An improved blending apparatus for manufactured wood products with a rotating blending drum or cylinder with a pattern of alternating flights of different configurations extending from the interior of the drum. The flights lift the strands as the drum rotates to different heights before the strands free-fall back to the bottom of the drum. One flight is shorter, and may be trapezoidal in cross-section. The second flight is taller, and may have a bull-nose configuration with substantially vertical sides. During operation, the design of the bull-nose flight tends to hold more strands and to carry them closer to the top of the drum before the strands drop and fall. In contrast, the shorter height and angled sides of the trapezoidal flight tends to hold fewer strands and to not carry them as high along the side before strands drop and fall. The alternating pattern causes a more consistent and dispersed fall of strands as the drum rotates, resulting in a significantly larger and more consistent amount of the sprayed adhesives and waxes being applied to the strands, and not passing through gaps to build up on the drum wall.

The present invention describes the production of wood panel boards, or the like, in which a surface modifying agent is mixed with a polyol to prepare a stable surface modifying agent polyol composition. The resultant composition is reacted with an isocyanate, and in particular, a polymeric di-isocyanate resin, in the presence of wood chips, fibers or the like, for the production of lignocellulosic based panels, such as oriented strand board (OSB), MDF, HDF and particle board panel products. In use, the surface modifying agent polyol composition is mixed with the polymeric di-isocyanate resin and the resultant mixture is applied to a lignocel-lulosic material, such as wood chips or fibers, immediately prior to hot pressing of the mixture to produce the panels. Sticking of the panels to the metal press belts or press plates typically used during production, is reduced or eliminated.

An improved blending apparatus for blending of wood strands in the manufacture of engineered wood products. The blending process is performed with a rotating blending drum with an internal offset spike/paddle roll. The spike/paddle roll is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum, extends for some, all, or substantially all of the length of the drum, may rotate in either direction, and can rotate independently of or in conjunction with the rotation of the drum. The roll has a central cylinder or rod with a number of paddles, spikes, and/or tines, separately or in combinations, extending from the exterior. The paddles, spikes, and/or tines may extend at various angles and directions, including, but not limited to, substantially right angles. The paddles, spikes, and/or tines may be made of any suitable materials, including, and may be made of different materials. The rod may be driven by an external or internal motor or drive, or powered by the rotation of the drum itself.

A method of fabricating a cork composite material and a cork composite material. The method may comprise providing a plurality of cork particles in a volume and adding a dispersion of thermoplastic elastomer to the volume to provide a mixture of the dispersion of thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles. The method may comprise agitating the cork particles and/or the mixture of the dispersion of thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles and heating the mixture of the thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles. The method may comprise allowing the mixture of the thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles to cool. The steps of the method together may result in a plurality of coated cork particles being coated in a first layer of the thermoplastic elastomer.

A device for wetting particles, in particular wood particles, with an application agent, at least one conduit transporting a fluid as a fluid stream and an end section which forms an outlet. The fluid can be introduced in the direction of the main flow into a container containing the particles, via the outlet. The particles are in the container in a loosened state and/or can be loosened. The application agent, for spraying by a nozzle device with a speed component directed against the main flow direction, can be introduced into the fluid stream and can be guided to the particles by the fluid stream.

Provided are a structure and a method of forming a structure that includes a core made, at least in part, of a rice hull composition. The rice hull composition including a combination of separate, unground rice hulls; ground rice hulls; and a rice hull powder, that each have a different particle size. A caustic-free polyurethane resin binds the separated unground rice hulls, the ground rice hulls and the rice hull powder together.

Fiberboard or chipboard is made by first comminuting vegetable starting material in a first comminutor into a stream of loose plant particles with silicate particles. Then, in a first classifier silicate particles of a diameter of less than 50 m are separated from the plant particles of the stream. The plant particles remaining in the stream are then glue-coated, and the stream is pressed into fiberboard or chipboard.

An improved blending apparatus for manufactured wood products with a rotating blending drum or cylinder with a pattern of alternating flights of different configurations extending from the interior of the drum. The flights lift the strands as the drum rotates to different heights before the strands free-fall back to the bottom of the drum. One flight is shorter, and may be trapezoidal in cross-section. The second flight is taller, and may have a bull-nose configuration with substantially vertical sides. During operation, the design of the bull-nose flight tends to hold more strands and to carry them closer to the top of the drum before the strands drop and fall. In contrast, the shorter height and angled sides of the trapezoidal flight tends to hold fewer strands and to not carry them as high along the side before strands drop and fall. The alternating pattern causes a more consistent and dispersed fall of strands as the drum rotates, resulting in a significantly larger and more consistent amount of the sprayed adhesives and waxes being applied to the strands, and not passing through gaps to build up on the drum wall.