Optimizing Low Consistency Refining

Following our meeting at Howe Sound in August 2013, the UBC research team has performed a series of trials towards finding the optimal conditions to refine coarse softwood mechanical pulps. Francisco Fernandez, Marion Loubet and Nici Darychuk worked on designing the experiments and testing the pulp on different refining conditions. Nearly one ton of never dried wet pulp was sampled at one of the partner’s facilities.
Refining this type of pulp is generally performed at high consistency for the preservation of length. Advances in fabrication methods have allowed the development of low intensity plates that are capable of refining the pulp to the same quality targets as high consistency refining but at lower energy consumption. This was shown in the trials. From the three different intensity levels tested (0.15 J/m, 0.45 J/m & 0.65 J/m) it was shown that low intensity refining was capable to develop pulp properties matching those of HC refined pulp. Results from trials show that an energy saving of 50% is possible. A report of this work is under review and will be made available to all partners in the coming months.