Method and apparatus for recovering fibres
OwnerCraig George Bartlettinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for recovering separated fibres from a biomass composite material, such as an engineered wood material, is described. The apparatus has a channel configured to receive a slurry comprising water and a biomass composite material; two or more conveyor belts configured to move the slurry through the channel, such that biomass composite material is disposed between the two conveyor belts, and a plurality of electrodes disposed within the channel, the electrodes being configured to pass an electric current through the slurry to heat the biomass composite material, to effect separation of the fibres in the biomass composite material; and to recover the separated fibres. A method for recovering separated fibres is also described.
Claims18
An apparatus for recovering separated fibres from a biomass composite material, the apparatus comprising:
- a channel configured to receive a slurry comprising a liquid medium and a biomass composite material
- two or more conveyor belts configured to move the slurry through the channel, such that, in use, biomass composite material is disposed between the two or more conveyor belts, and
- a plurality of electrodes disposed within the channel, the electrodes being configured to pass an electric current through the slurry to heat the biomass composite material, to effect separation of the fibres in the biomass composite material.
The apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the two or more conveyor belts are formed of a non-electrically conductive mesh material, and preferably wherein the mesh material comprises a polymeric material, and preferably wherein the polymeric material is selected from a para-aramid and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), optionally a PTFE-coated para-aramid.
The apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein, in use, the electrodes are arranged such that a first electrode is spaced apart from a second electrode to allow the slurry to pass between the first and second electrodes and the electric current to pass between the first and second electrodes, wherein, in use, the first electrode and second electrodes are disposed at different vertical heights within the channel and/or the first electrode is spaced apart laterally in the channel from the second electrode.
The apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrodes are arranged into at least two groups along the length of the channel, wherein each of the groups are configured to pass different levels of current through the slurry along the length of the channel.
The apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one baffle at a side of channel between the two or more conveyor belts.
A method of recovering separated fibres from a biomass composite material, the method comprising:
- providing a slurry comprising a liquid medium and a biomass composite material;
- moving the slurry through a channel using two or more conveyor belts, wherein the biomass composite material is disposed between the two or more conveyor belts;
- and
- passing an electric current through the slurry while the biomass composite material is between the conveyor belts to heat the biomass composite material, to effect separation of the fibres in the biomass composite material;
- and
- recovering the separated fibres.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.