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EP-4476395-B1 - REACTOR AND METHOD FOR TREATING TEXTILE FIBRES USING THE REACTOR

EP4476395B1EP 4476395 B1EP4476395 B1EP 4476395B1EP-4476395-B1

Inventors

  • PARISI, FRANCESCO

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230208

Claims (9)

  1. A reactor for the treatment of textile fibres (1) for a textile fibre production line, the reactor for the treatment of textile fibres (1) comprising: - a control chamber (10) defining a control volume (11) and comprising an inlet opening (12) to the control volume (11) for receiving textile fibres (1) from the textile fibre production line and an outlet opening (13) from the control volume (11) for ejecting textile fibres (1) onto the textile fibre production line; - movement means (20) arranged within the control chamber (10) in the control volume (11) and configured to transport the textile fibres (1) from the inlet opening (12) to the outlet opening (13); wherein the reactor further comprises: - input means (50) configured to introduce into the control volume (11) one or more textile fibre treatment substances comprising saturated water vapour and reagents configured to remain partly dispersed in the control volume (11) and to precipitate at least partly onto the textile fibres (1); - one or more UV irradiation devices (30) configured to emit UV rays into the control chamber (10) to irradiate the textile fibres (1) transported by the movement means (20), the control volume (11) and substances introduced into the control volume (11) for the treatment of the textile fibres (1).
  2. The reactor (1) according to claim 1, wherein the UV irradiation devices (30) are configured to irradiate the textile fibres (1) and the control volume (11) at 360°.
  3. The reactor (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each UV irradiation device (30) is configured to emit UV rays of the UV-A, UV-B, UV-C type or a combination thereof with a wavelength comprised between 100nm and 400nm.
  4. The reactor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each UV irradiation device (30) comprises a UV lamp (31).
  5. The reactor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein it comprises irradiation control means in signal communication with each UV irradiation device (30) and with the movement means (20) and configured to control the emission of UV rays onto the textile fibres (1) and within the control volume (11).
  6. The reactor (1) according to any claims 1 to 5, wherein the UV irradiation devices (30) are configured to: - activate by irradiating one or more reagents dispersed in the control volume (11) prior to precipitation on the textile fibres (1) and/or deposited by precipitation on the textile fibres (1) and/or impregnated in the textile fibres (1) supplied to the inlet opening (12) of the control chamber (10); and/or - induce by irradiation a reaction between one or more reactants introduced into the control volume (11) by means of the input means (50) with substances impregnating the textile fibres (1) supplied to the inlet opening (12) of the control chamber (10).
  7. The reactor (1) according to any claims 1 to 6, wherein the control chamber (10) together with the input means (50) are configured to regulate the temperature and humidity within the control volume (11) for the treatment of the textile fibres (1) by defining a controlled atmosphere in the control volume (11) by the inlet and ejection of saturated water vapour via the input means (50) and the inlet (12) and outlet (13) openings.
  8. The reactor (1) according to claim 7, wherein the control chamber (10) comprises: - a set of sensors configured to detect the temperature and humidity within the control volume (11); - atmosphere control means in signal communication with the set of sensors and the input means (50) and configured to regulate the temperature and humidity by controlling the inlet of saturated water vapour according to a comparison between a predefined temperature and humidity with the detected temperature and humidity.
  9. A method for the treatment of textile fibres comprising the steps of: - providing a reactor (1) according to claims 1 to 8; - introducing into the control volume (11) one or more textile fibres (1) dry or impregnated with substances to treat the textile fibres (1); - introducing into the control volume substances comprising saturated water vapour and reagents to treat the textile fibres (1) by means of the input means (50); - activating by irradiating with UV rays one or more reagents dispersed in the control volume (11) prior to their precipitation on the textile fibres (1) and/or deposited by precipitation on the textile fibres (1) and/or impregnated in the textile fibres (1) supplied to the inlet opening (12) of the control chamber (10) and/or inducing by irradiation by means of UV rays emitted by the relative irradiation devices (30) a reaction between one or more reagents introduced into the control volume (11) by means of the input means (50) with substances impregnating the textile fibres (1) supplied to the inlet opening (12) of the control chamber (10); - removing the treated textile fibres (1) from the control volume (11).

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to the field of production and treatment of textile fibres, preferably in the form of fabrics. In particular, the present invention focuses on a reactor for the treatment of textile fibres on a batch or continuous textile fibre production line capable of treating textile fibres downstream and/or upstream of further operations and treatments on the textile fibres. State of the Art They are known reactors for the treatment of textile fibres integrated on batch or continuous production lines which are intended to receive textile fibres and keep them wet for subsequent treatments and/or prevent their movement from causing damage. Specifically, known reactors introduce water vapour into a chamber as the textile fibres pass through so that they are at the temperature required for the reagents, previously applied on the fibre by means of an impregnation bath, to act. Document US 5 407 446 A discloses a reactor for the treatment of textile fibres suitable for a textile fibre production line, wherein the reactor comprises a control chamber defining a control volume and comprising an inlet opening to the control volume for receiving textile fibres from the production line, and an outlet opening from the control volume for ejecting textile fibres onto the production line; movement means arranged within the control chamber in the control volume and configured to transport the textile fibres from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, input means configured to introduce into the control volume a textile fibre treatment substance, and one or more UV irradiation devices configured to emit UV rays into the control chamber to irradiate the textile fibres transported by the movement means and the control volume. Problems of the Prior Art Known reactors for the treatment of textile fibres have several disadvantages related to the time required to carry out the relevant treatments. In fact, known reactors require large amounts of water, reagents and energy in order to provide an acceptable product. The processes are very long and require large-size machinery. Furthermore, the use of reagents with which fabrics are impregnated at the reactor inlet, such as soda ash, increases the fragility of the fabric. Consequently, the known reactors do not allow for a complete and correct treatment of the textile fibres, causing defects and imperfections that could emerge in the finished product. Object of the Invention The object of the invention is to implement a reactor for the treatment of textile fibres capable of overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above. In particular, it is the object of the present invention to provide a reactor for the treatment of textile fibres capable of improving and optimising treatments on textile fibres by carrying out both superficial and in depth treatments in the fibre. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reactor capable of introducing a photo-reaction action for the treatment of textile fibres. The defined technical task and the specified objects are substantially achieved by a reactor for the treatment of textile fibres comprising the technical characteristics set forth in one or more of the appended claims. Advantages of the invention Advantageously, the reactor of the present invention makes it possible to treat textile fibres both superficially and in depth at the fibre level. Advantageously, the reactor of the present invention makes it possible to treat textile fibres at 360°. Advantageously, the reactor of the present invention makes it possible to sterilise textile fibres and to maintain the sterility of the environment where the treatment of textile fibres takes place. Advantageously, the reactor of the present invention makes it possible to define an optimal environment for the treatment of textile fibres by also preparing them for further treatment. Advantageously, the reactor of the present invention makes it possible to expose the fibres to less aggressive environments while reducing its fragility. Advantageously, the reactor of the present invention allows chemical reactions to take place by photo-exposure. Advantageously, the reactor of the present invention makes it possible to introduce a photo-reaction action into the textile process to improve the treatment of textile fibres as well as to increase the production speed and reduce final costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the approximate and thus non-limiting description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a reactor for the treatment of textile fibres, as shown in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a reactor for the treatment of textile fibres according to a first embodiment of the present invention;Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a reactor for the treatment of textile fibres according to a second embodiment