Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of extracting and refining wax from plant material. Briefly, the method comprises the steps of (a) providing plant material comprising cuticular wax, (b) disassociating cuticular wax from the plant material by subjecting said plant material to a dry mechanical treatment and suspending the dry mechanically treated material, or a fraction thereof, in an aqueous solution comprising protease and/or pectinase enzymes, thereby obtaining a sample comprising plant derived cuticular wax and dewaxed plant material in an aqueous suspension, (c) solubilizing the plant derived cuticular wax by increasing the temperature of the sample, (d) separating the suspension into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction comprising melted plant derived cuticular wax, (e) adjusting the pH and temperature of the liquid fraction to pH 5.5 or lower and 50° C.
Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an improved cellulose pulp consisting of cellulose fibers of a desired length, such as cellulose fibers having a length-weighted average fiber length Lc(l)>0.6 mm and its use in cellulose pulp-comprising products, such as packaging material with improved properties.
Abstract: A method and an plant for separating wax from a dried wax coated plant material, comprising mechanically processing the plant material in a dry process by using an apparatus adapted for deforming at least the outer surface of the plant material, so that the wax coating is cracked and released from the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material; separating the plant material in a separator into a portion A comprising plant material with a relatively high content of cracked and released wax coating and a relatively low content of the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material, and a portion B comprising respectively a relatively low content cracked and released wax coating and a relatively high content of the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material; liquefying the wax contained in portion A, and separating the liquefied wax from the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material in portion A.
Abstract: A method and an plant for separating wax from a dried wax coated plant material, comprising mechanically processing the plant material in a dry process by using an apparatus adapted for deforming at least the outer surface of the plant material, so that the wax coating is cracked and released from the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material; separating the plant material in a separator into a portion A comprising plant material with a relatively high content of cracked and released wax coating and a relatively low content of the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material, and a portion B comprising respectively a relatively low content cracked and released wax coating and a relatively high content of the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material; liquefying the wax contained in portion A, and separating the liquefied wax from the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material in portion A.
Abstract: A method and an plant for separating wax from a dried wax coated plant material, comprising mechanically processing the plant material in a dry process by using an apparatus adapted for deforming at least the outer surface of the plant material, so that the wax coating is cracked and released from the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material; separating the plant material in a separator into a portion A comprising plant material with a relatively high content of cracked and released wax coating and a relatively low content of the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material, and a portion B comprising respectively a relatively low content cracked and released wax coating and a relatively high content of the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material; liquefying the wax contained in portion A, and separating the liquefied wax from the remaining, partly de-waxed, plant material in portion A.