A DYNAMIC WET FIBER FLEXIBILITY MEASUREMENT DEVICE

A dynamic method capable of measuring the wet fibre flexibility of a l arge sample of pulp fibres has been demonstrated. The method is based on analyzing the deformation of wood fibres around the solid edge of a side capillary penetrating a main channel (T-junction), with water fl owing through the capillary into the main channel flow. As a fibre exi ts The capillary tube, it is transiently deformed by the main channel flow, and its flexibility can be calculated from its deflection using Simple Beam Theory. The flexibility of synthetic and pulp fibres measu red by the T-junction method were comparable to those obtained using t he Simply Supported Beam method, and to literature values for flexibil ity. In contrast with previous static beam methods, this newly develop ed method continuously delivers fibres to a test position (T-junction) without operator handling of individual fibres, which reduces variabi lity and testing time.