Weyerhaeuser Company Limited

Daniel M Shellhammer

Michael R Hansen

Richard H Young, Sr

Robert H Quick

Gregory K Brock

John D Karna

A highly densifiable wood pulp product is disclosed. In one embodiment, the densifiable product includes fibers having low coarseness, preferably having a fiber coarseness less than about 22 mg/100 m, and a densifying agent. In another embodiment, the densifiable product further includes fibers having coarseness greater than about 22 mg/100 m. Juvenile wood fibers are the preferred source of fibers having low coarseness. A densified pulp product formed by compacting a fibrous composite that includes fibers having a fiber coarseness less than about 22 mg/100 m, a densifying agent, and optionally, fibers having coarseness greater than about 22 mg/100 m is also disclosed. The pulp products can be advantageously incorporated into absorbent articles and can optionally further include superabsorbent material. Methods for forming the densifiable and densified fibrous products are also disclosed.

Compressible wood pulp product

Monitoring of the recirculated atmosphere of an oxygen pulping reactor to determine when the inflammability level of combustible gases in the reactor atmosphere has reached a predetermined percentage of the lower explosive limit (LEL) of the reactor atmosphere in terms of combustible organic vapors and carbon monoxide is disclosed. Continuous or discrete samples of the reactor atmosphere are taken at spaced regions, and the samples are applied to: (1) flame ionization detectors, which determine the concentration of combustible organic vapors (e.g., aliphatic, olefinic, aromatic, acetylenic, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, etc.) in the samples; and, (2) carbon monoxide analyzers, which determine the concentration of carbon monoxide in the samples. The outputs of the flame ionization detectors are calibrated in terms of percent LEL for the contributing combustible organic vapors and, thus, provide percent combustible organic vapor LEL information. The outputs of the carbon monoxide analyzers are calibrated in terms of percent LEL based on the carbon monoxide in the samples. The outputs of the flame ionization detectors are compared and the highest percent output is applied to an alarm and recording subsystem. These outputs are also compared to determine if they are close to one another. If the comparison indicates that a substantial difference exists, a differential sensor activates a further alarm to denote a wide variance that may indicate a faulty detector channel. Similarly, the outputs of the two carbon monoxide analyzers are compared and the highest percent output is applied to an alarm and recording subsystem. Also, if the outputs are substantially different a differential indicator is activated. In addition, in an alternate embodiment, the highest flame ionization output is summed with the highest carbon monoxide analyzer output and the result applied to a controller that continuously controls the position of a vent valve, as well as to an alarm and recording subsystem. Finally, an oxygen analyzer is provided for measuring the oxygen concentration of at least one of the reactor atmosphere samples.

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Auburn, WA, United States of America

Daniel M Shellhammer