Method for making modified cellulose products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016289894-A1
Application number	US-201415035496-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 5, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Method for making modified cellulose products comprises—processing cellulose pulp to modified cellulose pulp at a manufacturing location to increase the susceptibility of fibers to disintegration,—setting the modified cellulose pulp to a suitable dry matter content, and—transporting the modified cellulose pulp at set dry matter content to a location of use, where the modified cellulose pulp is disintegrated to nanofibrillar cellulose.

First claim

1 . A method for making modified cellulose products, comprising
processing cellulose pulp to modified cellulose pulp at a manufacturing location to increase the susceptibility of fibers to disintegration, setting the modified cellulose pulp to a suitable dry matter content, and transporting the modified cellulose pulp at set dry matter content to a location of use, where the modified cellulose pulp is disintegrated to nanofibrillar cellulose.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the processing of cellulose pulp to modified cellulose pulp takes place by chemical or physical or enzymatic modification.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the processing of cellulose pulp takes place by chemical modification, where anionized or cationized cellulose is obtained.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the chemical modification is catalytic oxidation of cellulose, where carboxyl groups are produced in the cellulose.

5 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the chemical modification is carboxymethylation of cellulose or cationization of cellulose.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing location is a pulp mill.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dry matter content of the modified cellulose pulp is set to 5-95 wt-%, preferably to 10-95 wt-%, most preferably to 2060%.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the modified cellulose pulp is washed before transporting the modified cellulose pulp.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the modified cellulose pulp is washed by diluting it with washing water, and the setting of the dry matter content comprises concentrating the modified cellulose pulp by mechanically removing the washing water.

10 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the setting of the dry matter content comprises increasing the dry matter content further by evaporation after washing.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the modified cellulose is washed, and the measured conductivity of the modified cellulose pulp after washing, when suspended at a consistency of 2.5 wt-% in deionized water, is below 200 mS/m, preferably below 150 mS/m, and most preferably below 100 mS/m.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the modifed cellulose pulp is transported in rigid containers or in bags, especially in big bags (FIBC-type bags).

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein it comprises:
diluting the modified cellulose pulp at the location of use from the increased dry matter content to a disintegrating consistency, and disintegrating the modified cellulose pulp at the disintegrating consistency to nanofibrillar cellulose.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein it comprises:
mixing the modified cellulose pulp with water in a pulper, feeding the modified cellulose pulp from the pulper to a disintegrating device, treating the modified cellulose pulp in the disintegrating device which disintegrates the modified cellulose pulp to nanofibrillar cellulose, and collecting the nanofibrillar cellulose issuing from the disintegrating device.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the nanofibrillar cellulose is produced in a continuous mode.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein during the continuous mode part of the output of the disintegrating device is circulated to the feed of the disintegrating device.

17 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the nanofibrillar cellulose is produced in a batch mode.

18 . An apparatus installed at a location of use for manufacturing nanofibrillar cellulose from modified cellulose pulp transported to the location of use, said apparatus comprising
a pulper, a feeding chest or another pulper a disintegrating device a discharge vessel a conduit connecting the pulper to the feeding chest a conduit connecting the feeding chest to the disintegrating device, a conduit connecting the disintegrating device to the discharge vessel, and a pump for feeding modified cellulose pulp from the pulper to the disintegrating device.

19 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein it further comprises
circulation conduit connecting the outlet of the discharge vessel to the inlet of the disintegrating device or to the feeding chest, and after the discharge vessel, means for adjusting the circulation ratio.

20 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein it further comprises
dilution device connected to the outlet of the discharge vessel for diluting the nanofibrillar cellulose to the use concentration.

21 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the disintegrating device is:
a disperser-type device, where the modified cellulose pulp flows through several counter-rotating rotors in such a way that the material is repeatedly subjected to shear and impact forces by the effect of the different counter-rotating rotors, or a homogenizer, where the modified cellulose pulp is subjected to homogenization by the effect of pressure.

22 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein it comprises at least one of the following instrumentation:
temperature sensors before the disintegrating device and after the disintegrating device, on-line turbidometer, on-line viscometer.

23 . A transportable apparatus for manufacturing nanofibrillar cellulose to a location of use, said apparatus comprising
a pulper, a feeding chest or another pulper, a disintegrating device, and a discharge vessel, all packed in a transport container.

24 . The transportable apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein it also comprises a dilution device, also packed in the transport container.

25 . The transportable apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein it comprises at least one of the following instrumentation:
temperature sensors before the disintegrating device and after the disintegrating device, on-line turbidometer, on-line viscometer, packed in the transport container.

26 . The transportable apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the disintegrating device is:
a disperser-type device, where the modified cellulose pulp flows through several counter-rotating rotors in such a way that the material is repeatedly subjected to shear and impact forces by the effect of the different counter-rotating rotors, or a homogenizer, where the modified cellulose pulp is subjected to homogenization by the effect of pressure.

27 . The transportable apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the transport container is a shipping container.

28 . A modified cellulose product which is modified cellulose pulp where the fibers have increased susceptibility to disintegration as a result of the modification, packed in a rigid container or in a bag, especially in a big bag (FIBC-type bag), in a dry matter content of 5-95 wt-%, preferably 10-95 wt-%, most preferably 20-60 wt-%.

29 . The modified cellulose product according to claim 28 , wherein the modified cellulose pulp is chemically modified cellulose pulp where the cellulose is anionized or cationized cellulose.

30 . The modified cellulose product according to claim 29 , wherein the anionized cellulose is oxidized cellulose containing carboxyl groups, or carboxymethylated cellulose.

31 . The modified cellulose product according to claim 28 , wherein the m

Assignees

• Upm Kymmene Corp

Inventors

• Kajanto Isko
• Tamper Juha
• Nuopponen Markus
• Sinkko Tarja
• Tienvieri Taisto

Classifications

• D21C5/005 Primary

  Treatment of cellulose-containing material with microorganisms or enzymes · CPC title

• D21H11/16

  modified by a particular after-treatment · CPC title

• D21C9/002 Primary

  by chemical means; preparation of dewatered pulp, e.g. in sheet or bulk form, containing special additives · CPC title

• D21C9/007

  by mechanical or physical means · CPC title

• D21H11/18

  Highly hydrated, swollen or fibrillatable fibres · CPC title