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Journal articles
Effects of localized environment on eucalyptus clone chemica
Effects of localized environment on eucalyptus clone chemical composition, TAPPI JOURNAL September 2016
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Modeling the dynamics of evaporator wash cycles, TAPPI Journal July 2024
ABSTRACT: Kraft pulping is a process that utilizes white liquor, composed of sodium sulfide (Na2S) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), for wood delignification and pulp production. This process involves washing the dissolved organics and spent chemicals from the pulp, resulting in the generation of black liquor. Prior to its use as fuel in the recovery boiler, the black liquor is concentrated in multiple-effect evaporators. During the evaporation process, the inorganic salts present in the liquor become supersaturated and undergo crystallization. Fluctuations in sodium, carbonate, sulfate, and oxalate can give rise to severe sodium salt scaling events, which significantly impact the thermal efficiency of the evaporators, and ultimately, pulp production. Dynamic modeling provides insights into fluctuations in liquor chemistry in the evaporators. The primary objective of this study was to employ dynamic modeling to evaluate the effects of wash liquor recovery from evaporator wash cycles. The dynamics associated with wash cycles encompass variations in the concentrations of salts and solids in the recovered wash liquor, changes in the flow rate of wash liquor recovery, and fluctuations in liquor volume within the liquor tanks. The dynamic model was developed using Matlab Simulink and applied to the evaporation plant of a pulp mill in South America. By utilizing one month of mill process data, the model enabled the evaluation of fluctuations in liquor chemistry due to evaporator wash cycles. The developed model has demonstrated the potential to estimate the concentration of key ions responsible for scaling and to contribute to enhancements in evaporator washing strategies.
Journal articles
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Online monitoring of the size distribution of lime nodules in a full-scale operated lime kiln using an in-situ laser triangulation camera, TAPPI Journal June 2024
ABSTRACT: To maximize efficiency of the recausticizing process in a pulp mill, producing a reburned lime with high and consistent reactivity is process critical. Prior investigations have demonstrated a correlation between the reactivity of lime and its nodule size, as well as the dusting behavior of the kiln. Therefore, monitoring the nodule size produced in the lime kiln could be a promising indirect method to measure the performance of the lime kiln. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the utility of a laser triangulation camera for online monitoring of nodule size distribution for the lime kiln. A series of full-scale trials were performed in a lime kiln of a kraft pulp mill in which a camera was installed at the exit conveyor to analyze the lime discharging from the kiln. The nodule size distribution was analyzed for correlation with the lime temperature, flue gas temperature, and rotational speed of the kiln. The monitoring demonstrated temporal stability, and the results showed that the lime temperature had the most significant effect on the nodule size. The rotational speed of the lime kiln and the flue gas temperature showed limited effect on nodule size, but they had significant impact on the specific energy demand. The overall conclusion of the study is that the camera methodology effectively correlates lime temperature with nodule size distribution, and it advocates for the methods of implementation in automating lime temperature control, facilitating the production of consistently reactive lime at a lower specific energy consumption.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Understanding the energy and emission implications of new technologies in a kraft mill: Insights from a CADSIM Plus simulation model, TAPPI Journal June 2024
ABSTRACT: Kraft mills play a vital role in energy transition because they have significant potential to reduce their own energy utilization and produce energy/products to decarbonize other sectors. Through biomass combustion and potential biogenic carbon emissions capture, these mills can contribute to offsetting emissions from other sectors. This research investigates the departmental and cross-departmental implications of technology upgrades on energy, steam, emissions, water, and chemicals using a CADSIM Plus simulation model. The model provides a comprehensive analysis of mass and energy balances, offering valuable insights into the benefits and limitations of each technology. The model facilitates scenario analysis and comparisons of process configurations, enabling data-driven decision-making for sustainable and competitive operations. Six high-impact technologies, including additional evaporator effects, weak black liquor membrane concentration, belt displacement washer for brownstock washing, oxygen delignification, and improvements to the pulp machine shoe press and vacuum pumps, are evaluated. Individual technologies resulted in energy savings of 1.2% to 5.4%, biomass consumption reductions of 8.6% to 31.6%, and total emissions reductions of 1.6% to 5.9%. Strategic decision-making must consider existing mill limitations, future technology implementation, and potential production increases. Future research will explore product diversification, biorefineries, and pathways to achieve carbon-negative operations, aiming to reduce emissions and secure a competitive future for kraft mills.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Creating adaptive predictions for packaging-critical quality parameters using advanced analytics and machine learning, TAPPI Journal November 2019
ABSTRACT: Packaging manufacturers are challenged to achieve consistent strength targets and maximize pro-duction while reducing costs through smarter fiber utilization, chemical optimization, energy reduction, and more. With innovative instrumentation readily accessible, mills are collecting vast amounts of data that provide them with ever increasing visibility into their processes. Turning this visibility into actionable insight is key to successfully exceeding customer expectations and reducing costs. Predictive analytics supported by machine learning can provide real-time quality measures that remain robust and accurate in the face of changing machine conditions. These adaptive quality “soft sensors” allow for more informed, on-the-fly process changes; fast change detection; and process control optimization without requiring periodic model tuning.The use of predictive modeling in the paper industry has increased in recent years; however, little attention has been given to packaging finished quality. The use of machine learning to maintain prediction relevancy under ever-changing machine conditions is novel. In this paper, we demonstrate the process of establishing real-time, adaptive quality predictions in an industry focused on reel-to-reel quality control, and we discuss the value created through the availability and use of real-time critical quality.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Boosting the elongation potential of paper by mechanical refining and additives, TAPPI JOURNAL September 2018
Boosting the elongation potential of paper by mechanical refining and additives, TAPPI JOURNAL September 2018
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Mineral/microfibrillated cellulose composite materials: High performance products, applications, and product forms, TAPPI JOURNAL September 2018
Mineral/microfibrillated cellulose composite materials: High performance products, applications, and product forms, TAPPI JOURNAL September 2018
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Characterization of the redispersibility of cellulose nanocrystals by particle size analysis using dynamic light scattering, TAPPI Journal April 2019
ABSTRACT: Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), which are derived from the most abundant and inexhaustible natural polymer, cellulose, have received significant interest owing to their mechanical, optical, chemical, and rheological properties. In order to transport CNC products conveniently and efficiently, they are ideally dried and stored as pow-ders using freeze-drying or spray-drying technologies. The redispersibility of CNC powders is quite important for their end use; hence, a convenient method is required to characterize the redispersibility of CNC powders. In this paper, the possibility of characterizing the redispersibility of CNC powders by particle size analysis using dynamic light scattering (DLS) was investigated by comparing the results from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and DLS. The particle size obtained with DLS approximately matched that obtained with TEM. Compared with TEM, DLS is a quick and convenient method to measure the particle size distribution of CNCs in water. Two kinds of dispersing methods, sonication and high-speed shearing, and two kinds of CNCs prepared by different methods, sulfuric acid hydrolysis and the TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) oxidization method, were used to study the redis-persibility of CNCs. Sonication was more efficient than the high-speed shearing method for nanoscale dispersion of CNC powders in water. CNCs prepared by sulfuric acid hydrolysis could be more easily redispersed in water than those prepared by TEMPO oxidation.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Priorities for development of standard test methods to support the commercialization of cellulose nanomaterials, TAPPI Journal April 2019
ABSTRACT: With the growing number of producers and users of cellulose nanomaterials (CNMs), there is an increasing need to develop standard test methods to control production and quality of CNMs. In 2014, a Task Group was formed within the ISO Technical Committee 6 Paper, board and pulps to begin addressing the need for standards. This Task Group, TG 1, was tasked with reviewing existing standards and identifying the need for additional standards to characterize CNMs.In March 2018, TG 1 launched a survey to ask CNM producers around the world about the importance of having standard procedures to measure and quantify a variety of CNM properties, both physical and chemical. Producers were asked to identify the type(s) of CNM they produced and their scale of production, and to rank the properties for which they felt standard test methods were most important. In this paper, we summarize the survey responses and identify those properties of highest interest for producers of both cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nano- and microfibril-based materials (CNFs/CMFs). Properties of importance can be divided into three broad groups: i) a standard has either been developed or is under develop-ment, ii) a currently used standard could be adapted for use with CNMs, or iii) no standard is currently available and further R&D and consultation with industry is needed before a suitable and well-validated standard can be developed. The paper also examines the challenges of developing new standard methods for some of the key properties—as well as the feasibility and limitations of adapting exiting standards—to CNMs.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Polyvinyl alcohol as foaming agent in foam formed paper, TAPPI JOURNAL August 2019
ABSTRACT: The use of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH or PVA) as a foaming agent in foam formed paper was investigated. Polyvinyl alcohol is a linear, nonionic water-soluble polymer. It has hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts that give it a surface-active character. PVOH is mainly characterized by degree of hydrolysis and molar mass. Degree of hydrolysis is given as mol-% hydroxyl groups on the polymer. Molar mass is measured indirectly by measuring the viscosity of a 4% PVOH solution. The results show that the degree of hydrolysis of PVOH had a strong effect on the foamability of PVOH. Foamability decreased strongly when the degree of hydrolysis increased from 88 to 98 mol-%. The effect of molar mass on foamability was weaker. We saw an increase in foam stability and bubble size with increasing molar mass, but we did not see any effect on maximum air content. PVOH dosage needed to reach >70% air content (F) varied from 2 g/l up to 10.5 g/l, and the lowest addition levels of PVOH needed were achieved with a low molar mass PVOH with a low degree of hydrolysis. The best strength properties were achieved when using fully hydrolyzed PVOH as the foaming agent. Strength properties (both in- and out-of-plane) of samples made using PVOH were better than those made using an anionic foaming agent (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS). By adding PVOH binder fibers to the pulp, we were able to further enhance the strength properties of paper and board.