Abstract: Methods for discharging spent cooking liquors from a batch digester containing cooked lignocellulose-containing material in spent cooking liquor are disclosed, including supplying a first portion of washing liquid to the digester to displace a first portion of the spent cooking liquor at a temperature and dry solids content which substantially corresponds to the temperature and dry solids content of the spent cooking liquor at the end of the batch digestion, supplying a second portion of washing liquid to the digester to displace a second portion of the spent cooking liquor having a temperature and dry solids content substantially lower than that of the spent cooking liquor in the digester, and maintaining the first and second portions of spent cooking liquor separate from each other. Methods of producing kraft pulp in batch digesting processes using this method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process for the production of a hemicellulose hydrolysate and special pulp through two steps, the first step comprising the prehydrolysis of the material and the second step the dissolving of the lignin contained in the prehydrolyzed material. According to the process the lignin dissolving is carried out by neutral sulphite cooking with anthraquinone or a derivative thereof as a catalyst, the pH of the cooking liquor being initially at least 10.