# US 9,434,551 B2 · Screw conveyor for lignocellulose-containing material

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- Number: US 9,434,551 B2
- Document ID: US9434551B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/766,877
- Filed: 2014-02-19
- Published: 2015-12-31
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-02-22
- Assignees: Valmet Corporation
- Applicants: Valmet AB
- Inventors: Stefan Mellander; Peter Svedberg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434551B2

## CPC

- B65G 33/14: comprising a screw or screws enclosed in a tubular housing
- B30B 9/12: using pressing worms or screws co-operating with a permeable casing
- B30B 9/127: {Feed means}
- B65G 33/24: Details
- B65G 33/265: {with a continuous helical surface (flexible screws B65G33/16)}
- D21C 7/06: Feeding devices
- D21C 9/18: De-watering (de-watering in general F26B); {Elimination of cooking or pulp-treating liquors from the pulp}(D21C9/002, D21C9/02 take precedence; paper-making machines D21F; strainers in digesters D21C7/00; presses in general B30B)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)}
- D21C: PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE BY REMOVING NON-CELLULOSE SUBSTANCES FROM CELLULOSE-CONTAINING MATERIALS; REGENERATION OF PULPING LIQUORS; APPARATUS THEREFOR

## Abstract

A screw conveyor for transporting lignocellulose-containing material, including a housing containing a screw for transporting the lignocellulose-containing material from the inlet to the outlet of the housing, the screw including a screw core disposed along the screw axis and a screw thread surrounding the screw core, the screw thread including a screw depth defined by the distance between the periphery of the screw and the screw core, the inlet including at least one transverse plate dividing the inlet into at least two axial compartments for evenly distributing the lignocellulose-containing material at the inlet. A method for transporting lignocellulose-containing material by the screw conveyor, in which the axial length of the screw inlet being equal to or greater than the screw depth times the quotient between the axial speed of the screw and the incoming speed of the lignocellulose-containing material at the inlet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A screw conveyor for transporting lignocellulose-containing material comprising
a housing including an inlet and an outlet and a screw for transporting the lignocellulose-containing material through said housing from said inlet to said outlet, said screw including
a screw axis,
a screw core disposed along said screw axis,
a screw thread surrounding said screw core, and
a screw periphery defined by said screw thread, said inlet having an axial length along said screw axis, said screw thread including
a screw depth defined by the distance between said screw periphery and said screw core,
said inlet including at least one transverse plate dividing said inlet into at least two axial compartments for evenly distributing said lignocellulose-containing material into said screw.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The screw conveyor of claim 1, wherein said inlet includes a vibrator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The screw conveyor of claim 1, wherein said inlet includes a divergent portion of said inlet adjacent to said screw for evenly distributing said lignocellulose-containing material into said screw.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The screw conveyor of claim 1, wherein said at least one transverse plate includes an inclined edge.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The screw of conveyor of claim 1, selected from the group consisting of a screw feeder, an auger conveyor, an auger feeder, a spiral conveyor, a worm conveyor, and a helix conveyor, the screw conveyor based upon the principles of Archimedes' screw.

### Claim 6

A method for feeding lignocellulose-containing material with a screw conveyor which comprises
providing a housing including an inlet and an outlet and transporting said lignocellulose-containing material through said housing from said inlet to said outlet by means of a screw including a screw axis, a screw core disposed along said screw axis,
providing a screw thread surrounding said screw core including a screw periphery defined by said screw thread, said inlet having an axial length along said screw axis, said screw thread including a screw depth defined by the distance between said screw periphery and said screw core,
operating said screw at an axial speed and
providing said lignocellulose-containing material at an incoming speed at said inlet, said axial length of said screw inlet being equal to or greater than said screw depth times the quotient between said axial speed of said screw and said incoming speed of said lignocellulose-containing material at said inlet.