Research Area 2

Mechanical fibre processing for new improved product properties & for energy efficient processing

Overall aim
To improve final product properties by understanding & utilizing the morphological & physicochemical changes occurring during fibre defribration & fibre development along the process line.

Background:
The mechanical pulping industry faces continued rising energy costs and increasing competition for raw material. In order to produce improved products based on mechanical pulp at lower energy consumption it is necessary to have a better understanding of the development of fundamental fibre properties during the processes. In particular changes in fibre collapsibility, fibre fibrillation, fibre surface development and the influence of raw material type are of great interest. This project will integrate with other technical projects in the area of mechanical pulping bringing in the ultrastructural competence to more clearly understand and explain phenomena observed in these projects thus making it easier to develop new and improved processes to reduce energy consumption.

The project will contain several sub-projects that will be successively planned and worked upon. The project plan will thus be revised 1 to 2 times per year. The project will initially concentrate on TMP pulps but with possible further extension to include other pulp types.