Abstract: Apparatus for separating steam from a mixture of steam and fibers is disclosed, comprising an elongated feeding compartment having an inlet and a feeding device for feeding a mixture through the inlet. The feeding device comprises a tubular section which is curved such that the mixture in the tubular section is separated under the influence of centrifugal forces in a heavy steam-less fraction of fibers in a outer layer and in a light fiber-free fraction of steam in a inner layer. The tubular section is arranged in such a way that a heavy fraction of fibers is fed through the inlet peripherally. The separated light fraction of steam is fed against the center of the compartment and removed through an outlet of the apparatus.

Abstract: A dewatering arrangement in the press section of a web-forming machine having a press suction roll (10) and a press fabric (13) arranged to run via the press suction roll (10). The dewatering arrangement has a saveall (15), which is installed in conjunction with the press suction roll (10), and drainage facilities (18) for removing the collected water from the saveall (15). The saveall (15) has a concave guide surface (19) which in the cross direction is located on a partial distance of the circumference of the press suction roll (10) and at a distance from the surface of the press suction roll (10) in order to accomplish a vacuum effect and to hence remove water from the press suction roll (10).

Abstract: A process for producing a protein hydrolysate derived from keratin containing material with an oxidative bleaching agent at an acidic pH and mixing the keratin hydrolysate as an additive to the wet-end of a papermaking process. The process achieves a paper with a lower porosity and greater breaking length.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of increasing the brightness of pulp, pulp made from such methods and methods of using such pulp.

Abstract: A method for making a fibrous composite, comprising blending a carboxyalkyl cellulose and a galactomannan polymer or a glucomannan polymer in water to provide an aqueous solution; treating the aqueous solution with a first crosslinking agent to provide a gel; drying the gel to provide a solid; comminuting the solid to provide a plurality of particles; combining at least a portion of the plurality of particles with an aqueous suspension comprising cellulose treated with a galactomannan polymer or a glucomannan polymer, and optionally a second crosslinking agent, to provide a mixture; and mixing the mixture with a water-miscible solvent to provide a fibrous composite.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for batch displacement digester systems to increase tank farm vessel temperatures for more efficient delignification rates by mitigating the formation of flow channels in the chip bed, minimizing the vertical temperature gradient in the digester and segregation of returning liquors to the tank farm from the digester.

Abstract: A method for the determination of a cellulosic-fibre property, namely, residual lignin content or Kappa number of chemical pulp, with the aid of a spectroscopic technique obtained over a range covering the visible and the near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, comprising exposing the wet fibres to a light source covering a range in the visible region of 350 nm to 750 nm and a range in the near-infrared of 1100 nm to 2400 nm, reflecting light from the wet fibres, establishing a spectrum, comparing the spectrum with a known spectrum of the property and evaluating the comparison; the method has particular utility in a pulp manufacture line; an apparatus is described for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An oxidative solution (Ox-B, a solution of no less than 5:1 sodium hypochlorite: hydrogen peroxide) was found to remove both lignin and hemicellulose from sugarcane bagasse. After treatment the cellulosic residue readily separated from the lignin and hemicellulose by sedimentation. The residue (the pulp) contained up to 80% by weight cellulose, and was easily degradable by cellulase enzyme. A treatment of oxidation with low concentrations of Ox-B, followed by a caustic wash, produced a cellulose residue that was able to be almost completely hydrolyzed to simple sugars by cellulase. Due to the low amount chemical used and the efficiency of the degradation, this process has commercial potential.

Abstract: The method is for converting a vertically standing up-flow tower by inserting a freely insertable pipe into the conical part of the up-flow tower the tower is converted to a down-flow tower where the tower can easily be restored to the up-flow tower and optimized with regards to a minimized stagnation volume in the tower. The upper open end of the pipe is disposed at a first distance (A) from the lower part of the conical inlet part. The first distance (A) is less than the total vertical extension (B) of the conical inlet part. The cellulose pulp establishes a self-forming stagnation zone around the pipe at a lower part of the down-flow tower.

Abstract: In the process for producing kraft pulp, performing a potassium ion removal step of flowing an aqueous solution containing ashes recovered from a combustion exhaust gas generated in a black solution combustion step by a dust collector through a packed bed filled with a sodium-type cation exchange organic resin to adsorb and remove potassium ions contained in the aqueous solution; and a regeneration step of treating the cation exchange organic resin used in the potassium ion removal step with a solution consisting essentially of aqueous sodium hydroxide to regenerate the cation exchange resin, where a fraction recovered from the potassium ion removal step which is rich in sodium sulfate and sodium carbonate is recycled to the black solution concentrating step, and a sodium hydroxide effluent recovered from the regeneration step is recycled to a bleaching step and used in a bleaching process.

Abstract: A method of producing a modified pulp 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: The method is for the pre-treatment of chips that are fed to a sulphate cooking process. Through the addition of an acidic fluid to the steam treatment step, a very high ionic concentration of hydrogen ions is achieved. When the chips are subsequently formed into a slurry with a preferably sulphide-rich alkali cooking fluid, H2S is formed locally in the chips, which gives a yield-increasing effect for the subsequent cooking step of l-3%.

Abstract: The method is for pre-treatment of chips that are fed to a sulphate cooking process. Through acidification of the chips in an acidic treatment fluid with a subsequent draining of free treatment fluid before subsequent steaming or wet-steaming, a high concentration of free hydrogen ions is established within the chip pieces. When the chips are subsequently formed into slurry with preferably a sulphide-rich alkali cooking fluid, H2S is formed locally in the chip pieces which gives a yield-increasing effect in the subsequent cooking step of 1-3%.