High flow, low intensity plate for disc refiner

A refiner plate for a paper pulp refiner for mechanically treating pulp fibers to alter physical characteristics of the fibers, the plate comprising:

• a base section having an inside diameter and an outside diameter, wherein the base section is mounted for rotation within a refiner, and wherein the base section extends radially within the plane of rotation;
• and
• a plurality of sets of refiner bars which protrude axially from the base section and extend generally outwardly from the inside diameter to the outside diameter in a zig-zag pattern, wherein neighboring refiner bars in each set define zig-zag grooves substantially equally spaced along their length, where some of which refiner bars extend from the inside diameter to the outside diameter, and each set is so arranged as to be angularly offset relative to the intended direction of rotation.

The refiner plate of claim 5 wherein the refiner bars comprise a plurality of long zig-zag bars which extend from the inside diameter to the outside diameter, and a plurality of shorter zig-zag refiner bars which extend from a position intermediate between the inside diameter and the outside diameter to a position at the outside diameter.

A refiner plate for a paper pulp refiner for mechanically treating pulp fibers to alter physical characteristics of the fibers, the plate comprising:

• a base section having an inside diameter and an outside diameter, wherein the base section is mounted for rotation within a refiner, and wherein the base section extends radially within the plane of rotation;
• and
• a plurality of refiner bars which protrude axially from the base section and extend radially outwardly, wherein neighboring refiner bars define grooves which extend toward the outside diameter, and wherein some of said bars have a first portion which is curved and extends from the inside diameter, and a zig-zag portion which extends to the outside diameter.