Method of manufacturing disposable wipers and towels containing 40% or more post-consumer waste
View Patent ↗A method of making a disposable wiper or towel. A slurry is created by blending virgin cellulose fibers with cellulose fibers from post-consumer waste to create a mixture of cellulose fibers that contains about 40 to about 80 percent cellulose fibers from post-consumer waste. A contaminant deactivator and debonder are added to the slurry. The slurry is formed into a wet web. The wet web is pressed and adhered a Yankee dryer. The partially dried sheet is creped and dried. The sheet is wound to form a base sheet roll. The base sheet is fed to a first printer. A binder is applied to a first side of the base sheet with the first printer and then pressed into the base sheet. The base sheet is recreped and dried.
1. A method of making a disposable wiper or towel, the method comprising:
creating a slurry including blending virgin cellulose fibers with cellulose fibers from post-consumer waste to create a mixture of cellulose fibers that contains about 40 to about 80 percent cellulose fibers from post-consumer waste;
adding a contaminant deactivator to the slurry;
adding a debonder to the slurry;
forming the slurry into a wet web;
pressing and adhering the wet web to a Yankee dryer to create a partially dried sheet;
creping the partially dried sheet;
drying the resultant sheet under support and control;
winding the sheet to form a base sheet roll;
feeding the base sheet to a first printer;
applying a binder to a first side of the base sheet with the first printer, the binder having a viscosity of about 5 to about 20 cps;
pressing the binder into the base sheet;
recreping the base sheet a first time; and
drying the recreped base sheet a first time.
2. A method as in claim 1 , the method further comprising:
feeding the dried recreped base sheet to a second printer;
applying a binder to a second side of the base sheet with the second printer, the binder having a viscosity of about 5 to about 20 cps;
pressing the binder into the base sheet;
recreping the base sheet a second time;
drying the double recreped base sheet a second time;
curing the binder applied in a curing oven; and
cooling the resultant double recreped sheet.
3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein forming the slurry into a wet web includes, providing the slurry to a former; and creating a web of fibers in the former.
4. A method as in claim 3 , further comprising applying an adhesive to the Yankee dryer and applying a release agent to the Yankee dryer.
5. A method as in claim 4 , the method further comprising controlling dryness of the wet web.
6. A method as in claim 1 , wherein drying the resultant sheet under support and control includes transferring the sheet to an after-dryer section.
7. A method of claim 1 wherein recreping the base sheet a first time increases bulk, softness and liquid absorbing capacity.
8. A method of claim 2 wherein recreping the base sheet a second time creates a loose internal web structure.
9. A method of making a disposable wiper or towel, the method comprising:
creating a slurry including blending virgin cellulose fibers with cellulose fibers from post-consumer waste to create a mixture of cellulose fibers that contains about 40 to about 80 percent cellulose fibers from post-consumer waste;
adding a contaminant deactivator to the slurry;
adding a debonder to the slurry;
forming the slurry into a wet web;
pressing and adhering the wet web to a Yankee dryer to create a partially dried sheet;
creping the partially dried sheet;
drying the resultant sheet under support and control to form a base sheet;
feeding the base sheet to a first printer;
applying a binder to a first side of the base sheet with the first printer;
pressing the binder into the base sheet;
recreping the base sheet a first time; and
drying the recreped base sheet a first time.
10. A method of claim 9 , wherein forming the slurry into a wet web includes minimizing hydration.
11. A method of claim 9 , wherein pressing and adhering the wet web to a Yankee dryer is accomplished at least in part by using a felt/press roll configuration.
12. A method of claim 11 , wherein pressing and adhering the wet web to a Yankee dryer is achieved under press-roll loading levels of about 300 pounds per linear inch to about 350 pound per linear inch limiting the creating of hydrogen bonds.
13. A method of claim 11 , wherein pressing and adhering the wet web to a Yankee dryer includes adding an adhesive.
14. A method of claim 9 , wherein creping the partially dried sheet includes adding a release modifier.
15. A method as in claim 9 , wherein drying the resultant sheet under support and control includes transferring the sheet to an after-dryer section.
16. A method claim 9 , wherein the binder has a viscosity of about 5 to about 20 cps.
17. A method of claim 9 , wherein pressing the binder into the base sheet includes automatically adjusting the level of pressing over a range of about 30 pounds per linear inch to about 65 pounds per linear inch.
18. A method of claim 17 , wherein automatically adjusting the level of pressing includes measuring a thickness of the web.
19. A method of claim 18 , wherein automatically adjusting the level of pressing includes increasing the pressing level if the measured thickness is above a target setting.
20. A method of claim 18 , wherein automatically adjusting the level of pressing includes decreasing the pressing level if the measured thickness is below a target setting.