Apparatus and method for separating fibres from plants

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to separating fibres from plant straw where the separated fibres retain properties that are favourable for manufacturing textiles. Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus that comprises multiple separation-units for separating the desired fibres from the other constituent components of the plant straw. The apparatus may further comprise a recycling system for fluids used within the one or more separation units. Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for separating fibres from the other constituent components of the plant straw.

1 . An apparatus for separating one or more fibres from a pre-processed plant-straw input, the apparatus comprising:
 a first separation-unit for receiving the pre-processed plant-straw input and for separating a stalk component from a fibre component and a gel component of the pre-processed plant-straw product by friction and/or pressure; and   a third separation-unit for separating at least a portion of the gel component from the fibre component by compressing the at least a portion of the gel component through a mesh.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the third separation-unit comprises a belt that is at least partially made up of the mesh and wherein the belt is configured to receive the gel component and the fibre component. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the third separation-unit comprises a pair of opposed rollers that are positioned above and below the mesh and wherein the opposed rollers define a pinch point where the at least a portion of the gel component is compressed through the mesh. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising one or more jets for directing a pressurized flow of process fluids towards the mesh. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising one or more jets for directing a pressurized flow of process fluids towards or proximal to the pinch point. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of any one of  claim 5 , further comprising a collection tray for receiving the gel component that has been compressed through the mesh and wherein the collection tray is positioned below the mesh. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of any one of  claim 6 , further comprising a further collection tray for receiving the fibre component from the mesh and wherein the collection tray is positioned below the mesh. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first separation-unit comprises a pair of opposed rollers for receiving the pre-processed plant-straw input therebetween and wherein the pair of opposed rollers apply friction to the pre-processed plant-straw input. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the pair of opposed rollers comprise bristles and/or are covered in a cloth selected from a group consisting of: polyester, rayon, microfiber, a cellulosic fabric and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the pair of opposed rollers rotate at the same speed or different speeds. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the pair of opposed rollers rotate in the same direction or different directions. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising one or more jets that direct a pressurized treatment fluid at or proximal to between the pair of opposed rollers. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second separation-unit for receiving an intermediate material from the first separating-unit, wherein the second separation-unit comprises a textured belt for separating the stalk component from the fibre component and the gel component. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a fourth separation-unit for receiving the fibre component from the third separating-unit, wherein the fourth separation-unit comprises a container and internal filter and the container is configured to treat the fibre component with one or more chemical-based process treatments for separating the fibre component from a residual gel-component. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the chemical-based process treatments are selected from a group consisting of: exposure to water and heat; exposure to a mixture of water and one or more detergent-like compounds; exposure to a mixture of water and one or more oils; exposure to a mixture of water and one or more soap-like compounds; exposure to a mixture of water and one or more proteins; exposure to a mixture of water, one or more detergent-like compounds and one or more industrial fabric softener compounds; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid recycling-system for recovering process fluids from the apparatus and for separating gel particles from the process fluid to produce recovered water. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising one or more conduits for conducting the recovered water for use in the apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid recycling-system comprises a collection tank for receiving process fluids with a gel component therein from the apparatus and a separator for causing particles of the gel component to float. 
     
     
         19 . A method of processing a pre-processed plant-straw input for producing a fibre, the method comprising steps of:
 a. separating a stalk component, a fibre component and a gel component from the pre-processed plant-straw input by applying friction and/or pressurized treatment fluids to the pre-processed plant-straw product; and   b. separating the gel component from the fibre component by compressing the gel component through a mesh.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising steps of:
 c. collecting processing fluids used during step a or step b;   d. reducing an amount of the gel component in the collected processing fluids to produce recovered water; and   e. using the recovered water as at least part of the treatment fluids in step a and/or as a treatment fluid in step b.