 for quantitatively supplying the coarse fragments M2 weighed by the weighing unit 12, and a supply from the quantitative supply unit 13 The system includes a defibration unit 29 for defibrating the coarse fragments M2, a coarse fragment transport unit 247 which is a first transport unit for transporting the coarse fragments M2 from the coarse fragment storage unit 11 to the weighing unit 12, a pipe 241 which is a second transport unit for transporting the coarse fragments M2 from the quantitative supply unit 13 to the defibration unit 29, and a humidified air supply passage 4 which has an upstream end 41 and a downstream end 42 and supplies humidified air WA generated in the humidification unit 231 to the defibration unit 29, bypassing the weighing unit 12. This reduces the adverse effect of the wind pressure of the humidified air WA1 on the weighing of the coarse fragments M2 by the weighing unit 12. Therefore, the accuracy of weighing the coarse fragments M2 by the weighing unit 12 can be ensured, and the quantitative accuracy of the supply amount of coarse fragments M2 can be improved.

[0108] The fiber processing apparatus 100 may also include a raw material supply unit for supplying sheet-like raw materials and a coarse crushing unit, such as a shredder, upstream of the coarse crushing unit 10. In this case, coarse crushing units generate coarse fragments M2, which are then fed into the storage tank 111 of the coarse crushing unit 11.

[0109] <Second Embodiment> Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the fiber processing apparatus according to the second embodiment, and in particular, a schematic diagram of the coarse fragment supply section and its surrounding section.

[0110] The following description of the second embodiment of the fiber processing apparatus of the present invention will be made with reference to Figure 5, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment described above, and omitting explanations of similar matters.

[0111] As shown in Figure 5, the fiber processing apparatus 100 has a return path 5 that returns the humidified air WA in the humidified air supply path 4 or the pipe 241, which is the second transport section, to the humidification section 231. In this embodiment, the return path 5 is composed of an air supply pipe 50 having an upstream end 51 and a downstream end 52. The upstream end 51 of the return path 5 is connected to the middle of the pipe 241, and the downstream end 52 is connected to the container 31 of the humidification section 231.

[0112] Even when the production of recycled paper S by the fiber processing device 100 is stopped, it may be desirable to humidify the coarse fragments M2 in the coarse fragment storage section 11. In this case, the operation of the defibration unit 29 is stopped, and the humidification unit 231 is operated. When the operation of the defibration unit 29 is stopped, it becomes difficult to supply humidified air WA to the defibration unit 29. However, because a return path 5 is provided, a circulation path for humidified air WA is formed, in which the humidified air WA generated in the humidification unit 231 passes sequentially through the humidified air transport unit 237, the coarse fragment storage section 11, the humidified air supply path 4 or the coarse fragment transport unit 247, the pipe 241, and the return path 5 and returns to the humidification unit 231. In this way, a circulation path for humidified air WA is formed, so even if the operation of the defibration unit 29 is stopped, humidified air WA can be supplied to the coarse fragment storage section 11, and the coarse fragments M2 in the coarse fragment storage section 11 are kept in a humidified state. As a result, when the stopped fiber processing apparatus 100 is restarted, the coarsely crushed fragments M2, which have been sufficiently humidified, can be supplied to the defibration section 29 immediately after restarting. Therefore, the quality of the recycled paper S produced can be improved.

[0113] Thus, the fiber processing apparatus 100 is equipped with a return path 5 that returns the humidified air WA in the humidified air supply path 4 or the pipe 241, which is the second transport section, to the humidification section 231. This allows humidified air WA to be supplied to the coarse fragment storage section 11 not only while the defibration section 29 is operating, but also while the defibration section 29 is stopped.

[0114] Furthermore, the return path 5 has a second air blower, a fan 53, located midway along its longitudinal direction, specifically between the upstream end 51 and the downstream end 52. The fan 53 forms an airflow within the air supply pipe 50 of the return path 5, moving from the upstream to the downstream side. In other words, it forms an airflow directed toward the humidification unit 231. The fan 53 has rotating blades and a motor. Although not shown in the diagram, the motor of the fan 53 is electrically connected to the control device 28, and its operation is controlled. The operation of the fan 53 promotes the supply of humidified air WA in the return path 5 and stabilizes the flow rate, thereby more reliably and stably achieving the above effects.

[0115] It is preferable that the fan 53 is driven when the humidification unit 231 is activated to supply humidified air WA to the coarse fragment storage unit 11 while the operation of the defibration unit 29 is stopped.

[0116] Thus, the return path 5 has a fan 53, which is a second blower that forms an airflow toward the humidification unit 231. This facilitates the supply of humidified air WA in the return path 5, i.e., its return to the humidification unit 231, thereby more reliably achieving the above-mentioned effects.

[0117] <Third Embodiment> Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the fiber processing apparatus according to the third embodiment, and in particular, a schematic diagram of the coarse fragment supply section and its surrounding section.

[0118] The third embodiment of the fiber processing apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figure 6, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment described above, and similar matters will be omitted from the explanation.

[0119] As shown in Figure 6, the fiber processing apparatus 100 includes a connecting section 44 that connects the first conveying section, which is the coarse fragment conveying section 247, with the humidified air supply passage 4. In the illustrated configuration, the connecting section 44 is composed of a connecting pipe 45 that connects the coarse fragment conveying section 247 with the humidified air supply passage 4.

[0120] Furthermore, if the pipe wall of the coarse fragment conveying section 247 and the pipe wall of the humidified air supply passage 4 are joined together, the communication section 44 may be composed of a through hole provided at the joint between the pipe walls.

[0121] The average cross-sectional area H2 of the flow path in the communication section 44 is preferably smaller than the average cross-sectional area H1 of the flow path in the humidified air supply passage 4. That is, it is preferably 0.1 ≤ H2 / H1 ≤ 0.95, and more preferably 0.2 ≤ H2 / H1 ≤ 0.7. If the cross-sectional area H2 is too large, the flow rate of humidified air WA2 in the humidified air supply passage 4 that bypasses the metering section 12 will decrease, and as a result, the value of R1 / R2 tends to increase, and depending on other conditions, the effect of providing the humidified air supply passage 4 may not be fully obtained.

[0122] The flow rate R1 of the humidified air WA1 flowing through the coarse fragment conveying section 247 and the flow rate R2 of the humidified air WA2 flowing through the humidified air supply passage 4 each fluctuate over time, and therefore, R1 / R2 also fluctuates over time. However, because the coarse fragment conveying section 247 and the humidified air supply passage 4 are connected via the connecting section 44, even if the flow rates R1 and R2 fluctuate, the balance can be restored. In other words, the value of R1 / R2 can be stabilized. As a result, the adverse effects of the air pressure of the humidified air WA1 on the weighing of the coarse fragments M2 by the weighing section 12 can be reduced more reliably.

[0123] Although not shown in the diagram, the connecting section 44 may have an on / off valve that can open and close the flow path of the connecting pipe 45 at a desired timing and opening degree. This allows the amount of air passing through the connecting section 44 to be adjusted according to the flow rate R1 of the humidified air WA1 and the flow rate R2 of the humidified air WA2.

[0124] Thus, the fiber processing apparatus 100 includes a connecting section 44 that connects the first conveying section, which is the coarse fragment conveying section 247, with the humidified air supply passage 4. This makes it possible to more reliably reduce the adverse effects of the air pressure of the humidified air WA1 on the weighing of the coarse fragments M2 by the weighing section 12, and the above effect is exhibited more significantly.

[0125] Furthermore, in the fiber processing apparatus 100 of the third embodiment, the return path 5 of the second embodiment may be provided. This makes it possible to have both the above-mentioned effects of providing the communication section 44 and the above-mentioned effects of providing the return path 5.

[0126] Although the fiber processing apparatus of the present invention has been described in detail in the illustrated embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and each part constituting the fiber processing apparatus can be replaced with any configuration that can perform similar functions. Furthermore, any components may be added to the fiber processing apparatus. Moreover, the fiber processing apparatus may be a combination of the features of each embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0127] 4...Humidified air supply path, 5...Return path, 10...Coarse fragment supply section, 11...Coarse fragment storage section, 12...Weighing section, 13...Quantitative supply section, 14...Sorting section, 15...First web forming section, 16...Finement section, 17...Mixing section, 18...Dispersion section, 19...Second web forming section, 20...Forming section, 21...Cutting section, 22...Stock section, 27...Recovery section, 28...Control device, 29...Fibre defibration section, 31...Container, 32...Filter, 33...Fan, 40...Air supply pipe, 41...Upstream end, 42...Downstream end, 43...Fan, 44...Connecting section, 45...Connecting pipe, 50...Air supply pipe, 51...Upstream end, 52...Bottom Flow side end, 53...fan, 62...load cell, 100...fiber processing device, 110A...coarse fragment discharge port, 110B...humidified air discharge port, 111...storage tank, 112...coarse fragment input port, 113...lid, 120...opening, 121...container, 122...load cell, 131...shutter, 141...drum section, 142...housing section, 151...mesh belt, 152...tension roller, 153...suction section, 161...propeller, 162...housing section, 170...housing section, 171...additive supply section, 172...pipe, 173...blower, 174...screw fan Feeder, 181…Drum, 182…Housing, 191…Mesh belt, 192…Tension roller, 193…Suction section, 201…Pressurization section, 202…Heating section, 203…Calendar roller, 204…Heating roller, 211…First cutter, 212…Second cutter, 231…Humidification section, 232…Humidification section, 233…Humidification section, 234…Humidification section, 235…Humidification section, 236…Humidification section, 237…Humidified air conveying section, 238…Upstream end, 239…Downstream end, 241…Pipe (Second conveying section), 242…Pipe, 243…Pipe, 244…Pipe, 245…Pipe, 246… Tube, 247... Coarse fragment conveying section (first conveying section), 248... Feeder, 249... Conveying path, 261... Blower, 262... Blower, 263... Blower, 281... Control unit, 282... Memory unit, 283... Communication unit, 291... Coarse fragment inlet, 311... Air intake, 312... Exhaust port, 313... Water inlet, 314... Fan, M2... Coarse fragment, M3... Fiber-dissolved material, M4-1... First sorted material, M4-2... Second sorted material, M5... First web, M6... Subdivision material, M7... Mixture, M8... Second web, P1... Binding agent, S... Recycled paper, WA... Humidified air, WA1... Humidified air, WA2... Humidified air

Claims

1. A coarse fragment storage section for storing coarse fragments made of fiber-containing material, A humidification unit that generates humidified air and supplies the humidified air to the coarse fragment storage unit, A weighing unit for weighing the coarse fragments discharged from the coarse fragment storage unit, A quantitative supply unit that quantitatively supplies the coarse crushed pieces measured by the weighing unit, A defibration unit for defibrating the coarse fragments supplied from the quantitative supply unit, A first conveying unit that conveys the coarse crushed pieces from the coarse crushed piece storage unit to the weighing unit, A second conveying unit that conveys the coarse fragments from the quantitative supply unit to the defibration unit, A fiber processing apparatus comprising a humidified air supply passage having an upstream end and a downstream end, which supplies humidified air generated in the humidification section to the defibration section, bypassing the metering section.

2. The fiber processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the humidified air supply passage has a first air supply section between the upstream end and the downstream end that forms an airflow toward the defibration section.

3. The upstream end of the humidifying air supply passage is connected to the coarse fragment storage section. The fiber processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the downstream end of the humidified air supply passage is connected to the second conveying section.

4. The fiber processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a return path for returning humidified air located in the humidified air supply path or the second transport section back to the humidification section.

5. The fiber processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the return path has a second blower that forms an airflow toward the humidifying section.

6. The fiber processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a communication section that connects the first transport section and the humidified air supply passage.

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