阅读说明：本技术 纤维素无纺布的丝光处理设备及使用其的丝光处理方法 (Mercerizing equipment for cellulose non-woven fabric and mercerizing method using same ) 是由 李在龙 崔贤贞 于 2021-04-28 设计创作，主要内容包括：纤维素无纺布的丝光处理设备及使用其的丝光处理方法。本公开涉及一种用于纤维素无纺布的丝光处理的设备及方法,其允许连续地执行针对纤维素无纺布的丝光处理,在丝光处理期间防止无纺布的过度收缩并且工艺处理效率,并且能够应用于羧甲基纤维素CMC无纺布的连续制造工艺。(Mercerizing equipment for cellulose non-woven fabrics and a mercerizing method using the same. The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for mercerization of a cellulose nonwoven fabric, which allows continuous execution of mercerization for the cellulose nonwoven fabric, prevents excessive shrinkage of the nonwoven fabric during mercerization and process treatment efficiency, and can be applied to a continuous manufacturing process of carboxymethyl cellulose CMC nonwoven fabric.)

1. A mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabrics, the mercerization apparatus comprising:

a mercerizing tank in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric is partially or completely immersed in an alkali solution;

a row of upper mounting rollers disposed in the mercerization tank and having p upper mounting rollers arranged in the machine direction MD while being oriented in parallel in the transverse direction TD, wherein p is an integer greater than or equal to 5; and

a row of lower mounting rollers disposed in the mercerization tank below the upper mounting rollers and having q lower mounting rollers arranged in the MD while oriented parallel in the TD, wherein q is an integer greater than or equal to 5.

2. The mercerizing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cellulose non-woven fabric is conveyed in a state of being alternately mounted on the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller.

3. The mercerization apparatus of claim 1, wherein,

the upper mounting roller rotates in a forward direction, and

the lower mounting roller rotates in a reverse direction.

4. The mercerization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower mounting rollers have a height below the level of the caustic solution.

5. The mercerization apparatus of claim 1, wherein,

the upper mounting roller is higher than the liquid level of the alkali solution, and

the height of the lower mounting roller is lower than the liquid level of the alkali solution.

6. The mercerization apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a nozzle configured to spray the alkali solution onto the cellulose nonwoven fabric.

7. The mercerization apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a drive shaft secured to any one or more of the upper and lower mounting rollers to move the rollers secured to the drive shaft in a vertical direction.

8. The mercerization apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a conveying roller formed at a front end of the mercerizing apparatus to continuously feed the cellulose non-woven fabric to be treated; and

a press roll formed at a rear end of the mercerizing apparatus to continuously discharge the mercerized cellulose nonwoven fabric.

9. The mercerization apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cooling member configured to control the temperature inside the mercerization apparatus.

10. The mercerizing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a ratio R of rpm of a roller disposed at a front end to a roller disposed at a rear end among rollers constituting the upper and lower rows of mounting rollers is R₁：R₂At 100: 80 to 100: 98, respectively.

11. The mercerizing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a separation distance G between upper and lower mounting rollers disposed at a front end among rollers constituting the row of upper and lower mounting rollers_H1A separation distance G from the upper and lower mounting rollers provided at the rear end_H2The ratio of (A) to (B) is 100: 75 to 100: 95, or higher.

12. A mercerization process for cellulose nonwoven fabric using the mercerization apparatus of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

a mercerizing operation in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric is treated with an alkali solution for 20 seconds to 60 seconds.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a mercerizing apparatus of a cellulose nonwoven fabric capable of performing continuous processing and a mercerizing method using the same.

Background

In recent years, interest in the field of beauty (particularly for facial skin care) has increased. One of the methods of facial skin care is to apply various forms of cosmetics or functional sheet masks.

The existing sheet pack mask involves applying a sheet pack made of a non-woven fabric and impregnated with essence components to the face of a user. However, the sheet-shaped mask made of a cotton material or the like has a limitation in that essential components are not absorbed into the mask to a high degree.

As one method of increasing the degree of absorption of essential components into the sheet-shaped mask, a method of chemically treating a cellulose nonwoven fabric to manufacture a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) nonwoven fabric may be considered. Fig. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional method of manufacturing a CMC nonwoven fabric. Referring to fig. 1, an operation of immersing the cellulose non-woven fabric in an alkaline solution (S10), a primary aging operation of picking up the impregnated cellulose non-woven fabric and then aging (S11), an operation of immersing the primary aged cellulose non-woven fabric in a carboxymethylation solution (S20), and a secondary aging operation of picking up the impregnated cellulose non-woven fabric and then aging again (S21) may be performed. Then, a neutralization operation (S30) and a washing operation (S40) are performed to manufacture the CMC nonwoven fabric. However, there are the following limitations: the operation of immersion in an alkaline solution (S10), the operation of immersion in a carboxymethylated solution (S20), the operation of neutralization (S30), and the washing operation (S40) are batch processes, and thus cannot be applied as a continuous process. Specifically, there is a problem in that, in order to maintain the uniformity of the product, an aging operation (S11, S21) is required to be performed after the operation of immersing in an alkali solution (S10) and the operation of immersing in a carboxymethylated solution (S20), respectively. The conventional method has limitations in that the processing efficiency is not good and the product uniformity is low.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new manufacturing technique capable of solving the problems occurring in the conventional process of manufacturing CMC nonwoven fabrics.

[ related art documents ]

[ patent document ]

(patent document 1) U.S. unexamined patent application publication No.2016-

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method capable of continuously performing a mercerization process for a cellulose nonwoven fabric when manufacturing a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) nonwoven fabric.

The present disclosure provides a mercerization apparatus for cellulose non-woven fabrics. In one example, a mercerization apparatus for a cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure includes: a mercerizing tank in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric is partially or completely immersed in an alkali solution; a row of upper mounting rollers disposed in the mercerizing bath and having p upper mounting rollers (wherein p is an integer greater than or equal to 5) arranged in the Machine Direction (MD) while being oriented in parallel in the Transverse Direction (TD); and a row of lower mounting rollers disposed below the upper mounting rollers in the mercerizing bath and having q lower mounting rollers (where q is an integer greater than or equal to 5) arranged in the MD while oriented in parallel in the TD.

In one example, a mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure may have the following structure: the cellulose nonwoven fabric is conveyed in a state of being alternately mounted on the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller.

In another example, a mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure may have the following structure: the upper mounting roller rotates in a forward direction and the lower mounting roller rotates in a reverse direction.

In one particular example, a mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure may have the following structure: the height of the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller is lower than the liquid level of the alkaline solution for treating the cellulose non-woven fabric with the alkali.

In another particular example, a mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure may have the following structure: the height of the upper mounting roller is higher than the liquid level of the alkali solution, and the height of the lower mounting roller is lower than the liquid level of the alkali solution.

In yet another example, the mercerization apparatus for a cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure may further include a nozzle configured to spray the alkali solution onto the cellulose nonwoven fabric.

In yet another example, the mercerizing apparatus for cellulose non-woven fabric according to the present disclosure may further include a driving shaft fastened to any one or more of the upper and lower mounting rollers to move the rollers fastened to the driving shaft in a vertical direction.

In yet another example, the mercerizing apparatus for cellulose non-woven fabric according to the present disclosure may further include a conveying roller formed at a front end of the mercerizing apparatus to continuously feed the cellulose non-woven fabric to be treated, and a pressing roller formed at a rear end of the mercerizing apparatus to continuously discharge the mercerized cellulose non-woven fabric.

In yet another example, the mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure may further include: a cooling member configured to control a temperature inside the mercerization apparatus.

In one specific example, among the rollers constituting the upper and lower rows of the mounting rollers, the ratio of the number of revolutions per minute (R) of the roller disposed at the front end to the roller disposed at the rear end₁：R₂) May be performed at 100: 80 to 100: 98, respectively.

In another specific example, among the rollers constituting the row of upper mounting rollers and the row of lower mounting rollers, a separation distance (G) between the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller provided at the leading end_H1) A separation distance (G) between the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller arranged at the rear end_H2) The ratio of the two can be between 100: 75 to 100: 95, or higher.

Furthermore, the present disclosure provides a mercerization method of a cellulose non-woven fabric using the above mercerization apparatus. In one example, a mercerization method for a cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure includes a mercerization operation in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric is treated with an alkali solution for 20 seconds to 60 seconds.

Drawings

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a flow chart illustrating a conventional method of treating a cellulose nonwoven fabric;

fig. 2 and 3 are process diagrams illustrating a mercerization process using a treating apparatus for a cellulose non-woven fabric according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

fig. 4 is a process diagram illustrating a process for manufacturing a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) nonwoven fabric including a mercerization apparatus for a cellulose nonwoven fabric according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Since various modifications may be made to the disclosure, and the disclosure may have various embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments, and all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives included in the spirit and technical scope of the disclosure should be understood to belong to the disclosure.

The present disclosure provides a mercerization apparatus for cellulose non-woven fabrics. In one embodiment, a mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure includes: a mercerizing tank in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric is partially or completely immersed in an alkali solution; a row of upper mounting rollers disposed in the mercerizing bath and having p upper mounting rollers (wherein p is an integer greater than or equal to 5) arranged in the Machine Direction (MD) while being oriented in parallel in the Transverse Direction (TD); and a row of lower mounting rollers disposed below the upper mounting rollers in the mercerizing bath and having q lower mounting rollers (where q is an integer greater than or equal to 5) arranged in the MD while oriented in parallel in the TD.

The number of upper mounting rollers (p) and the number of lower mounting rollers (q) are each in the range of 5 to 100, respectively. Specifically, the number of upper mounting rollers (p) and the number of lower mounting rollers (q) are each in the range of 5 to 50, 5 to 30, or 8 to 20, respectively. For example, the number (p) of upper mounting rollers and the number (q) of lower mounting rollers may be equal to each other, or any one of the number (p) of upper mounting rollers and the number (q) of lower mounting rollers may be larger than the other. In another example, in the mercerizing apparatus, the cellulose non-woven fabric is first moved along the lower installation roller and then is advanced to a subsequent operation via the lower installation roller after being moved along the upper installation roller and the lower installation roller, and in this case, the number of the lower installation rollers is one more than the number of the upper installation rollers.

In a particular embodiment, the mercerization apparatus has the following structure: the cellulose nonwoven fabric is conveyed in a state of being alternately mounted on the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller. In the present disclosure, since the cellulose non-woven fabric is alternately mounted on the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller, a predetermined level of tension is imposed on the cellulose non-woven fabric as the cellulose non-woven fabric moves through the mercerizing apparatus. Shrinkage of the cellulose nonwoven fabric occurs in a mercerization tank in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric is treated with an alkali solution. In the present disclosure, since the cellulose nonwoven fabric is alternately mounted on the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller, it is possible to prevent excessive shrinkage of the cellulose nonwoven fabric.

In one embodiment, the mercerization apparatus has the following structure: any one or more of the upper and lower mounting rollers is fastened to a driving shaft moving in a vertical direction. For example, the upper mounting roller may be fastened to a driving shaft that moves in a vertical direction, and in this way, the tension applied to the cellulose nonwoven fabric may be controlled, and the work efficiency may be improved.

In a particular embodiment, the mercerization apparatus has the following structure: the upper mounting roller rotates in a forward direction and the lower mounting roller rotates in a reverse direction. In this way, a continuous transport of the cellulose nonwoven is achieved.

In one embodiment, the mercerization apparatus has the following structure: the height of the upper mounting roller is lower than the liquid level of the alkali solution for alkali treatment of the cellulose non-woven fabric. Thus, in the mercerizing apparatus, the cellulose nonwoven fabric is completely immersed in the alkali solution. In the present disclosure, since the cellulose nonwoven fabric is completely immersed in the alkali solution, the mercerization efficiency and uniformity of the cellulose nonwoven fabric can be improved.

In another embodiment, the mercerization apparatus can also have the following structure: the upper mounting roller is higher than the liquid level of an alkali solution for alkali treatment of the cellulose nonwoven fabric, and the lower mounting roller is lower than the liquid level of the alkali solution. In the mercerizing apparatus, although the cellulose nonwoven fabric can be completely immersed in the alkali solution, this leads to an increase in the processing cost. In the present disclosure, since the height of the upper installation roller is controlled to be higher than the liquid level of the alkali solution for alkali-treating the cellulose non-woven fabric, the process of immersing the cellulose non-woven fabric in the alkali solution and then picking it up is repeated while the cellulose non-woven fabric moves through the mercerizing bath. In this manner, the amount of alkaline solution used can be significantly reduced without reducing the efficiency of the mercerization process in accordance with the present disclosure.

In a particular embodiment, the mercerization apparatus further comprises a nozzle configured to spray the alkali solution onto the cellulose nonwoven fabric. The nozzle located at a higher height than the cellulose nonwoven fabric ejects the alkali solution onto the cellulose nonwoven fabric. In addition, the residual amount of the sprayed alkali solution which is not absorbed into the cellulose nonwoven fabric can be accommodated in the mercerizing tank and reused.

In one embodiment, in the mercerizing apparatus, the cellulose nonwoven fabric is conveyed while being mounted on the upper and lower mounting rollers in a state of being positioned to form peaks and valleys, and a separation height G 'between the peaks and valleys'_HAnd separation width G 'between peaks'_WThe ratio of the ratio is 3: 1 to 50: 1, in the above range. Specifically, G'_H：G'_WIn the following 3: 1 to 15: 1. 3: 1 to 30: 1 or 10: 1 to 50: 1, in the above range. The ratio range is calculated in consideration of the treatment efficiency in the mercerizing apparatus and the tension applied to the cellulose nonwoven fabric.

In one embodiment, the mercerizing apparatus for cellulose non-woven fabric according to the present disclosure further comprises a conveying roller formed at a front end of the mercerizing apparatus to continuously feed the cellulose non-woven fabric to be treated, and a pressing roller formed at a rear end of the mercerizing apparatus to continuously discharge the mercerized cellulose non-woven fabric. The delivery rolls are used to continuously feed the cellulosic nonwoven to the mercerization apparatus. Also, the press roll is used to continuously discharge the cellulose nonwoven fabric having undergone the mercerization process, and to convey the cellulose nonwoven fabric to a subsequent operation as needed.

In another embodiment, the mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure further comprises a cooling member configured to control the temperature inside the mercerization apparatus. The cooling means controls the temperature of the mercerization tank to be, for example, in the range of 18 ℃ to 25 ℃. In the present disclosure, it has been found that by performing the mercerization process at a relatively low temperature, the process efficiency can be improved.

In one embodiment, the mercerizing apparatus for cellulose non-woven fabric according to the present disclosure further includes a driving shaft fastened to any one or more of the upper and lower mounting rollers to move the roller fastened to the driving shaft in a vertical direction. The drive shaft is used to control the vertical position of the upper and/or lower mounting rollers. The cellulosic nonwoven undergoes shrinkage during the mercerization process. In the present disclosure, a separation distance between the upper and lower mounting rollers is ensured to prevent excessive shrinkage of the cellulose nonwoven fabric. However, in the case where the cellulose nonwoven fabric is severely shrunk, an excessive tension is caused due to the separation between the upper and lower mounting rollers, which causes the cellulose nonwoven fabric to be damaged. In the present disclosure, the separation distance between the upper and lower mounting rollers may be adjusted by the driving shaft. Further, in the process of mounting the cellulose non-woven fabric fed to the mercerizing apparatus on the upper and lower mounting rollers, the process is performed in a state where the distance between the upper and lower mounting rollers is narrowed, and then in a state where the mounting of the cellulose non-woven fabric is completed, the distance therebetween is increased again, so that the working efficiency can be improved.

In a particular embodiment, in the mercerizing apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure, among the rollers constituting the upper and lower mounting rollers in a row, the separation distance G between the upper and lower mounting rollers disposed at the front end_H1A separation distance G between the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller arranged at the rear end_H2The ratio of (A) to (B) is 100: 75 to 100: 95, or higher. For example, the upper and lower mounting rollers may be disposed such that a separation distance G between the upper and lower mounting rollers_HDecreasing sequentially or continuously from the front end to the rear end. This is to prevent excessive tension from being applied to the cellulose nonwoven fabric and to prevent damage to the product during the process. For example, the separation distance G between the upper and lower mounting rollers provided at the leading end_H1A separation distance G between the upper mounting roller and the lower mounting roller arranged at the rear end_H2The ratio of (A) to (B) is 100: 75 to 100: 95. 100, and (2) a step of: 80 to 100: 95. 100, and (2) a step of: 75 to 100: 85. or 100: 85 to 100: 95, or higher.

In another specific embodiment, in the mercerizing apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure, among the rollers constituting the upper and lower rows of mounting rollers, the ratio R of the rpm of the roller disposed at the front end to the roller disposed at the rear end₁：R₂May be performed at 100: 80 to 100: 98, respectively. For example, the upper and lower mounting rollers may be disposed such that the revolutions per minute of the upper and lower mounting rollers are sequentially or continuously reduced from the front end to the rear end. This is to prevent excessive tension from being applied to the cellulose nonwoven fabric and to prevent damage to the product during the process. For example, the ratio R of the revolutions per minute of the roller disposed at the front end to the roller disposed at the rear end₁：R₂At 100: 80 to 100: 98. 100, and (2) a step of: 80 to 100: 90. 100, and (2) a step of: 85 to 100: 98 or 100: 90 to 100: 95, or higher.

Furthermore, the present disclosure provides a mercerization method for cellulose nonwoven fabric using the mercerization apparatus described above. In one embodiment, the mercerization method for a cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure includes a mercerization operation in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric is treated with an alkali solution for 20 seconds to 60 seconds. In a particular embodiment, the mercerization operation is performed using an alkaline solution having a molarity in the range of 5M to 16M for 20 seconds to 60 seconds. The description of the mercerization apparatus given above also applies to the particular mercerization process according to the present disclosure.

Also, the present disclosure provides a system or method for manufacturing a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) nonwoven fabric through a continuous process using the above-described apparatus or method for mercerization of a cellulose nonwoven fabric. In one embodiment, in the method for continuously manufacturing the CMC nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure, the following operations are continuously performed: mercerizing the cellulose non-woven fabric with alkali; carrying out carboxyl alkylation swelling operation on the cellulose non-woven fabric subjected to mercerization treatment; neutralizing the cellulose non-woven fabric; and a washing operation for washing the cellulose nonwoven fabric. Specifically, in the mercerizing operation, the cellulose non-woven fabric treatment process is performed at a temperature ranging from 18 ℃ to 25 ℃, and in the swelling operation, the cellulose non-woven fabric treatment process is performed at a temperature ranging from 50 ℃ to 80 ℃.

In one embodiment, the nonwoven cellulose fabric treatment process in the mercerization operation is performed for 20 to 60 seconds using an alkaline solution having a molarity in the range of 5M to 16M, and the nonwoven cellulose fabric treatment process in the swelling operation is performed for 3 to 10 minutes using a carboxyalkylation solution having a molarity in the range of 0.5M to 3M.

For example, the mercerization operation is performed by: the cellulose nonwoven fabric is treated with the alkali solution at a temperature ranging from 18 ℃ to 25 ℃ for 20 seconds to 60 seconds. Specifically, the mercerization operation is performed by: the cellulose nonwoven fabric is treated with an alkali solution at a temperature ranging from 20 ℃ to 23 ℃ for 25 seconds to 40 seconds. The alkali solution has a relatively low concentration, and specifically, the concentration of the alkali solution is in a range of 5M to 20M, 8M to 15M, or 10M to 16M. In order to prevent damage to the cellulosic nonwoven fabric while not reducing process efficiency, the alkaline solution applied to the mercerization operation of the present disclosure has the above concentration range. For example, aqueous NaOH may be used as the base solution. In the present disclosure, it has been found that mercerization can be performed to a desired level despite using an alkaline solution having a relatively low concentration for a short time (within one minute). Also, the pick-up operation is performed after the mercerization operation, and in this case, the pick-up rate is in the range of 100% to 600%, 150% to 600%, 100% to 300%, or 180% to 250%.

Then, the swelling operation is continuously performed on the cellulose nonwoven fabric having undergone the mercerizing operation. The swelling operation is performed at a temperature of 60 to 80 ℃ for 3 to 10 minutes. Specifically, as the carboxyalkylation solution, a monochloroacetic acid (MCA) solution using ethanol as a solvent may be used. For example, a solution (1% MCA) in which 3g MCA was dissolved in 300mL of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) was used as the carboxyalkylation solution.

After the swelling operation, a pickup operation is performed in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric subjected to the filament light treatment is picked up at a pickup rate in the range of 80% to 500%. For example, the pick-up rate in the pick-up operation is in the range of 80% to 500%, 120% to 600%, 120% to 280%, or 150% to 200%.

The neutralization operation is performed by immersing the cellulose nonwoven fabric in an acid solution having a molar concentration in the range of 0.2M to 3M. In particular, a weak acid may be used to perform the neutralization operation. For example, the neutralization operation may be performed using Citric Acid (CA) having a molarity in the range of 0.2M to 3M. In the present disclosure, in order to prevent damage to the cellulose nonwoven fabric and minimize damage to the user's skin due to acidic components that may remain in the cellulose nonwoven fabric, a neutralization operation is performed using a weak acid having a relatively low concentration.

The drying operation may be further performed after the washing operation. In the drying operation, drying is performed at a temperature in the range of, for example, 45 ℃ to 80 ℃ for 15 minutes to 60 minutes. The drying conditions in the drying operation are set to a range that improves the efficiency of the process while preventing damage or deformation of the cellulose fibers.

In another embodiment, the mercerization operation, the swelling operation, the neutralization operation, and the washing operation further comprise an operation of pressing the cellulose nonwoven fabric. The pressing operation serves to press the cellulose nonwoven fabric and remove the solution components contained therein.

In one embodiment, the amount of time it takes for the cellulose nonwoven fabric input for the method of continuously treating a nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure to continuously undergo the mercerizing operation and the swelling operation is within 15 minutes, or within a range of 3 minutes to 15 minutes, or 5 minutes to 10 minutes. In the present disclosure, a separate aging process is not required between operations, and a fast processing speed can be achieved by a continuous process.

In another embodiment, the amount of time it takes for the cellulose nonwoven fabric input for the method of continuously treating a nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure to be continuously subjected to the mercerizing operation performed by the mercerizing apparatus, the swelling operation performed by the swelling apparatus, the neutralizing operation performed by the neutralizing apparatus, and the washing operation performed by the washing apparatus is in the range of 5 minutes to 30 minutes. In the present disclosure, when the amount of time taken for each operation is calculated, for example, the mercerizing operation may be performed for 20 seconds to 60 seconds, the swelling operation may be performed for 3 minutes to 10 minutes, the neutralizing operation may be performed for 3 seconds to 60 seconds, and the washing operation may be performed for 5 minutes to 20 minutes. In addition to the short transport time between operations, the present disclosure does not require a separate aging process.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be modified and changed in various ways within the scope not departing from the spirit and technical scope of the present disclosure defined in the following claims.

Fig. 2 is a process view illustrating a mercerization process using the mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 2, a mercerization apparatus 100 according to the present disclosure includes: a mercerizing tank in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is immersed in an alkali solution 140; an upper mounting roller 120 arranged in a Machine Direction (MD) while being oriented to be parallel in a Transverse Direction (TD); and a lower installation roller 130, the lower installation roller 130 being disposed in parallel below the upper installation roller 120. The cellulose non-woven fabric 10 fed by the feeding roller 111 moves along one lower mounting roller 130, is alternately mounted on the upper mounting roller 120 and the lower mounting roller 130, and is then fed to a subsequent operation via the pressing roller 112.

Here, the upper installation roller 120 rotates in a forward direction, and the lower installation roller 130 rotates in a reverse direction. Also, the height of the upper mounting roller 120 is controlled to be lower than the liquid level of the alkali solution 140, and in this way, the mercerizing process is performed in a state where the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is immersed in the alkali solution 140.

For example, the mercerizing apparatus 100 treats a Tencel (Tencel) nonwoven fabric, which is one of the cellulose nonwoven fabrics 10, with the alkali solution 140 for 20 seconds to 60 seconds under a temperature condition of 20 ℃ to 23 ℃. As the alkali solution 140, a solution (13% NaOH) obtained by dissolving 15g of NaOH in 100mL of water can be used. Then, after picking up the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 at a pick-up rate in the range of 100% to 600%, the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is conveyed to a subsequent operation via the pressing roller 112.

Fig. 3 is a process diagram illustrating a mercerization process using a mercerization apparatus for cellulose nonwoven fabric according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 3, a mercerization apparatus 101 according to the present disclosure includes: a mercerizing tank in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is immersed in an alkali solution 140; an upper mounting roller 120 arranged in the MD while being oriented in parallel in the TD direction; and a lower installation roller 130, the lower installation roller 130 being disposed in parallel below the upper installation roller 120. The cellulose non-woven fabric 10 fed by the feeding roller 111 moves along one lower mounting roller 130, is alternately mounted on the upper mounting roller 120 and the lower mounting roller 130, and is then fed to a subsequent operation via the pressing roller 112.

Here, the upper installation roller 120 rotates in a forward direction, and the lower installation roller 130 rotates in a reverse direction. Also, the height of the upper mounting roller 120 is controlled to be higher than the liquid surface of the alkali solution 140, and in this way, the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is repeatedly dipped into the alkali solution 140 and the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is picked up from the alkali solution 140. A nozzle 150 configured to spray the alkali solution 140 is formed at the upper end of the mercerizing apparatus 101 as needed. Through the nozzle 150, the efficiency of the mercerization process can be improved.

Fig. 4 is a process diagram illustrating a system for continuously manufacturing a CMC nonwoven fabric including a mercerization apparatus for a cellulose nonwoven fabric according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 4, a system for continuously manufacturing CMC nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure includes: a mercerizing apparatus 100, the mercerizing apparatus 100 being configured to treat the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 with alkali; a swelling apparatus 200, the swelling apparatus 200 being configured to carboxyalkylate the mercerized cellulose nonwoven fabric 10; a neutralization device 300, the neutralization device 300 being configured to neutralize the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10; and a washing apparatus 400, the washing apparatus 400 washing the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10. The operations of the respective apparatuses are connected by a transfer line that continuously transfers the cellulose nonwoven fabric.

Specifically, the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is conveyed by the conveyance vehicle 11 or fed in a state wound around a conveyance roller. The cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is fed through a feed roll 111 in front of the mercerizing apparatus 100. The fed cellulose non-woven fabric 10 is alternately mounted on the upper mounting roller 120 and the lower mounting roller 130, and is immersed in a treating bath filled with an alkali solution to undergo a mercerizing process. The mercerizing apparatus 100 includes an upper mounting roller 120 arranged in the MD while being oriented parallel in the TD and a lower mounting roller 130 disposed in parallel below the upper mounting roller 120. The cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 moves along one lower installation roll 130, is alternately installed on the upper installation roll 120 and the lower installation roll 130, and is then conveyed to a subsequent operation via the pressing roll 112.

As the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 having passed through the mercerizing apparatus 100 moves between the squeeze rollers 112, the alkali solution contained in the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is squeezed out, and then the cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 is conveyed along the conveying line to the swelling apparatus 200. The swelling apparatus 200 includes a rod-shaped suspension bar configured to convey the cellulose nonwoven fabric in a state in which the cellulose nonwoven fabric is mounted thereon. The rod-shaped suspension bars are arranged at predetermined intervals in the MD while being oriented in parallel in the TD. The cellulose nonwoven fabric is conveyed in a state of being annularly attached to a rod-like suspension rod. Also, a cooling tank (not shown) is provided at the upper end of the swelling apparatus 200 as needed, and the temperature of the swelling apparatus 200 is controlled within the range of 60 ℃ to 80 ℃.

The cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 passes through the neutralization apparatus 300 and the washing apparatus 400. The pressing rollers 311 and 411 are disposed at the rear end of the neutralizing apparatus 300 and the rear end of the washing apparatus 400, respectively. The cellulose nonwoven fabric 10 having passed through the washing apparatus 400 is input to the drying process. For example, the drying process may be performed at a temperature in the range of 45 ℃ to 80 ℃ for 15 minutes to 60 minutes. For example, the drying process may be performed using a commercially available tenter (tenter).

The apparatus and method for mercerizing a cellulose nonwoven fabric according to the present disclosure allow a mercerization process for a cellulose nonwoven fabric to be continuously performed, and prevent excessive shrinkage of the nonwoven fabric during the mercerization process and improve process efficiency.

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The priority and benefit of korean patent application No.10-2020-0051758, filed on 28.4.2020, this application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.