# US 11,111,604 B2 · Method for refining plant fibers by steam explosion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,111,604 B2 - Document ID: US11111604B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/955,278 - Filed: 2018-12-18 - Published: 2020-11-05 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-19 - Assignees: La ChanvrièRe - Applicants: La ChanvrièRe - Inventors: Daniel Dupont - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111604B2 ## CPC - D01B 1/14: Breaking or scutching, e.g. of flax; Decorticating - D21B 1/12: by wet methods, by the use of steam (beaters D21D1/00) - D21B 1/36: Explosive disintegration by sudden pressure reduction - D01B: MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF NATURAL FIBROUS OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL TO OBTAIN FIBRES OF FILAMENTS, e.g. FOR SPINNING (crude extraction of asbestos fibres from ores B03B; apparatus for retting D01C) - D21B: FIBROUS RAW MATERIALS OR THEIR MECHANICAL TREATMENT ## Abstract An industrial system for refining plant fibers by steam explosion includes: a pre-chamber; a loader for loading the pre-chamber with sheaves of a fibrous plant, a spark gap arranged under the pre-chamber, a valve upstream of the pre-chamber, a valve separating the pre-chamber from the spark gap when in the closed state and opening a passage with a diameter of at least the smallest of the diameters of the pre-chamber and the spark gap when in the open state; a washing system arranged inside the spark gap for washing the spark gap and dragging the fibers downwards; a mobile basket for receiving fibers with a position under the spark gap for receiving fibers; a liquid-recovery device, arranged under the basket and under the spark gap, a receiving chamber receiving the basket loaded with fibers; and a drying chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Industrial system for refining plant fibers comprising: a pre-chamber provided with a pressurizing member, a loader for loading the pre-chamber with sheaves of a fibrous plant, a blow-out unit disposed under the pre-chamber, a valve upstream from the pre-chamber, a valve separating the pre-chamber and the blow-out unit when in a closed state and opening a passage with a diameter of at least a smallest of the diameters of the pre-chamber and the blow-out unit when in an open state, a washing system disposed inside the blow-out unit for washing the blow-out unit and dragging the fibers downward, a mobile basket for receiving fibers with a position under the blow-out unit for receiving fibers, a liquid-recovery device, disposed under the basket and under the blow-out unit, a receiving chamber receiving the basket loaded with fibers, and a spin-drying chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the loader comprises a robotic arm configured to load at least the pre-chamber with one or more sheaves at a time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pre-chambers disposed above said blow-out unit to feed said blow-out unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein said basket is a drainer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a rotating barrel provided at least with the receiving chamber, the spin-drying chamber, and an unloading chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a fibrous plant bale opener and a packer of fibrous plants into sheaves of a density less than that of the bales. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-recovery device comprises a recirculation circuit and a decantation tank. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the spin-drying chamber comprises a rotating drive of the basket. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a dryer downstream of the spin-drying chamber. ### Claim 10 Industrial method for refining plant fibers comprising: loading a pre-chamber with sheaves of a fibrous plant, pressurizing fibrous plants in the pre-chamber, depressurizing by the opening of a valve to a blow-out unit provoking the explosion of the fibers of the fibrous plant, transferring fibers coming from the fibrous plants in the blow-out unit, washing of the blow-out unit by driving the fibers downwards, transferring fibers to a mobile basket for receiving fibers, gravity recovering of liquids under the basket and under the blow-out unit, spin-drying of the fibers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising: opening fibrous plant bales, then putting into sheaves prior to loading the pre-chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising, after spin drying: drying, bringing the humidity level to between 15 and 40%, carding; and drying. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein pressurizing fibrous plants in the pre-chamber comprises treating the fibrous plants with saturated stream at a temperature of at least 130° C. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein pressurizing fibrous plants in the pre-chamber comprises treating the fibrous plants with saturated steam in two stages, in a first stage at a temperature of at least 130° C., at most 160° C., and in a second stage at a temperature of at least 180° C., at most 230° C. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the first stage has a duration comprised between 3 and 6 mn and the second stage has a duration comprised between 4 and 8 mn. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9, further comprising a carding machine downstream of the dryer and an additional dryer downstream of the carding machine. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein pressurizing fibrous plants in the pre-chamber comprises treating the fibrous plants with saturated steam at a temperature of at least 160° C.