Abstract: The present process produces a long fiber suitable for making various paper products. The long fiber is derived from Crotalaria juncea. The processing consists of a particular technique for preparing the fiber for digestion and a particular digestion sequence. In the preparation of the fiber for digestion it is dried to less than about 30 percent moisture, moist depithed, washed and wet depithed. The fiber is then processed at a high caustic concentration using a sequence of digestion-pressure reduction-digestion. Optionally there can be a third stage of digestion with a pressure reduction prior to the digestion. After digestion has been completed the fiber is refined and sent to blowdown. The fiber is then screened, washed and bleached. The resulting long fiber will product a high quality paper or is admixed with short fibers and various paper products can be made.

Abstract: Bamboo can be formed into a suitable pulp if prior to digestion it undergoes a process of shredding, washing and wet depithing. The fibers are then chemically digested preferably by a process which uses rapid pressure drops to open the fibers using the energy contained in the wet superheated fibers.

Abstract: The brightness of a thermomechanical pulp can be improved if a serial multiple blowdown technique is used and a bleachant is present at an effective concentration throughout the thermomechanical pulping process.

Abstract: The fiber depither consists of an upper array of feeder blades and a lower array of fan blades. These blades remove more particulate while resulting in less fiber damage.

Abstract: Method for cleaning fibrous vegetable materials to remove trash components (such as coarse sand, stones, rocks, metallic particles, shives, dirt and the like).