EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF SAP IN PRODUCING NON-WOVEN WEBS USING THE FOAM PROCESS

The foam process is used to make non-woven webs from cellulose or synthetic fibers, which webs have as a component super absorbent polymer (SAP). In order to minimize water absorbency by the SAP, it may have a protective coating that dissolves only after in contact with water a few seconds; the SAP may be frozen (e.g. to about -18 DEG C.); and/or the SAP may be transported by highly chilled (e.g. about 1 DEG C.) water. The SAP, and liquid or foam carrier, is fed as a small volume flow into a conduit carrying a high volume flow of a fiber containing foam slurry, just before a foraminous element. A mechanical mixer may be provided in the conduit for mixing the SAP with the fiber-foam slurry. The addition of the SAP to the carrier fluid takes place no more than ten seconds (preferably no more than five seconds) before the fiber-foam slurry mixed with SAP is brought into operative association with one or more foraminous elements. The SAP in the formed web, before drying, has a dry content of at least 20% (typically between about 30-40+%).