Process for Producing Dried Singulated Fibers Using Steam and Heated Air

Abstract

Dried, singulated cellulose pulp fiber is produced by introducing wet pulp steam and air into a jet dryer. The air is heated to a temperature of 250° C. to 600° C. Steam is injected at a nozzle pressure of from 344 KPa (50 psig) to 4,137 KPa (600 psig). The pulp is removed from the jet dryer and separated from the air. The product formed has advantageous properties such as low fines count, improved kink curl and twist, and high permeability.

1 . A process for producing singulated pulp fibers, comprising: 
 introducing a never-dried, wet pulp, and air into a jet dryer that recirculates said pulp in a loop;    heating said air prior to introduction into said dryer to a temperature of from about 250° C. to about 600° C.    maintaining the pressure at which air is introduced into the drier at a pressure of about 20.7 KPa (3 psig) to about 103.5 KPa (15 psig).    
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the pressure is maintained from about 20.7 KPa (3 psig) to about 34.5 KPa (5 psig).