Mapping and modelling of optical properties from pulp to super calendered paper

• During production of mechanical pulp based paper, the pulp darkenswithin the process which represents a significant cost for the mill. Amapping of the optical properties of the pulp was conducted along theprocess, from pulp mill to paper machine, at a mill producing supercalendered (SC) paper on three paper machines. The focus was to evaluateat which positions in the mill the discolouration occurs and also whichfraction of the pulp darkens the most.The fine fraction of the pulp darkened more than the long fibrefraction. Bleached pulp diluted with white water from the paper machinedarkened more during storage than pulp diluted with clear filtrate. Thewhite water contains a considerable amount of suspended solids, i.e.pulp fines and clay. There was a tendency for a shoulder in absorptionspectra of the pulp stored in white water from the paper machine in theregion 550 to 650 nm, both for fibres and for fines. This is in the sameregion where the added dyes have their absorption maxima and also somecomplexes between iron and some of the components among lignin and theextractives. Simulation of retention times of different fractions showedthat, although the main part of the fine material is retained in thepaper within a few hours, a small part might circulate for considerablylonger time.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Pappers-, massa- och fiberteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Paper, Pulp and Fiber Technology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Mechanical pulp

Mill mapping

Optical properties

Pulp fractions

Simulation

Storage

Publication and Content Type

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