Superheated steam drying is used commercially for lumber, coal, peat, sludges, but has limited installations towards market pulp applications. The technology has the potential for higher drying rates, lower energy consumption, better product quality, and safe operation. In this investigation, a superheated steam dryer (EXERGYPSSD®) was used for evaluation of wet pulp samples collected from pulp mills for comparison with conventional drying techniques. The evaluation of the superheated steam dried pulps indicated that there are potential quality benefits with the technology. Improvements of bulk and absorption capacity was achieved, but more laboratory, and pilot tests are needed to optimize the technology even more regarding pressure, temperature, and residence time in the dryer.

Toilet, towel and facial products have important properties, for example, softness, absorption, wet strength and strength. Research has been undertaken to investigate the influence of pulp and process parameters on the strength properties of low grammage sheets. Various pulps were investigated and their fibre length, fibre width, fines and coarseness were determined. Based on analysis, it has been concluded that fibre length is essential for tear related properties. Compared with a softwood fibre, a crack propagates faster in a hardwood sheet. Although refining improved the tear related properties to a certain extent, it had a negative impact on the dewatering properties and density. This PowerPoint presentation incorporates some stand-alone graphically presented data with minimal textural interpretation.

The feeling of softness and smoothness of paper tissue products is an important performance factor in the market place. In a series of panel tests, the relationship between instrumental measurements and perceived softness and smoothness was investigated. Samples of tissue base paper – napkin and toilet paper – were evaluated for surface roughness. The samples were placed on a hard, smooth glass substrate and the respondents used one finger to stroke along the sample surface. Instrumental measurement and characterization were performed using differentinstruments: Emtec TSA and Lena Softness Tester. The results divide the base paper material into product groups, but general mathematical relationships could be found between the test panel and the measurements when normalized in different ways. Measurements using the Lena produced the best correlation with the panel ratings because its principle resembled the method of the test panel most closely. However, a general relationship usingmaterial properties was shown to produce as good an estimator for the surface roughness as the results obtained with the Lena. This relationship consisted of the ratio between the plasticity and the elasticity of the tissue paper (in-plane properties), normalized for thickness. This suggests that those three material properties are fundamental to the perception of surface roughness as evaluated in this study. Using a trained haptic panel to evaluate test samples of similar grammage with variations in furnish and machine operation settings generated a good correlation to the TSA measurement (r=0.9). The panel was more susceptible to variation in furnish than variation in peak pressure, and this was particularly evident for samples evaluated on the Yankee side.

Extensive trials have been performed at the FEX machine at Innventia in Stockholm in order to determine fundamental relations between several process parameters. The goal with these has been to set up a matrix for further research aimed at the formation-retention-strength relations. The trials covered a total of five weeks at the FEX machine. Three of those were aimed at twin-wire forming and two at Fourdrinier forming. The results from these five weeks clearly show the difference between twin-wire and Fourdrinier forming. For the Fourdrinier case there is a linear relation between small-scale (0.3-3 mm) formation and large-scale (3-30 mm) formation, a higher value for the small-scale formation also gives a higher large-scale value. Furthermore, there is a direct relation between formation and retention; an increased retention gives a higher formation value. In addition, it is shown that a better formation gives a higher tensile index value. In comparison, it is shown that twin-wire forming does not have these clear relations. Hence, the twin-wire forming process seems to allow de-coupling of many of these relations.

The ModelPACK Project by Inventia is part of FP6, the EU's Framework Program for research and technological development. This software tool predicts the structural properties of the corrugated board and the performance of the end product, allowing for optimization of the fiber used. The system also provides accurate predictions concerning the performance of the finished box. The company offers training in the use of ModelPACK and in the importance of material properties for optimal packaging performance. It also characterizes papers, boards and boxes to expand the database used with the tool. The company creates customer specific models or data structures for an optimization of packaging design.

Impulse technology is a high-intensity web consolidation technique in which water is removed from a wet paper web by the combined action of mechanical pressure and intense heat. Pilot trials show that impulse technology is a feasible technique for the production of linerboard, paperboard and fine paper. Improved dewatering, combined with enhanced mechanical and surface properties, are benefits that can be obtained.

Impulse technology is a high-intensity web consolidation technique in which water is removed from a wet paper web by the combined action of mechanical pressure and intense heat. Pilot trials show that impulse technology is a feasible technique for the production of linerboard, paperboard and fine paper. Improved dewatering, combined with enhanced mechanical and surface properties, are benefits that can be obtained.

The experts from Makerere University (Mak) and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) evaluated three mineral deposits for the production of fireclay refractories in Uganda and found that the Mutaka kaolin deposit in Uganda is of extraordinary quality. Ten tons of raw kaolin was mined at the Mutaka deposit and shipped in a container to STFI-Packforsk, Sweden. The kaolin was first dry sieved in a shaker to remove sand, mica and large particles. The sieved material was mixed with fresh water to a dry content of 15% and hydrocycloned to separate and remove coarse particles. The paper machine trials were carried out at STFI-Packforsk on the EuroFEX paper machine. The results indicate that the potential of exploiting the Mutaka kaolin deposit for paper filling is high. Paper filled with Mutaka clay resulted in a slightly lower opacity, however, with an optimized particles size distribution, this could be improved.

Impulse technology is a high-intensity web consolidation process in which water is removed from a wet paper web by the combined action of mechanical pressure and high temperature. Pilot scale papermaking trials on STFI-Packforsk's research paper machine showed that impulse technology is a viable consolidation process for production of paperboard. Pilot trials showed significant improvements both in product quality and production efficiency. The surface of impulse pressed paperboard presented lower surface roughness and more uniform surface topographythan a reference board consolidated with wet pressing. This resulted in better print uniformity. The increase in surface smoothness was achieved without loss in total bulk, which preserved stiffness. Thus the relationship between surface roughness and bending stiffness was improved. The outgoing solids content after pressing increased at elevated temperatures, which provides a potential for increases in production capacity.

The impact of impulse technology on a system-wide level has been investigated in this study for non-integrated fine paper and linerboard mills. Impulse unit data were obtained from STFI's EuroFEX research paper machine and correlations were developed in order to predict performance (dewatering, electricity consumption) under commercial operating conditions. Mill analyses were conducted for different configurations (i.e. one or two impulse units with and without web preheating) operating with roll temperatures of 200-320 °C. Results show that the ingoing dryness to the dryer section can be increased within a wide span, from 7 to 27 percentage points depending upon the grade and operating parameters. Even though electricity consumption rises dramatically from the inductively heated rolls, overall fuel savings of up to 20% can be achieved with either one or two impulse units operating at 200 °C (external power plant efficiency assumed to be 45%). Impulse technology appears to be neutral in terms of production costs since increases in energy costs are expected to be counterbalanced by savings in feedstock materials and enhanced product quality. Estimates show that this technology can lead to substantial reductions in dryer section sizes for new installations or alternatively enhance productivity in existing paper machines.