EP1155185A1

EP1155185A1 - Method and means for paper pulp filtering

Info

Publication number: EP1155185A1
Application number: EP00907721A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alain Serres; Alain Fernandez De Grado
Original assignee: E&M Lamort Fils SA
Current assignee: Kadant Lamort SAS
Priority date: 1999-02-26
Filing date: 2000-02-25
Publication date: 2001-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-25
Also published as: FR2790270A1; JP2002537964A; US6679384B1; NO20014132D0; NO20014132L; CA2362500C; ES2218131T3; AU2921400A; JP4530545B2; FR2790270B1; EP1155185B1; BR0007868A; CA2362500A1; DE60009869D1; WO2000050690A1; ATE264425T1; BR0007868B1; DE60009869T2; NO317608B1

Abstract

Process for the filtration of paper pulp with a device that comprises a rotor and a stator; one of the two, filter (1), has perforations of slot or hole types, and the other, the backwashing element, includes means that are intended to generate pressure pulses that consist in combatting the gradual clogging of the perforations of the filter and the gradual flocculation of the pulp during the creep of the pulp between the rotor and the stator by creating deflocculation zones and/or increasing the relative speed between the pulp and the backwashing elements.

Description

PROCESS AND MEANS FOR FILTERING PULP

The present invention relates to the problems of filtration of pulp and more particularly of pulp from the pulping of waste paper.

It is known in pulp technology to use various filtration devices either to remove foreign bodies or to classify the pulp fibers according to their length or even to increase the concentration of pulp by elimination partial water.

Among the known filtration devices are filters comprising a rotor and a stator, one of the two, hereinafter called a screen fulfilling the filtering function comprising holes such as slots or holes, the other hereinafter called unclogger, fulfilling the unclogging function comprising means intended to generate pressure pulsations to prevent clogging of the bores. The screen can therefore be fixed or rotating and, conversely, the decolmator is rotating with a fixed screen and, fixed with a rotating screen. In addition, the liquid can either flow through the screen from the outside to the inside (towards the axis), so-called centripetal operation, or from the inside to the outside, so-called centrifugal operation.

In this type of device, the dough arrives at one end of the cylindrical sieve, flows into the space between the cylindrical sieve and the decolmator, and exits at the other end.

As the dough progresses through the filter, it becomes thicker and thicker.

This gradual thickening of the dough produces several effects: a flocculating effect on the dough and a clogging effect on the sieve.

Even if the admitted dough has been well deflocculated beforehand, there is a risk of the appearance of flocs as it progresses; the greater the flocculation, the greater the clogging.

If the decolmator turns, it tends to drag the dough with it in rotation. If the decolmator is fixed, it is the filter which tends to drive the dough in rotation. In both cases, as the effect of unclogging by the pressure pulses caused by the unclogging device is directly linked to the speed difference between the decolmator and the dough, the more the dough progresses towards the end of the sieve, the less effective the unclogging and this while the sieve is more prone to clogging.

In addition, with a fine slit sieve, the long fibers have a harder time passing than the short fibers and therefore the proportion of long fibers compared to short fibers increases as the dough progresses, which accelerates both the flocculation process and the clogging process.

The result of this accumulation of phenomena is a gradual reduction in production per unit area of the screen as the dough progresses through the filter.

Numerous patents have had the object of countering this progressive reduction in the productivity of the filter by intervening, during the journey along the sieve, in order to create zones of strong deflocculation, and / or of strong slowing down of the dough. In particular, as early as 1968 in its French patent 1,539,816, the applicant proposed to have obstacles having the aim of breaking the component parallel to the surface of the sieve of the speed of the liquid.

In US Pat. No. 4,383,918, it has been proposed to place obstacles between the screen and the rotor causing turbulence. In patent FR 2,613,390, also in the name of the applicant, it has been proposed to separate the sieve into several portions and to introduce dilution water between the portions of the sieve.

In the British patent GB 2,222,967, it has been proposed to install two screens separated by fixed fins placed between the surface of the screens and the rotor. All of these devices have gradually improved the operation of the filtration devices made up of a sieve and a decolmator, but still insufficiently.

According to the present invention:

- The zone of strong deflocculation can be a zone of violent agitation arranged at the entry of the sieve;

- the speed difference increase zone can be one or more baffles; deflocculation and speed difference increase zones can be combined. The present invention relates to a filtration apparatus or purifier of the type comprising a screen of cylindrical shape and a coaxial rotor provided with blades which produce pressure fluctuations to prevent clogging of said screen; said screen and said rotor comprising at least two parts, of substantially equivalent diameter, these parts being separated from each other by means intended to break the component of the speed of the liquid, which is parallel to the surface of the screen, and creating turbulence, characterized by the fact that said means are baffles constituted on the one hand by cavities arranged between the parts of the screen, the bottom of said cavities being possibly further from the rotor than the surface of the screen; and, on the other hand by annular deflectors carried by the rotor opposite each cavity; so that the majority of the liquid flow is forced to pass through the cavities.

The present invention may also comprise all or part of the following arrangements, taken together or separately: a - the sieve consists of a stack of rings, b - the sieve consists of a grid obtained by juxtaposition of bars, sometimes called wires, which are either parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor, either perpendicular or inclined, c - the screen consists of a juxtaposition of grids as described in the previous paragraph, these grids being separated by crowns, d - the sieve consists of a perforated cylindrical sheet plate, with holes or slits, e - the sieve consists of a stack of perforated cylindrical sheets with holes or slits, f - the cavities are hollow parallelepiped volumes, g - the cavities are hollow cylindrical volumes, h - some cavities can be connected at their bottom to a dilution inlet which can be ensured by water or less designed paste less than the filtered dough. The present invention also relates to the use of this device with regulating means allowing: a) either to adjust the speed of the rotor as a function of the pressure differential of the dough between the inlet of the device and one at less outlets accepted; b) either to adjust the rotor speed as a function of the flow rate (s) in at least one of the accepted product outlets; c) either by adjusting the rejection outlet flow rate of the apparatus as a function of the accepted flow rates and of the dilution flow rates measured to adjust the rejection rate of one or more parts of the screen; d) or by combining two or three of these means of regulation.

The present invention also relates to the implementation of the means described above for the filtration of paper pulp.

By way of nonlimiting examples and to facilitate understanding of the invention, the accompanying drawings show:

Figure 1: a first embodiment according to the invention comprising fins providing an area of strong deflocculation.

Figure 2: a second embodiment comprising a slowdown zone obtained by means of baffles. Figure 3: a sectional view along AA of Figure 2.

Figure 4: an alternative embodiment of Figure 2.

Figure 5: a second alternative embodiment of Figure 2.

FIG. 6: a third exemplary embodiment according to the invention combining a deflocculation zone according to FIG. 1 and a deceleration zone according to FIG. 2.

Figure 7: a fourth embodiment using the slowing means of Figure 2, in a centripetal filter.

Figure 8: a perspective view illustrating a sieve according to the invention.

FIG. 9: a perspective view illustrating the rotor intended to be placed inside the screen of FIG. 8.

Figure 10: a partial perspective view showing the interior of the screen of Figure 8.

Figures 11 and 12: two partial and large-scale views of Figure 10.

Figure 13: a partial view of the interior of an alternative embodiment of the screen of Figures 8, 10, 11 and 12.

Figure 14: a partial view of an alternative embodiment of a filter element according to the invention.

Figure 15: a partial view of another alternative embodiment of a filter element screen according to the invention. Figure 16: a vertical sectional view of a filter element according to the invention.

Figure 17: an exemplary embodiment of a filtration apparatus.

In all of FIGS. 1 to 7, the sieve is constituted, as described in patent EP 0 707 109 by a stack of circles 1 of U-section, pressed against each other by means of two end rings 2 and 3 assembled to one another by tie rods 4 which make it possible to establish a prestress. The bases of the U are provided with holes (whether slits or holes).

The dough arrives in the filter through its end located on the left of the figure (on the side of the crown 2) and emerges through its opposite end (on the side of the crown 3) by circulating in the space 6 located between the decolmator 5 and the sieve as indicated by the arrow fl.

It should be noted however that the invention is not limited to this particular screen structure but is applicable to any cylindrical screen as will be described below.

According to the example illustrated in FIG. 1, turbulence is created by fins 10 fixed on the decolmator and fins 11 fixed on the screen.

These fins 10 and 11 may be radial or inclined and may have inclinations in the opposite direction. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 1, the shapes of the fins 10/11 are such that they overlap one another.

There is thus obtained in the area where said fins are a violent agitation which achieves a good deflocculation of the dough.

According to the invention it is possible, instead of creating a deflocculation zone at the inlet of the filter, to create a zone for slowing down the speed at which the dough is entrained.

For this purpose, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a series of baffles are placed in the sieve which slow down the rotary movement of the dough.

Referring to these figures, it can be seen that one or more circles 1 are replaced by a plurality of partitions 20, parallel to the axis of the filter which, with the edges of the two rings 1 which surround it, constitute a plurality of parallelepipedic cavities. C arranged around the entire circumference of the sieve.

Opposite these partitions 20, an annular partition 21 is arranged perpendicular to the axis of the filter and carried by the rotor 5. Thus, as represented by the arrow f2, the flow of dough is deflected by the annular partition 21 and strikes the partitions 20 which are linked to the sieve and crosses the cavities C to return to the space 6.

This causes a slowing down of the speed of rotation of the dough and, at the same time, an agitation of the dough which has a deflocculation and fluidization effect.

Fluidization is understood to mean an agitated and flock-free state of the dough which promotes flow in the openings, holes or slots of the sieve.

As a result, the screen is divided into two parts; a first part upstream of the crown of cavities C and a second part downstream, these two parts being separated from each other by the crown of cavities C.

It also follows that the rotor is divided into two parts by the circular partition 21.

In FIG. 2, the baffle 20/21 is arranged in the middle of the screen; in Figure 4 it is arranged near the end, that is to say where the clogging effects are greatest due to the thickening of the dough.

Figure 5 combines the provisions of Figures 2 and 4.

Figure 6 combines the provisions of Figures 1 and 2.

FIG. 7 represents a centripetal filter which uses the means of FIG. 2. The same elements have the same references.

In this figure, the sieve 1 is located inside the decolmator 5. The dough arrives through the end of the sieve and circulates in the space 6 located between the sieve 1 and the decolmator 5.

In a zone of the sieve 1, the U-section circles are replaced by partitions 20, parallel to the axis of the cylinder and the decolmator 5 comprises an annular partition 21.

As in the case of FIG. 2, the dough is deflected by the annular partition 21 and strikes the partitions 20.

Figures 8 to 18 show an alternative embodiment of ^'the apparatus implementing the method according to the present invention.

Figure 8 shows a cylindrical screen 30 which consists of bars 31 arranged vertically next to each other with a slight clearance (between 0.05 mm and 1 mm) and fixed on horizontal rings 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37. These rings 32 to 37 are crossed by tie rods 38, parallel to the axis of the cylinder, these tie rods 38 being fixed to the two end rings 32 and 37, so that the assembly is held by tightening the tie rods 38.

FIG. 9 shows the rotor 40 which is placed inside the sieve of FIG. 8. This rotor is a cylinder which has three annular rings 41, 42, and 43. In the areas between the annular rings are arranged blades 45, usually called "foils" in the pulp industry.

The foils 45 have the function of causing pressure / vacuum pulsations which tend to prevent clogging of the screen. The rings 41 to 43 are arranged on the rotor so as to be opposite the rings 33, 34 and 35.

It will be explained below how the rings 33, 34 and 35 of the screen 30, cooperate with the rings 41, 42 and 43 of the rotor to form baffles.

As can be seen in FIG. 9, the annular rings 41, 42 and 43 define four zones of the rotor 40.

The shape, number and inclination of the blades or foils 45 can vary from one zone to another.

Figure 10 shows the screen of Figure 8 seen from the inside.

It can be seen that the crowns 33, 34 and 35 are hollow so as to define cavities C.

In this example, as the screen 30 is made of bars 31 juxtaposed, the cavities C are not made as in the case of FIGS. 1 to 7 where the screen was made up of U.

As can be seen in FIG. 10, the crowns 33, 34, 35 are constituted by a ring comprising a multitude of parallelepipedic cavities having practically the same shape as the cavities C of FIGS. 1 to 7.

Certain cavities C of the crowns 33 and / or 34 further comprise orifices which are connected to conduits 50 for dilution arrival.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are detailed views, on a larger scale of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 illustrates a variant according to which, instead of having the parallelepipedic cavities C, there are cylindrical cavities or blind holes D, some of which can be connected to conduits 50. As illustrated in FIG. 13 (blind holes D) and in FIG. 14 (parallelepipedic cavities C) the annular ring of the rotor 41 (42,43) which cooperates with the ring 33 (34, 35) is arranged so as to to be practically at the middle of the cavities C or cylindrical holes D. The arrow F illustrates how dough coming from the zone located below the crowns 33, 41 is forced to enter a cavity C or D, this cavity and the crown 41 forming a baffle which considerably slows down the speed of the dough.

We see in this figure that the bars 31 are held by straps 31a.

FIG. 15 illustrates another alternative embodiment in which the same elements have the same references.

In this example the screen 30 is fixed and placed outside the rotor 40 which carries foils 45. The ring 41 of the rotor 40 is opposite the ring 33 of the screen 30 so that the cavities C of said ring 33 form with the annular crown 41 a series of baffles.

In this figure, in the bottom of the cavity C arrives a pipe 50 which is a water pipe.

This makes it possible to combine the slowing action caused by the baffles C with a dilution action of the dough, which tends to thicken as it passes through the filtration apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 17, it can be seen that the filtration element according to the invention can comprise, from top to bottom:

an upper end ring 32 for the screen 30, an intermediate ring 33 comprising a plurality of cavities C, some of which are connected to dilution pipes 50,

a second intermediate ring 34, similar to the ring 33,

- a lower end ring 37, connected to the ring 32 by tie rods, not shown, - an annular ring 41, carried by the rotor, and located opposite the cavities C of the ring 33 to define with it a plurality of baffles,

a second annular ring 42, carried by the rotor, located opposite the cavities C of the ring 34. The filter element constituted by the screen 30 and the rotor 40 is thus divided into three zones X, Y and Z starting from the bottom.

The dough to be cleaned arrives at Q at the base of the device.

Zone X has an outlet 60 for so-called “accepted” products, that is to say products which have passed through the screen 30; zone Y has an outlet 61 for accepted products and zone Z an outlet 62 for accepted products.

It is obvious that the dough will tend to thicken and flocculate as it passes from one zone to another.

As mentioned, thickening causes a decrease in the cleaning efficiency which must be compensated for example by a higher speed and therefore a higher energy consumption. The introduction of water into the conduits 50 which open into certain cavities C or D of the crown 34 and of the crown 33 makes it possible to counter this thickening and thus makes it possible to reduce the speed of the rotor and therefore to save energy. . At its upper part, the device has a cover 63, an outlet R for discharges.

The speed of the rotor 40 can be adjusted as a function of the pressure differential between the inlet Q into the apparatus and at least one of the pressures prevailing in the outlet conduits for the accepted products 60, 61, 62. It is also possible to adjust the speed of the rotor 40 as a function of one or more of the flow rates in the pipes 60, 61 or 62.

In either case, this makes it possible to reduce the speed of rotation of the rotor 40 and therefore to save energy.

The sieve can be produced in many ways either by stacking U-shaped rings of FIGS. 1 to 7, or by stacking grids obtained by juxtaposition of bars in FIGS. 13 and 14, or by stacking perforated cylindrical sheets or with slots of figure 16.

Thus, for example, they can be constituted by plates 70, in the mass of which grooves 71 have been dug with circular cutters, the slots then being machined with circular saws.

It should be noted that by arranging the unclogging blades 45 in an inclined manner, a kind of pumping is obtained which accelerates circulation in the device. It should also be noted that the rotor 40 being divided into as many portions as the screen 30, it is possible, for each portion of the rotor, to have blades 45 different as to their number, their shape and their inclination.

In the same way the different portions of the sieve can be of different constitutions.

In all the examples shown, the edges of the cavities C or D are exactly at the same level as that of the internal wall of the screen 30.

It is possible to arrange them so that they protrude slightly inside the screen 30, but provided that this does not prevent the introduction of the rotor 40 into the screen 30, that is to say that annular rings such as 41, 42 etc. can pass.

Claims

1. A filtering device of the type comprising a screen (30) of cylindrical shape and a decooler (40) provided with blades (45) which produce pressure fluctuations to combat clogging of said screen, the latter being in at least two parts of substantially equivalent diameter separated from each other by means intended to break the component of the speed of the liquid, which is parallel to the surface of the screen and to create turbulence, characterized in that said means are baffles constituted on the one hand by cavities arranged between the parts of the screen, and on the other hand by annular deflectors (41, 42 ...) carried by the decolmator (40) opposite each crown (33, 34 ... ) of the sieve carrying the cavities, so that the majority of the liquid flow is forced to pass through the cavities.

2. A filtration apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the screen (30) can be formed in any suitable manner.

3. A filtration apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the screen (30) consists of a stack of rings.

4. A filtration device according to claim 1 in which the screen (30) consists of a stack of grids, each grid being obtained by the juxtaposition of wires (31) being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor (40) either perpendicular to this axis, or inclined.

5. A filtration device according to claim 4 wherein the screen (30) has a single grid.

6. A filtration device according to claim 1 in which the screen (30) consists of a stack of cylindrical sheets with holes or slits.

7. A filtration device according to claim 6 wherein the screen (30) comprises a single sheet.

8. A filtration apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the different parts of the screen (30) are formed in different ways from each other.

9. A filtration apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the different parts of the screen (30) are separated from each other by cavities formed in annular rings (33, 34, ...).

10. A filtration apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the cavities are parallelepiped (C).

11. A filtration device according to claim 8 in which the cavities are hollow cylindrical volumes (D).

12. A filtration device according to any one of claims 10 or 11 in which certain cavities are connected to a dilution conduit (50).

13. A filtration device according to claim 1 in which the decolmator

(40) is a cylinder provided with as many annular crowns forming a partition (41, 42 ...) as the screen (30) comprises annular crowns provided with cavities, said crowns forming a partition (41, 42 ...) of the decolmator (40) being located opposite the cavities so as to form with them pluralities of baffles.

14. A filtration device according to claim 13 in which the number, type, thickness and inclination of the blades (45) carried by the rotor (40) can vary between the annular partitions (41, 42 ...) .

15. Method of using a filtration apparatus according to the preceding claims for the treatment of paper pulp.

16. A method of using a filtration apparatus according to claim 15 according to which each part (X, Y, Z) of the filtration apparatus comprises an outlet for accepted products (60, 61, 62), each annular ring (33, 34) of the sieve (30) possibly includes a dilution inlet, the filtration apparatus further comprising an inlet Q, an outlet R of the rejects according to which, by playing on the settings of the outlets of accepted products, of the outlet discharges and arrivals of dilution through the pipes (50), the rotational speed of the rotor (40) can be reduced so that it is as low as possible in order to save energy, while maintaining a low discharge rate.

17. Method of using a filtration device according to claim 16, according to which the speed of the rotor (40) is adjusted as a function of the pressure differential between the inlet (Q) in the device and at least one pressures prevailing in the conduits (60, 61, 62) for output of the accepted products.

18. A method of using a filtration device according to claim 16, according to which the speed of the rotor (40) is adjusted as a function of the flow rate (s) of accepted products leaving at (60,61,62).

19. The method of using a filtration device according to claim 16, according to which the rate of refusals of one or more parts of the sieve is adjusted by adjusting the outlet flow of refusals of the device R taking account of the flow rates. accepted and dilution rates.

20. Method of using a filtration apparatus according to at least two of claims 17,18 and 19.