Fiber-processing apparatus and fiber-processing method

Abstract

A fiber-processing apparatus includes a feed section feeding a dispersion containing liquid and a fibrous material which contains a polysaccharide as a main component and which is dispersed in the liquid and also includes an ejection section ejecting a fluid in which the concentration of the fibrous material is lower than that in the dispersion toward the fed dispersion to crush the fibrous material in the dispersion. The feed section preferably feeds the dispersion vertically downward. Furthermore, the ejection section preferably ejects the fluid downward rather than horizontally.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber-processing apparatus comprising:
 a feed section feeding a dispersion containing liquid and a fibrous material which contains a polysaccharide as a main component and which is dispersed in the liquid; and   an ejection section ejecting a fluid in which the concentration of the fibrous material is lower than that in the dispersion toward the fed dispersion to crush the fibrous material in the dispersion.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the feed section feeds the dispersion vertically downward. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the ejection section ejects the fluid toward the falling dispersion. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the ejection section ejects the fluid downward rather than horizontally. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a liquid having the same composition as that of the liquid in the dispersion and includes water or alcohols. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the concentration of the fibrous material in a mixture of the dispersion and the fluid is 10% by mass or more as calculated from the amount of the dispersion fed per unit time and the amount of the fluid ejected per unit time. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ejection pressure of the fluid is 100 MPa to 600 MPa. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ejection velocity of the fluid is Mach 1.0 or more. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the fibrous material in the dispersion is 10% by mass or more. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide is cellulose. 
     
     
         11 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein the fibrous material is a fibrillated product. 
     
     
         12 . The fiber-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the size of the fibrous material is such that the fiber width of monofilaments is 20 μm to 30 μm and the fiber length thereof is 1 mm to 3 mm. 
     
     
         13 . A fiber-processing method comprising ejecting fluid toward a dispersion containing liquid and a fibrous material which contains a polysaccharide as a main component and which is dispersed in the liquid to crush the fibrous material in the dispersion.