Flow-altering refiner segment

Refiner plate segments for a conical mechanical refiner, the refiner plate segments comprising:

• a rotor plate segment comprising:
• first inlet openings disposed at a first end of the rotor plate segment;
• a first rotor plate segment refining area, a first end of the first rotor plate segment refining area being disposed adjacent to the first inlet openings in an axial direction with respect to a rotational direction of the rotor plate segment;
• second inlet openings disposed adjacent to a second end of the first rotor plate segment refining area in the axial direction;
• and
• a second rotor plate segment refining area, a first end of the second rotor plate segment refining area being disposed adjacent to the second inlet openings in the axial direction and a second end of the second rotor plate segment refining area being disposed at a second end of the rotor plate segment;
• and
• a stator plate segment comprising:
• first outlet openings disposed at a first end of the stator plate segment;
• and
• a first stator plate segment refining area, a first end of the first stator plate segment refining area being disposed adjacent to the first outlet openings in an axial direction with respect to the rotational direction of the rotor plate segment;
• second outlet openings disposed adjacent to a second end of the first stator plate segment refining area in the axial direction;
• and
• a second stator plate segment refining area, a first end of the second stator plate segment refining area being disposed adjacent to the second outlet openings in the axial direction and a second end of the second stator plate segment refining area being disposed at a second end of the stator plate segment,
• wherein the first end of the rotor plate segment is disposed opposite the second end of the stator plate segment, and
• wherein the second end of the rotor plate segment is disposed opposite the first end of the stator plate segment such that the first rotor plate segment refining area and the second stator plate segment refining area oppose each other, and the first stator plate segment refining area and the second rotor plate segment refining area oppose each other.

Refiner plate elements for a conical mechanical refining apparatus, the refiner plate elements, comprising:

• a rotor plate element comprising:
• a first rotor plate segment disposed between a first end of the rotor plate element and an intermediate location of the rotor plate element, the first rotor plate segment having a first rotor plate segment refining area;
• and
• a second rotor plate segment disposed between the intermediate location of the rotor plate element and a second end of the rotor plate element, the second rotor plate segment having a second rotor plate segment refining area,
• wherein the rotor plate element further comprises one or more inlet openings separated from the first rotor plate segment refining area and the second rotor plate segment refining area;
• and
• a stator plate element comprising:
• a first stator plate segment disposed between a first end of the stator plate element and an intermediate location of the stator plate element, the first stator plate segment having a first stator plate segment refining area;
• and
• a second stator plate segment disposed between the intermediate location of the stator plate element and a second end of the stator plate element, the second stator plate segment having a second stator plate segment refining area,
• wherein the stator plate element further comprises one or more outlet openings separated from the first stator plate segment refining area and the second stator plate segment refining area,
• wherein the rotor plate element is disposed opposite the stator plate element such that the first rotor plate segment refining area and the first stator plate segment refining area oppose each other and the second rotor plate segment refining area and the second stator plate segment refining area oppose each other, and
• wherein the one or more inlet openings and the one or more outlet openings are separated by refining zones formed by the first rotor plate segment refining area and the first stator plate segment refining area, and the second rotor plate segment refining area and the second stator plate segment refining area.