Drying system for producing dried singulated cellulose pulp fibers

A drying system for the processing of pulp into singulated and dried fibers comprising:

• a jet drier with a jet conduit, a manifold for air intake into the jet conduit, a pulp intake for delivery of pulp into the jet conduit, and a fiber outlet for removal of singulated and dried fibers, outlet air and fines from the jet conduit;
• a pulp supply station coupled to the pulp intake for supplying a feed pulp to the pulp intake;
• an air supply station coupled to the manifold for delivering air to the manifold;
• an outlet flow conduit coupled to the fiber outlet for the transport of the fibers, outlet air, and fines from the jet conduit;
• and
• a fiber separation station coupled to the outlet flow conduit for separating the fibers from the outlet air;
• the fiber separation station including a vacuum conveyor having a screen for passing outlet air and retaining fibers to form a mat of fibers on the screen;
• a first roller, a second roller, a primary fan, a secondary fan, a primary fan vacuum box, and a secondary fan vacuum box;
• said screen being a continuous loop draped about the first and second rollers so that the screen has an upper portion and a lower portion;
• the upper portion of the screen having an upper and lower surface;
• the upper surface of the screen being associated with the outlet flow conduit;
• the primary fan vacuum box being associated with the lower surface and in flow communication with the primary fan;
• the primary fan vacuum box being positioned between the lower and upper portions and directly beneath the outlet flow conduit;
• the secondary fan vacuum box being associated with the lower surface and in flow communication with the secondary fan;
• the secondary fan vacuum box being positioned between the lower and upper portions and between the primary fan vacuum box and the second roller;
• the primary fan providing vacuum to the primary fan vacuum box and the outlet flow conduit;
• the secondary fan providing vacuum to the secondary fan vacuum box and the upper surface.