Lecture:

Pulping of recovered paper

 Pulping of recovered paper

Definition

Pulper : A device whose main objective is to

convert recovered paper into a slurry of
well separated fibers and other waste paper
components.
 Pulping of recovered paper
The pulping operation is the first and probably the
most critical operation in paper recycling.

Proper pulping is a requirement if unit operations

downstream (cleaning, screening, flotation…..) are
to be effective.

Incorrect pulping conditions can irreversibly damage

fibers making them inappropriate for papermaking
uses.
 Pulping
Main Function : Disperse recovered paper into separated fibers.

Several sub-objectives that are also important:

1. Detach contaminants from fibers.
2. Mix paper with water and chemicals at the correct ratios.
3.Maintain contaminants as large as possible to aid subsequent
removal processes.

4. Avoid damage to the fibers (fiber cutting).

5. Removal of large debris from system.
 Basic Pulping Categories :
Batch vs. Continuos Pulping

Batch Pulping : The feed recovered paper, water

and chemicals are all charged at the beginning of
the process and are removed all at once at the end
of the process. The batch process is repeated.

Continuos Pulping : The feed recovered paper,

water and chemicals are continuously added to the
pulper and at the same time, the pulped product is
also being continuously removed.
 Basic Pulping Categories :
Low vs High
Consistency
Consistency (solids) 100 * solids wt =%K
solids wt + liquid wt

Low Consistency Pulping: Typically

from 3-6 % K. Produces a relatively
easily pumpable fluid. The fluid is
“pourable”.

High Consistency Pulping: Typically

from 8 - 18 % K. Produces a thick,
slurry that will not flow under the
influence of gravity alone.
 General Parts of a Pulper

 1. Wastepaper feed method (conveyor).

 2. Pulper tub.
 3. Rotor - spinning device for agitation, mechanical energy input
 to the system.
 4. Baffles - protrusions to assist in mixing and prevent swirling.
 5. Dilution water.
 6. Pulper exit.
 Forces in a Pulper
 Mechanical Forces
These are caused when
the fast moving rotor
impacts material in the
relatively slower body of
pulp stock around it.
 Faster rotor speeds
cause more intense
mechanical forces in the
pulper.
 Pulper Forces
 Hydraulic Forces :
 These are caused by the
motion of fluid that is caused by
the spinning rotor (not by the
direct impact of the rotors).
 When two adjacent portions of A
a fluid are moving in different
directions ( or at different
speeds) a shear force is
present. An example in the
picture would be at point A.
 Forces in a Pulper
 Attrition
 Mechanical shearing forces
that occurs between the
moving rotor and a static
extraction plate near the rotor.
 The rotor forces fiber bundles
between the rotor and
extraction plate. Intense
hydraulic forces act to cut the
fiber bundles and fibers. This
can cause significant damage
to fibers.
 Used only for low % K pulping
because the pulp must be
screenable.
 Low Consistency Pulping
 Consistency from 3 -6 %.
 Low profile rotor that
rotates at high speeds.
 Motion of rotor causes a
vortex of pulp stock.
The baffles are used to
improve mixing.
 High mechanical force due
to impacts of rotor can
damage fiber and break
contaminants.
 Pulper Types: High Consistency
 Typically 8-18 %.
 High profile rotor used. The
helical screw type rotor is
needed to “pull down” the
non-fluid like high % K
stock, from the top to the
bottom of the pulper.
 At the high % K, fiber-fiber
(solid-solid) rubbing
dominates the forces
experienced in the pulper.
 Comparison of Low vs High Consistency
Pulping
 Rotor/ tank volume is much higher for
high % K pulping. This is needed to
maintain proper motion of non - fluid pulp
stock at high % K.
 Specific power is higher for high % K due
to the higher viscosity pulp stock that
must be pulped.
 However, the specific power consumption
per ton of paper is significantly lower for
high % K pulping.This is due to high % K
pulping having more tons of fiber for the
amount of same pulping volume as a low
% K pulper. Also, the relatively less
amount of water at high % K pulping
causes less energy to be expended on
moving water.
Comparison of Low vs High Consistency
Pulping
 Rotor speed is slower for high % K, causing less
damage to fibers via mechanical forces of rotor.
 Attrition forces are not used for high % K pulping. This
decreases fiber cutting and contaminant breakage.
 RESULTS of above: higher tensile, burst and tear
strength for high %K pulping
 High consistency pulping includes more fiber to fiber
rubbing.
 RESULTS of above: This action increases detachment
of contaminants from fiber surfaces. The
detachment of ink from fibers is especially important
for washing and flotation deinking.
 Comparison of Low vs High Consistency
Pulping

 Printing and writing grades consist of a high content

of fully bleached hardwood and softwood fibers that
are susceptible to damage => gentle high consistency
pulping is preferred
 Further printing and writing grades need ink
detachment => high consistency pulping with lots of
fiber-fiber rubbing is preferred
 OCC recycling, a historically older technology,
typically has low consistency pulping because
unbleached fibers are less susceptible to damage
 Screening and Junk Removal in Pulper
One of the sub- objectives of pulping is to remove large
debris that enters the system.
 Examples of large debris :

wood

wet-strength paper

plastics

baling wire

nails and bolts
 The removal of debris serves two important functions.

Protects equipment downstream from damage.

Prevents plugging of downstream equipment.
 Examples of Debris Removal Methods

 Different pulpers have different methods to remove debris,

examples of common methods follow.

 High Consistency Batch Pulping

 HC pulper with Dilution Zone
 HC pulper with Detrasher

 Low consistency
Pulping Continuos Low consistency pulper with Ragger and


junk tower.
 Continuos Low consistency pulper with a de-
trashing system
 High Consistency Batch Pulper with
Dilution Zone
 The pulper is designed so
that during pulping at 15 -
18% K the pulper volume is
only partially full.
 At the end of the pulping
cycle, dilution water is added
to achieve a 5 - 6 % K.
 After dilution, accepted stock
passes through an
extraction plate with holes
about 3/4 - 1 inch diameter.
 Finally, large debris is
flushed from the pulper
through a large rejects
opening on the side.
 High Consistency Batch Pulper with
External Detrasher
 The pulper is “full” at high
consistency during pulping.
 At the end of the pulping dilution
water is added at the bottom of
the pulper diluting the pulp in the
bottom to less than 6 %.
 A large opening on the
bottom/side of the pulper is used
as the exit for the pulper
contents.
 The pulp and debris are
separated by an external
detrasher.
 Note : There is no extraction
plate in the pulper.

N
 Continuos Low Consistency Pulper with
Ragger and Junk Tower
 Low consistency continuos pulper
typically have an extraction plate
that accepts pulped fibers and
rejects debris and unpulped flakes.
 The extraction plate/ rotor can cause
attrition, resulting in fiber cutting.
 A junker is used to collect
unpulpables such as bolts or rocks.
This debris is thrown out of the
pulper into a junk tower where it is
removed.
 A ragger is also used in many cases
to remove bale wire, strings,
plastics, etc. The ragger is a
continuos “rope” formed by
entangled debris. The “rope” is
continously pulled out of the pulper
and cut into sections and disposed.
Common in OCC mills.
Recovered OCC bale storage
Loading OCC bales on pulper conveyor
Wire bale cutter
Pulper conveyor
Bale falling into pulper

Pulper
Ragger removing debris
from the pulper
surface
Ragger pulling rejects
out of pulper
Junker Claw
 Continuos Low Consistency Pulper with
Ragger and Junk Tower
 Low consistency continuos pulper
typically have an extraction plate
that accepts pulped fibers and
rejects debris and unpulped flakes.
 The extraction plate/ rotor can cause
attrition, resulting in fiber cutting.
 A junker is used to collect
unpulpables such as bolts or rocks.
This debris is thrown out of the
pulper into a junk tower where it is
removed.
 A ragger is also used in many cases
to remove bale wire, strings,
plastics, etc. The ragger is a
continuos “rope” formed by
entangled debris. The “rope” is
continously pulled out of the pulper
and cut into sections and disposed.
Common in OCC mills.
Example Detrashing Process
recycle

Light rejects

Rotor with screen plate

Heavy

rejects

Accepts
 Drum Pulping
 A continuos, high
consistency pulping method.
 Most often used for pulping
old newsprint.
 Consists of an inclined
rotating drum 11 -17 rpm
through which the paper/
pulp travel down. The drum
is very large approximately
10 feet high and 100 feet
long.
High Consistency Drum Pulper

High % K
Zone Screening
Zone
Rejects
Conveyor

Accept
Pulp
 Drum Pulping
 Two Zones

High Consistency pulping zone

Low consistency pulping zone.
 High Consistency Pulping Zone

Paper ,water and chemicals
added to ^ 15% K.

Baffles on the walls of the drum
lift the paper and drop causing
defibering in a gentle manner.

 Low Consistency Screening zone


Water is added to dilute stock
3- 4% K.

Pulped fibers pass through
6 mm holes and are
accepted from the pulper.

Large rejects continue through
the pulper and are4 discharged
at the end.
 Drum Pulping
 Two Zones

High Consistency pulping zone

Low consistency pulping zone.
 High Consistency Pulping Zone

Paper ,water and chemicals added to ^ 15% K.

Baffles on the walls of the drum lift the paper and drop causing
defibering in a gentle manner.

 Low Consistency Screening zone


Water is added to dilute stock 3-4% K.

Pulped fibers pass through 6 mm holes and are accepted from
the pulper.

Large rejects continue through the pulper and are4 discharged
at the end.
Overview
Rejects
 Drum Pulping
Paper Feed
 Advantages

Gentle pulping
keeps contaminants
large and
minimizes fiber
degradation.

Simple operation
that includes
screening.
 Disadvantages

High capital
cost.

Not an aggressive
pulping method rejects exit
(example: cannot
pulp wet strength
papers).
External Pulping Complementary
Equipment
 Often the pulper is within a loop
 Some operations may send back material to
the pulper to be further pulped
 Some operations aid in the removal of large
debris
 Other operations add more mechanical action
to assist in pulping
High density cleaners
High Density Cleaner: removes large
heavy rejects from pulp

Objective: separate large

heavy contaminants from fibers
to protect downstream
equipment from damage and
pluggage

How it works: centrifugal

forces separate materials
mainly due to density/size
 Light weight
Rejects

Detrasher

Heavy
Rejects out
the back

Feed

Accepts
Example detrashing unit

 Top View

Objective: pulp unpulped

pieces of paper/board and
separate contaminants using a
screen or centrifugal forces to
protect downstream equipment
from damage and pluggage
 Deflakers

Objective: impart mechanical energy to break up flakes of unpulped material.

 Pulping Summary
 Several methods to pulp
 Main objective: defiberize
 Secondary Objectives:
 Remove Large Debris
 Detach contaminants
 Not destroy fibers
 Mix
 Final Thought: If pulping is not done
properly, subsequent processing steps will
be ineffective and product quality will be
unacceptable
Lecture:

Screening
 Screening
 Screening separates
contaminants based
mainly on size, but
also on shape and
deformability
 Performed by
presenting a barrier
for large
contaminants (slots
or holes) that allow
fibers to pass through
 Screening

0.001 inch = 1 Mil = roughly 25 microns = .025 mm

 Modes of Removal
1. Stiff particles with all 3 dimensions larger than width
of slot or diameter of hole are rejected

2. Stiff particles with one or two dimensions smaller

than width/diameter have a probability of rejection.

Rejection Probability, %

100%

1-dimension (rod)< slot size

50%

2-
dimension
(plate) <
slot size
1 2 3 4 5

0% Number of screen contacts

 Screening Types and Conditions
Screen Screen Rotor Consistency Range
Type Openings, circumference
mm speed,m/s
MC MC LC
<6% <4.5% <1.5%

Disk Hole 20-30 Yes

2-3

Cylindrical Hole 10-30 Yes

0.8-1.5

Cylindrical Slot 10-30 Yes Yes

0.1-0.4
 Screening

 Types of perforations
 coarse holes .110 in or 2.7 mm
 fine holes .060 in or 1.52 mm
 coarse slots .010 in or .254 mm
 fine slots .006 in or .152 mm

 Also, the fibers offer a resistance to passage,

related to the consistency
Example of Disk Screen
Pressure screen
Pressure Screen Principle to Prevent
Blinding of Screen

The leading edge of the

rotating foil accelerates the
stock.

The negative pulse under the

sweeping foil momentarily
reverses the flow, effectively
purging the screen
openings.
Pressure Screen Flow
Configurations
 Screen Plates

 Holes

 Slots

 Contoured
 Effect of Reject Rate & Plate
Opening on Screen Cleanliness
Screening Factors
Screening Factors
 Screen Performance Variables
 Stock characteristics
 fiber type, debris characteristics, debris level
 Screen design
 flow configuration, plate cleaning mechanism,
perforation type (holes or slots), rotor speed
 Operating variables
 stock flow rate (pressure drop across screen),
feed consistency, reject rate, screen plate
perforation size, stock temperature, dilution flow to
screen
Screening
 Screen Layout:
Always have cascaded screens to save fiber.

Primary Screen
Accepts

Secondary Screen

Tertiary Screen
Rejects
Open Gravity Screen
Summary Pressure Screen:

Objective: separate large

contaminants from
fibers

Can act as barrier screen or

probability screen

Typically cascaded to save

fiber

Typical conditions to promote

increased throughput can have
negative impact on
cleanliness efficiency.
 Lecture:

Centrifugal cleaning
 Centrifugal Cleaning
 Remove impurities
from the pulp stream
based mainly on
density
 Centrifugal cleaners
remove
 metals
 inks
 sand
 bark
 dirt
 etc.,
 Centrifugal Cleaning
 Principles of operation
 Centrifugal cleaner uses fluid
pressure to create rotational fluid
motion in a tapered cylinder
 Rotational movement causes
denser particles to move to the
outside faster than lighter
particles
 Good fibers carried inward and
upward to the accepted stock
inlet
 Dirt held in the downward
current and removed from the
bottom
 Three Basic Cleaner Types:
 High Density Cleaner: separates very large,
heavy contaminants such as rocks, staples, glass.
Used after pulping (early in the process) to protect
downstream equipment. Diameter = 300-700 mm.
 Forward Cleaners: separates fine, heavy
contaminants such as a sand and inks. Also called
cyclones, hydrocyclones, or cleaners. (Described
above) Diameter = 70-400 mm
 Through Flow Cleaner: separates fine, light
contaminants such as glues, adhesives, plastics,
foam. Also called light-weight cleaners or reverse
cleaners. Diameter = 100-400 mm
 Many other variations………….
 Types of Cleaners: Functional Differences

 Consistency
 HC cleaner: 2-4.5% K, MC: 1-2, LC: 0.5-1.5

 Centrifugal Acceleration (acceleration due to gravity =9.8 m/s2)

 HC cleaner: <60 g, MC: <100g, LC: <1000 g

 Reject Rate by mass/stage

 HC cleaner: 0.1-1% , MC: 0.1-1%, LC: 3-30%
Centrifugal Cleaner: Features and Flow
 “Bank Arrangement” of Cleaners

Accepts Header

Feed Header

Rejects Header

Several cleaners are piped in parallel fashion.

A single cleaner is not capable of providing enough
through put for typical industrial flows.
Forward Cleaners
 Cleaners

 Canister
Cleaners Pump
 Typical Cleaner “Curve”

Effective
Separation

Separation Ratio:

m(in) – m(acc) / m(in) Equal

Distribution
m= mass flow contaminant

Reject Ratio: OD mass flow reject / OD mass flow inlet

Cascade Arrangement of Cleaners
Dilution Water
ACCEPTS
FEED
Primary
Cleaners

Secondary Dilution Water

Cleaners

Dilution Water Tertiary

Cleaners

REJECTS
High Density Cleaner
High density cleaners
 Through Flow Cleaner: removes low
density contaminants

Feed

Also note, that reverse cleaners are

another type of cleaner used to
remove low density contaminants.

Reverse cleaners look like a forward

cleaner except the top middle port is
the rejects (and is smaller) and the
bottom cone tip is the accepts (but is
wider), picture not shown here.

Rejects
Accepts
Thru-flow cleaners
 Centrifugal Cleaner Performance Variables
 Stock Characteristics
 fiber type
 contaminant characteristics (size, shape, density),
dirt level
 Cleaner Design
 body diameter, feed inlet configuration, accept
diameter, cylindrical section height, cone angle,
spiral grooves application, reject rate control
method (fixed orifice and back pressure)
 Parameters Affecting Hydrocyclone
Cleanliness Efficiency
Operating Cleanliness Sensitivity to
Variable increase in: Efficiency Variable
Pressure Difference Incr/Decr High
Volumetric Flow Incr/Decr Medium
Cyclone Diameter Decrease High
Consistency Decrease High
Flake Content Decrease Medium
Temperature Increase Low
Reject Rate Increase Medium
Flushing Flow Decrease Medium
 Effect of Particle Properties on Separation
 Particles with large density differences wrt
water are removed more effectively
 Particles with density near 1 g/cm3 may
separate from fibers
 Larger particle at same density will be
removed more effectively than smaller particle
 Particles of the same density but with
favorable hydrodynamic shape (cwAp)
separate more effectively, eg, a sphere is
better than a flat plate, since rejected particles
must swim against the main currrent towards
the accepts
Fundamentals

Force balance on a single particle in a hydrocyclone

axial
Fd
Fd

Fc
Fg

radial
 Radial direction:
– Net centrifugal force ↔ Drag force
 Axial direction:
– Net gravitational force ↔ Drag force
 Tangential direction:
– Assume: particles move along with fluid
Fundamentals
U s  2 ut Vp   p  l  1
2

Why is the slip velocity important ? r Ap  l  Cd

 For high Us

Us
“Reject stream”

 For low Us

“Accept stream”
Us

 High ut (tangential velocity)

Object tends to be
 High ρp (particle density)
rejected
 Low Cd (drag coefficient)
 Cleaner Summary
 Several types of cleaners
 Objective: remove high/low density
contaminants
 Must reject material to operate
effectively
 Several forces/operational variables/particle
characteristics that combine to determine
effectiveness in removal