Apparatus and method for processing wood fibers

Abstract

A refining member for a pulp refiner comprising a refining body with a refining surface comprising refiner bars separated by refiner grooves and teeth. Each of the refiner bars extend from a radially inward position on the refining surface to a first radially outward position on the refining surface, and the teeth extend to a second radially outward position on the refining surface. The second radially outward position is nearer to an outermost part of the refining body than the first radially outward position. The refiner bars are adapted to refine wood fibers, and the teeth are adapted to break up fiber bundles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refining member for a pulp refiner, the refining member comprising:
 a refining body including a refining surface comprising:   refiner bars separated by refiner grooves, each of the refiner bars extending from a radially inward position on the refining surface to a first radially outward position on the refining surface; and   teeth extending to a second radially outward position on the refining surface, wherein the second radially outward position is nearer to an outermost part of the refining body than the first radially outward position; and   wherein the refiner bars are adapted to refine wood fibers and the teeth are adapted to break up fiber bundles.   
     
     
         2 . The refining member of  claim 1 , wherein the refiner bars have a first maximum height, when measured from a floor of an adjacent refiner groove, from about 4 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The refining member of  claim 1 , wherein the refiner bars have a width extending between side edges of from about 2 mm to about 8 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The refining member of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the refiner grooves are provided with dams. 
     
     
         5 . A pulp refiner comprising:
 a frame;   at least a first pair of refining members comprising:
 a first refining member associated with the frame and comprising a first refining body including a first refining surface comprising: first refiner bars separated by first refiner grooves, each of the first refiner bars extending from a radially inward position on the first refining surface to a first radially outward position on the first refining surface, and first teeth extending to a further radially outward position on the first refining surface, wherein the further radially outward position is nearer to an outermost part of the first refining body than the first radially outward position; 
 a second refining member associated with the frame and comprising a second refining body including a second refining surface; 
 the first refining member being spaced from the second refining member to define a refining space therebetween; 
   a rotor associated with the frame and coupled to one of the first refining member or the second refining member such that rotation of the rotor effects movement of the first and second refining members relative to one another; and   wherein when a slurry of wood pulp comprising wood fibers is supplied to the frame, the wood pulp slurry passes through the refining space such that a significant number of the wood fibers in the wood pulp slurry are refined and a plurality of wood fiber bundles in the wood pulp slurry are separated.   
     
     
         6 . The pulp refiner of  claim 5 , wherein the second refining member comprises a second refining body including a second refining surface comprising: second refiner bars separated by second refiner grooves, each of the second refiner bars extending from a radially inward position on the second refining surface to a first radially outward position on the second refining surface, and second teeth extending to a second radially outward position on the second refining surface, wherein the second radially outward position is nearer to an outermost part of the second refining body than the first radially outward position. 
     
     
         7 . The pulp refiner of  claim 6 , wherein the second refining surface comprises a first row of the second teeth extending to the second radially outward position on the second refining surface and a second row of the second teeth extending to a fourth radially outward position on the second refining surface. 
     
     
         8 . The pulp refiner of  claim 7 , wherein the first teeth intermesh with the second teeth. 
     
     
         9 . The pulp refiner of  claim 5 , wherein the first refining member is a non-rotating stator member and the second refining member is a rotating rotor member.