| abstract |
AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR RECOVERING REGENERATED CELLULOSE FROM SOFTENED AND COATED REGENERATED CELLULOSE. THE PROCESS COMPRISES: (A) COMMINUTING THE SOFTENED AND COATED REGENERATED CELLULOSE TO CHIPS, (B) HUMIDIFYING THE CHIPS BY ADDING WATER TO THE CHIPS WHEREIN THE WATER SWELLS THE CHIPS, (C) EXTRACTING BOTH WATER AND SOFTENER FROM THE CHIPS BY FLUSHING WITH A SOFTENER EXTRACTION AGENT, (D) REMOVING THE COATING FROM THE CHIPS BY FLUSHING THE CHIPS WITH A COATING SOLVENT, (E) SLURRYING THE CHIPS IN WATER AND COATING SOLVENT, (F) SELECTIVELY DRYING THE SLURRY TO REMOVE THE COATING SOLVENT LEAVING RECOVERED REGENERATED CELLULOSE CHIPS. THESE RECOVERED CHIPS CAN BE USED IN VARIOUS WAYS SUCH AS AN INGREDIENT USED IN THE PREPARATION OF CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE OR RECYCLED BACK THROUGH A PROCESS OF MAKING REGENERATED CELLULOSE. THE SOFTENER, SOFTENER EXTRACTION AGENT, COATING AND COATING SOLVENT ARE ALSO RECOVERED AND REUSED. |