Two types of machines are required to use bales of reclaimed fluff pulp: Bale opener and Metering feeder. Here are some principles of operation for these two types of machines.
1. Bale opener Type 1
Principle of operations:
- Bales are placed on the bales conveyor (1)
- Bales conveyor move at a speed related to the requirement of the metering feeder (see below topics 3 or 4)
- The needle conveyor breaks the bale
- An equalizing roll (A) assures there is no fluff clump
- The roll (B) is helping to clean the needles
- The fluff fibers fall into a hopper to be transported to one or many metering feeders by a fan (C) or falls directly into a metering feeder.
2. Bale opener Type 2
- Bales are placed on the bales conveyor (1)
- Bales conveyor move at a speed related to the requirement of the metering feeder (see below topics 3 or 4)
- Bales are broken when they reach high-speed needle rolls (3)
- Fluff fibers are transported to one or many metering feeders by a fan (C).
3. Metering feeder Type 1
- Fluff coming from the bale-opener fan (see topics 1 or 2) is separated from air (with a cyclone or a rotating perforated drum (D)).
- Fluff falls into an accumulator (E)
- Fluff is transported by 2 funnel shaped conveyors (F). Speed of conveyor is connected to diapers machine speed to determine the fluff volume required.
- A fan (G) brings the fluff to the drum forming section. One metering feeder is required by a drum forming.
- The logic control are as followed :
- Sensor a high level: Send to the bale opener a signal to stop the bales conveyor.
- Sensor b low level: Send to the bale opener a signal to increase the speed of the bales conveyor to fill the accumulator (E).
- Sensor c critical low level: Default alarm. Send a signal to the diapers line to stop using the reclaimed fluff and increase the speed of virgin fluff pulp rolls to keep the same weight.
4. Metering feeder Type 2
- Fluff coming from the bale-opener fan (see topics 1 or 2) arrive in an accumulator (E). The surplus of air passed through a vacuum conveyor (J).
- Fluff stay on the vacuum conveyor (J). The web is equalized by a series of high speed needle rolls. Speed of conveyor is connected to diapers machine speed to determine the fluff volume required.
- At the exit of the vacuum conveyor, a fan (G) brings the fluff to the drum forming section. One metering feeder is required by a drum forming.
- The logic control are as followed:
- Sensor a high level: Send to the bale opener a signal to stop the bales conveyor.
- Sensor b low level: Send to the bale opener a signal to increase the speed of the bales conveyor to fill the accumulator (E).
- Sensor c critical low level: Default alarm. Send a signal to the diapers line to stop using the reclaimed fluff and increase the speed of virgin fluff pulp rolls to keep the same weight.