# US 8,465,621 B2 · Refiner steam separation system for reduction of dryer emissions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,621 B2 - Document ID: US8465621B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/477,425 - Filed: 2012-05-22 - Published: 2012-09-13 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2003-05-21 - Assignees: Masonite Corporation - Applicants: Dennis Henry Vaders - Inventors: Dennis Henry Vaders - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465621B2 ## CPC - F26B 21/30: Controlling, e.g. regulating, parameters of gas supply - B27N 1/00: Pretreatment of moulding material - D21B 1/12: by wet methods, by the use of steam (beaters D21D1/00) - D21D 5/00: Purification of the pulp suspension by mechanical means; Apparatus therefor (centrifuges, cyclones B04) - D21D 5/24: in cyclones - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) - B27N: MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL (containing cementitious material B28B; shaping of substances in a plastic state B29C; fibreboards made from fibrous suspensions D21J; drying F26B17/00) - D21B: FIBROUS RAW MATERIALS OR THEIR MECHANICAL TREATMENT - D21D: TREATMENT OF THE MATERIALS BEFORE PASSING TO THE PAPER-MAKING MACHINE ## Abstract A refiner steam separation system according to the present invention includes a blowline for transporting a mixture of fiber material from a refiner to an inlet of a steam separator. Waste steam is discharged from the separator through a waste steam outlet. Cleaned fiber material is discharged from the separator through an exit, which prevents a substantial portion of the waste steam from passing through the exit. A relay pipe communicates with the exit and a dryer duct, and transports cleaned fiber material therebetween. A resin input communicates with the relay pipe, and supplies resin therein. The resin is mixed with the cleaned fiber material prior to the cleaned fiber material being dried in the dryer duct. The present invention is also directed to a method of reducing VOC emissions generated during refining cellulosic fibrous material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of refining cellulosic fibrous material, comprising: transporting a mixture of fiber material and steam in a blowline; separating a portion of the steam from the fiber material to create a cleaned fiber material; and transporting the cleaned fiber material through a relay pipe while mixing the cleaned fiber material with a resin. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the fiber material and the steam contain VOC emissions and said separating a portion of the steam from the fiber material removes at least 80% of the VOC emissions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said separating steam from the fiber is performed by a non-pressurized cyclone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising discharging the fiber material to a rotary airlock prior to transporting the cleaned fiber material through the relay pipe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising passing the fiber material through a transition chamber after the rotary airlock and prior to transporting the cleaned fiber material through the relay pipe. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising supplying a pressurized fluid to transport the cleaned fiber material through the relay pipe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising discharging cleaned fiber material mixed with resin from the relay pipe to a dryer. ### Claim 8 A method of refining cellulosic fibrous material, comprising: transporting a mixture of fiber material and steam in a blowline; separating a portion of the steam from the fiber material to create a cleaned fiber material; transporting the cleaned fiber material through a relay pipe; and inserting resin into the relay pipe after said step of separating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the resin is mixed with the cleaned fiber in the relay pipe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the resin is liquid resin and said inserting resin into the relay pipe is performed by a pressurized nozzle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein said separating is performed by a steam separator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the steam separator is selected from the group consisting of a pressurized steam separator and a non-pressurized steam separator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising creating turbulence in the flow of cleaned fiber material through the relay pipe downstream of said inserting resin into the relay pipe. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein said separating a portion of the steam from the fiber material creates waste steam and wherein the waste steam is discharged to a scrubber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising discharging the cleaned fiber material to a transition chamber prior to transporting the cleaned fiber material through a relay pipe. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising supplying a pressurized fluid to the transition chamber to transport the cleaned fiber material through the relay pipe. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein said step separating a portion of the steam from the fiber material is performed in two stages, and wherein the first stage removes at least 50% of the steam from the fiber material and the second stage removes at least 50% of the steam from the fiber material remaining after the first stage. ### Claim 18 A method of refining cellulosic fibrous material, comprising: transporting a mixture of fiber material and steam to a steam separator; separating a portion of the steam from the fiber material in the steam separator to create a cleaned fiber material; discharging the cleaned fiber material from the steam separator; and mixing the cleaned fiber material with a resin after said step of separating. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said mixing the cleaned fiber material with a resin is performed as the cleaned fiber material is being transported in a relay pipe. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the cleaned fiber material mixed with the resin is transported in the relay pipe at a flow velocity of at least 100 ft/s.