Apparatus for crosslinking individualized cellulose fibers

A cellulose fiber treatment apparatus comprising:

• an applicator that applies a crosslinking substance to a mat of cellulose fibers at a fiber treatment zone;
• a mechanical fiberizer having a fiberizing inlet for the mat of cellulose fibers;
• a conveyor that conveys the mat through the fiber treatment zone and directly to the fiberizer inlet without stopping for curing;
• the mechanical fiberizer being a fiberizer for separating the cellulose fibers of the mat into a fiber output of substantially unbroken individual cellulose fibers with a nit level of no more than about three;
• a dryer coupled to the mechanical fiberizer for receiving the fiber output, the dryer comprising an expansion chamber for drying the fiber output and a curing chamber for curing the crosslinking substance, thereby forming dried and cured fibers, the expansion chamber further defining an inlet for receiving the fiber output, where the dryer has a temperature within a range of about 200.degree. C. to about 315.degree. C. so as to flash evaporate water from the fiber output during drying, and in which the curing chamber has an outlet from which the dried and cured fibers are delivered from the dryer, where the dried and cured fibers at the outlet of the curing chamber have a conveyance temperature within a range of about 140.degree. C. to about 180.degree. C. so as not to scorch the cellulose fibers;
• a necked down conduit between the fiberizer and expansion chamber in which the fibers are heated and the velocity of their flow is increased after they leave the fiberizer;
• a hot air blower that blows hot air at about 260.degree. C. into the conduit toward the expansion chamber;
• and
• an inlet into the conduit, intermediate the blower and expansion chamber, through which the fibers are introduced into the conduit.