Abstract: This invention provides an effective, dermatologically safe composition based on partially carbonated magnesium hydroxide for use in cosmetic formulations.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method for completely dissolving and rapidly hydrolyzing cellulose, and uses thereof. Cellulose is placed in an acidic aqueous solution with a [H+] concentration of 10?7˜1 M or an alkaline aqueous solution with a [OH?] concentration of 10?7˜1 M as sample A, wherein the volume ratio of solid to liquid is (0.003˜1.05):1. The acidic aqueous solution with a [H+] concentration of 10?7˜1 M or the alkaline aqueous solution with a [OH?] concentration of 10?7˜1 M is heated up to 261˜352 as sample B. Sample A and sample B obtained from step 1 and step 2 are mixed in a reactor to a concentration of cellulose of 0.1%˜35%, the concentration of the mixed solution is adjusted to an acidity of 10?7˜1 M [H+] or an alkalinity of 10?7˜1 M [OH?], and a water density of 587˜997 kg/m3, pressure is set at 6˜584 MPa. The mixture is rapidly heated up to 261˜352 at heating rate of 7.8˜14.8 /s, and then cellulose is dissolved completely in 0.8˜2 sec and hydrolyzed in 5 sec.

Abstract: A method and a system for preparing xylan and calcium carbonate, xylan, a cellulose fibre, and precipitated calcium carbonate. The method includes extracting xylan from cellulose fibres with sodium hydroxide to form a mixture containing cellulose fibres and an extract solution containing xylan; removing the cellulose fibres from the mixture to isolate the extract solution; adding carbon dioxide to the isolated extract solution to form a mixture containing a liquid brightener and precipitated xylan; separating the brightener from the mixture to isolate the precipitated xylan; adding calcium hydroxide to the separated brightener to form a mixture of precipitated calcium carbonate and liquid sodium hydroxide; and removing the sodium hydroxide from the mixture to isolate the calcium carbonate.

Abstract: The objective of this invention is a method for separating cellulosic fibres, hemicellulose and lignin from parts of plants containing these, such as stems, leaves and seed coats or hulls of cereal, oilseed, fibre or grassy plants. After appropriate pre-treatments the material is heated in an alkaline solution at lower temperatures than used in the traditional cellulose manufacturing. After this heat treatment, the fibrous and other undissolved materials are separated from the solution and subsequently ground in wet condition, using preferably chafing treatments. For improving the separation, surface active substances can be included in the alkaline heat treatment solution.

Abstract: A method for pulp processing used in connection with a pre-hydrolysis kraft process (PHKP) includes adding wood chips or similar material to a reaction vessel, performing pre-hydrolysis, and neutralizing the mixture with a first quantity of white liquor followed by a different solution such as a cold caustic extraction alkaline filtrate optionally enriched with white liquor. The neutralization fluids are replaced with a cooking fluid comprising a hot black liquor and alkaline filtrate, optionally enriched with white liquor. The cooking fluid may have a relatively high effective alkali concentration. The cooked pulp may exhibit very low residual hemicelluloses and a kappa number within an optimal range.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing nonionic water-soluble cellulose ether having low insoluble content and providing a transparent solution. More specifically, provided is a method for preparing nonionic water-soluble cellulose ether comprising at least the steps of: drying a pulp sheet or pulp chips into which the pulp sheet has been converted, bringing the dried pulp sheet or pulp chips into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain alkali cellulose, draining the alkali cellulose, and reacting the drained alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent.

Abstract: A method for pulp processing used in connection with a pre-hydrolysis kraft process (PHKP) includes adding wood chips or similar material to a reaction vessel, performing pre-hydrolysis, and neutralizing the mixture with a first quantity of white liquor followed by a different solution such as a cold caustic extraction alkaline filtrate optionally enriched with white liquor. The neutralization fluids are replaced with a cooking fluid comprising a hot black liquor and alkaline filtrate, optionally enriched with white liquor. The cooking fluid may have a relatively high effective alkali concentration. The cooked pulp may exhibit very low residual hemicelluloses and a kappa number within an optimal range.

Abstract: A process for pretreating a lignocellulosic material is provided. The process comprises mixing the lignocellulosic material and an alkaline aqueous solution, in a solid to liquid weight ratio of equal to or more than 25:75 to equal to or less than 60:40, in a mixer to produce an aqueous slurry and heat-treating the aqueous slurry at a temperature in the range from equal to or more than 50° C. to equal to or less than 200° C. to produce a heat-treated aqueous slurry comprising a pretreated lignocellulosic material. The lignocellulosic material has a lignin content in the range from equal to or more than 10 wt % to equal to or less than 50 wt %, based on the total weight of the lignocellulosic material. The alkaline aqueous solution has a pH of equal to or more than 9.0.

Abstract: A method for treating a cellulosic material comprising extracting the cellulosic material with an extractant to selectively extract hemicellulose therein and separating the extracted hemicellulose to form a cellulosic product comprising less hemicellulose than the cellulosic material. The extractant comprises an amine oxide and a non-solvent. The cellulosic product retains the cellulosic fiber morphology.

Abstract: Alcohols useful as fuel compositions are produced from biomass by pretreating the biomass prior to hydrolysis and fermentation. In the pretreatment, the biomass is contacted with an aqueous solution containing a dilute acid with concentration of up to 10 wt % producing a predigested stream containing an aqueous liquor that contains at least a portion of hemicelluloses and a residual biomass that contains celluloses and lignin; separating at least a portion of the aqueous liquor from the residual biomass providing an aqueous liquor stream and a pre-digested biomass stream; then contacting the pre-digested biomass stream with a cooking liquor containing at least one alkali selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfide, potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, ammonium hydroxide, and mixtures thereof and water. A process that allows for higher recovery of carbohydrates and thereby increased yields is provided.

Abstract: Impregnating or spraying softwood chips in a solution containing an appropriate concentration of alkaline earth metal ions selected from the group consisting of calcium ions, barium ions and strontium, preferably calcium ions, at room temperature before a reductive alkaline pulping process, for example kraft pulping, significantly increases pulp yield. Using an agent that complexes with the metal ions, such as hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid (HEDP) allows this benefit of metal ions to be achieved during the pulping process rather than in a separate impregnation step.

Abstract: A process is provided comprising subjecting a quantity of plant biomass fibers to a pretreatment to cause at least a portion of lignin contained within each fiber to move to an outer surface of said fiber, wherein a quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers is produced; and densifying the quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers to produce one or more densified biomass particulates, wherein said biomass fibers are densified without using added binder.

Abstract: Methods for obtaining concentrated sugar solution from polysaccharide enriched biomass by contacting biomass with water and at least one nucleophilic base to produce a polysaccharide enriched biomass comprising a solid fraction and a liquid fraction and then contacting the solid fraction with saccharification enzyme consortium to produce a saccharification product comprising at least about 7 percent by weight sugars in 24 hours. The methods include optionally adding at least one additive selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycols, fatty acid esters, fatty acid ethoxylates, nonionic surfactants derived from polyethoxylated sorbitan and a fatty acid, sodium lauriminodipropionate, sodium cocoamphoacetate, sodium tridecyl ether sulfate and a combination of these, such that enzyme loading of the saccharification enzyme consortium can be reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acids encoding a feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase and the feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzyme that enables incorporation of monolignol ferulates, for example, including p-coumaryl ferulate, coniferyl ferulate, and sinapyl ferulate, into the lignin of plants.

Abstract: A method of making personal hygiene articles of high absorbency from cellulosic fiber pulp without chemical cross-linking of the cellulosic fibers is disclosed. The method comprises interposing a sublayer of mechanically fluffed alkali extracted cellulosic fiber pulp between a fluid permeable layer and a fluid impermeable layer.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing cellulose ether which is transparent as dissolved in water and has low water-insoluble content. More specifically, provided are a method for preparing alkali cellulose comprising a contact step of bringing a pulp sheet having a pore volume of 1.0 ml/g or greater, or chips into which the pulp sheet has been converted, into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain an alkali cellulose reaction mixture, and a drain step of draining the alkali cellulose reaction mixture; and a method for preparing water-soluble cellulose ether comprising a step of reacting the alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent.

Abstract: A method of producing a modified pulp for use in paper or paper web products, the method comprising treating wood chips in an extraction process to remove hemicellose to form treated wood chips; and subjecting said treated wood chips to chemical or semichemical pulping to form a modified Kraft pulp wherein the amount of hemicellulose contained in the modified Kraft pulp is from about 5 to about 10% by dry weight of the modified pulp.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing nonionic water-soluble cellulose ether having low insoluble content and providing a transparent solution. More specifically, provided is a method for preparing nonionic water-soluble cellulose ether comprising at least the steps of: drying a pulp sheet or pulp chips into which the pulp sheet has been converted, bringing the dried pulp sheet or pulp chips into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain alkali cellulose, draining the alkali cellulose, and reacting the drained alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent.

Abstract: To provide a fine fibrous cellulosic material capable of producing a saccharide in a high yield by hydrolysis; to provide a process for producing the fine fibrous cellulosic material from a cellulosic material; and to provide a process for producing the saccharide using the fine fibrous cellulosic material. The present invention is the fine fibrous cellulosic material containing cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, which the fine fibrous cellulosic material has a width of 1 ?m or less and a length of 5,000 ?m or less and is used for glycation reaction by hydrolysis.

Abstract: The invention herein discloses a method and its equipment for fast and complete dissolution and hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Lignocellulosic biomass is placed in a dilute alkaline solution and then rapidly heated to a temperature between 329˜367° C. to achieve complete dissolution of the lignocellulosic biomass as biomass solution in 0.7˜2 s. The biomass solution is further hydrolyzed rapidly to hydrolysates at homogeneous conditions. The solubilized biomass solution is easy to rapidly hydrolyze into sugars to produce bio-fuels and other value-added products, and to rapidly quench to produce micron particles in the continuous flow equipment at high pressures and high temperatures. The invention herein provides a simple and low-cost method to quickly dissolve and hydrolyze biomass with great potential for a novel biorefinery.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a system for processing biomass includes a water-impermeable bottom liner, a gravel layer supported by the bottom liner, a drain pipe disposed within the gravel layer, a biomass input device operable to deliver biomass over the gravel layer to form a biomass pile, a lime input device operable to deliver lime to the biomass for pretreating the biomass, a distribution pipe elevated above the gravel layer, and a pump operable to circulate water through the biomass pile by delivering water to the distribution pipe and receiving water from the drain pipe after it has traveled through the biomass pile. According to another embodiment, a method for biomass pretreatment with alkali, conducted at ambient pressure for approximately 4-16 weeks at temperatures ranging from approximately 25° C. to 95° C. Biomass may be lignocellulosic biomass and may be rendered suitable for enzymatic digestion or pulp production.

Abstract: A method for producing pulp by extracting hemicellulosic materials from lignocellulosic materials using water in an extraction stage, wherein the extraction stage is either a single extraction or a double extraction process; treating the lignocellulosic materials with an oxidizing agent in a treatment stage, wherein the treatment stage is selected from the group consisting of a second extraction process, an agent impregnation process, and a first pretreatment process; treating the lignocellulosic materials with a reducing agent in the treatment stage, wherein the treatment stage is selected from the group consisting of the second extraction process, the agent impregnation process, and a second pretreatment process; and then subjecting the lignocellulosic materials to a modified Kraft pulping process to produce pulp.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a process for recovering hemicellulose from Arundo donax comprising extracting a hemicellulose containing fraction from an Arundo donax biomass, purifying the hemicellulose containing fraction to remove lignin and other extractives, concentrating the purified hemicellulose containing fraction, and hydrolyzing the concentrated and purified hemicellulose containing fraction to yield 5 and 6 carbon sugars.

Abstract: Impregnating or spraying softwood chips in a solution containing an appropriate concentration of alkaline earth metal ions selected from the group consisting of calcium ions, barium ions and strontium, preferably calcium ions, at room temperature before a reductive alkaline pulping process, for example kraft pulping, significantly increases pulp yield. Using an agent that complexes with the metal ions, such as hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid (HEDP) allows this benefit of metal ions to be achieved during the pulping process rather than in a separate impregnation step.

Abstract: A method for pulp processing used in connection with a pre-hydrolysis kraft process (PHKP) includes adding wood chips or similar material to a reaction vessel, performing pre-hydrolysis, and neutralizing the mixture with a first quantity of white liquor followed by a different solution such as a cold caustic extraction alkaline filtrate optionally enriched with white liquor. The neutralization fluids are replaced with a cooking fluid comprising a hot black liquor and alkaline filtrate, optionally enriched with white liquor. The cooking fluid may have a relatively high effective alkali concentration. The cooked pulp may exhibit very low residual hemicelluloses and a kappa number within an optimal range.

Abstract: A method is described for separating lignin from liquid solutions resulting from the pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials such as switchgrass with ammonium hydroxide. The method involves a sequence of steps including acidification, evaporation, and precipitation or centrifugation that are performed under defined conditions, and results in a relatively pure, solid lignin product. The method is tested on ammonium hydroxide solutions containing lignin extracted from switchgrass. Experimental results show that the method is capable of recovering between 66-95% of dissolved lignin as a precipitated solid.

Abstract: A process of treating a lignocellulosic material includes a pre-extraction step in which hemicellulose is extracted from the lignocellulosic material. In one embodiment, the pre-extraction step involves contacting the lignocellulosic material with an aqueous solution under conditions that release acidic material from the lignocellulosic material into the aqueous solution, and the aqueous solution includes a basic material that at least partly neutralizes the acidic material so that the aqueous solution at the end of the pre-extraction step has a pH within a range of from 4.5 to 11. The process also includes a pulping step, after the pre-extraction step, in which the lignocellulosic material is separated into pulp. The process further includes an adsorption step, after the pulping step, in which hemicellulose is adsorbed on the pulp.

Abstract: A method of making personal hygiene articles of high absorbency from cellulosic fiber pulp without chemical cross-linking of the cellulosic fibers is disclosed. The method comprises interposing a sublayer of mechanically fluffed alkali extracted cellulosic fiber pulp between a fluid permeable layer and a fluid impermeable layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the control of pitch in an aqueous medium by adding surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate or an aqueous suspension comprising surface-reacted calcium carbonate and having a pH greater than 6.0 measured at 20° C., to the medium, wherein the surface-reacted calcium carbonate is a reaction product of natural calcium carbonate with carbon dioxide and one or more acids, the use of the surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate for pitch control, as well as to a combination of a surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate and talc for pitch control, and the resulting composites.

Abstract: Basic magnesium carbonate comprising a tubular aggregated particle of flaky fine crystals.

Abstract: An improved absorbency material for absorbency applications comprised of a cellulosic fibrous material wherein said cellulosic fibrous material such as pulp is a cold alkali solution treated material at a treatment temperature of less than about 50° C.; a process for improving absorbency and other characteristics of said pulp.

Abstract: The method of the present invention is directed towards a method to increase the pulp yield of a lignocellulosic material, or increasing pulp bulk and/or pulp viscosity. This method comprises the following steps; preparing a lignocellulosic material, contacting the lignocellulosic material in a vessel with hot water or steam for a predetermined time, producing acetic acid from the reaction of the hot water or steam and the lignocellulosic material, lowering the pH to less than about 4, removing lignocellulosic material extracts including a large percentage of hemicellulose, acetic acid and metal ions, exposing contacted lignocellulosic material to pulping chemicals in a pulping reactor, forming a contacted lignocellulosic material pulp with a kappa number below about 19 after about 90 minutes of contact with the pulping chemicals, exposing the contacted lignocellulosic material pulp to whitening agents, and producing a whitened hot water contacted lignocellulosic material pulp.

Abstract: A process for producing dissolving pulp includes a degumming step using a degumming liquor which includes hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.

Abstract: A method for extracting such natural cellulosic fiber bundles from natural cellulose sources selected from the group consisting of cornhusk, cornstalk, switchgrass leaves, switchgrass stems, rice straw, sorghum leaves, sorghum stems, soybean straw, wheat straw, cotton stems, barley straw, and combinations thereof, the method comprising performing an alkali treatment to partially delignify the cellulose source material and an enzyme treatment to depolymerize hemicellulose, break covalent links between lignin and carbohydrates, and decompose cellulose chains in the natural cellulosic source material, or a combination thereof thereby yielding extracted natural cellulosic fiber bundles having a length that is greater than that of individual cells and a fineness of at least about 1 denier and no greater than about 300 denier.

Abstract: The invention relates to processes of delignifying lignocellulose-containing material, wherein the lignocellulose-containing material is treated with a delignification catalyst and a lignin solubilizing agent.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition of matter and a method, which enhance the process of mechanically pulping paper precursors. The composition of matter includes a small quantity of a reducing agent and a source of alkali. When added to the pulped material, e.g., wood chips, before or during mechanical pulping, the composition reduces the energy cost of the operation. In addition, not only does the composition also does not reduce the brightness of pulp, the composition can also enhance the effectiveness of subsequent bleaching processes.

Abstract: A method for mitigating the costs of establishing a biomass-based pellet manufacturing plant includes identifying an existing pulp processing plant, obtaining permission to access and convert the pulp processing plant, and converting the pulp processing plant for manufacture of biomass-based pellets. Converting the pulp processing plant may include installing a pellet mill in the pulp processing plant, re-routing output from a pulp digester, such that the output enters the pellet mill, and bypassing unnecessary equipment. Biomass-based pellets may be manufactured in the converted pulp processing plant by liberating lignin from biomass-based feedstock via pulp digester and pelletizing the biomass-based feedstock and the liberated lignin to form the biomass-based pellets.

Abstract: A process for the production of a paper pulp, comprising preparing the pulp from a raw material derived from a plant of the Araceae family.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the control of pitch in an aqueous medium by adding surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate or an aqueous suspension comprising surface-reacted calcium carbonate and having a pH greater than 6.0 measured at 20° C., to the medium, wherein the surface-reacted calcium carbonate is a reaction product of natural calcium carbonate with carbon dioxide and one or more acids, the use of the surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate for pitch control, as well as to a combination of a surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate and talc for pitch control, and the resulting composites.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the deresination of pulp as well as to the use of carbon dioxide or a (bi)carbonate compound for the deresination of pulp. The process concerns the removal of wood extractives or resin from an aqueous pulp suspension in an alkaline process stage of the pulping process, such as an oxygen delignification stage, at a pH above 10. Carbonate ions are provided in the pulp at the high pH for solubilizing a significant part of the wood extractives in the pulp. The alkaline pulp is dewatered to remove solubilized extractives and for providing a deresinated pulp.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for increasing bulk of a fiber product, in which process a fiber pulp, and further a fiber product, is formed. In accordance with the invention, in a first step a carbonate compound is added to the fiber pulp as a basic component, and in a second step acid is added as an acidic component, in order to form salt, to provide the formation of small-bubbled gas, and to increase the bulk, and the fiber pulp is dehydrated. The invention also relates to a corresponding fiber product and to the use thereof.

Abstract: A method for producing fibrous material from softwood, hardwood, or annual plants, including preparing a solution of chemicals having one of: more than 5% of chemicals for softwood, more than 3.5% of chemicals for hardwood, or more than 2.5% of chemicals for annual plants. The method includes: mixing the solution of chemicals with the lignocellulosic material in a predetermined liquor ratio; heating the solution of chemicals and the lignocellulosic material to a temperature above room temperature; and, after the heating, performing one of: removing a free-flowing portion of the solution of chemicals and digesting the lignocellulosic material in a vapor phase, or digesting the lignocellulosic material in a liquid phase and separating the free-flowing portion of the solution of chemicals and the lignocellulosic material. The produced fibrous material has a lignin content of at least 15% for softwood, at least 12% for hardwood, and at least 10% for annual plants.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a tissue web, which is produced from a stock suspension including fibers. In this case, the volume and the tearing length are to be improved with the lowest possible freeness by the stock suspension containing lignocellolosic fibrous material made of wood or annual plants which has a tearing length of more than 6.5 km at 12°SR or a tearing length of more than 8.0 km at 15°SR and a lignin content of at least 15%, based on the oven-dry fibrous material, for coniferous wood in the unbleached state, or a tearing length of more than 4.5 km at 20°SR and a lignin content of at least 12%, based on the oven-dry fibrous material, for deciduous wood in the unbleached state, or a tearing length of more than 3.5 km at 20°SR and a lignin content of at least 10%, based on the oven-dry fibrous material, for annual plants in the unbleached state.

Abstract: Provided is a nanofiber sheet that sufficiently refined by fibrillation and has high crystallinity of cellulose fiber and can realize a fiber-reinforced composite material exhibiting high transparency, a high elastic modulus, a low coefficient of linear thermal expansion, and high heat resistance and being high in flatness and smoothness. This nanofiber sheet includes crystalline cellulose as the main component and a lignin in an amount of from 10 ppm to 10 wt %. When a fiber/resin composite material obtained by impregnating the nanofiber sheet with tricyclodecane dimethacrylate, subjecting the impregnated product to UV-curing at 20 J/cm2, and heating the cured product in vacuum at 160° C. for two hours includes 60 wt % of the cured tricyclodecane dimethacrylate and 40 wt % of nanofiber, the following physical characteristics (i) to (iii) are satisfied: (i) the parallel light transmittance of light of a wavelength of 600 nm at a sheet thickness of 100 ?m is 70% or more; (ii) the Young's modulus is 5.

Abstract: This invention relates to bleached mechanical paper pulps, based on fibrillated fibres of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin, containing calcium carbonate, in which calcium carbonate is crystallised and at least partly covers the fibrillated fibres of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin to which the calcium carbonate is mechanically bonded, papers made from these pulps and their preparation process.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing cellulose ether which is transparent as dissolved in water and has low water-insoluble content. More specifically, provided are a method for preparing alkali cellulose comprising a contact step of bringing a pulp sheet having a pore volume of 1.0 ml/g or greater, or chips into which the pulp sheet has been converted, into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain an alkali cellulose reaction mixture, and a drain step of draining the alkali cellulose reaction mixture; and a method for preparing water-soluble cellulose ether comprising a step of reacting the alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing cellulose ether which is transparent as dissolved in water and has low water-insoluble content. More specifically, provided is a method for preparing alkali cellulose, comprising a contact step of bringing a pulp sheet having a sheet density of 0.60 g/ml or less or being formed from pine, or chips into which the pulp sheet has been converted, into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution at 5 to 70° C. for 10 to 600 seconds to obtain an alkali cellulose reaction mixture, and a drain step of draining the reaction mixture, wherein an amount of the alkali metal hydroxide solution to be used for the contact step is selected so that the alkali cellulose obtained by the drain step has a ratio of a weight of alkali metal hydroxide component determined by neutralization titration of the alkali cellulose to a weight of solid component in the pulp {(alkali metal hydroxide component)/(solid component in the pulp)} of 0.3 to 1.5.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved process to break down lignin macromolecules and liberating cellulose fibers in lignocellulosic material using delignifying reactants with a gaseous organic agent as a heating and reaction-accelerating media. Lignocellulosic material is first impregnated with reactant chemicals, e.g. commonly used agents such as sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. Subsequently, the energy required for the delignification reactions is provided through heating with a gaseous organic agent such as methanol or ethanol, condensing and releasing energy to the solid lignocellulosic material. The temperature during the heating step with a gaseous organic agent is higher than the temperature during the impregnation step.

Abstract: A continuous and batch system to produce cellulose, native lignin and unicellular protein from any form of vegetation in a closed process. The biomass is mixed in the impregnate solution of nitric acid and/or ammonium hydroxide and water. After a period of time at room temperature and atmospheric pressure the chemical solution is recycled. The biomass is moved to the reactor and heated. Evaporated impregnate is recovered via absorption tower and recycled back to chemical solution. The biomass is moved to an alkaline solution, then cooled to separate pulp from black liquor. The black liquor is pumped to a separation tank and is treated to precipitate lignin. The solution is filtered to separate sweet liquor and lignin. The lignin is dried and the sweet liquor is fermented to produce unicellular protein.

Abstract: A method of providing papermaking fibers with durable curl comprising: a) introducing papermaking fiber into a rotatable drum adapted for operation at elevated pressure; b) rotating the drum containing the papermaking fiber while maintaining: i) the fiber in aqueous dispersion having a consistency of from about 5 to about 45 percent; ii) a temperature of above about 100° C.; the drum being configured such that the aqueous fiber dispersion contacts the rotating wall of the drum during rotation thereof and the mechanical action of the drum on the dispersion provides a durable curl to the papermaking fiber; removing the curled fiber from the rotatable drum wherein the temperature, time, consistency and energy input to the fiber are controlled such that fibers treated exhibit a curl elevation of at least 50 percent at 1 hour storage time.