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Recycling performance of softwood and hardwood unbleached kraft pulps for packaging papers, TAPPI Journal February 2023
ABSTRACT: The scope of this work is to evaluate the recyclability potential of hardwood and softwood unbleached kraft pulps, leading to a sound basis for comparison and even to support a decision about fibers accord-ing to the performance achieved. The influence of successive recycling cycles (up to 10 cycles) on the fiber morphol-ogy, pulp suspension drainability, water retention capacity, and handsheet mechanical properties were studied for Eucalyptus globulus and Pinus sylvestris unbleached kraft pulps. The performance of these pulps as linerboard and corrugating medium for packaging was also evaluated. The requirements for brown kraftliner and for high perfor-mance recycled fluting grades is preserved for E. globulus pulp during all 10 recycling cycles, evidenced by the mod-erate decrease of burst index and crush resistance index and by the short-span compression index, whereas the P. sylvestris pulp loses this rating after the second cycle. These results strongly support the higher performance of E. globulus pulp for recycling as compared with softwood kraft pulp from the perspective of packaging papers.
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A fast and non-destructive alternative to the burnout method for paperboard quality inspections using phase-contrast X-ray imaging, TAPPI Journal February 2023
ABSTRACT: An X-ray based quality inspection method for paperboard was implemented and tested as a fast and non-destructive alternative to the burnout method. An argument against X-ray imaging for inspection of paper and paperboard has been that X-ray absorption is low in paper. To overcome this limitation, we used phase-contrast X-ray imaging (PCXI), which gives higher contrast than conventional attenuation-based imaging for low-absorbing materials such as paper. The suggested PCXI method was applied to previously prepared and quality rated samples using the burnout method. A strong similarity between the burnout images and the PCXI images was observed. In conclusion, further development of the phase-contrast X-ray method would provide an interesting option for replacing or complementing the standard burnout method.
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Chemical addition to wet webs using foam application, TAPPI Journal January 2023
ABSTRACT: In papermaking, the conventional way to add chemicals to the web is to dose them into the fiber stock and form the paper afterwards. However, in many cases, adding chemicals directly to the stock is challenging. For example, strength aids tend to increase flocculation in the stock, which limits the addition amounts of those aids. The need for better performance of paper (and paperboard) products has given rise to the need for functionalization of paper. Adding such functional chemicals to the stock is usually rather inefficient. Hence, novel methods are needed to add chemicals to the paper bulk. One such method is dosing chemicals to the wet web via foam application. In this study, we built a laboratory-scale sheetfed dynamic foam application device and utilized it to study addition of starch to wet bleached chemithermomechanical pulp (BCTMP) paper handsheets. The impact of parameters such as vacuum level, the amount of added chemical, and the viscosity of the foaming liquid on the penetration of starch into the wet web was explored. Starch penetration into wet webs was measured via iodine-potassium iodide staining, followed by image analysis. According to our results, controlling the viscosity of the foaming liquid gives the best possibility to control the penetration.
Journal articles
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Z-direction chemical analysis for new application methods, TAPPI Journal January 2023
ABSTRACT: In conventional wet-end chemical addition during paper production, chemical distribution through the z-direction of the sheet is usually not considered an important characteristic. With a nontraditional chemical dosing approach, such as foam-assisted additive addition, the chemistry can appear at different concentrations throughout the sheet, typically in a z-direction gradient. To fully understand the strength properties of the sheet, it is helpful to view or quantify the chemical distribution through the sheet in the z-direction. One qualitative method uses a dye technique along with confocal laser scanning microscopy to generate an image where the relative chemical concentration can be observed. A quantitative method involves compiling nitrogen analyses of layered subsections of the sheet into a composite graph of relative chemical concentration vs. the z-direction of the sheet. Chemical distribution analysis can be paired with traditional z-direction strength tests, such as Scott bond and z-direction tensile, to help one understand and improve the chemical addition process and its effects.
Journal articles
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Evaluation of rice straw for purification of lovastatin, TAPPI Journal November 2021
ABSTRACT: Cholesterol synthesis in the human body can be catalyzed by the coenzyme HMG-CoA reductase, and lovastatin, a key enzyme inhibitor, can reduce hypercholesterolemia. Lovastatin can be obtained as a secondary metabolite of Aspergillus terreus ATCC 20542. In this study, rice straw of lignocellulose was used in aeration and agitation bath fermentation in a 1-L flask, and a maximal crude extraction rate of 473 mg/L lovastatin was obtained. The crude extract was treated with silica gel (230•400 mesh) column chromatography. Ethyl acetate/ethanol (95%) was used as the mobile phase, and isolation was performed through elution with various ethyl acetate/ethanol ratios. The highest production rate of 153 mg/L was achieved with ethyl acetate/ethanol in a ratio of 8:2. The lovastatin gained from the crude extract was added to 12 fractions treated with 0.001 N alkali, and acetone was then added. After 24 h of recrystallization at 4°C, the extract underwent high-performance liquid chromatography. The purity had increased from 25% to 84.6%, and the recovery rate was 65.2%.
Journal articles
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Effects of phosphogypsum whiskers modification with calcium stearate and their impacts on properties of bleached softwood paper sheets, TAPPI Journal September 2021
ABSTRACT: By combining the structural properties and characteristics of phosphogypsum whiskers, a preliminary study on the modification of phosphogypsum whiskers and their application in papermaking was carried out. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, and reaction concentration on the solubility and retention of modified phosphogypsum whiskers and the effects of phosphogypsum whiskers on the physical properties of paper under different modified conditions were explored. The research results show that, after the phosphogypsum whiskers are modified with calcium stearate, a coating layer will be formed on the surface of the whiskers, which effectively reduces the solubility of the phosphogypsum whiskers. The best modification conditions are: the amount of calcium stearate relative to the absolute dry mass of the phosphogypsum whisker is 2.00%; the modification time is 30 min, and the modification temperature is 60°C. The use of modified phosphogypsum whiskers for paper filling will slightly reduce the whiteness, folding resistance, burst resistance, and tensile strength of the paper, but the tearing degree and retention of the filler will be increased to some extent.
Journal articles
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A feasibility study of using the organic Rankine cycle for power generation from the flue gases of recovery boilers, TAPPI Journal August 2022
ABSTRACT: Almost 415 tons/h of flue gases with a temperature of 160°C are released to the atmosphere from the recovery boiler of a pulp mill with capacity of 1000 air dried (a.d.) metric tons of pulp per day. This is a large waste heat stream that can be used to generate power, to decrease the operating costs of a pulp mill, and to save carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In this work, the feasibility of using an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) with ammonia as the working fluid to generate power from the flue gases of recovery boilers is studied. CHEMCAD and Taguchi methods are used for simulation of the process and for optimization of operating conditions, respectively. The temperature of the ammonia and flue gases at the exit of evaporator, exit pressure of the pump and turbine, and the degree of subcooling of ammonia at the exit of the condenser are five operating parameters that are manipulated to optimize the process. Three different scenarios are defined: minimizing the net power cost, maximizing the ORC efficiency, and maximizing the net profit. Different aspects of these scenarios, such as net power generation, cost, efficiency, and CO2 emission savings are discussed, and optimum operating conditions are reported.
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.
Journal articles
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Utilization of kraft pulp mill residuals, TAPPI Journal February 2022
ABSTRACT: Kraft pulp mills produce on average about 100 kg of solid residuals per metric ton of pulp produced. The main types of mill waste are sludge from wastewater treatment plants, ash from hog fuel boilers, dregs, grits, and lime mud from causticizing plants and lime dust from lime kilns. Of these, about half is disposed of in landfills, which highlights the need and potential for waste recycling and utilization. Sludge is either incinerated in hog fuel boilers to generate steam and power or used in various forms of land application, including land spreading, composting, or as an additive for landfill or mine waste covers. The majority of hog fuel boiler ash and causticizing plant residues is landfilled. Alkaline residuals can be conditioned for use in land application, manufacture of construction materials, and production of aggregates for road work. This technical review summarizes residuals utilization methods that have been applied in pulp and paper mills at demonstration- or full-scale, and therefore may act as a guide for mill managers and operators whose goal is to diminish the costs and the environmental impact of waste management.
Journal articles
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Calender barring review with experiences, TAPPI Journal July 2022
ABSTRACT: Excessive calender vibration affects all styles of calender stacks from single to multi-nip, all hard rolls, or a combination of hard and soft rolls. Calender vibration can be forced vibration or self-excited vibration. Forced vibration occurs at the first few harmonics of the calender roll rotational speeds and is caused by imbalance, misalignment, eccentricity, etc. Self-excited vibration, the focus of this paper, occurs at higher frequencies. Feedback paths for self-excited vibration must be understood in order to ameliorate the problem. This is presented in the context of the historical development of the theory of self-excited feedback mechanisms, followed by a survey of self-excited feedback mechanisms in various types of calender stacks. Methodology to determine which feed-back path is present and techniques to control or eliminate the resulting vibration follow. To obtain a flavor of the types of problems faced and practical remedial actions, a variety of experiences with barring issues are provided.