Fireball 2
Energieffektiv fiber produktion
The development within the textile industry is always ongoing with development of new andbetter textiles, which often mean the use of non-natural materials like polyester. This doesn?t lineup with the work shared around the world against an improved environment, so the idea came touse a form of linen fibers instead of polyester as the reinforcing material together with cotton.The idea was to use flax, linen of low quality, which is seen as a waste product and garbage inthe production of high quality linen and flax seed oil. This flax of low quality needs to beseparated before it can be used in cotton spinning machines. Fireball 2 is just that, a process toseparate flax fibers through the treatment of a technique called electrohydraulic discharge.The thesis works goal is to evaluate the Fireball 2 process ability to separate flax fiber. Toachieve this goal the process is described, which phenomenon that treat the flax fibers and howthey arise, as well as the components included in the system. Much of the work involves tests ofdifferent electrodes as it shows that the electrode strongly contributes to the discharge property,which is very important for the systems ability to treat flax.Fireball 2 is marketed as an environmental technique as it doesn?t require any chemical additivesfor the separation; the only thing needed is flax, water and electricity. For it to be consideredenvironmentally friendly is has to be efficient, therefore the thesis rapport discuss the dischargeefficiency.The result of the fiber separation tests show that Fireball 2 separates flax with good results, bothin the form of analysis of separated fibers as well as energy efficiency. Measures underperformed tests have shown that the efficiency is high, close to 100 percent of the energy storedin the system is released during treatment of the flax. Analysis made at De Montfort Universityof the treated flax show that the flax is well separated.When it comes to the electrode an satisfactory design of the electrodes conductive part have beenfound during this thesis work, although more work is required to find an isolation material thatcan withstand the high strain that the plasma channel cause.