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Journal articles
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Fiber-based characterization of pulp refining, TAPPI Journal September 2022
ABSTRACT: Fiber development in pulp refining can be characterized by three parameters: number of impacts on pulp, N; energy per impact, I, and bar force on fibers, F. These parameters enable comparisons of radically different refining conditions; determination of intensity for hardwoods and softwoods; assessment of effect of bar width on fiber shortening; and predictions of tensile strength increases.
Journal articles
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Tetraethyl orthosilicate-containing dispersion coating — water vapor and liquid water barrier properties, TAPPI Journal September 2021
ABSTRACT: An aqueous styrene-butadiene latex dispersion coating containing in-situ processed tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) applied on paperboard demonstrated improved water barrier performance. Coatings containing TEOS equivalent to 0.8% silicon dioxide (SiO2; dry basis) exhibited water vapor performance of < 25 g/m2/day (23°C, 50% relative humidity [RH]) and liquid water barrier performance Cobb 1800 s of < 6 g/m2, when applied as a single-layer 18 g/m2 coating. Cobb 1800 s barrier performance was still good (< 11 g/m2) at coat weights of 7–10 g/m2. The use of filler materials such as kaolin improved the vapor barrier properties of the coating, but this was not critical to the liquid water barrier properties.
Journal articles
Bleaching optimization at WestRock mill in Covington, Virgi
Bleaching optimization at WestRock mill in Covington, Virginia, TAPPI JOURNAL September 2016
Journal articles
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Repulping of wet strength paper towel with potassium monopersulfate, TAPPI Journal September 2020
ABSTRACT: Potassium monopersulfate (KMPS) was used in repulping of polyamide-epichlorohydrin (PAE)-containing paper towel. The effectiveness of the repulping aid was compared with that of sodium hypochlorite. Addition of a 2.4% KMPS repulping aid achieved complete repulping of the paper towel, resulting in 88% screen yield and about 5% rejects. To reach a similar pulping result, two times the oxidative equivalent amount of sodium hypochlorite had to be used. Compared to the pulp fibers obtained from sodium hypochlorite repulping, those obtained from KMPS repulping had higher physical strength, longer fiber length, and lower fines content. This study demonstrated that KMPS was superior to sodium hypochlorite in repulping of PAE-containing paper towel in terms of effectiveness and pulp quality.
Journal articles
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Editorial: TAPPI Journal Best Research Paper for 2023 focuses on black liquor concentration using graphene oxide membranes, TAPPI Journal February 2024
ABSTRACT: TAPPI and the TAPPI Journal (TJ) Editorial Board would like congratulate the authors of the 2023 TAPPI Journal Best Research Paper Award and Honghi Tran Prize: Sam Rae, Ella V. Richards, Max Kleiman-Lynch, Brent D. Keller, and Brandon I. Macdonald. Their paper, “Pilot scale black liquor concentration using pressure driven membrane separation,” appeared on p. 223 of the April 2023 issue. This kraft recovery cycle research was recognized by the TAPPI Journal Editorial Board for its innovation, creativity, scientific merit, and clear expression of ideas.
Journal articles
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Effects of varying total titratable alkali and causticizing efficiency targets on kraft pulp mill productivity, TAPPI Journal March 2024
ABSTRACT: The kraft mill causticizing area is often overlooked and undervalued when it comes to mill optimization; however, the operation of the causticizing plant has downstream effects on the entire liquor cycle. Setting the right targets for the causticizing plant can have a tremendous effect on mill operating costs, as well as push the production bottleneck from one unit operation to another. The key performance parameters associated with the causticizing plant itself are liquor total titratable alkali (TTA) and causticizing efficiency. Individual facilities choose their TTA and causticizing efficiency targets based on their goals, the limits of their equipment, and past experiences. This gives a variety of operating strategies in practice, but what are the implications for optimizing total titratable alkali and causticizing efficiency, and what level of optimization can be achieved through implementation of modern technology? This paper reviews the results of several different operational strategies and models the effects of these different approaches on kraft mill liquor cycle.
Journal articles
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How do mud balls form in lime kilns?, TAPPI Journal April 2023
ABSTRACT: Mud ball formation in lime kilns has been a persistent problem in many kraft mills, particularly for older kilns that are equipped with chains. A systematic laboratory study was conducted to examine how mud balls are formed and the key factors that affect ball formation. The results confirm the general mill experience that high moisture and high sodium contents in lime mud are the main contributing factors to ball formation. The high moisture content allows lime mud to agglomerate and grow to form balls, while the high sodium content helps make the balls hard and retain their shape. A ball formation mechanism is proposed to explain how mud balls form and grow near the kiln feed end.
Journal articles
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Fate of phosphorus in the recovery cycle of the kraft pulping process, TAPPI Journal March 2020
ABSTRACT: The accumulation of nonprocess elements in the recovery cycle is a common problem for kraft pulp mills trying to reduce their water closure or to utilize biofuels in their lime kiln. Nonprocess elements such as magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), and phosphorus (P) enter the recovery cycle via wood, make-up chemicals, lime rock, biofuels, and process water. The main purge point for these elements is green liquor dregs and lime mud. If not purged, these elements can cause operational problems for the mill. Phosphorus reacts with calcium oxide (CaO) in the lime during slaking; as a result, part of the lime is unavailable for slaking reactions. The first part of this project, through laboratory work, identified rhenanite (NaCa(PO4)) as the form of P in the lime cycle and showed the negative effect of P on the availability of the lime. The second part of this project involved field studies and performing a mass balance for P at a Canadian kraft pulp mill.
Journal articles
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Does the kappa number method accurately reflect lignin content in nonwood pulps?, TAPPI Journal November 2018
Does the kappa number method accurately reflect lignin content in nonwood pulps?, TAPPI Journal November 2018
Journal articles
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Causes of poor dregs settling in a green liquor clarifier, TAPPI Journal August 2022
ABSTRACT: A study was conducted to examine the most likely parameters responsible for poor dregs settling at a kraft mill over a 2.5-year period, using multivariate data analysis (MVDA) and machine learning (ML) techniques. The dregs settling behavior seems to be seasonally influenced, implying that wood quality variation can be a factor. The results from the MVDA/ML analysis show that poor dregs settling is correlated to incomplete combustion and/or low load conditions in the recovery boiler, low sulfidity in the causticizing plant, and high flow in the green liquor•weak wash cycle. Compositions of dregs and black liquor were also examined to identify correlations with impaired dregs settling. The results show that poor dregs settling strongly correlates with high silicon (Si) content in dregs and moderately correlates with high iron (Fe) and high aluminum (Al) contents, and with low bulk density in dregs. For mills that experience dregs settling or green liquor filtering issues, regular compositional analyses of dregs, green liquor, weak wash, and black liquor are recommended in order to monitor the dynamics of silicon and other constituents in the recovery cycle.