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Optimizing OCC refining with defloccing, TAPPI Journal April 2025
ABSTRACT: Subjecting pulp to a high shear zone immediately after refining results in more efficient refining. This phenomenon was originally observed to benefit softwood pulp refining. It was attributed to floc reduction based on floc measurements in mill refiners and the observation of reduced headbox plugging. Hence, this phenomenon has been termed “defloccing.” The present work shows this technology also benefits refining of North American old corrugated containers (OCC). The combined results of several mill trials with OCC defloccing demonstrate the interactions between OCC refining intensity, defloccing technology, and other state-of-the-art refining improvements. At the same refining intensity, defloccing OCC on 100% recycled machines increases OCC refining efficiency by 15%, with greater efficiency improvement on machines that use softwood as well as OCC. Furthermore, it is shown that the benefits of defloccing are additive to refining improvements made in the refining zone of a refiner plate. Most OCC refiner plate designs can therefore benefit from the addition of a defloccing feature.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Dynamic compression characteristics of fiber-reinforced shoe press belts, TAPPI Journal April 2025
ABSTRACT: Shoe press belts contribute significantly to the overall dewatering performance in the press section of a paper machine. Within the shoe press nip, the press belt faces a dynamic and multidimensional load that mainly leads to a compression of the structure. As this will cause a loss in void volume, knowledge of the dynamic compression characteristics of shoe press belts is crucial for optimized dewatering. A novel method was developed to examine the dynamic compression characteristics of grooved polyurethane press belts. Therefore, an experimental setup allowing realistic boundary conditions to test specimens was placed in a servo-hydraulic testing machine. Press belt specimens with different matrix material formulations and groove patterns were tested under varying load rates equivalent to different paper machine operational speeds. The results showed an evident sensitivity of the dynamic compression stiffness to the operational speed of the paper machine. This behavior was seen to be more sensitive to changes in the matrix material formulation than to adaptions of the groove pattern. As a result, the compression of the press belt within a shoe press nip is not only influenced by the peak pressure within the shoe press nip but also depends on the operational speed of the paper machine.
Journal articles
Editorial: The emergence of AI in additives development, TAPPI Journal March 2025
ABSTRACT: The continuing evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and its penetration into the core of the world of papermaking were undeniable at TAPPICon 2024 and especially within the content presented and sponsored by TAPPI’s Papermaking Additives Committee. On one side of the spectrum, there were traditional methods of chemical development and application grounded in natural intelligence, while on the other, there was the emerging presence of algorithmic decision-making and machine learning within the development cycle. The latter technology is brimming with the kind of promise that could reshape how additives are conceived, developed, and applied, turning what was once a matter of trial and error into something far more precise and previously out of reach.
Journal articles
Using multi-method analysis to identify challenging paper machine deposits and defects, TAPPI Journal March 2025
ABSTRACT: Based on its speed and versatility, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is the industry’s common starting point for analysis of a paper machine deposit or defect sample. However, certain contaminants and papermaking process additives cannot be precisely identified solely by infrared spectral interpretation. This lack of specificity could lead to a misinterpretation of the composition of the deposit or defect. A multi-method analysis uses data from two or more analytical techniques, including FTIR spectroscopy, microbiological staining/phase contrast microscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Pyro-GC/MS), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), to produce a more specific assessment of a sample’s composition. This paper discusses the use of a multi-method analysis in deposit and defect analysis and presents several case studies that demonstrate how this comprehensive approach can often produce an interpretation result of greater conviction and value to the papermaker.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Combustion behavior of kraft black liquor droplets from hot
Combustion behavior of kraft black liquor droplets from hot water pretreated hardwood and softwood chips, November 2016 TAPPI JOURNAL
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Novel CaCO3-polymer nanocomposite fillers for the improvemen
Novel CaCO3-polymer nanocomposite fillers for the improvement of bagasse-based papers, November 2016 TAPPI JOURNAL
Journal articles
Preparation and characterization of bioactive and breathable
Preparation and characterization of bioactive and breathable polyvinyl alcohol nanowebs using a combinational approach, October 2016 TAPPI JOURNAL
Journal articles
Editorial: The emergence of AI in additives development, TAPPI Journal March 2025
ABSTRACT: The continuing evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and its penetration into the core of the world of papermaking were undeniable at TAPPICon 2024 and especially within the content presented and sponsored by TAPPI’s Papermaking Additives Committee. On one side of the spectrum, there were traditional methods of chemical development and application grounded in natural intelligence, while on the other, there was the emerging presence of algorithmic decision-making and machine learning within the development cycle. The latter technology is brimming with the kind of promise that could reshape how additives are conceived, developed, and applied, turning what was once a matter of trial and error into something far more precise and previously out of reach.
Journal articles
Using multi-method analysis to identify challenging paper machine deposits and defects, TAPPI Journal March 2025
ABSTRACT: Based on its speed and versatility, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is the industry’s common starting point for analysis of a paper machine deposit or defect sample. However, certain contaminants and papermaking process additives cannot be precisely identified solely by infrared spectral interpretation. This lack of specificity could lead to a misinterpretation of the composition of the deposit or defect. A multi-method analysis uses data from two or more analytical techniques, including FTIR spectroscopy, microbiological staining/phase contrast microscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Pyro-GC/MS), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), to produce a more specific assessment of a sample’s composition. This paper discusses the use of a multi-method analysis in deposit and defect analysis and presents several case studies that demonstrate how this comprehensive approach can often produce an interpretation result of greater conviction and value to the papermaker.
Journal articles
Research on an energy model for X-ray measurement of paper ash content using COMSOL, TAPPI Journal May 2025
ABSTRACT: Ash content is one of the critical quality parameters in papermaking production. Traditional 55Fe radioactive sources used for online ash content measurement have a short lifespan and high costs, while offline methods such as the combustion method or chemical analysis are time-consuming. Using an X-ray tube as the radiation source, continuous X-ray measurement offers advantages such as being rapid, non-destructive, and cost-effective. In this study, COMSOL software was employed to simulate the measurement process and establish an energy attenuation model for X-ray measurement of paper ash content. The model simulates the energy attenuation of X-rays before and after transmission through four materials: calcium carbonate (CaCO3), titanium dioxide (TiO2), wood-based plant fibers, and paper samples filled with CaCO3. The absorption coefficients of paper samples with varying ash content were investigated using the model and compared with experimental results obtained from continuous X-ray measurements. The results indicate that the proposed energy simulation model can reduce the measurement error of paper ash content by 1%, significantly enhancing the reliability and accuracy of ash content measurement.