Multi-zone spinneret, apparatus and method for making filaments and nonwoven fabrics therefrom

Abstract

A spinneret, apparatus, and method are provided for making filaments for fibrous nonwoven fabrics with more uniform filament and fabric formation while minimizing filament breaks and hard spot defects in webs and fabrics made therefrom. The spinneret has a spinneret body that has an overall length to hydraulic diameter ratio and defines orifices that extend through the spinneret body, wherein the orifices comprise capillaries that open at a face of the spinneret body for polymer filament extrusion therefrom, wherein the capillaries are arranged in a plurality of different rows at the face of the spinneret body, and wherein the plurality of different rows are arranged into a plurality of different zones at the face of the spinneret body. A spinneret body of the spinneret can have an overall length to hydraulic ratio of at least 3 percent and/or a zone-to-zone length to hydraulic ratio of at least 2% and/or the hydraulic diameters, lengths, and length to hydraulic diameter ratios can progressively increase or decrease zone-to-zone for at least three different zones of capillaries, which can be applied to cross-flow quench or quench from a single-side. The spinneret body is designed to better accommodate differing operational proximity of the various different zones to quench air sources or source at commercially useful throughputs and fiber uniformity.