Cellulose fiber insulation plant and process

A process for controlling the quantity of a first chemical agent to be impregnated in a quantity of absorbent particulate material flowing along a first flow path comprising the steps of:

• sensing the rate at which said particulate material is conveyed along said first flow path;
• generating a first control signal proportional to said rate sensed;
• preparing a solution having a constant concentration of the first chemical agent therein;
• moving said solution along a second flow path and injecting the solution into the first flow path;
• and
• regulating the rate of movement of the solution along the second flow path in response to said first control signal for providing a rate of flow of said solution along said second flow path in constant proportion to the rate of flow of said particulate material along said first flow path.

A treatment apparatus for continuously impregnating a dry particulate material with a dry chemical agent to produce a dry treated particulate material wherein the ratio of dry chemical agent to dry particulate material is substantially constant, comprising:

• a passageway through which air flows;
• means for injecting the particulate material into the passageway at a selected rate for being agitated and moved along the passageway by the air flowing therein, for providing a turbulent flow of particulate material along the passageway;
• means for sensing the mass flow rate of the particulate material through the passageway and generating a control signal representative of the mass flow rate of the particulate material;
• means for dissolving the dry chemical agent in a solvent to provide a solution of the chemical agent;
• means for maintaining a constant concentration of the chemical agent in the solution;
• means for pumping the solution, the pumping means coupled for being responsive to the control signal whereby the pumping rate of the pumping means is proportional to the mass flow rate of the particulate material through the passageway;
• and
• means for uniformly applying the pumped solution on the agitated particulate material flowing in the passageway for impregnating the particulate material with the chemical agent.

A process of making cellulose fiber insulation comprising:

• pulverizing a cellulosic material to obtain a quantity of cellulose fiberous particulate material;
• agitating and conveying said particulate material along a first flow path with a turbulent stream of air;
• providing a solution of a first selected chemical along a second flow path;
• flowing said solution along said second path at a rate proportional to the rate at which said particulate material is conveyed along said first flow path;
• injecting a stream of said solution from said second flow path into said first flow path;
• injecting a jet of gas into the first flow path in a direction opposite to the direction of spraying of the stream of the solution for impinging on the stream of solution to atomize the solution and to generate a transverse region of atomized solution particles of substantially uniform density through which the agitated particulate material passes for contacting the atomized solution particles to be moistened thereby;
• and
• removing moisture from said particulate material moistened with said solution for providing a quantity of substantially dry cellulose fiber insulation impregnated with said selected chemical agent.

A process of combining a chemical solution having suspended insoluble matter therein with an agitated air-conveyed stream of fiberous particulate material comprising the steps of:

• providing a flow of said solution and suspended insoluble matter along a flow path;
• regulating the rate of flow of said solution having suspended insoluble matter therein along said path;
• injecting a stream of said solution with insoluble suspended matter from the flow path into the air-conveyed stream of particulate material;
• impinging a jet of gas on the stream of said solution having suspended insoluble matter therein for atomizing the solution and generating a transverse region of atomized solution particles of substantially uniform density through which the agitated stream of particulate material passes for contacting the particulate material;
• and
• drying the cellulose fiber so contacted.

A cellulose material treatment system for impregnating a cellulosic material with at least one dry chemical agent having insoluble matter therein by spraying the cellulosic material with a solution of the chemical agent where the solution contains suspended insoluble matter therein, comprising:

• pulverizing means for pulverizing the cellulose material into a quantity of fibrous particulate material;
• means for dissolving the protective chemical agent in a solvent to obtain a solution of the at least one chemical agent, the insoluble matter being suspended therein;
• means for uniformly moistening said particulate material with said solution, said means for moistening comprising:
• a first flow passageway,
• means for injecting a first gas into the first flow passageway for agitating the quantity of particulate material and moving said particulate material first flow passageway,
• a first nozzle means for injecting a stream of the solution with suspended insoluble matter therein into the agitated quantity of particulate material moving through the first flow passageway, and
• a second nozzle means for impinging a jet of a second gas on the stream of the solution with suspended insoluble matter therein for atomizing the solution and generating a transverse a substantially uniform density, through which the agitated particulate material passes for uniformly moistening the particulate material;
• and
• means for drying the moistened particulate material.

A cellulose fiber insulation manufacturing system utilizing a solution containing insoluble matter in suspension therein, comprising:

• means for pulverizing a cellulose material to obtain a quantity of cellulose fibers;
• means defining a first flow path;
• means for agitating and air-conveying said cellulose fibers along said first flow path;
• means for obtaining a solution of at least one chemical agent;
• means for uniformly moistening said cellulose fibers with said solution, said means for moistening comprising:
• a first injection nozzle positioned in said first flow path,
• means for supplying said solution to said first injection nozzle for injecting a stream of said solution into the first flow path,
• a second injection nozzle positioned in the first flow path for supplying a jet of air to impinge the stream of the solution for atomizing the solution and generating a transverse region of atomized solution particles having a substantially uniform density through which the agitated, air conveyed, cellulose fibers pass for uniformly moistening the cellulose fibers with the solution, and
• means for regulating the rate at which said solution is injected into the first flow path;
• and
• means for extracting moisture from said cellulose fibers moistened with said solution for having the at least one protective chemical agent integrally with the cellulose fibers.