International Paper Company

Jyrki T Jaakkola

James E Sealey

Antti Heikkinen

A method for controlling a fiber fractionation system for fractionating an input material into a long fraction (LF) stream comprising LF fibers and a short fraction (SF) stream comprising SF fibers includes measuring an average LF fiber length at one or more locations post-fractionation, and maintaining the average LF fiber length within a target variability range by automatically altering a rotational speed of a rotor of the fiber fractionation system.

Method and apparatus for controlling a fiber fractionation system

An improved processes for making fluff pulp sheets mechanically eliminates many of the unwanted fiber-to-fiber bonding (fiber bundles) which may be contained in the sheet to produce consistent and uniform quality fluff pulp. Pulp slurry is deposited on a moving bottom forming wire to form a stock web. Pulp slurry is brought into contact with a moving top forming wire. The stock web is subjected to up and down dewatering creating separately formed layers to reduce fiber-to-fiber bonding. The stock web can be subjected to strong pulsating shear forces as it is being advanced along the bottom forming wire to break a majority of fiber bundles contained in the web. The pulp slurry can be deposited on the bottom forming wire utilizing a headbox with dilution control to selectively adjust the concentration of the pulp slurry. A shoe press can be used to dewater the web after it is subjected to the pulsating shear forces. The web can be dried utilizing conventional drying equipment, such as cylindrical driers.

Methods and apparatus for forming fluff pulp sheets

Processes for making fluff pulp sheets mechanically eliminate many unwanted fiber-to-fiber bonding (fiber bundles) in the sheet. Pulp slurry is deposited on a moving bottom forming wire to form a stock web. Pulp slurry is brought into contact with a moving top forming wire. The stock web is subjected to up and down dewatering creating separately formed layers to reduce fiber-to-fiber bonding. The stock web can be subjected to strong pulsating shear forces as it is being advanced along the bottom forming wire to break fiber bundles. The pulp slurry can be deposited on the bottom forming wire utilizing a headbox with dilution control to selectively adjust the concentration of the pulp slurry. Shoe presses can be used to dewater the web after it is subjected to the pulsating shear forces.

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Lawrenceville, GA, United States of America

Jyrki T Jaakkola