1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for producing a fibrous web, in particular a tissue, paper or cardboard web, having a forming section and a dryer section, whereby the dryer section comprises a pressure nip formed by a suction roll and a press roll, a drying cylinder and a transfer pressure nip which is positioned downstream from the pressure nip for transferring the fibrous web to the drying cylinder, whereby the fibrous web together with a clothing wraps around the suction roll in a wraparound region in such a way that the clothing is positioned between the suction roll and the fibrous web.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatuses of this type are known. Document EP2090691 A1 discloses a device for the production of tissue webs. Here, the tissue web is carried on a textured fabric through a pressure nip which is formed by a suction roll and a press roll; the web is dewatered and directed to the transfer nip to be transferred to the Yankee drying cylinder. This provides a compact press arrangement.
What is needed in the art is a solution for the production of a fibrous web with a view to economical energy utilization at the same or improved quality.
The present invention provides an apparatus for producing a fibrous web, in particular a tissue, paper or cardboard web, having a forming section and a dryer section, whereby the dryer section includes a pressure nip formed by a suction roll and a press roll, a drying cylinder and a transfer pressure nip which is positioned downstream from the pressure nip for transferring the fibrous web to the drying cylinder, whereby the fibrous web together with a clothing wraps around the suction roll in a wraparound region in such a way that the clothing is positioned between the suction roll and the fibrous web, characterized in that the wraparound region is located upstream of the pressure nip and a heating device is assigned directly to the fibrous web in the wraparound region.
According to the invention, the wraparound region is located upstream of the pressure nip and a heating device is assigned directly to the fibrous web in the wraparound region.
The advantage of this arrangement is in that the fibrous web is heated already before the pressure nip in the region of the suction roll, thereby achieving easier dewaterability. The fibrous web which still has a high water content is hereby already gently—that is at low dewatering pressure—dewatered by the vacuum of the suction roll. As a result important quality parameters, for example the specific volume which is also referred to as bulk and the texture of the fibrous web are not impaired. The heated fibrous web can also be more easily dewatered mechanically in the subsequent pressure nip. This results in a higher dry content before the heated drying cylinder, which is preferably in the embodiment of a Yankee cylinder. Less energy is hereby required for the less efficient thermal drying than is required with otherwise the same conditions.
The clothing is routed preferably through the forming section and through the drying section. The fibrous web is carried on said clothing until it is transferred to the drying cylinder. This renders the apparatus very simple and cost effective in its design. In addition it is advantageous if the fibrous web is formed already on the textured fabric. This provides it with a stable spatial structure.
In one design variation the Yankee drying cylinder is the only drying cylinder. After having been transferred to the Yankee drying cylinder the fibrous web is dried. It is subsequently removed by means of a creping doctor and wound onto a reel.
In one preferred design example the clothing is provided by a permeable textured fabric. Textured fabrics are already known. They are frequently used in through air drying (TAD) tissue machines. The texture of the textured fabric utilized for the invention is arranged so that a texturing effect occurs in regard to the fibrous web. The specific volume is thereby increased and the functional characteristics of the produced fibrous web—for example the water absorption capacity, the water absorption speed and hand feel—are improved.
In an additional design variation of the invention the suction roll is partially wrapped by an inside felt which is positioned between the clothing and the suction roll. This produces a soft, volume-protective press nip. Moreover, the water which is removed from the fibrous web is being evenly distributed to the suction bores in the roll shell.
In an additional variation it is possible that the inside felt is also routed through the transfer nip.
Moreover it is advantageous if the inside felt is more compressible than the clothing. Thus the inside felt changes its thickness at a certain pressure load more than the clothing. This has a compensative effect, particularly in the pressure nip and possibly also in the transfer nip. Pressure spikes which could compromise the fibrous web can thereby be reduced or even avoided. It is also advantageous if the inside felt has a greater capillarity than the clothing. This counters remoistening of the fibrous web.
According to an additional practical advancement the clothing is provided by a water-absorbing felt. This is advantageous, particularly in the production of tissue webs having a low specific volume and high rate of production. In this case, the inside felt can be forgone, so that the fibrous web runs through the pressure nip between the felt which embodies the clothing and an outside felt which wraps partially around the press roll.
In an additional advantageous design variation the heating device is provided by a steam blow box, hot air pressure hood or a hot air blower hood. This has the advantage that the steam or the hot air flows through the fibrous web due to the vacuum in the suction roll, thereby being able to achieve effective heating of the fibrous web. The heating device preferably has a direct, in other words immediate influence upon the fibrous web. The surface of the fibrous web is exposed in the region of the heating device and not covered by a clothing.
It is also conceivable that the heating device is in the embodiment of an infrared or microwave emitter. In this case the fibrous web is primarily heated. Only heated ambient air flows through the fibrous web.
According to a preferred design variation the suction roll features a suction box in the region of the wraparound region and/or in the region of the pressure nip and/or after the pressure nip, providing suction zones. The suction box can thus be divided into three suction zones which can be controlled or adjusted independently in regard to the pressure. The first suction zone is essentially allocated to the wraparound region of the suction roll before the pressure nip, whereas the second suction zone is located in the region of the pressure nip. The third suction zone is located following the pressure nip and serves the conditioning or dewatering of the inside felt.
In an additional advantageous design form the distance between the forming section and the drying section is greater than the transfer distance formed by the distance between the pressure nip and the transfer nip. Because of the short transfer distance severe cooling of the fibrous web which was heated by the heating device is avoided and the thermal energy of the downstream drying cylinder can be used almost completely for drying without having to first heat the fibrous web.
In one practical design version the transfer distance is shorter than 3 m, in particular shorter than 2 m, preferably shorter than 1.5 m.
The press roll is advantageously partially wrapped by an outside felt. The outside felt is also softer than the textured fabric. The fibrous web is thereby pressed uniformly and independently of the transferred structure.
In one practical preferred design variation the clothing and the fibrous web are routed together through the transfer nip.
According to an additional embodiment the wraparound region extends in an angular range of 45° to 120°, preferably between 80° and 100°.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2010 039 456.4 | Aug 2010 | DE | national |
This is a continuation of PCT application No. PCT/EP2011/062196, entitled “APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A MATERIAL WEB”, filed Jul. 18, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/EP2011/062196 | Jul 2011 | US |
Child | 13768422 | US |