Such refiners are used for refining fibrous material. The refiner generally comprises refining members in the form of discs rotating in relation to each other and between which refining material passes from the inner periphery of the refin- ing members where it is supplied, to the outer periphery of the refining members through a refining gap formed between the refining members. One of the refining discs is often stationary while the other rotates. The refining discs are generally composed of segments provided with bars. The inner segments have a coarser pattern and the outer segments have a finer pattern in order to achieve fine refin- ing of the refining material.

To obtain high quality refining material when refining fibrous material, the disturbances in operating conditions that, for various reasons, constantly occur must be corrected by constant adjustment of the various refining parameters to optimal values. This can be achieved, for instance, by altering the supply of water to produce greater or lesser cooling effect, by altering the flow of refining material or adjusting the distance between the refining members, or a combination of these measures. To enable the necessary adjustments and corrections an accu- rate determination of the energy transmitted to the refining material is required, as well as of the distribution of the energy transmitted over the surface of the refining members.

To determine the energy/power transmitted to the refining material it is al- ready known to endeavour to measure the shearing forces that occur in the refin- ing zone. What is known as shearing force occurs when two surfaces move in re- lation to each other with a viscous liquid between the surfaces. Such shearing force is also created in a refiner when refining wood chips mixed with water. It can be imagined that the wood chips are both sheared and rolled between the refining discs, as well as collisions occurring between chips and bars. The shearing force depends, for instance, on the force bringing the discs together and on the friction coefficient. The normal force acting on the surface also varies with the radius.

Through WO 00/78458 a method and a measuring device are already known for measuring stress forces in such refiners, the device comprising a force sensor that measures the stress force over a measuring surface constituting a part of a refining disc and in which said measuring surface comprises at least parts of more than one bar and is resilientlyarranged in the surface of the refining disc. However, it has been found that this measuring device is very sensitive to temperature fluctuations, which are usual in the applications under discussion, and it therefore often gives incorrect values for the force, which cannot be used to control the refining process, for instance. Furthermore, a value for the force in only one direction is obtained with this measurement. Another drawback is that other forces also appear that affect the refining segments, such as said normal forces, which are not taken into account.

The object of the present invention is primarily to solve the problems men- tioned above and thus provide a method and a measuring device that gives a more complete and correct result than previously known devices.

The object is achieved by means of a method defined in claim 1 having the characteristics stated therein, and a measuring device as defined in claim 9.

In accordance with the method of the invention, therefore, the measuring is performed over a measuring surface that constitutes a part of a refining disc, said measuring surface comprising at least parts of more than one bar and being resiliently arranged in the surface of the refining disc, and it is characterized in that forces in the plane of the measuring surface are measured and both the magnitude and the direction of the force are measured simultaneously. The measuring device in accordance with the invention comprises members for mea- suring the stress force over the measuring surface which in turn constitutes at least a first set of force sensors for simultaneously measuring both the direction and magnitude of forces in the plane of the measuring surface.

The measurement in accordance with the method is preferably character- ized in that it is performed with the aid of at least two force sensors, one of which is arranged to measure in an X-direction and the other is arranged to measure in a Y-direction, and in that magnitude and direction of the force influencing the measuring surface are determined as the resultant reading of the two force sen- sors. It should be pointed out here that X-direction and Y-direction, respectively, do not necessarily imply two directions forming a right angle with each other, but

these directions may form any angle at all as long as they do not coincide with each other.

The invention thus enables measurement of the shearing forces in two di- rections, thereby enabling both magnitude and direction of the resultant shearing force to be determined in any direction at all, which is an advantage.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment the measurement is charac- terized in that it is performed with the aid of at least four force sensors arranged in pairs opposite each other so that the two sensors in each pair give counter- directed deflection or readings, that said pairs are arranged at right angles to each other to measure in an X-direction and a Y-direction, and in that the magnitude and direction of the force are determined as the resultant reading, i. e. the meas- ured stress forces of each pair of force sensors. The use of sensors arranged in pairs giving counter-directed readings, offers the important advantage that a value can be obtained for the stress force that is not affected by occurring temperature fluctuations. This is achieved by utilizing the difference between the readings of the force sensors in the relevant pair, measured on each occasion, as the value of the stress force in each direction. This value can then be utilized to calculate the magnitude and distribution of the power transmitted to the refining material and these calculations can then be used to control the refining process. In this context reference is also made to Swedish patent application No. 0102845-5 filed by the same applicant.

Utilizing pairs of counter-directed sensors in the manner defined in the present invention offers the advantage that any measuring errors are halved for each direction.

In accordance with another advantageous feature the invention is charac- terized in that the measurement of said forces in the plane of the measuring sur- face also includes compensation for any eccentric normal forces on the measur- ing surface that would affect said measurement.

In accordance with an additional advantageous feature the method is characterized in that forces directed at right angles to the measuring surface are also measured. This method preferably includes measurement of the normal force exerted by a combined pressure consisting of the steam pressure inside the re- finer and the fibre pressure from the refining material. An alternative choice is to measure a normal force that is a result of only the pressure of the fibre mat.

The measuring device in accordance with the invention comprises suit- able devices for performing the method.

In accordance with a particularly advantageous embodiment the force sensors comprise strain gauges. A particular advantage of this is that the actual measuring device will be relatively small and low, thus allowing it to be fitted di- rectly in the refining segment.

Further advantages and features are revealed in the dependant claims.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the em- bodiments illustrated in the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a refining segment included in a refining disc which is provided with measuring devices in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 shows a basic layout sketch in accordance with the present inven- tion, Figure 3 shows a view, in cross section, of a first embodiment of a measuring device in accordance with the present invention, Figure 4 shows a basic layout sketch of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, Figure 5 shows a view, in cross section, of a second embodiment of a meas- uring device in accordance with the present invention, Figure 6 shows a basic layout sketch of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, and Figure 7 shows a schematic cross section of only the thin-walled tubular parts of the first and the second body, and the strain gauges arranged thereon.

Figure 1 thus shows a part of a refining disc in the form of a refining seg- ment 1, provided with a pattern comprising a number of bars 3 extending substan- tially in radial direction. Measuring devices 4 in accordance with the present inven- tion are also drawn in schematically in this figure. These measuring devices have a preferably circular measuring surface 2 with a diameter in the order of 30 mm, for instance, but the measuring surface may alternatively have a different geomet- ric shape. The measuring devices are preferably arranged at different radial dis- tances from the centre of the refining disc, and segments at different distances from the centre preferably also have measuring devices. The measuring devices

can also advantageously be displaced peripheral in relation to each other to en- able them better to determine the power distribution in the refiner and thus better control the refining process. When a measuring device is influenced by forces, each of the force sensors will generate a signal that is proportional to the load.

The measuring device in accordance with the invention functions in ac- cordance with the principle illustrated in Figure 2. We see here a measuring sur- face 2 in the form of part of the surface of a refining segment, provided with a number of bars 6, or at least parts thereof. The measuring device includes an at- tachment element in the form of a rod 10, with the aid of which the various parts of the device are secured and which also joins the various parts of the measuring device to each other and to the measuring surface 2. The rod has two fulcrums, a first, upper fulcrum 8 for a first body 5 and a second, lower fulcrum 9 for a second body 7. Compare also Figures 3 and 5. The first body 5 is provided with a first set of power sensors (12 in Figures 3 and 5, respectively). This first body connects the measuring surface 2 with the rod 10 so that, when the refining disc is sub- jected to a shearing force F, the torque Mi in the first fulcrum 8 or torque point will be: Mi=Fs-h (1) where 11 is the distance between the measuring surface 2 of the measuring device and the fulcrum 8.

The second body 7 with a second set of force sensors (22 in Figures 3 and 5, respectively) is arranged in conjunction with the second, lower fulcrum 9.

This second body is connected to the rod 10 so that, when the refining disc is subjected to a shearing force Fs, the torque M2 in the second fulcrum 9 or torque point, will be: M2= Fs 12 (2) where 12 is the distance between the measuring surface 2 of the measuring device and the fulcrum 9.

The torques in the fulcrums are obtained with the aid of the readings of

the force sensors and, on the basis of these, the shearing force Fs can be calcu- lated.

Thanks to the arrangement with a second set of force sensors it is possi- ble to compensate the values obtained for the shearing force Fs with regard to any asymmetric or eccentric normal forces, i. e. forces in the normal direction, perpen- dicular to the measuring surface which, due to their point of attack not being the centre of the measuring surface 2 since they are displaced from the centre, influ- ence the force sensors as if they were shearing forces. The following equations are obtained: Mi = Fs-) i + FN''N (3) M2 = Fus 12 + FN IN (4) where FN is in this case an eccentric normal force and IN is the distance between the central axis and the point of attack of the eccentric normal force.

The equations (3) and (4) material the following expression for the shear- ing force, which is utilized in the measuring device: M2-M1 Fs= (5) I2 - I1 If no ecentric normal force occurs to influence the measuring surface, it would be sufficient with only one set of force sensors and one body.

Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of a measuring device in accor- dance with the invention. The measuring device 4 comprises a measuring surface 2 provided with bars 6, or parts of bars, which measuring surface constitutes a part of a refining segment as illustrated in Figure 1. As is also clear in Figure 1, the measuring device preferably has a circular measuring surface. The measuring device and the measuring surface are movably arranged in the refining segment 1, in all directions.

The measuring surface 2 is in direct contact with a first, upper body 5 ex- tending inside the device. At its lower side this first body is shaped as a thin- walled tube 15. The material is chosen to be somewhat resilient. A cross section

through the thin-walled tube section can therefore be likened to a spring, as illus- trated in Figure 4. Strain gauges are arranged on the outside of the thin-walled tube section, which form a first set of force sensors 12. Really it is the thin-walled, somewhat resilient tube section that, together with the strain gauges, forms the force sensors, but for the sake of simplicity the term force sensor is used in this description primarily as a designation for the strain gauges or equivalent mem- bers. The strain gauges are preferably arranged axially and when the thin-walled tube is subjected to a load it is slightly deformed so that it influences the strain gauges. These are in turn connected to some suitable strain gauge bridge that generates a corresponding signal. The thin-walled tube section 15 is pre-stressed with a tensile force so that it does not risk collapsing when subjected to loading.

Inside the tube section extends a rod 10 with spherical top, which rod forms the previously mentioned attachment element. Said first body 5 is journalled on the spherical top which thus functions as a fulcrum for the body 5 and forms said first fulcrum 8. This embodiment comprises four sensors arranged symmetri- cally in relation to a centre line extending through the measuring surface 2 and through the rod 10. The sensors 12 are preferably arranged with 90° spacing, see also Figure 7. They are arranged in pairs opposite each other so that the sensors in a pair will give counter-directed deflection/readingwhen influenced by a force.

When the pressure on the measuring surface 2 increases, the load on one of the sensors will increase while at the same time it will decrease on the other sensor in a pair. The stress force can therefore be calculated on the basis of the difference between the readings measured at any one time on respective force sensors in a pair. It would naturally be possible to arrange the sensors differently in relation to each other and still have their respective readings be counter-directed. Said pairs of sensors are also arranged perpendicular to each other for measuring in an X- direction and a Y-direction, i. e. in a plane parallel with the measuring surface 2.

This permits measurement of forces in all directions in a plane parallel with the measuring surface, the magnitude and direction of the force being determined as the resultant of the readings of respective pairs of force sensors (see also Figure 4).

A second, lower body 7 is arranged below the first, upper body 5 and out- side its tubular part 15. This second body also has a thin-walled tubular part 17, arranged outside and concentric with the tubular part 15 of the first body 5 and

with the rod 10, and functioning in corresponding manner, i. e. as a spring. Strain gauges are also arranged on the outside of the second thin-walled tubular part 17.

Said strain gauges form a second set of force sensors 22 and are preferably ar- ranged axially. They are four in number and are arranged symmetrically in relation to a centre line extending through the measuring surface 2 and through the rod 10. In other respects they are arranged in the same way and function in the same way as the sensors 12 of the upper body 5, i. e. they are arranged in pairs and measure forces in X-and Y-direction, see also Figure 7. However, in the example illustrated the fulcrum 9 for the lower body 7 is formed by the central point of a re- silient plate or sheet 18 arranged below the body 7 and connected to the rod 10 so that the rod extends through the centre of the plate.

The fulcrum 9 may alternatively be designed as a waist on the rod 10, preferably arranged immediately above the point at which the plate 18 is located, see also Figure 5.

The rod 10 preferably has screw threading and the first, upper body 5 is preferably screwed onto the rod. The second, lower body 7 may suitably be at- tached to the rod by means of a nut.

The measuring device in the example illustrated also comprises means for measuring forces directed at right angles to the measuring surface, i. e. normal forces, i. e. forces in Z-direction as illustrated in Figure 4. The normal force is a re- sultant of the steam pressure in the refiner and the pressure exerted against the measuring surface (and the refining segment) by the fibre mat formed by the refin- ing material. For this purpose the measuring surface is resiliently arranged in a di- rection perpendicular to the measuring surface, also illustrated schematically in Figure 4. In accordance with one embodiment the normal forces can be measured with the aid of additional strain gauges forming force sensors 32, arranged on one or other of the tubular parts 15 or 17, preferably axially between the already exist- ing sensors, as illustrated schematically in Figure 7. To obtain a fairly correct measurement, at least three force sensors should be used for measuring the nor- mal force, and these should be uniformly distributed. However, the use of four sensors is preferred, as shown in Figure 7, or possibly more.

The internal parts of the measuring device described above are arranged in a protective sensor housing 20. This housing is provided with an opening at the top, which is adjacent to the surrounding refining segments, and which is closed

off from the refining material, by said measuring surface 2 and a resilient seal 16 between the measuring surface and the side walls of the sensor housing. The housing is also closed off at the bottom, towards the stator of the refiner or seg- ment holder if such is used, by a lid 11. The seal 16 is of a particularly suitable, somewhat resilient material, e. g. rubber, so that it can permit the small move- ments that the shearing forces give rise to in the measuring surface and still pro- vide a good seal preventing steam and pulp from penetrating into the device. The seal preferably also has a dampening effect on, inter alia, the vibrations occurring during operation. In this context it may be mentioned that the load can vary con- siderably over the refining zone from in the order of 20N to in the order of 150N, for instance. In the present case, at an estimated mean value of approximately 40N, displacements of the measuring surface that can be measured in the order of hundredths of a millimetre are obtained.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention in which compensation can take place for the steam pressure that exists in the refiner and which constitutes a part of the normal force pressure on the measuring surface that is measured with the measuring device in accordance with the first embodi- ment. As mentioned earlier the normal force FN, which affects the measuring sur- face, comprises both the force from the fibre pressure FFjb exerted by the fibre mat formed by the refining material in the refiner, and also the force from the steam pressure Fs that prevails inside the refiner. It is often of interest to obtain a measurement of the fibre pressure on its own. Parts in this figure corresponding to parts in Figures 3 and 4 have been given the same reference numerals. Thus this embodiment also comprises a first body 5 and a second body 7, each pro- vided with thin-walled tubular parts 15 and 17, respectively, on which a first and second set of force sensors 12 and 22, respectively, are arranged. The second tubular part 17 is here provided with special force sensors for measuring the nor- mal force, in the form of strain gauges 32 arranged preferably axially between the already existing sensors, as illustrated schematically in Figure 7. Alternatively, these sensors for measuring the normal force could be placed on the tubular part 15 of the first body 5. It also comprises a rod 10 and a plate-like spring member 18, preferably in the form of four crossing legs whose function here is to secure the various parts of the measuring device from below. The internal parts of the measuring device are also located in a protective sensor housing 20. Contrary to

the embodiment in Figure 3, however, the lid closing off the sensor housing from the stator or segment holder is designed so that a connection exists between the upper side of the measuring surface and the upper side of the surrounding refin- ing segment via an open channel 13 arranged between the side walls of the sen- sor housing 20 and the surrounding refining segment 1. The aim is that compen- sation can be achieved for the existing steam pressure when the normal force af- fecting the measuring surface 2 is calculated. For this purpose the existing steam pressure shall also affect the parts of the measuring device that measure the per- pendicular pressure in the direction opposite to the normal pressure, i. e. from be- low. The lid 11 may thus be made in two parts, an outer part 23 provided with channels and an inner, movable part 24 having a gap between it and the sta- tor/segment holder. The rod 10 is also shaped so that a gap exists between it and the stator/segment holder. Steam can thus penetrate to said gap 25 formed above the stator/segment holder and there influence the inner part 24, rod 10 and force sensors 32 on the part 17, or possibly other members that have been mentioned and can form said members for measuring perpendicular forces. The steam pres- sure acting on the measuring surface and the steam pressure acting from below thus cancel each other out and a measurement of the actual fibre pressure can be obtained.

It should be pointed out that the method and device for measuring per- pendicular forces or normal forces, with or without compensation for the steam pressure, can be used as a separate invention and possibly combined with other devices for measuring shearing forces.

It is also possible to omit the compensation for eccentric normal forces and have only one set of force sensors, one body and one fulcrum in the device.

It should also be mentioned that it is perfectly possible to use other types of force sensors than strain gauges in combination with thin-walled resilient tubes.

The invention shall not be considered limited to the embodiment illus- trated, but can be modified and altered in many ways by one skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims.