Abstract: A method for monitoring hydrophobic particles contained in a pulp suspension, includes obtaining a sample from a pulp suspension or a filtrate of the pulp suspension. A fluorescent dye is added to the sample to stain particles in the sample. The sample is fractionated to obtain at least a first fraction and a second fraction, wherein the second fraction is a fiber fraction. The method includes for the obtained fractions, fluorescence emitted by the particles in the fractions, calculating an integral of the fluorescence measured for the fractions excluding the fiber fraction, and correlating the calculated integral of the fluorescence to the amount of acetone soluble material in the pulp suspension, and optionally measuring light scattering signal of the particles in at least first and second fractions.

Abstract: A method for monitoring hydrophobic particles contained in a pulp suspension, includes obtaining a sample from a pulp suspension or a filtrate of the pulp suspension. A fluorescent dye is added to the sample to stain particles in the sample. The sample is fractionated to obtain at least a first fraction and a second fraction, wherein the second fraction is a fiber fraction. The method includes for the obtained fractions, fluorescence emitted by the particles in the fractions, calculating an integral of the fluorescence measured for the fractions excluding the fiber fraction, and correlating the calculated integral of the fluorescence to the amount of acetone soluble material in the pulp suspension, and optionally measuring light scattering signal of the particles in at least first and second fractions.

Abstract: This invention describes a method for the purification of a hemicellulose extract produced for example through hot water extraction. Such extracts often contain large amounts of colloidal material which primarily consists of lignin and other phenolic compounds. These colloidal particles clog equipment such as ultrafiltration membranes, which deem the use of such equipment almost impossible. The unwanted material is very tacky at temperatures between 70 and 120° C. which makes it possible to adsorb it onto a variety of materials. Further, by using an adsorbing material that is wholly or partly contaminated with chemically alike material the purification process is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: A method for monitoring hydrophobic particles contained in a pulp suspension, includes obtaining a sample from a pulp suspension or a filtrate of the pulp suspension. A fluorescent dye is added to the sample to stain particles in the sample. The sample is fractionated to obtain at least a first fraction and a second fraction, wherein the second fraction is a fiber fraction. The method includes for the obtained fractions, fluorescence emitted by the particles in the fractions, calculating an integral of the fluorescence measured for the fractions excluding the fiber fraction, and correlating the calculated integral of the fluorescence to the amount of acetone soluble material in the pulp suspension, and optionally measuring light scattering signal of the particles in at least first and second fractions.

Abstract: Increasing of the heating value of combustible biomass through hemicellulose extraction and subsequent press-drying is described. After hemicellulose extraction the remaining biomass is soft and easily press-dried to high dry content of up to 80%. The method involves the removal of most water binding hemicelluloses and retaining most of the lignin in the biomass. Lignin can either be retained in the biomass during the extraction or combining the lignin, which has been separated from the hemicellulose extract, with the extracted biomass.

Abstract: In a starch concentration measurement, a liquid sample is conducted from a liquid sample such as pulp suspension or filtrate of a paper, board or tissue process. An iodine solution is added to the sample, and a light absorbance or transmittance of the sample is measured at a wavelength longer than about 650 nm, for example longer than about 700 nm. The measured absorbance or transmittance of the sample is converted into the starch concentration of the sample by a predefined correlation between a starch concentration and a light absorbance or transmittance.

Abstract: Increasing of the heating value of combustible biomass through hemicellulose extraction and subsequent press-drying is described. After hemicellulose extraction the remaining biomass is soft and easily press-dried to high dry content of up to 80%. The method involves the removal of most water binding hemicelluloses and retaining most of the lignin in the biomass. Lignin can either be retained in the biomass during the extraction or combining the lignin, which has been separated from the hemicellulose extract, with the extracted biomass.

Abstract: This invention describes a method for the purification of a hemicellulose extract produced for example through hot water extraction. Such extracts often contain large amounts of colloidal material which primarily consists of lignin and other phenolic compounds. These colloidal particles clog equipment such as ultrafiltration membranes, which deem the use of such equipment almost impossible. The unwanted material is very tacky at temperatures between 70 and 120° C. which makes it possible to adsorb it onto a variety of materials. Further, by using an adsorbing material that is wholly or partly contaminated with chemically alike material the purification process is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and system for analyzing a liquid sample containing solid matter. The method comprises fractionating the sample according to particle sizes and/or masses of the solid matter so as to produce sample fractions, and measuring at least one physical or chemical property of at least one of said sample fractions. According to the invention the sample is conducted to a disintegration channel having one or more depressions, and a liquid flow having a non-constant temporal velocity profile is applied through the disintegration channel, in order to gradually take solid matter of the sample with the liquid flow from said one or more depressions for providing said sample fractions. The invention allows for efficient fractionation of samples, which cannot be fractionated using conventional field flow fractionation, for example.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of optical measurement of an aqueous stream, and of processing the results of the measurement in order to determine the anionic charge of the stream, the method being carried out by measuring the light absorption of the stream and predicting the amount of anionic groups in the stream using a mathematical processing, such as mathematical calculations. Particularly, the method includes the steps of adding an amount of a cationic dye to the aqueous stream, measuring the light absorption spectra of the obtained dye-containing stream, and processing the obtained light absorption spectrum using said mathematical processing in order to obtain the anionic charge. The invention also concerns the use of the obtained spectrum in determining the turbidity of the stream, as well as a device suitable for use in carrying out the method.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of optical measurement of an aqueous stream, and of processing the results of the measurement in order to determine the anionic charge of the stream, the method being carried out by measuring the light absorption of the stream and predicting the amount of anionic groups in the stream using a mathematical processing, such as mathematical calculations. Particularly, the method includes the steps of adding an amount of a cationic dye to the aqueous stream, measuring the light absorption spectra of the obtained dye-containing stream, and processing the obtained light absorption spectrum using said mathematical processing in order to obtain the anionic charge. The invention also concerns the use of the obtained spectrum in determining the turbidity of the stream, as well as a device suitable for use in carrying out the method.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and system for analyzing a liquid sample containing solid matter. The method comprises fractionating the sample according to particle sizes and/or masses of the solid matter so as to produce sample fractions, and measuring at least one physical or chemical property of at least one of said sample fractions. According to the invention the sample is conducted to a disintegration channel having one or more depressions, and a liquid flow having a non-constant temporal velocity profile is applied through the disintegration channel, in order to gradually take solid matter of the sample with the liquid flow from said one or more depressions for providing said sample fractions. The invention allows for efficient fractionation of samples, which cannot be fractionated using conventional field flow fractionation, for example.

Abstract: Method of treating a biomass containing a fibrous structure and polysaccharides. According to the method the biomass is subjected to extractive treatment at which it is heated in aqueous phase at an absolute pressure of over 0.6 MPa and a temperature of at least 160° C. for separating polysaccharides from the mass. According to the invention, the pH of the biomass which is subjected to the extractive treatment is not actively lowered during the extraction and after the treatment the pressure is controllably reduced so as not to decompose the fibrous structure of the biomass. The polysaccharides separated from the mass are recovered as a first fraction, the fibrous structure of the biomass as a second fraction and at least one of the fractions is subjected to further processing. By means of the invention it is possible to isolate from the starting materials valuable compounds and groups of compounds by a method suitable for use on an industrial scale.