A system for treatment of a biomass material, said system comprising: a first vessel (3) in which said biomass material is treated under a first pressure; a second vessel (5) in which said biomass material is received and held at a second pressure which is lower than the first pressure; a transporting pipe (7) connecting an outlet (9) of the first vessel (3) with an inlet (11) of the second vessel (5) for transporting the biomass material from the first vessel to the second vessel; and a valve (15; 15′; 15) arranged in said transporting pipe (7), said valve being configured for controlling the flow of biomass material and fluid in the transporting pipe (7), wherein said transporting pipe (7) is asymmetrically connected to an outlet (33′; 33) of said valve (15; 15′; 15) such that a generated jet stream of biomass material delivered out from the outlet (33′; 33) of the valve (15; 15′; 15) is received closer to a transporting pipe longitudinal central axis (A1) than if the outlet (33′; 33) of the valve (15; 15′; 15) and the transporting pipe (7) would have been connected symmetrically.

A plug screw feeder (1) comprises a plug screw (10) with a thread (12) and a plug screw housing (20) surrounding the plug screw. The plug screw housing comprises an inlet opening (24) in a side of the plug screw and in a vicinity of a first axial end (18) of the plug screw. The plug screw is arranged for feeding lignocellulosic biomass material (99) from the inlet opening to a second axial end (19) of the plug screw when being rotated. The thread, in at least a part of an inlet section (15) of the plug screw, presents a jagged peripheral rim (14A) with an inwards directed leading edge. The inlet section is defined as the section of the plug screw passing the inlet opening during rotation. A feeding arrangement and system for treatment of lignocellulosic biomass material comprising such a plug screw feeder is also disclosed.

A method for separating fibers using a container, a vacuum pump which is connected to the container volume via a vacuum valve, and a ventilation line with a cross-sectional opening and a valve. The valve can be switched between a closed and open state in a time domain of 19-41 ms and from the open state into the closed state in a time domain of 20 to 45 ms. The method has the steps of filling the container with water and fiber composite, closing the container, mixing the water and the fiber composite using mechanical energy, by stirring, generating kinetic energy in the fiber composite by lowering the container internal pressure to a value between −700 to −950 hPa, and equalizing the pressure in the container to generate cavitation in the fiber composite. The pressure equalization taking place within at least onetime domain of 0.001-1 s.

A refining disc (6) in a defibrator (1) for refining fibrous material is provided with non-central openings (11) for allowing steam developed in the refining space (2) during refining to flow from the front side to the backside of the refining disc (6), where the front side is facing a second refining disc (5) and the backside is facing away from the second refining disc (5). The refining disc (6) also comprises a central hole (12) for allowing steam (8b) to flow from the backside to the front side at the rotational center of the refining disc (6), and escape from the defibrator (1) backwards through the feed screw (3a) without passing through the fibrous material (7) being refined in the refining space (2).

A refining disc (6) in a defibrator (1) for refining fibrous material is provided with non-central openings (11) for allowing steam developed in the refining space (2) during refining to flow from the front side to the backside of the refining disc (6), where the front side is facing a second refining disc (5) and the backside is facing away from the second refining disc (5). The refining disc (6) also comprises a central hole (12) for allowing steam (8b) to flow from the backside to the front side at the rotational center of the refining disc (6), and escape from the defibrator (1) backwards through the feed screw (3a) without passing through the fibrous material (7) being refined in the refining space (2).

A system for treatment of a biomass material, said system comprising: a first vessel (3) in which said biomass material is treated under a first pressure; a second vessel (5) in which said biomass material is received and held at a second pressure which is lower than the first pressure; a transporting pipe (7) connecting an outlet (9) of the first vessel (3) with an inlet (11) of the second vessel (5) for transporting the biomass material from the first vessel to the second vessel; and a valve (15; 15′; 15) arranged in said transporting pipe (7), said valve being configured for controlling the flow of biomass material and fluid in the transporting pipe (7), wherein said transporting pipe (7) is asymmetrically connected to an outlet (33′; 33) of said valve (15; 15′; 15) such that a generated jet stream of biomass material delivered out from the outlet (33′; 33) of the valve (15; 15′; 15) is received closer to a transporting pipe longitudinal central axis (A1) than if the outlet (33′; 33) of the valve (15; 15′; 15) and the transporting pipe (7) would have been connected symmetrically.

A feeding arrangement comprising a transportation means (3) for transportation of material from a material supply to at least a first chute (7) and a second chute (8), a plug screw feeder (11) for feeding the material to the treatment stage. The plug screw feeder (11) is provided with a first inlet opening (12) connected to the first chute (7), which first chute (7) is provided between the transportation means (3) and the plug screw feeder (11). Further, the transportation means (3) comprises at least selectively openable first and second outlets (4, 5) arranged at different axial positions along the transportation means (2), which first outlet (4) is in connection with the first chute (7) and the second outlet (5) is in connection with the second chute (8).

A coarse crushing device including a rotary cutter portion tearing off a fiber-containing sheet in a first direction, a roller portion pinching the fiber-containing sheet, and a tearing portion provided between the rotary cutter portion and the roller portion, and having a plurality of blades tearing off the fiber-containing sheet in a second direction intersecting the first direction, in which the rotary cutter portion includes a first rotating shaft member rotating about a first axis, a second rotating shaft member rotating reversely to the first rotating shaft member about a second axis parallel to the first axis, a plurality of first rotary cutters provided on the first rotating shaft member and rotating together with the first rotating shaft member, and a plurality of second rotary cutters provided on the second rotating shaft member and rotating together with the second rotating shaft member, and the first rotary cutter and the second rotary cutter are separated from each other.

A coarse crushing device including a rotary cutter portion tearing off a fiber-containing sheet in a first direction, a roller portion pinching the fiber-containing sheet, and a tearing portion provided between the rotary cutter portion and the roller portion, and having a plurality of blades tearing off the fiber-containing sheet in a second direction intersecting the first direction, in which the rotary cutter portion includes a first rotating shaft member rotating about a first axis, a second rotating shaft member rotating reversely to the first rotating shaft member about a second axis parallel to the first axis, a plurality of first rotary cutters provided on the first rotating shaft member and rotating together with the first rotating shaft member, and a plurality of second rotary cutters provided on the second rotating shaft member and rotating together with the second rotating shaft member, and the first rotary cutter and the second rotary cutter are separated from each other.

Methods and apparatus for fabricating a molded fiber part are described. A system for forming a molded fiber container includes a first plate configured to receive a molded fiber part having a moisture content, and a second plate configured to compress the part against the first plate, wherein at least one of the first and second plates includes a die cutting blade.