A raw material supply device includes a plurality of supply portions for supplying the raw material, a detection portion for detecting a state of the supply portion, and a control portion for controlling the supply portion, in which when the plurality of supply portions are in a normal state, the control portion switches the supply portions at a predetermined timing, and causes each of the supply portions to supply the raw material.

A raw material supply device includes a plurality of supply portions for supplying the raw material, a detection portion for detecting a state of the supply portion, and a control portion for controlling the supply portion, in which when the plurality of supply portions are in a normal state, the control portion switches the supply portions at a predetermined timing, and causes each of the supply portions to supply the raw material.

The present invention provides a liquid-absorbing raw material processing system and its operation method. The liquid-absorbing raw material processing system is composed of a cutting module, a bulk pulping module, a salt slurry processing module, and a liquid-absorbing raw material manufacturing module, which are connected in series. The operating method of the liquid-absorbing raw material processing system is to process absorptive articles such as diapers or sanitary napkins, etc., which are retained and made into fluff liquid-absorbing raw materials through the purification and separation steps performed by the modules of the liquid-absorbing raw material processing system.

In some variations, OCC is screened, cleaned, deinked, and mechanically refined to generate cellulose nanofibrils. The OCC may be subjected to further chemical, physical, or thermal processing, prior to mechanical refining. For example, the OCC may be subjected to hot-water extraction, or fractionation with an acid catalyst, a solvent for lignin, and water. In certain embodiments to produce cellulose nanocrystals, OCC is exposed to AVAP digestor conditions. The resulting pulp is optionally bleached and is mechanically refined to generate cellulose nanocrystals. In certain embodiments to produce cellulose nanofibrils, OCC is exposed to GreenBox+ digestor conditions. The resulting pulp is mechanically refined to generate cellulose nanofibrils. The site of a system to convert OCC to nanocellulose may be co-located with an existing OCC processing site. The nanocellulose line may be a bolt-on retrofit system to existing infrastructure. In other embodiments, a dedicated plant for converting OCC to nanocellulose is used.

A process for producing polyols from a low viscosity slurry comprising a thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass which has been subjected to a fiber shives reduction step is provided. Specifically, a continuous process for catalyzing the formation of polyol products, such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, from the low viscosity slurry is provided.

A process for producing polyols from a low viscosity slurry comprising a thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass which has been subjected to a fiber shives reduction step is provided. Specifically, a continuous process for catalyzing the formation of polyol products, such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, from the low viscosity slurry is provided.

A process for producing a non-woven grass fibre product comprises providing a grass fibre biomass obtained by aerobic fermentation of a meadow grass slurry and removal of digestible elements released during aerobic fermentation, mixing and shaping the grass fibre biomass to form a non- woven grass fibre mat, and binding and drying the mat to form the non-woven grass fibre product. The process includes a step of addition of non-fermented grass to the grass fibre biomass prior to the mixing and shaping step in which the mixture of grass and grass fibre biomass contains 15-50% by weight of grass. The use of a non-woven grass fibre product of the invention as thermal and acoustic insulation material for a building or a vehicle, as a packaging material for industrial products such as engines, industrial machines, and parts thereof, and as a filler for a mattress, is also described.

A process for producing a non-woven grass fibre product comprises providing a grass fibre biomass obtained by aerobic fermentation of a meadow grass slurry and removal of digestible elements released during aerobic fermentation, mixing and shaping the grass fibre biomass to form a non- woven grass fibre mat, and binding and drying the mat to form the non-woven grass fibre product. The process includes a step of addition of non-fermented grass to the grass fibre biomass prior to the mixing and shaping step in which the mixture of grass and grass fibre biomass contains 15-50% by weight of grass. The use of a non-woven grass fibre product of the invention as thermal and acoustic insulation material for a building or a vehicle, as a packaging material for industrial products such as engines, industrial machines, and parts thereof, and as a filler for a mattress, is also described.