Method of Chemical Treatment for Fibers

Abstract

Repeatable and reliable chemical treatment for loose fibers is achieved by spraying or immersing loose fibers in a chemical treatment bath, and continuously moving the soaked fibers through a continuous centrifuge. The continuous centrifuge controls the wet pickup of the chemical formulation on the fibers and assures a substantially even chemical distribution on the centrifuged fibers. The centrifuged fibers may be dried to fix the chemicals in the chemical formulation to the fibers and/or to remove water from the chemical formulation. Recycling of the chemical formulation from the continuous centrifuge allows for the process to be performed more economically and in a more environmentally friendly fashion.

1 . A continuous fiber treatment system, comprising:
 a chemical treatment bath for applying a chemical formulation to loose fibers by spraying or soaking:   a conveyer for continuously conveying said loose fibers through said chemical treatment bath; and   a continuous centrifuge which receives treated loose fibers with said chemical formulation from said chemical treatment bath conveyed by said conveyer and continuously produces centrifuged loose fibers that have said chemical formulation distributed on said loose fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The continuous fiber treatment system, wherein the conveyer is configured to hold the loose fibers substantially stationary during passage through the chemical treatment bath. 
     
     
         3 . The continuous fiber treatment system of  claim 1  further comprising a dryer which dries said centrifuged fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The continuous fiber treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said chemical treatment bath includes one or more of a sprayer and an immersion vessel. 
     
     
         5 . The continuous fiber treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said continuous centrifuge produces loose fibers coated and/or impregnated with said chemical formulation. 
     
     
         6 . The continuous fiber treatment system of  claim 1  further comprising a recycling conduit which recycles chemical formulation from said continuous centrifuge to said chemical treatment bath. 
     
     
         7 . The continuous fiber treatment system of  claim 1  further comprising a chemical formulation preparation tank which supplies chemical formulation to said chemical treatment bath. 
     
     
         8 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method for continuous chemical treatment of loose fibers,
 comprising the steps of:   applying a chemical formulation to loose fibers as the loose fibers continuously move through a chemical treatment bath, wherein said step of applying is performed by one or more of spraying the chemical formulation on the loose fibers and soaking the loose fibers with the chemical formulation;   continuously conveying said fibers through said chemical treatment bath; and then   centrifuging with a continuous centrifuge said loose fibers with applied chemical formulation received from the chemical treatment bath to produce centrifuged loose fibers.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of squeezing the loose fibers prior to said step of centrifuging. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of drying the centrifuged fibers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of applying is performed by spraying the loose fibers with the chemical formulation. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of applying is performed by immersing the loose fibers in the chemical formulation. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said the step of using said continuous centrifuge produces loose fibers coated and/or impregnated with said chemical formulation. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of recycling chemical formulation from said continuous centrifuge to said chemical treatment bath. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of supplying a portion of said chemical formulation to said chemical treatment bath from a chemical formulation preparation tank. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said step of holding is performed by holding said loose fibers to one or more conveyors.