US 12,338,578 B2
System and method for refining agricultural fibers to a pulp specification
Miles Leach, Franklin, KY (US); and Michel McKenzie, Valleyfield (CA)
Assigned to Kanbol, Inc., Auburn, KY (US)
Filed by KANBOL, INC., Auburn, KY (US)
Filed on May 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/825,964.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/194,345, filed on May 28, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/280,855, filed on Nov. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0389657 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. D21C 11/12 (2006.01); D21C 1/06 (2006.01); D21C 3/02 (2006.01); D21H 11/12 (2006.01); D21H 25/00 (2006.01)
CPC D21H 11/12 (2013.01) [D21C 1/06 (2013.01); D21C 3/02 (2013.01); D21H 25/005 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
providing non-wood agricultural feedstock material that includes agricultural fibers, and reducing the size of such agricultural fibers to a desired length, and mechanically refining such agricultural fibers;
chemically pulping the agricultural fibers in an alkaline chemical pulping process to produce an agricultural fiber pulp, wherein chemically pulping the agricultural fibers is achieved at a temperature of less than 100° C. and unpressurized conditions throughout the entire chemical pulping process, without addition of any acids or enzymes, and wherein the method is performed without the use of ozone, and without any bleaching, wherein the agricultural fiber pulp is of high quality, present as fiber bundles of a plurality of fibers including 2 to 50 fibers; and
introducing the agricultural fiber pulp into a molded pulp product manufacturing machine to make as molded pulp product from the agricultural fiber pulp.