WO2010088870A1

WO2010088870A1 - Method and apparatus for producing cotton wool products

Info

Publication number: WO2010088870A1
Application number: PCT/DE2010/000034
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ullrich MÜNSTERMANN
Original assignee: Fleissner Gmbh
Priority date: 2009-02-05
Filing date: 2010-01-16
Publication date: 2010-08-12
Also published as: EP2393971A1; DE102009007669A1; US20110277284A1; CN102369317A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a cotton wool product, in particular for producing cotton pads for cosmetic purposes, comprising the following steps: - preparing a preliminary mat which is made at least predominantly of cotton fibers, - compacting said preliminary mat by using a plurality of hot high-pressure gas jets. For the apparatus it is provided that the device for compacting (2, 12', 14, 15, 15', 16, 16') the preliminary mat (7) comprises a device for subjecting the preliminary mat (7) to hot gas at a high pressure.

Description

Method and device for producing cotton wool products

The invention relates to methods for the production of cotton wool products and to an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the preamble of the method or the device claim.

EP 1 310 226 B1 describes the production of a cosmetic cotton pad from a random fiber fleece bleached cotton fibers using water jet needling. At least one surface of the pad has fine grooves produced by water jet needling. A similar article is described in EP 1 106 723 B1.

By water jet needling a large amount of moisture is introduced into the cotton fleece, which must be removed by a subsequent drying process again. The drying process also changes the properties of the pad to a certain extent. In many applications, a cotton pad with a too firm, hard surface is perceived as unpleasant.

EP 1 553 222 A1 discloses a device for charging a nonwoven web by means of superheated steam. The application is made via a hollow body which extends over the width of the web to be treated. On its underside, the hollow body which can be acted upon by superheated steam has a multiplicity of outlet nozzles, from which hot steam is directed onto the web which is guided at a close distance under the body. DE 10 2008 031 278 A1 describes the production of an absorbent product using steam needling. The product to be created comprises pulp fibers and / or other natural fibers which are deposited on a nonwoven fabric made of staple fibers or a spunbonded non-woven fabric which is preconsolidated by means of steam needling.

Furthermore, DE 10 2008 007 804 A1 shows a nonwoven with liquid-absorbing constituents, which is produced using steam needling. Finally, DE10 2008 007 796 A1 describes the application of superheated steam to increase the fluffiness of a product to be created. Synthetic fibers or filaments are solidified.

The object of the present invention is to improve a method and a corresponding device for producing a cotton wool product.

This object is achieved by the features of the method or device claim. Advantageous developments of the invention will become apparent from the respective dependent claims.

According to the invention, it is provided that the pre-fleece consisting essentially of cotton fibers is solidified by means of a high-pressure hot gas application, preferably a steam needling. The fleece can consist of 100% bleached cotton fibers.

Preferably, however, it is also possible to provide an admixture of other natural fibers. In particular fibers of polylactides or polylactic acids can be added, these fibers due to their thermoplastic properties and the Overheated steam gives additional strength in the cotton pad.

The invention is preferably suitable for the production of cotton pads for cosmetic purposes. It is exploited the surprising finding that can be solidified by hot steam jets high pressure and a 100% cotton fibers existing fleece. The hot steam jets of high pressure, on the one hand by the impulse action of the steam jets to a slight turbulence, confusion of the fibers, on the other hand, the hot supersaturated steam causes a slight thermoplastic bonding of the fibers. The result is a very fluffy product, which, however, has sufficient for the intended use sufficient strength. The strength is in any case higher than the strength of the pure Vorvlieses. Also, no firm, rather closed-feeling surface is formed, as is the case with pure calendering or solidification by water-jet needling of a cotton wool fleece.

A preferred embodiment of the production method provides for the consolidation of a pre-fleece provided in several layers.

Preferably, the invention is designed when the solidification of the web with superheated steam at a temperature of about 220 ° (Celsius). The steam nitriding unit has for this purpose steam outlet openings with a diameter of 0.03 mm, which are arranged at a distance of 1.5 mm. The steam-nitriding unit may be formed as a pipe having the steam outlets in the form of drilled holes. Preferably, it is possible to arrange the steam outlet openings in two or more parallel rows. Due to an offset of the steam outlet openings in the In individual rows, correspondingly higher needling densities can be achieved. The plurality of steam outlet openings also results in a sufficiently high heat input into the goods.

The device according to the invention for carrying out the production method provides a device for providing a pre-fleece in the form of a fibrous web whose fibers consist essentially of cotton fibers. Here, preferably, a cotton card used, which is optionally arranged downstream of a device for longitudinal folding and folding of Vorvlieses in several layers.

The pre-fleece provided in one or more layers is subsequently fed via a compacting device to a first steam impingement by a steam-atomizing unit. The compacting device preferably consists of two screen belts converging at an angle (endless belts), one screen belt carrying the preliminary fleece, the other screen belt pressing the fleece, then the first steam is applied through this screen belt holding the fleece pressed.

At this first steaming can be followed by further Dampfbeaufschlagungen which make a loading of the web, the fiber web of one or both sides. A uniform application of heat is ensured by the application of steam from both sides.

Preferably, the steam is applied to the fiber web in the region of a needling deflecting needling drum (sieve drum, suction drum), which has a suction for the steam in the interior. An advantageous development of the invention results when a heat exchanger recovers the excess energy of the extracted steam and this is added to a steam treatment. In this case, it is preferably provided that the inlet of the steam generator is preceded by a heat exchanger, which is in thermal contact with a line arranged downstream of the suction. By means of this heat exchanger, the fresh water supplied to the steam generator is preheated. Depending on the machine configuration, the heat exchanger can be arranged directly upstream of the suction drum, the suction line of the suction drum and upstream of the condensate separator or downstream of the condensate separator together with the suction pump.

Furthermore, the explanation of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings. It shows:

1 shows a side view of a larger system of a steam-atomizing device, in which a deflection roller of the first endless belt is designed as a needling drum,

1, in which the deflection roller of the first endless belt is used for a first loading of the fiber web, while further steaming operations are carried out on a subsequent deflection roller of the second endless belt designed as a transfer roller and thus the fiber web from the other side solidify, and

3 and 4 show two embodiments of the heat recovery according to the invention.

Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of a system for steaming a fiber web. In a frame 1, a steam nitriding unit with a needling drum 2 is shown. The needling drum 2 (screening drum) has a suction device shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. The unit shown in FIG. 1 is normally the first unit of a larger needling station, in which a plurality of further needling needles, which are looped around in a meandering manner and with which the fiber web is then processed on both sides, can join (see FIG. 2).

This unit consists of a first endless belt 3 (screen belt), which is deflected over several rotatably arranged in a holding frame 4 rollers 5 and the needle drum 2 and kept taut. On this endless belt 3 runs in the direction of arrow 6 provided by a carding Faserflor (fiber web 7) made of bleached cotton fibers. This batt has no substantial strength and is deposited by the carding, not shown directly on the endless belt 3. Depending on the required volume of product to be created, one or more layers of batt may be provided. This can be done, for example, by longitudinal folding of the pile provided by a card.

The needling drum 2 serves to deflect the endless belt 3 as well as the steam pretreatment or steam needling. This means that it is designed as a permeable drum (sieve drum), which has a suction 2 'inside. The direction of the suction is shown by the arrows 8.

The first endless belt 3 is assigned a second endless belt 9 in opposite directions such that the working strand 3 'of the first endless belt 3 is opposite the working belt 9' of the second endless belt, there the tracks 3 ¹ , 9 'rotate in the same direction and in This area tapered towards each other (Kompaktierbereich for the batt - fiber web 7). This is in turn effected by a plurality of rollers 10-12 of the endless belt 9, which are rotatably mounted on the frame 1 fixed to the frame 1.

Two of the rollers of the second endless belt 9, namely the rollers

11 and 12, the needling drum 2 of the first endless belt 3 are directly assigned. This means that the rollers 11 and

12 press the tensioned guided endless belt 9 against the endless belt 3 and then against the needling drum 2. For this purpose, they are arranged close to each other and leave between them only so much space that the steam nozzle unit (the steam jet bar) 14 can be advanced to the endless belt 9. In this way, the fiber web delivered and carried by the strand 3 'of the endless belt 3 is not only slowly compressed between the endless belts 3 and 9 but pressed against the needling drum 2. In this state, the fiber web 7 is pretreated by means of the first steam nozzle unit 14 and can then be further needled.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, this takes place immediately on this needling drum 2 by the endless belt 9 is removed by means of the roller 12 upwards, thus the top of the fiber web 7 is freed from the endless belt 9. The needling drum 2 are after removal of the endless belt 9 two further steam nozzle units (steam nozzle bars) 15, 16 associated axially parallel, which provide for a caused by the pulse effect of the steam slight entanglement of the fibers. Supported by the endless belt 3, the fiber web is then further transported and passed on to a further treatment member 17 and thus released from the endless belt 3. The same principle is maintained when in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the roller 12 of the second endless belt 9 is formed as a transfer roller 12 'and at the same time as needling drum. Accordingly, steam nozzle units (steam nozzle bars) 15 'and 16' of the transfer drum 12 'of the endless belt 9, which is designed as a (screening drum), are assigned here. In this embodiment, the wetting is performed by means of the beam 14 and the first needling by means of the nozzle bars 15 ', 16' on different surfaces of the fiber web.

The steam nozzle units (steam nozzle bars) 14, 15, 15 ', 16, 16' have on their underside of the needling roller 2 or transfer roller 12 'facing bottom on a plurality of over the width of the fiber web extending steam outlet openings. The steam outlet openings can be arranged in one or more rows running parallel to one another.

FIG. 3 shows one of the steam nozzle units 14, 15, 15 ', 16, 16' according to FIGS. 1 and 2, which is supplied with superheated steam via a line by a superheater 20. The steam is provided by a steam generator 30 upstream of the superheater unit.

By means of the steam nozzle unit 14, 15, 15 ', 16, 16' takes place the steaming of the fiber web, as described in connection with Figures 1 and 2. The fibrous web is supported by a vapor permeable needling drum 2, 12 '(screen drum) during steaming / steaming (FIGS. 3 and 4). In the interior of the rotatably mounted drum 2, 12 ', a suction (suction) 50 is arranged, which is connected to a suction line 60 with a Kondensatabscheider 70. The liquid constituents of the components of the aspirated vapor collected in the condensate separator 70 fes (suction 50) are disposed of via a drain 80. Via a suction line 90, the gaseous phase of the content of the Kondensatabscheiders 70 is connected to a suction pump 100. Via a discharge 110, the extracted steam is disposed of.

The inlet 120 (fresh water) for the steam generator 30 is arranged upstream of a heat exchanger 130, which is thermally coupled with the outlet 110 of the suction pump 100. By means of the thermal see energy of the extracted by the pump 100 steam so the fresh water of the inlet 120 is preheated and fed to the steam generator 30 with appropriate temperature. The energy demand of the steam generator is reduced in accordance with the preheating of the supplied fresh water.

In the embodiment of Figure 4, the components with the reference numerals 2, 12 ', 14, 15, 15', 16, 16 ', 20 - 110, the same name and function as in the example of Figure 3. In contrast, the heat exchanger 130A is thermally coupled to the inlet 12OA for fresh water with the suction line 60 between the suction chamber 50 and condensate 70. This allows the fresh water of the inlet 120A to spend at a higher temperature - the energy saving of the steam generator is correspondingly higher.

According to an embodiment of the invention, not shown, the heat exchanger for heating the fresh water directly in the drum 2, 12 'is integrated. Due to the high temperatures prevailing there, the degree of energy recovery is correspondingly higher.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, the fiber web 7 on the Arbeitsstrum 3 'of a first, designed as a wire belt endless belt 3 filed. The endless belt 3 is stretched around guide rollers 5. The second, also designed as a sieve belt endless belt 9 rotates in opposite directions to the endless belt 3 and is stretched around guide rollers 10. The transported in the direction of arrow 6 fiber web 7 is first compressed between the conically converging Arbeitsstrums 3 ', 9' of the endless belts 3, 9 and then pressed in the region of parallel endless belts 3, 9 pressed.

In this region of the compacting, two steam nozzle units 14, 15 designed as a tube are arranged below the endless belt 3, which have steam outlet openings in the form of bores. Each steam nozzle unit 14, 15 is assigned a suction chamber 50 above the endless belt 9. The pressed between the endless belts fiber web 7 is applied in this area from the bottom with hot steam. Subsequent to the region of the compaction, ie where the fiber web 7 rests only on the endless belt 3, two further steam nozzle units 14 ', 15' designed as a tube are arranged above the fiber web 7. The associated suction chambers are arranged below the fiber web 7 carrying endless belt 3. The fiber web 7 thus undergoes a uniform heat transfer from both sides.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 frame

2, 12 'drum, needling drum, sieve drum

3 endless belt

3 'workstrum

4 holding frame

5 roller, guide roller

6 arrow

7 fiber web, fiber fleece, cotton fleece

9 endless belt

9 'workstrum

10 roller

11 roller

12 roller

13 holding frame

14, 15, 15 ', 16, 16' steam nozzle unit

20 superheaters

30 steam generators

50 suction (suction chamber)

60 suction line

70 condensate separator

80 expiration

90 suction line

100 suction pump

110 diversion

120A inlet (fresh water)

130 heat exchangers

130A heat exchanger

Claims

claims

1. A process for producing a cotton wool product, in particular for the production of cotton wool pads for cosmetic purposes, comprising the steps of:

Providing a pre-fleece, which consists at least predominantly of cotton fibers,

- Solidifying this Vorvlieses by means of a plurality of hot gas jets high pressure.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized by, the pre-fleece consists of 100% cotton fibers.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized by, the pre-fleece consists of predominantly cotton fibers and a part of further thermoplastic, preferably natural fibers.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized by, the other natural fibers consist of polylactides or polylactic acids.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, the solidification is carried out by a steam needling by means of superheated steam.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized by, the superheated steam temperature is about 220 degrees Celsius.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized by, the superheated steam beauf takes place with a pressure of 10 - 25 bar.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, the hot gas or Heißdampfeaufschlagung takes place in a compressed, precompacted state of Vorvlieses.

9. Apparatus for the production of cotton wool products, in particular for the production of cotton wool pads for cosmetic purposes, comprising:

a device for providing a pre-fleece, which consists at least predominantly of cotton fibers,

- A downstream device for solidifying this Vor fleece, for performing the method according to claim 1, characterized by, the means for solidifying (2, 12 ', 14, 15, 15', 16, 16 ') of the nonwoven fabric (7) points a device for acting on the pre-fleece (7) by means of a hot gas under high pressure.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized by, the means for solidifying the Vorvlieses (7) is designed as a Dampfvemadelungseinheit (2, 12 ', 14, 15, 15', 16, 16 ').

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized by, the Dampfadeladelungseinheit (2, 12 ', 14, 15, 15', 16, 16 ') is associated with an exhaust (50).

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized by, the Dampfadeladelungseinheit (2, 12 ', 14, 15, 15', 16, 16 ') acts with a

Needling drum (2, 12 ') together.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, 11 or 12, characterized by, the Dampfadeladelungseinheit (2, 12 ', 14, 15, 15', 16, 16 ') is associated with a steam generator (30) together with a superheater (20).

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized by, the steam generator (30) is connected to a heat exchanger (13, 13A), which is in thermal contact with the suction (50).

15. The device according to claim 14, characterized by, the heat exchanger (13) is thermally coupled to the exhaust (5) downstream line (6, 9).