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Economic and competitive potential of lignin-based thermoplastics using a multicriteria decision-making method, TAPPI Journal September 2022
ABSTRACT: As a result of new lignin extraction plants hatching and increasing volumes of technical lignin becoming available, a variety of lignin derivatives, including phenolic resins and polyurethane (PU) foams, are reaching the marketplace or being used as intermediate products in many industrial applications. In the spectrum of possible lignin derivatives, thermoplastics appear particularly attractive due to a symbiosis of market, policy, and technology drivers. To assess the preferredness for lignin-based thermoplastics, this paper adapted a risk-oriented methodology formerly applied to assess lignin usage in various applications (phenol-formaldehyde [PF] resins, PU foams, and carbon fiber applications) to the case of lignin-based thermoplastics using hydroxypropylated lignin (HPL) and miscible blends of lignin and polyethylene oxide (PEO). The HPL is considered for garbage bags and agricultural films applications, while lignin-PEO blends are used as replacement for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) in applications such as automotive parts. In the methodology, two phased-implementation strategies were defined for each thermoplastic derivative, considering perspectives for profit maximization (90 metric tons/day integrated units) and revenue growth (350 metric tons/day overall capacity), which were considered for implementation within a softwood kraft pulping mill. A set of six criteria representative of the main economic and market competitiveness issues were employed, and their respective importance weights were obtained in a multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) panel.Early-stage techno-economic estimates were done as a basis for the calculation of decision criteria. Compared to product derivatives previously assessed, capital investment for thermoplastic strategies appeared marginally higher due to the required lignin modification steps (on average 30% higher at similar capacity, and 6% for higher-scale revenue diversification strategies). Higher operating costs were also observed due to increased chemical expenses for all thermoplastic strategies, which are ultimately balanced by revenues associated with targeted thermoplastic products, leading to greater annual margins and cash flow generation over the project lifetime for thermoplastic strategies compared to other product applications (58% to 66% higher on average, at similar scale). Benefits of improved economics were reflected in economic criteria, internal rate of return (IRR), and cash flow on capital employed (CFCE), as well as in the price competitiveness criterion, CPC. Overall, the combination of relatively high lignin content in the plastic formulation and the less costly modification method contributed to lignin-PEO strategies, gaining the top two rankings. Based on their overall scores, both strategies defined for HPL would also integrate the group of “preferred” strategies, but are outranked by strategies that consider lignin positioning on PU foam applications.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
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.
Magazine articles
A visit to mount st. helens; meta lake illustrates natural recovery following volcanic eruption, TAPPI JOURNAL, April 1994, Vol. 77(4)
A visit to mount st. helens; meta lake illustrates natural recovery following volcanic eruption, TAPPI JOURNAL, April 1994, Vol. 77(4)
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Mechanical modification of softwood pulp fibers using a novel lightweight vertical bar plate, TAPPI Journal April 2021
ABSTRACT: Refiner plates made using sand casting have a draft angle, which results in a trapezoidal bar shape. These trapezoidal bar plates have a limited throughput compared to the vertical bar plates, and eventually the edges of the bars become dull, resulting in longer time to reach the target freeness and shorter service life. The new light-weight refiner plate with a bar insertion method into a plate base was developed by selecting an aluminium-based alloy as the plate base material and a stainless steel alloy with high wear resistance as the bar material. The light-weight plate with sharp bar edges was very effective in reducing refining energy by reaching the target freeness faster than the sand-cast bar plate. Finally, the lightweight sharp bar plate, which weighed only about half the weight of the cast bar plate, was expected to significantly contribute to easy replacement, improved paper quality, and larger throughput without excessive loss of fiber length.
Magazine articles
Beauty or the beast: life after iso 9000, TAPPI JOURNAL, October 1994, Vol. 77(10)
Beauty or the beast: life after iso 9000, TAPPI JOURNAL, October 1994, Vol. 77(10)
Magazine articles
Shop Talk: Screw presses in waste dewatering, December 1995 Tappi Journal [95Dec233.pdf]
Screw presses in waste dewatering, TAPPI JOURNAL, December 1995, Vol. 78(12)
Magazine articles
Life-Cycle Assessment: background and update, December 1995 Tappi Journal [95Dec41.pdf]
Life-cycle assessment: background and update, TAPPI JOURNAL, December 1995, Vol. 78(12)
Magazine articles
Optical properties of pulp and paperâ?? New standardization proposals, December 1995 Tappi Journal [95Dec45.pdf]
Optical properties of pulp and paper - new standardization proposals, TAPPI JOURNAL, December 1995, Vol. 78(12)
Magazine articles
Mönsterås going 100% TCF as it increases production and minimizes emissions, December 1995 Tappi Journal [95Dec49.pdf]
Monsteras going 100% tcf as it increases production and minimizes emissions, TAPPI JOURNAL, December 1995, Vol. 78(12)
Magazine articles
CEO forecast: the recovery has arrived, TAPPI JOURNAL, January 1995, Vol. 78(1)
CEO forecast: the recovery has arrived, TAPPI JOURNAL, January 1995, Vol. 78(1)