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Journal articles
Nonlinear modeling of batch digester discharge dynamics with rheology-driven hydraulic transport and drainability coupling, TAPPI Journal September 2026
ABSTRACT: Batch digester blowdown constitutes a strongly nonlinear transient transport process governed by the coupled evolution of pulp consistency, slurry density, hydraulic resistance, liquid inventory, and discharge line dynamics. A control-oriented nonlinear formulation is developed by coupling dry fiber and free liquor mass balances with phase volume reconstruction, consistency-dependent hydraulic resistance, channeling and drainability effects, and a power law head flow relationship derived within a lumped hydraulic inertance framework. A fixed-gain PI controller obtained from local linearization is employed as the conventional benchmark, whereas an integral sliding mode controller (SMC) explicitly compensates the nonlinear time-varying hydraulic structure and bounded disturbances. Both strategies are evaluated under identical actuator constraints and sequential perturbations involving opposing head, hydraulic resistance, channeling, drainability, and dilution. Numerical results demonstrate lower rootmean- square error, integral absolute error, and peak flow-tracking error for the SMC, with rapid recovery toward the prescribed sliding boundary layer and improved robustness to variations in the nonlinear flow exponent n. Cumulative electrical energy and batch-specific specific energy consumption remain comparatively similar, indicating that the principal SMC benefit is enhanced hydraulic regulation rather than substantial batch energy reduction. Specific energy consumption is an established metric for energetic assessment of slurry transport. Model-based hydraulic demand, electrical power, and sliding manifold surfaces further characterize the nonlinear operating domain. The resulting framework provides a computational proof-of-concept for modeling and control of transient batch digester discharge systems.
Journal articles
Pressure drop characteristics of steam condensation flow in triangular channels for multi-channel cylinder dryers, TAPPI Journal September 2026
ABSTRACT: This study investigates the condensation pressure drop characteristics of steam in the channels of multi-channel drying cylinders, which remain insufficiently understood. An experimental system was established using a horizontal mini-channel with a triangular cross-section and a hydraulic diameter of 4.09 mm. Flow visualization combined with a high-precision data acquisition system was employed to systematically examine the effects of steam mass flux (10•60 kg/(m²·s)), inlet temperature (110°C•140°C), and cooling water flow rate (100•500 kg/h) on the frictional pressure drop during condensation. The results indicate that the two-phase frictional pressure drop increases with rising steam mass flux but decreases with increasing saturation temperature, while the effect of cooling water flow rate becomes more pronounced under lower temperature conditions. In addition, several existing two-phase flow pressure drop correlations were evaluated against the experimental data. Based on a comparative assessment of eight existing correlations, a new predictive model was developed through regression analysis, achieving a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 19.56%. These findings elucidate the pressure drop mechanism of steam condensation in triangular channels and establish a high-precision predictive model, providing theoretical guidance and a critical tool for the engineering design and energy consumption optimization of multi-channel drying cylinders.
Journal articles
CFD-Based Modeling of Kraft Char Beds â?¢ Part 1: Char Bed Burning Model, TAPPI JOURNAL February 2010
CFD-Based Modeling of Kraft Char Beds • Part 1: Char Bed Burning Model, TAPPI JOURNAL February 2010
Journal articles
A novel approach to quantify spatial coating-layer formation, TAPPI JOURNAL November 2010
A novel approach to quantify spatial coating-layer formation, TAPPI JOURNAL November 2010
Journal articles
Experimental and theoretical study of the manifold flow in a curtain coater, TAPPI JOURNAL November 2010
Experimental and theoretical study of the manifold flow in a curtain coater, TAPPI JOURNAL November 2010
Journal articles
Use of confocal laser scanning microscopy and a computer model to understand ink cavitation and filamentation, TAPPI JOURNAL October 2010
Use of confocal laser scanning microscopy and a computer model to understand ink cavitation and filamentation, TAPPI JOURNAL October 2010
Journal articles
Influence of oxidation and cationization on the properties of thermomechanical pulp fibers, TAPPI JOURNAL October 2010
Influence of oxidation and cationization on the properties of thermomechanical pulp fibers, TAPPI JOURNAL October 2010
Journal articles
Characterization of spruce thermomechanical pulps at the fiber cell wall level: a method for quantitatively assessing pulp fiber development using Simonsâ?? stain, TAPPI JOURNAL October 2010
Characterization of spruce thermomechanical pulps at the fiber cell wall level: a method for quantitatively assessing pulp fiber development using Simons’ stain, TAPPI JOURNAL October 2010
Journal articles
Magazine articles
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
Magazine articles
Commercially relevant water vapor barrier properties of high amylose starch acetates: Fact or fiction?, TAPPI Journal September 2021
ABSTRACT: Starches have recently regained attention as ecofriendly barrier materials due to the increased demand for sustainable packaging. They are easily processable by conventional plastics processing equipment and have been utilized for oil and grease barrier applications. While starches have excellent oxygen barrier properties and decent water barrier properties at low relative humidity (RH), they are moisture sensitive, as demonstrated by the deterioration of the barrier properties at higher RH values. Starch esters are chemically modified starches where the hydroxyl group of the starch has been substituted by other moieties such as acetates. This imparts hydrophobicity to starches and has been claimed as a good way of retaining water vapor barrier properties of starches, even at high RH conditions. We studied the water vapor barrier properties of one class of starch esters, i.e., high amylose starch acetates that were assumed to have good water vapor barrier properties. Our investigations found that with a high degree of substitution of hydroxyl groups, the modified starches did indeed show improvements in water vapor response as compared to pure high amylose starch films; however, the barrier properties were orders of magnitude lower than commercially used water vapor barriers like polyethylene. Even though these materials had improved water vapor barrier response, high amylose starch acetates are likely unsuitable as water vapor barriers by themselves, as implied by previous literature studies and patents.