Apparatus and method for the wet heat treatment of continuous textile substrates

Abstract

A continuously operating apparatus for the wet heat treatment of a continuous textile substrate advancing in a predetermined direction is described, the apparatus comprising: a unit for hydro-thermal treatment of the textile substrate, comprising a chamber able to contain a heated treatment fluid; a first group for conveying the textile substrate into the hydro-thermal treatment unit; and a second group for conveying the textile substrate out of the hydro-thermal treatment unit, characterized in that it also comprises pressure sealing groups, said pressure sealing groups being associated with said substrate conveying groups so as to close said chamber in a substantially sealed manner so that the treatment fluid may be pressurized to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.

1 . A continuously operating apparatus for wet heat treatment of a continuous textile substrate advancing in a predetermined direction, the apparatus comprising: 
 a unit for hydro-thermal treatment of said textile substrate, said unit comprising a chamber able to contain a heated treatment fluid;    a first conveying group for conveying said textile substrate into said hydro-thermal treatment unit; and    a second conveying group for conveying said textile substrate out of said hydro-thermal treatment unit,    wherein said apparatus further comprises    pressure sealing groups, said pressure sealing groups being associated with said first and second substrate conveying groups so as to close said chamber in a substantially sealed manner so that said treatment fluid may be pressurized to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second conveying groups comprises at least one motorized roller.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said pressure sealing groups comprises a substantially idle roller having a lateral surface with a lining of a resilient material.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein it also comprises pressure transmission means, said pressure transmission means cooperating with said pressure sealing groups.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein each of said pressure sealing groups comprises a longitudinal sealing element which engages at bottom flush with a lateral surface of said at least one motorized roller.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said pressure sealing groups comprises first transverse sealing elements which engage transversely in a sealed manner with a lateral surface of said at least one motorized roller at respective ends.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein each of said pressure sealing groups comprises second transverse sealing elements at least partially engaged flush with said first transverse sealing elements of said motorized rollers.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said longitudinal sealing element comprises an inflatable tube and a sliding block element made of anti-friction material, said sliding block element being mounted on said inflatable tube.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said longitudinal sealing element is substantially integral with pairs of end plates.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said first transverse sealing elements comprise sliding block elements which are substantially semicircular and made of anti-friction material and which are coupled with elastic thrusting elements.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said first transverse sealing elements are housed and supported in pairs of end plates.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said second transverse sealing elements comprise sliding block elements which are substantially circular and made of anti-friction material.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said second transverse sealing elements are associated with end walls of said idle roller and engaged flush with said pair of end plates.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a rotating—preferably heated—cylindrical drum is housed inside said chamber.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said chamber comprises a chamber portion which houses a regulating roller for controlling a tension of said textile substrate.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said regulating roller is operationally connected to said first conveying group for conveying said textile substrate into said unit.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said unit for hydro-thermal treatment of said textile substrate comprises a first circuit for supplying and pressurizing said treatment fluid inside said chamber.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said unit for hydro-thermal treatment of said textile substrate comprises a second circuit for heating the treatment fluid inside said chamber.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said first supplying and pressurizing circuit and said second heating circuit are operationally connected to a management system.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said treatment fluid is an essentially water-based fluid.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein relations between a temperature-dependent equilibrium pressure of water and a pressure-dependent equilibrium temperature of water have been entered into said management system so as to be able to define a predetermined set-point value “Pset” of pressure and a predetermined set-point value “Tset” of temperature so that an actual pressure “Pe” and an actual temperature “Te” of said treatment fluid are measured and compared with respective set-point values “Pset” and “Tset” and, if necessary, the actual pressure and the actual temperature are corrected until a divergence between values, i.e. “Pe” and “Pset” and “Te” and “Tset”, respectively, falls within a predefined tolerance range.  
   
   
       22 . A method for wet heat treatment of a continuous textile substrate advancing in a predetermined direction, the method comprising: 
 conveying said textile substrate into a unit for hydro-thermal treatment of said textile substrate;    hydro-thermally treating said textile substrate inside a chamber with a heated treatment fluid; and    conveying said textile substrate out of said unit,    wherein it further comprises:    closing said chamber in a substantially sealed manner by means of pressure sealing groups; and    pressurizing said treatment fluid within said sealingly closed chamber to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.    
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein it further comprises the step of bringing said treatment fluid to a preestablished temperature, said preestablished temperature being higher than boiling temperature at atmospheric pressure.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the step of pressurizing said treatment fluid inside said chamber comprises the step of pressurizing the treatment fluid to a pressure of between about 0 bar and 3.0 bar, preferably between about 0.5 and 2.5 bar and even more preferably between 1.0 and 2.0 bar.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the step of hydro-thermally treating the textile substrate inside a chamber with a heated treatment fluid comprises the step of filling said chamber completely with treatment fluid.