Method and apparatus for treating cellulosic products
AssigneeOld North Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorsBen E. Edwards, Clyde M. Marr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for impregnating low density fiberboard with asphalt is disclosed, and which includes stacking the sheets, placing the stacks in a sealable chamber, and flooding the chamber with a treating solution composed of a mixture of asphalt and solvent. The chamber is thereafter drained, and the fiberboard is then heated by the injection of live steam into the chamber. A partial vacuum is then drawn in the chamber, while condensing and separating the withdrawn solvent and water vapors. Both the condensed solvent and water of the steam injection system are maintained in closed conduit systems to permit their reuse and to prevent contamination of the environment.
Claims26
A method of treating sheets of relatively low density cellulosic fiberboard material with a preservative solution, or the like, and characterized by relatively low production costs, conservation of resources, and the substantial absence of the release of pollutants to the environment, and comprising the sequential steps of
- placing the sheets to be treated in a treatment chamber,
- flooding the treatment chamber with a treating solution comprising a preservative and solvent and so as to fully immerse the sheets,
- removing the solution from the treatment chamber,
- heating the treated sheets by injecting live steam into the treatment chamber, and then
- drawing a partial vacuum within the treatment chamber and including withdrawing vapors therefrom, while condensing and separating any solvent and water vapor in the withdrawn vapors, to permit the separate reuse thereof, and then
- removing the treated sheets from the treatment chamber.
A method of treating a cellulosic product with a preservative solution, or the like, and characterized by relatively low production costs, conservation of resources, and the substantial absence of the release of pollutants to the environment, and comprising the sequential steps of
- placing the product to be treated in a closable treatment chamber,
- flooding the treatment chamber with a treating solution comprising a preservative and solvent and so as to fully immerse the product,
- removing the solution from the treatment chamber,
- heating the product by injecting live steam into the treatment chamber,
- drawing a partial vacuum within the treatment chamber, while condensing and separating any solvent and water vapor from the withdrawn vapors, and while delivering the separated condensed solvent to a solvent storage tank and delivering the separated water to a heat exchanger adapted to form steam therefrom,
- reheating the product by injecting live steam into the treatment chamber,
- again drawing a partial vacuum within the treatment chamber, while condensing and separating any solvent and water vapor from the withdrawn vapors, and while delivering the separated condensed solvent to said solvent recovery tank and delivering the separated water to said heat exchanger,
- removing the treated product from the treatment chamber,
- periodically withdrawing solvent from said solvent storage tank and mixing the same with the preservative to provide an additional quantity of the treating solution, and
- utilizing the steam generated by said heat exchanger as the source of the steam employed in each of said heating and reheating steps,
- whereby the solvent of the treating solution and the water of the steam employed in said heating and reheating steps are each confined in a closed system.
A method of treating a cellulosic product with a preservative solution, or the like, and characterized by relatively low production costs, conservation of resources, and the substantial absence of the release of pollutants to the environment, and comprising the sequential steps of
- placing the product to be treated in a closable treatment chamber,
- flooding the treatment chamber with a heated treating solution comprising a preservative and solvent and so as to fully immerse the product while heating the same,
- removing the solution from the treatment chamber,
- injecting live steam into the treatment chamber to further heat the product,
- drawing a partial vacuum within the treatment chamber, while condensing and separating any solvent and water vapor from the withdrawn vapors to permit the separate reuse thereof,
- again injecting live steam into the treatment chamber to reheat the product,
- again drawing a partial vacuum within the treatment chamber, while condensing and separating any solvent and water vapor from the withdrawn vapors to permit the separate reuse thereof, and
- removing the treated product from the treatment chamber.
An apparatus adapted for impregnating a cellulosic product with a treating solution, or the like, and characterized by relatively low production costs, conservation of resources, and the substantial absence of the release of pollutants to the environment during the use thereof, and comprising
- a closable fluid and air tight treatment chamber adapted to receive therein a quantity of the product to be treated,
- a solution storage tank adapted to receive a treating solution which includes a relatively volatile solvent,
- means for selectively delivering the solution from said storage tank to said treatment chamber to substantially fill the chamber, and for returning the solution from the treatment chamber to the tank,
- means for selectively injecting live steam into the treatment chamber,
- a vapor removal line operatively connected to the treatment chamber,
- means for selectively creating a partial vacuum in said vapor removal line to draw solvent and water vapor into said line, and including means for condensing and separating any solvent and water vapor drawn into line to permit the separate reuse thereof, and
- means for returning the solvent separated by said condensing and separating means to said solution storage tank, to thereby confine the solvent in a closed system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.