Influence of dimethyl formamide pulping of bagasse on pulp properties

Organosolv pulping of bagasse was conducted following a central composite design using a two-level factorial plan involving three pulping variables (temperature: 190-210 degrees C, time: 120-180 min, organic solvent charge: 40-60% dimethyl formamide). Responses of pulp properties (yield and holocellulose, alpha-cellulose, kappa number, ash and ethanol-dichloromethane extractives contents) and the pH of the resulting wastewater to the process variables were analyzed using statistical software (MINITAB). Main factor analysis revealed that optimum pulp has the following characteristics: 82.7% (yield), 92.9 (kappa number), 95.84% (holocellulose), 83.53% (alpha-cellulose), 1.403% (ash), 2.562% (ethanol-dichloromethane extractives contents) and 6.39 (pH). These results showed that acceptable properties of pulps could be gained at 200-210 degrees C for 150 min and 40-60% DMF. Based on these results, this method could be used for pulping of bagasse equivalent NSSC concerning high yield at a fixed kappa number. In addition, bagasse could be pulped with ease to approximately 55% yield with a kappa number approximately 31. Numerical analyses showed that cooking temperature had the greatest influence on properties of obtained pulps within the DMF concentrations and cooking time as cooking variables.     

Influence of dimethyl formamide pulping of wheat straw on cellulose degradation and comparison with Kraft process

The pulping of wheat straw with dimethyl formamide was studied in order to investigate the effects of the cooking variables (temperature (190 degrees C, 200 degrees C, and 210 degrees C) and time (120 min, 150 min, and 180 min) and organic solvent ratio (30%, 50%, and 70%) dimethyl formamide (DMF+water) value) on the degradation of cellulose and degree of polymerization (DP) of organosolv pulp. The SCAN viscosity was applied to estimating the extent of cellulose degradation produced by cooking condition and then, it was compared with Kraft pulp at equal Kappa number. Response of pulp and handsheets properties to the process variables were analyzed using statistical software (MINITAB 14). The process variables (cooking temperature and cooking time) must be set at low variables with high DMF ratio in order to ensure a high yield and high SCAN viscosity. Also, pulps with high mechanical properties can be acceptably obtained at 210 degrees C for 150 min with 50% DMF. Generally, the cooking temperature was a significant factor while the cooking time and DMF ratio had a smaller role. By the comparison of Kraft and organosolv pulp, it can be resulted that DMF basically had improvement role on reducing of cellulose degradation by reason of high SCAN viscosity of organosolv pulp than Kraft pulp under equal kappa number and, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of obtained pulp. Consequently, the protective action of organic solvent on non-cellulosic polysaccharides of wheat straw against degradation under Kraft pulping conditions was pointed as a main reason of the fairly high yield of organosolv pulps.     

Influence of rice straw cooking conditions in the soda-ethanol-water pulping on the mechanical properties of produced paper sheets

A normalized design was used to examine the influence of independent variables (alcohol concentration, cooking time and temperature) in the catalytic soda-ethanol pulping of rice straw on various mechanical properties (breaking length, burst, tear index and folding endurance) of paper sheets obtained from each pulping process. An equation of each dependent variable as a function of cooking variables (independent variables) was obtained by multiple non-linear regression using the least square method by MATLAB software for developing of empirical models. The ranges of alcohol concentration, cooking time and temperature were 40-65% (w/w), 150-180 min and 195-210 degrees C, respectively. Three-dimensional graphs of dependent variables were also plotted versus independent variables. The optimum values of breaking length, burst and tear index and folding endurance were 4683.7 (m), 30.99 (kN/g), 376.93 (mN m2/g) and 27.31, respectively. However, short cooking time (150 min), high ethanol concentration (65%) and high temperature (210 degrees C) could be used to produce papers with suitable burst and tear index. However, for papers with best breaking length and folding endurance low temperature (195 degrees C) was desirable. Differences between optimum values of dependent variables obtained by normalized design and experimental data were less than 20%.     

Optimization of pulping conditions of abaca. An alternative raw material for producing cellulose pulp

The influence of temperature (150-170 degrees C), pulping time (15-45 min) and soda concentration (5-10%) in the pulping of abaca on the yield, kappa, viscosity, breaking length, stretch and tear index of pulp and paper sheets, was studied. Using a factorial design to identify the optimum operating conditions, equations relating the dependent variables to the operational variables of the pulping process were derived that reproduced the former with errors lower than 25%. Using a high temperature, and a medium time and soda concentration, led to pulp that was difficult to bleach (kappa 28.34) but provided acceptable strength-related properties (breaking length 4728 m; stretch 4.76%; tear index 18.25 mN m2/g), with good yield (77.33%) and potential savings on capital equipment costs. Obtaining pulp amenable to bleaching would entail using more drastic conditions than those employed in this work.     

Pulp and paper from vine shoots: neural fuzzy modeling of ethylene glycol pulping

The influence of operational variables in the pulping of vine shoots by use of ethylene glycol [viz. temperature (155-185 degrees C), cooking time (30-90 min) and ethylene glycol concentration (50-70% v/v)] on the properties of the resulting pulp (viz. yield, kappa number and viscosity) and paper sheets (breaking length, stretch, burst index, tear index and brightness) was studied. A central composite factorial design was used in conjunction with the software ANFIS Edit Matlab 6.5 to develop fuzzy neural model that reproduced the experimental results of the dependent variables with errors less than 5%. The model is therefore effective with a view to simulating the ethylene glycol pulping process.     

A comparison of kraft, PS, kraft-AQ and kraft-NaBH4 pulps of Brutia pine

The aim of this work was to study the effect of adding PS, AQ and NaBH(4) into kraft pulping with special attention given to NaBH(4). Kraft, kraft-AQ, PS, and kraft-NaBH(4) pulps were produced under the same cooking conditions and the pulps produced were compared in terms of pulp and paper properties. Kraft method was modified by adding 0.1% AQ, 4% PS and 2% and 4% NaBH(4) and the resultant pulps displayed an increase in pulp yield and reduction in both kappa number and screening rejects. On the other hand, there observed an increase in both pulp yield and kappa number when the kraft was modified to PS method. The benefits of NaBH(4) addition into kraft pulping was a significant reduction in kappa number and screening rejects and a significant increase in pulp yield. The most notable outcome of NaBH(4) was 66.6% increase in pulp brightness when 4% NaBH(4) was added into kraft pulping. Of unrefined pulps, unrefined kraft pulp displayed the highest strength of pulp, which is described as tear index at a constant tensile index. Of refined pulps, kraft-AQ showed the highest pulp strength when refined to 6000 and 12,000 revs in PFI mill.     

Ethanol-acetone pulping of wheat straw. Influence of the cooking and the beating of the pulps on the properties of the resulting paper sheets

The influence of independent variables in the pulping of wheat straw by use of an ethanol-acetone-water mixture [processing temperature and time, ethanol/(ethanol + acetone) value and (ethanol + acetone)/(ethanol + acetone + water) value] and of the number of PFI beating revolutions to which the pulp was subjected, on the properties of the resulting pulp (yield and Shopper-Riegler index) and of the paper sheets obtained from it (breaking length, stretch, burst index and tear index) was examined. By using a central composite factor design and the BMDP software suite, equations that relate each dependent variable to the different independent variables were obtained that reproduced the experimental results for the dependent variables with errors less than 30% at temperatures, times, ethanol/(ethanol + acetone) value, (ethanol + acetone)/(ethanol + acetone + water) value and numbers of PFI beating revolutions in the ranges 140-180 degrees C, 60-120 min, 25-75%, 35-75% and 0-1750, respectively. Using values of the independent variables over the variation ranges considered provided the following optimum values of the dependent variables: 78.17% (yield), 15.21 degrees SR (Shopper-Riegler index), 5265 m (breaking length), 1.94% (stretch), 2.53 kN/g (burst index) and 4.26 mN m2/g (tear index). Obtaining reasonably good paper sheets (with properties that differed by less than 15% from their optimum values except for the burst index, which was 28% lower) entailed using a temperature of 180 degrees C, an ethanol/(ethanol + acetone) value of 50%, an (ethanol + acetone)/(ethanol + acetone + water) value of 75%, a processing time of 60 min and a number of PFI beating revolutions of 1750. The yield was 32% lower under these conditions, however. A comparison of the results provided by ethanol, acetone and ethanol-acetone pulping revealed that the second and third process-which provided an increased yield were the best choices. On the other hand, if the pulp is to be refined, ethanol pulping is the process of choice.     

Comparison of polynomial and neural fuzzy models as applied to the ethanolamine pulping of vine shoots

The influence of operational variables in the pulping of vine shoots by use of ethanolamine [viz. temperature (155-185 degrees C), cooking time (30-90min) and ethanolamine concentration (50-70% v/v)] on the properties of the resulting pulp (viz. yield, kappa index, viscosity and drainability) was studied. A central composite factorial design was used in conjunction with the software BMDP and ANFIS Edit Matlab 6.5 to develop polynomial and fuzzy neural models that reproduced the experimental results of the dependent variables with errors less than 10%. Both types of models are therefore effective with a view to simulating the ethanolamine pulping process. Based on the proposed equations, the best choice is to use values of the operational valuables resulting in near-optimal pulp properties while saving energy and immobilized capital on industrial facilities by using lower temperatures and shorter processing times. One combination leading to near-optimal properties with reduced costs is using a temperature of 180 degrees C and an ethanolamine concentration of 60% for 60min, to obtain pulp with a viscosity of 6.13% lower than the maximum value (932.8ml/g) and a drainability of 5.49% lower than the maximum value (71 (o)SR).     

Hydrothermal treatment and ethanol pulping of sunflower stalks

The influence of temperature in the hydrothermal treatment of sunflower stalks on the composition of the liquid fraction obtained was examined. The remaining solid fraction was subjected to ethanol pulping in order to obtain pulp that was used to produce paper sheets. The pulp was characterized in terms of yield, kappa index, viscosity, and cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin contents; and the paper sheets in terms of breaking length, stretch, burst index and tear index. Hydrothermal treatment of the raw material at 190 degrees C provided a liquid phase with maximal hemicellulose-derived oligomers and monosaccharide (glucose, xylose and arabinose) contents (26.9 and 4.2 g/L, respectively). Pulping the solid fraction obtained by hydrothermal treatment at 180 degrees C, with 70% ethanol at a liquid/solid ratio of 8:1 at 170 degrees C for 120 min provided pulp with properties on a par with those of soda pulp from the sunflower stalks, namely: 36.3% yield, 69.1% cellulose, 12.6% hemicellulose, 18.2% lignin and 551 ml/g viscosity. Also, paper sheets obtained from the ethanol pulp were similar in breaking length (3.8 km), stretch (1.23%), burst index (1.15 kN/g) and tear index (2.04 m Nm(2)/g) to those provided by soda pulp.     

Influence of the holm oak soda pulping conditions on the properties of the resulting paper sheets

This paper reports on the influence of independent variables in the pulping of holm oak wood [viz. temperature (135-195 degrees C), cooking time (30-90 min) and soda concentration (10-20%)] on the properties of the resulting paper sheets. By using a central composite factorial design and a fuzzy neural model, equations relating each dependent variable to the different independent variables were derived that reproduced the experimental results for the dependent variables with errors less than 14%. Using a soda concentration of 17.5% at 195 degrees C for 30 min, it is possible to reduce the working capital (cost of chemical) and the capital investment, because it is operated with smaller values of the soda concentration and cooking time that maximum considered (20% of soda concentration and 90 min). The pulp yield thus obtained differed by less than 31.3% from the highest possible value; also, the resulting pulp and paper sheets had acceptable properties that differed by less than 21.10% from their optimum values.     

Effect of pulping variables on the characteristics of oil-palm frond-fiber

Caustic pulping of oil-palm frond-fiber strands was conducted following a central composite design using a two-level factorial plan involving three pulping variables (temperature: 160-180 degrees C, time: 1-2 h, alkali charge: 20-30% NaOH). Responses of pulp properties to the process variables were analyzed using a statistical software (DESIGN-EXPERT). The results indicated that frond-fiber strands could be pulped with ease to about 35-45% yield. Statistically, the reaction time was not a significant factor while the influences of the treatment temperature and caustic charge were in general significantly relative to the properties of the resultant pulps.     

Hydrothermal and pulp processing of Eucalyptus

Hydrothermal processing of Eucalyptus wood was performed at operation temperature of 181 degrees C, processing time or 37.5 min and solid water ratio of 1/6 to ensure a maximum loss of xylan recuperation with minimum cellulose fibre degradation. Under those conditions, the loss of xylan was 22% less than that achieved with the conditions 196 degrees C, 50.6 min and 1/8 (solid/water). IN In addition, an experimental design was used to study the influence of process variables: temperature (145-175 degrees C), pulping time (40-120 min) and ethanol concentration (40-70% weight concentration), on the properties of pulps (yield, kappa number, viscosity, cellulose, xylan, lignin acetyl groups contents and brightness) and paper sheets (stretch index, burst index and tear index) obtained from the solid fraction after hydrothermal treatment of Eucalyptus globulus. Pulps with acceptably high physical and chemical properties can be obtained operating at 175 degrees C for 90 min with 55% ethanol concentration.     

Neural fuzzy model applied to ethylene-glycol pulping of non-wood raw materials

We studied the influence of the operational variables (viz. ethylene-glycol concentrations of 50-70%, temperatures of 155-185 degrees C, times of 30-90 min and numbers of PFI beating revolutions of 500-1500) on pulp yield and various paper properties (breaking length, stretch, burst index, tear index and brightness) obtained in the ethylene-glycol pulping of vine shoots, cotton stalks, leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) and tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus). The fuzzy neural network models used reproduced the experimental results with errors less than 15% and smaller than those provided by second-order polynomial models in all cases. An ethylene-glycol concentration of 65% at 180 degrees C for 75 min and 1500 PFI beating revolutions were found to provide substantial savings in energy, chemicals and facility investments as a result of operating under milder conditions than the strongest ones studied in this work. Tagasaste was found to be the most suitable raw material among those tested as it provided the paper sheets with the highest breaking length (4644 m), stretch (2.87%), burst index (2.46 kN/g), tear index (0.33 m Nm(2)/g) and brightness (40.92%); its pulp yield was also high (62.88%), which reflects efficient use of this raw material.     

Ethyleneglycol pulp from tagasaste

In this work, we examined the influence of operational variables [viz. Ethyleneglycol concentration (50-70%), temperature (155-185 degrees C), time (30-90 min) and number of PFI beating revolutions (500-1500)] in the ethyleneglycol pulping of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus) on pulp yield and the breaking length, stretch, burst index, tear index and brightness of paper sheets formed from it. Application of a fuzzy neural network model in combination with an experimental factorial design allowed the results for the dependent variables to be predicted as a function of the operating conditions used with errors less than 15% in all cases. The operating conditions of choice provided pulp with a high yield (56.85%) and a low brightness (22.51%) which may thus be useful to obtain non-white paper.     

Feasibility of utilizing Rhizoclonium in pulping and papermaking

Material of Rhizoclonium from brackish water in Taiwan was investigated for its possible use in pulping and papermaking. After beating, this filamentous alga produced a pulp with a length to width ratio of about 10, much less than that of a typical wood pulp. Handsheets made from this pulp had a moderate breaking length of 4.02 km. Cooking pre-beaten pulp with a low chemical charge (5–25%NaOH) at a low cooking temperature (100 ^°C), and for a short time (30–120 min) gave high algal pulp yields (70–80%). This cooking process was sulfur-free, but the water requirement was high. After cooking and further caustic soda and bleaching treatments, wide-angle X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy showed that the crystallinity of the algal pulp increased substantially, but type I cellulose conformation was retained. The best pulp mechanical strengths (breaking length 5.23 km,zero-span tensile strength 79.2 Nm g^-1, bursting index of 2.2 kpa m² g^-1) were obtained after cooking for 1 h with 20% NaOH. Because of the morphological characteristics of the algal strands, the pulp generally lacked bursting, tearing and folding strengths, but proper blending with softwood pulp increased the tensile breaking length to8.40 km, the tearing index to 14.5 mNm² g^-1, the bursting index to 6.42 kpam² g^-1 and the folding endurance to 4299 double folds, i.e. levels comparable to a typical kraft pulp. The algal pulp thus showed clear potential as a supplement for traditional medium strength wood pulps. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Application of enzymes in producing bleached pulp from wheat straw

Crude enzymes produced by different strains were used in the production of bleached wheat straw pulp. Pre-treatment with enzymes from Penicillium A10 and Aspergillus L22 at a xylanase dosage of 4 IU/g prior to pulping decreased pulp kappa number by 6.29% and 12.07% respectively as compared to the control. High cellulase activity in crude enzymes has a negative influence on pulping. Xylanase pre-bleaching reduced chlorine charge by 20-30%, or increased final brightness by approximately 4-5% ISO, and improved the pulp strength properties. Xylanase could substitute for alkali extraction in CEH sequence, and be used for treating chemical-bleached pulp, which resulted in higher strength properties for bleached pulp. Modification of bleached pulp with enzymes of 3 IU/g (on xylanase) increased pulp brightness and breaking length by 3-6% ISO and 160-790 m respectively, and decreased post color number and beating degree of pulp by 29-36% and 2.5-5.5 degrees SR respectively, as compared to the original pulp.     

Bleaching of soda pulp of fibres of Musa textilis nee (abaca) with peracetic acid

In this work, we studied the influence of operational variables in the bleaching of soda pulp of Musa textilis nee (abaca) [viz. temperature (55-85 degrees C), bleaching time (30-150 min) and peracetic acid concentration oven dry pulp (0.5-4.5%)] on the kappa number and viscosity of the bleached pulp, as well as on the breaking length, burst index and brightness of paper sheets made from it. For this purpose, we used a central composite factorial design in order to identify the optimum operating conditions. In this way equations relating the dependent variables to the operational variables of the bleaching process were derived. These equations reproduce the dependent variables with errors less than 12% for all, except the viscosity which was predicted with errors less than 18%. Obtaining bleached pulp with the highest possible viscosity (1519 ml/g), and paper sheets with the maximum possible breaking length (6547 m) and burst index (5.00 kN/g), entails using a temperature of 55 degrees C, a peracetic acid concentration of 4.5% and a bleaching time of 150 min. This provides a brightness of 79.90%, which is only 6.53% lower than the maximum possible value (85.48%).     

Alkaline pulping of some eucalypts from Sudan

Four eucalypts (Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus microtheca, Eucalyptus tereticornis and Eucalyptus citriodora) grown in Sudan were examined for their suitability for pulping and papermaking with different alkaline methods. Their physical, morphological and chemical characteristics are reported. The pulping trials with E. citriodora and E. tereticornis were carried out using the kraft-AQ, soda-AQ, modified AS/AQ (ASA), ASAM and kraft methods. For the other two species, only the ASAM and the kraft process were applied. ASAM pulping gave the best results in terms of yield, degree of delignification, mechanical and optical pulp properties. The best pulps, obtained in kraft and ASAM cooking of E. citriodora, were bleached to 88% ISO brightness in a totally chlorine free bleaching sequence (OQ1O/PQ2P). The bleached pulps, especially the ASAM pulp, showed good papermaking properties and would be suitable for manufacture of writing and printing grades of paper.     

Influence of process variables in the ethanol pulping of olive tree trimmings

A central composition design was developed to study the influence of process variables (temperature, pulping time and ethanol concentration) on the properties of the pulp produced (yield and holocellulose, alpha-cellulose and lignin contents) and the pH of the resulting wastewater, in the ethanol pulping of olive tree trimmings. The proposed equations reproduce the experimental results for the dependent variables with errors less than 5% for the holocellulose and alpha-cellulose contents, yield and wastewater pH, and less than 15% for the lignin content. Obtaining pulp with acceptably high yield (37.6%), high holocellulose and alpha-cellulose contents (above 88.8% and 46.9%, respectively), and low lignin contents (below 7.2%), entails operating at a pulping temperature of 200 degrees C, using an ethanol concentration of 75% and a pulping time of 60 min.     

Comparative study on application of T.lanuginosus SSBP xylanase and commercial xylanase on biobleaching of non wood pulps

Biobleaching of three non wood kraft pulps (bagasse, rice straw and wheat straw) by Thermomyces lanuginosus SSBP xylanase and commercial xylanase (cartazyme sandoz), was studied in order to investigate their potential and effect on their various properties (reduction sugars, chlorine dioxide, kappa number, brightness and chromophores). In generally, xylanases released chromophores and reducing sugars and decreased kappa number of pulps. These samples gained over six brightness points over controls. Biobleaching of rice straw pulp with xylanase cartazyme (Sandoz) produced chlorine dioxide savings of up to 25% or 3.5-4 kg chlorine dioxide/ton pulp.