Добірка наукової літератури з теми "Wood-pulp Refining"

For the thermomechanical pulping (TMP) process both wood chip quality and the refining process have important effects on the resulting pulp and paper quality. Properties of wood raw material give a framework for final pulp properties. During TMP refining the specific energy consumption and refining intensity strongly impact fibre and pulp qualities. Increasing specific energy consumption benefits the development of fibres and improves their properties. However, high intensity refining tends to shorten the fibres and produces more fines content when compared with low intensity refining. This review focuses on the influence of key variables of chip qualities and the refining process on TMP pulp and paper qualities.

ABSTRACT Wind may damage eucalyptus trees, especially 24 months after planting, which can reduce wood fiber quality and hinder pulp production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of these materials in mixtures with wood from seven-year-old trees to produce pulp. Bleached pulp was produced using 100, 95, 85, 75 and 0% wood from seven-year-old eucalyptus trees, related to cutting age. Wood from two-year-old trees, when trees are most susceptible to damage by wind, completed each treatment. A 5 cm thick disc was taken from breast height (1.3m) on each tree for anatomical and ultrastructural characterization. The seven-year-old wood had lower vessel frequency and fibers with a longer length, higher cell wall fraction, higher modulus of elasticity and hardness, and a lower microfibril angle. Pulp refining decreased the opacity and specific volume, increased air resistance and improved mechanical properties. The addition of two-year-old wood to produce pulp reduced the mechanical properties and opacity, and increased the air resistance of the paper. The proportion of two-year-old wood that can be used in pulp production varied with the clone, parameter, and refining level. However, the pulp produced with 5% wood from two-year-old trees and 95% wood from seven-year-old trees was similar to that with 100% seven-year-old wood. Therefore, 5% two-year-old wood can be used to produce pulp without quality losses.

Eucalyptus wood chips were subjected to impregnation with various blends of novel fiber modify-ing enzymes before chemical pretreatment and two stages of refining using the preconditioning refiner chemical–alkaline peroxide mechanical pulping (PRC-APMP) process. Wood chip impregnation and pulp processing was con-ducted at a pilot plant in the United States. When compared under constant chemical application and at a constant 350 mL CSF, enzyme treatment reduced specific refining energy by at least 24%. The effect of one versus two stages of impregnation and of enzyme action upon several physical pulp properties was determined.

Abstract Object of research of article is the drawing of bars plate in the refiners at refining of chips and wood pulp. On the basis of the theory of contact interaction of bars influence of the drawing of plate on characteristics of contact processes is investigated. The friction coefficient between plate decreases at increase in density of contact of bars. At increase in an angle of crossing of bars rotor and stator and refining of pulp with concentration up to 6% the coefficient of friction decreases. At increase in an angle of crossing of bars chips and pulp with concentration over 10% the coefficient of friction increases. Therefore it is recommended to increase the angle of crossing of bars rotor and stator at refining of pulp of low concentration, and at refining of pulp of concentration over 10% and chips - to reduce, up to a radial arrangement.

A comparison among ten market pulps at a laboratory scale using uncreped tissue handsheets was performed to study the performance of wood and non-wood pulps for tissue manufacturing, evaluate what fiber features are desired for a specific tissue property, and determine how non-wood pulps can be used to replace or complement wood pulps in tissue products. A characterization of the fiber morphology and handsheet properties (softness, water absorbency, and strength) was performed at different mechanical refining levels. The results showed that the fiber morphology had a major impact on tissue properties. Market pulps with a combination of long fibers, high coarseness, and low fines content can provide superior bulk and water absorbency. Short fibers with thin cell walls and low fines content can impart superior softness. Bleached bamboo soda pulp can replace hardwood and softwood pulps to provide an excellent combination of water absorbency and strength. Bleached bamboo soda pulp can also replace Northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp to impart strength without sacrificing softness. Bleached and semi-bleached wheat straw soda pulps presented a similar combination of softness and strength as Southern bleached hardwood kraft (SBHK) pulp. The wheat straw pulps can be used to replace deinked pulp (DIP) pulp to impart intermediate levels of water absorbency and strength.

Abstract Utilization of rapidly growing trees, such as eucalypts, for high-yield mechanical pulps is limited by low brightness owing to high contents of alkali and neutral extractives. Wood supply problems have developed in many areas of the world and new sources of high-yield pulp are needed. Ten Eucalyptus globulus trees were selected from two plantation sites to evaluate suitability as raw material for high-quality and high-yield pulp. Chemithermomechanical pulp (CTMP) was prepared from tree chips pretreated with sodium sulfite prior to refining. Characteristics of the CTMP were correlated with chemical and physical properties of the wood. There was a linear relationship between the content of alcohol-benzene extractives in wood and CTMP brightness. Klason lignin content in wood was inversely correlated with pulp sheet density, which is an important characteristic affecting the physical properties of pulp. The content of alkali extractives were inversely correlated with pulp yields. Color reversion was tested by exposing CTMP sheets to heat and light. Heat-induced yellowing of CTMP was of a low level and satisfied requirements for printing paper. The rate of yellowing was inversely associated with extractives and can be reduced by antioxidants.

Abstract Neutral sulphite semichemical pulping (NSSC) of Schizolobium amazonicum (Paricá), a fast-growing Amazonian tree, was compared with that of Eucalyptus grandis (eucalypt), one of the most important wood sources for the Brazilian pulp industry, and with mixtures of both woods in different proportions (mix). Wood chips prepared from 7-year old trees were steamed, cooked using the NSSC process and defibered in a 12” disc refiner in three stages. The paricá wood produced pulp of lower yield (75 %) than eucalypt (77 %) at 16 % sulfite/150 min/170 °C. The paricá and eucalypt pulps were bleached to about 68 and 74 % ISO brightness, respectively, by the QPFAS sequence. Paricá consumed more energy for refining in comparison with the eucalypt wood. The wood mix produced lower yield and brightness than the single species processed separately.

Abstract This review covers the effect of mechanical pre-treatment of wood chips on the energy consumption in refining and the quality of pulp. To understand the mechanisms of mechanical pre-treatment, a short description of relevant refining theory and reported effects of pre-treatment on wood morphology is given. Mechanical pre-treatment offers a chance to utilize the energy needed to defibrate chips in a more efficient way, minimizing the cyclic elastic deformations which are the main defibration mechanism in refining. Studies of fibre morphology indicate that compressive pretreatment mechanically introduces favorable weak points in the S1 and S2 fibre walls where defibration proceeds easier upon subsequent refining. Published results which cover the effect of the pretreatment on energy consumption and pulp properties are reviewed. Energy reduction of between 10% and 30% is reported in the literature. High ratio of volumetric compression is necessary. Pressurized conditions are required to ensure that the fibres are not damaged during the pre-treatment. Other effects of compressive pretreatment include a more uniform chip size and moisture content, better penetration of chemicals and removal of extractives from the chips. A list of equipment used for chip pre-compression is provided together with published results of pilot-scale and mill-scale operation.

Abstract To increase our knowledge of the ultrastructure within softwood fibres, enzymatic treatment, thermoporosimetry, light microscopy, and atomic force microscopy with image analysis were used to investigate the structure of holocellulose softwood pulp fibres. The size of the average cellulose fibril aggregates and the width of pore and matrix lamellae were found to be uniform across the secondary cell-wall layer in the transverse direction of the wood fibre wall. In holocellulose, these dimensions were very similar to those in the native wood, whereas in kraft pulp the cellulose fibril aggregates were larger and the pore and matrix lamellae broader. These differences between holocellulose and kraft pulp fibres suggest that a high temperature is needed for cellulose fibril aggregation to occur. Neither refining nor drying of the holocellulose pulp changed the cellulose fibril aggregate size. Upon drying and enzymatic treatment, a small decrease in the pore and matrix lamella width was evident throughout the fibre wall. This indicated not only uniform distribution of pores throughout the fibre wall, but also enzymatic accessibility to the entire fibre wall. The holocellulose pulp had a somewhat larger pore volume than the kraft pulp. Refining of the holocellulose pulp led to pore closure, probably due to increased mobility of the fibre wall. The enzymatic treatment revealed that during hydrolysis of one hemicellulose, part of the other was also dissolved, indicating that the two hemicelluloses are to some extent linked to each other in the structure.

This thesis focuses on the electric energy efficiency of single stage double disc refining for production of printing grade mechanical pulp from Norway spruce wood chips. The thesis is based on the hypothesis, that more energy efficiency refining can be attained by balanced increases of wood softening and refining intensity. Five mill scale trials were performed where wood softening and refining intensity was varied by applying or changing the following process parameters and variables: Chip pretreatment/impregnation with water Low dosages of sodium sulfite (Na2SO3) added to impregnation Temperature and retention time in the atmospheric preheater bin Refining temperature (housing pressure) Feeding segment design combined with increased production rate By combining suitable increases in wood softening and refining intensity, it was possible to reduce the specific electric energy consumption in refining by 15% (~290 kWh per bone dry ton (bdt)) while preserving important pulp properties within ±5%, compared to the standard double disc refining process. This was done by combining chip impregnation, using an addition of 0.36% (on bone dry basis) sodium sulfite, with a new feeding segment design which enabled 25% higher production rate. When using the new feeding segment design at an increased production rate at unchanged wood softening, it led to reduced fiber length and increased sheet light scattering coefficient at certain tensile index, compared with the standard segment design at normal production rate. This is consistent with the effects normally seen when the refining intensity is increasing. The specific electric energy consumption was 8% lower at a tensile index of 43.5 Nm/g (on Rapid Köthen laboratory sheets) compared to refining at lower intensity using the standard segment design at normal production rate. Mechanical chip pretreatment with subsequent water impregnation showed a reduction in specific electric energy consumption of 6% (~120 kWh/bdt). When chip impregnation was applied in a later trial with a milder chip compression, it led to increased wood softening seen as better preserved fiber length and reduced light scattering coefficient. This resulted in a reduction in tensile index at certain specific electric energy consumption when applied with the standard refining condition but to an increase in tensile index when applied with refining at higher intensity using the feeding segment design at higher production rate. An addition of 1.2% sodium sulfite during impregnation led to a sulfonate content of pulps of ~0.28% (as Na2SO3 equivalents, including post sulfonation) and an average increase in tensile index of about 8.3 Nm/g, when compared to unsulfonated pulps at certain specific electric energy consumption. The increase in tensile index correlated with increased delamination and internal fibrillation of fibers (measured by Simon’s staining), which indicate that the increase in tensile index for sulfonated pulps was a result of improved fiber flexibility and collapsibility. The reduction in disc gap at certain specific electric energy consumption in refining due to an increased wood softening after sulfonation may explain the increase in delamination and internal fibrillation for sulfonated pulps. The smaller disc gap probably led to a more intense refining, i.e. loading at higher deformation rates due to a higher degree of deformation in bar crossings. Different temperatures (80 vs. 97°C) and retention times (6 vs. 9 min.) in the atmospheric preheater bin were studied. This showed that the lower temperature and shorter retention time was beneficial for the tensile strength and light scattering of pulp when applying low dosage sodium sulfite pretreatment. This was most likely a result of too high degree of wood softening prior to defibration in the breaker bar zone when combining low dosage sodium sulfite pretreatment with the higher preheating bin temperature at longer retention time. Different refining temperatures (4.6 and 6.4 bar(g) refiner housing pressure) were evaluated both without and with low additions (0.6% and 1.2%) of sodium sulfite. Raising the refining temperature increased tensile index by 3.2 Nm/g and the addition of 1.2% sodium sulfite by 8.6 Nm/g. The combined increase (~12 Nm/g) was similar to the effect of increasing the specific electric energy consumption by 380 kWh/bdt, when comparing pulps at equal tensile index. However, the pulps produced with increased refining temperature and sodium sulfite addition had lower light scattering coefficient at certain tensile index. The combination of increased refining temperature and addition of 0.6% sodium sulfite was interesting and resulted in pulp with higher tensile index, light scattering coefficient and brightness together with lower shives content at certain specific electric energy consumption, compared with pulp produced at the lower refining temperature without addition of sodium sulfite. Finally, an implementation of the technology presented here is discussed in relation to the Braviken mill (Holmen Paper AB, Norrköping, Sweden) concerning reduction in electric energy consumption and steam recovery. The technology has potential to reduce the electrical energy use by ~100 GWh/year at the Braviken paper mill, where this study was performed.

Vid tidpunkten för disputationen var följande delarbeten opublicerade: delarbete 3 och 4 inskickat.

At the time of the doctoral defence the following papers were unpublished: paper 3 and 4 submitted.

A new technique for measuring the water content of fiber is presented. Tritiated water is added to a pulp/water suspension whereupon the tritium partitions between the bulk water and the pulp. Through this technique a fiber:water partition coefficient is developed, Kpw. This thesis will cover the development of the Kpw procedure and three different case studies. The first study involves comparing Kpw to traditional methods of fiber water content. The procedure provides a value of ten percent for the tightly bound water content of unrefined hardwood or softwood kraft fiber, either bleached or unbleached. If this water is assumed to cover the fiber surface as a monolayer, then an estimate of the wet surface area of fiber can be obtained. This estimate compares well to independent measurements of surface area. Kpw has also been found to be valuable in furthering the understanding of refining. Based on the study, it is proposed that refining occurs in three discrete stages. First, refining removes the primary cell wall and S1 layer while beginning to swell the S2 layer. Next, internal delamination occurs within the S2 layer. Finally, fiber destruction occurs at high refining levels. By using Kpw, the three stages of refining are clearly recognized. Lastly, Kpw is used to study the effect of hornification on bleached softwood kraft fiber. The recycling effects at three refining levels were characterized by Kpw and followed closely the findings of the refining study. At low and high refining levels, the impact of recycling was minimal according to Kpw results, but at 400 mL csf the impact of recycling was much more pronounced. This could be attributed to the closing of internal delaminations within the fiber.

An experiment was designed to test the hypothesis that each softwood pulp is unique and requires a specific, well defined mechanical treatment to derive its maximum strength potential. Three bleached softwood Kraft pulps and respective wood samples were sourced from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The raw fibre characteristics of P. patula (Southern Hemisphere), P. menziesii (Northern Hemisphere) and P. mariana (Northern Hemisphere) were measured and compared. The raw pulp sheets were refined at different energies and intensities under controlled laboratory conditions using a 12” single disc pilot refiner. Results were assessed to determine the raw fibre characteristics, optimum refining conditions and the relative refined strength potential for each of the three samples. Results from anatomy measurements on the three wood samples differed significantly. P. patula exhibited a relatively high proportion of springwood growth in the early growing years. As the P. patula aged and formed mature wood there was a significant increase in the frequency of latewood formation. This was characterized by an abrupt and significant increase in the wall thickness, beyond that of the two Northern softwood samples. When the cell wall thickness increased, the lumen width and fibre diameter of the P. patula decreased significantly, yielding extremely coarse, stiff fibres. The Northern P .mariana and P. menziesii samples were characterized by a relatively consistent transition between high and low densities from the pith to the bark of the tree. The Southern P. patula had a unique density trend with an increasing frequency of high density peaks indicative of an increased latewood formation from the pith to the bark. The slower growing Northern P. menziesii and P. mariana samples did not have as clear a differentiation in fibre characteristics between juvenile and mature wood formation. The Northern samples did however contain a significantly higher proportion of juvenile latewood growth than the P. patula. However, the difference in fibre characteristics between earlywood and latewood formation was not as significant as that noted with the Southern P. patula Fibre morphology measurements on the unrefined bleached Kraft pulps also revealed significant differences between the three samples. The average MORFI LAB01 results on the P. patula defined fibres with a high coarseness and relatively low number of fibres per gram of pulp. The extremely coarse latewood fibres formed during mature wood growth being the most likely source. However, P. patula was also characterized with a high fibre flexibility and large lumen, characteristics consistent with earlywood fibres. The Pulmac Z-Span 3000 was used to define the individual fibre strength, when due consideration was given to the number of fibres per gram, the corrected Pulmac results suggested P. patula had the strongest fibres. When refined, using a standard disc refining programme, P. patula exhibited a fast freeness development. Conventional thinking would suggest that this was an indication of a weaker fibre. However, this species had a robust morphology compared to the Northern Hemisphere woods. The theory developed in this dissertation suggests that the effect of coarseness and the concomitant number of fibres per gram plays a significant role. These two parameters are not included in the “traditional” refining calculations. The applied refining load and intensity was calculated on the flow of the pulp passing through the refiner. The calculation did not consider the actual number of fibres present in that specific volume. The implication is that when a fixed refining load is applied to a pulp with coarse fibres there may be a higher effective load on those fewer fibres (resulting in fibre cutting and fines generation). In this case, the Northern samples have a comparatively low coarseness and more fibres per gram with each receiving a smaller portion of the total load and intensity. In terms of refined pulp properties, P. patula developed a relatively high bulk and tear index consistent with coarse, rigid fibres. The Northern P. mariana and P. menziesii samples produced a pulp with good tensile properties, consistent with a greater number of finer, collapsible fibres with a higher relative bonding area. P. patula fibres were extremely heterogeneous in nature containing the smallest relative lumen width during latewood formation and the largest lumen width during earlywood growth. As a result, P. patula contains extremes of both fine and coarse fibres in the same blend. It may be more beneficial for this species than the others to improve both the tear and tensile properties through fibre fractionation with appropriate development of the separate accepts and rejects streams. In terms of fibre development, low intensity refining parameters maximized the tensile strength of the Southern P. patula. The Northern P. mariana and P. menziesii samples had a greater number of fibres per gram of pulp requiring both a higher refining energy and intensity to develop the pulp to its maximum potential. To develop optimum tear results, high intensity refining, with a relatively low specific energy provided optimum results for all 3 samples. Results confirmed that there were significant differences in the fibre morphology both between the three different species and between the two Hemispheres. There was strong evidence that the fibre characteristics dictate the manner in which a fibre responds to refining which in turn determines the relative contribution to specific refined pulp properties. It may be possible to use fibre characteristics to determine the appropriate refining parameters for optimal fibre development which will enhance the value of the end product. To derive the maximum strength potential from P. patula pulp samples, it is recommended that further studies investigate Hydracyclone fractionation and the concomitant benefits of refining the separate streams. Furthermore, a separate study on fibre morphology and refining characteristics of the same species grown in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere would provide valuable insight.
Thesis (M.Sc.Eng)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

A piezo-ceramic sensor was developed to measure normal and tangential shear forces applied to a bar at one location in the refining zone of a Sunds Defibrator Conflo® JC-00 refiner. Testing was completed at the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada in Vancouver. BC using CTMP pulp with a stock consistency of 3.15%. Distributions have been determined for peak normal and shear forces. peak coefficient of friction. shear work. and shear lead. These distributions were analysed to assess possible correlations with specific edge load. Force magnitudes were found to increase with an increase in specific edge load. The peak coefficient of friction was calculated that ranged from 0.13 to 0.16. Both the normal and shear force magnitudes varied by as much as a factor of 3, due to rotor out-of-tram of only 0.06 mm. These distributions could provide greater insight to the mechanisms responsible for fibre development in papermaking and thus "In Process" control of various refiner conditions.

The development of fast and practical methods for inspecting fiber suspensions is of great interest in the paper making industry. For process control and paper quality prediction, several elements of the refining process during paper making must be accurately monitored, including specific fiber properties, weight percent fiber (composition), degree of refining, amount of solids, and entrained air content. The results of previous ultrasonic studies applied to wood pulp provide guidance that ultrasound attenuation is information rich, and it does potentially provide a tool for consistency measurement. Ultrasound has the ability to penetrate dense suspensions such as wood pulp slurries. It is has been shown, in some studies, that ultrasound is sensitive to degree of refining. The effects of entrained air, additives, the origin and treatment of the fibers do however all influence the measured data. A series of measurements were made with hardwood and softwood slurries to evaluate the ability of measuring pulp consistency, solids, and entrained air. The attenuation through the slurry was measured as the ultrasound travels from one transducer through the slurry to the other. The measurements identified the presence of entrained air in the pulp samples. To better understand the effects of air, measurements were made at increasing pressures to show how increased pressure reduced the amount of air observed in the spectrum.