Pulp and Paper Processes for Sustainable Production Keith

Pulp and Paper Processes for Sustainable Production Keith Larson

History of Paper Making u 105 A. D. Ts'ai Lun, a Chinese court official, invented paper mulberry bark, hemp and rags with water u Paper was first produced in Egypt around 900 A. D. u England early in the 14 th Century To this point all paper and books were produced by hand

History of Paper Making u Gutenberg Press in 1436 u On September 30, 1452 Guttenberg's Bible was published The printing press allowed printed materials to be produced at a greater rate thus increasing the demand for paper

History of Paper Making u First North American paper mill in 1690 near Philadelphia u America's first writing papers were produced by collecting, separating, and cleaning old cloth rags u The paper was made in single sheets

History of Paper Making u 1798, Nicholas-Louis Robert of France invented a paper making machine that produced paper on an endless wire screen u Further developed in England by Brian Donkin u Not put into service until 1804

History of Paper Making The Fourdrinier 1 st Fourdrinier machine in the US, 1827

History of Paper Making Two major advancements in pulping were developed in the late 1800 s 1866 1879 American Benjamin Tilghman developed the sulfite pulping process German chemist, C. F. Dahl, developed the Kraft pulping process Dominant pulping process until the 1930 s dominant pulping process and still is today

Advantages of the Kraft Process u The majority of the chemicals used in the pulping process are recoverable for use in further pulping operations u Large amounts of energy are produced in the recovery boilers during the recovery process u The Kraft process can pulp pine trees

Ocala National Forest, Dec. 1998 Pine trees are abundant throughout much of the United States. The Kraft process allowed the United States to become a major producer of paper products. However, the Kraft process has created environmental problems

The Modern Paper Making Process The process of making paper begins far from the paper mill itself Clearcut in Oregon's Coast Range

The Modern Paper Making Process Overview [Chesterton, 2004]

The Modern Paper Making Process Wood Yard [Chesterton, 2004]

The Modern Paper Making Process Five Methods of pulping 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Mechanical Pulping Chemimechanical Thermomechanical Chemimechanical and Thermomechanical Pulping (CTMP) Chemical Pulping

The Modern Paper Making Process The chemical method is the most popular because it produces a higher quality paper than mechanical pulping The most popular method of pulp production is the Kraft process, producing nearly 85% of all pulp in the United States This will be the focus of the pulping description

The Modern Paper Making Process Chesterton Pulp Digester [Chesterton, 2004]

The Modern Paper Making Process Chesterton Pulp washers [Chesterton, 2004]

The Modern Paper Making Process Chesterton Bleach Plant [Chesterton, 2004]

The Modern Paper Making Process Paper Machine [Chesterton, 2004]

The Modern Paper Making Process Recovery Evaporators [Chesterton, 2004]

The Modern Paper Making Process Recovery Boiler [Chesterton, 2004]

The Modern Paper Making Process Recovery Causticizing [Chesterton, 2004]

The Modern Paper Making Process Water Treatment [Chesterton, 2004]

The Problems and Solutions The pulp and paper industry came into its own during a period when the environmental effects of chemical plants were not well understood, and discharges were not well regulated The operation of a pulp and paper mill creates many environmental concerns

Brush Creek, Private Land, Oregon The Problems and Solutions One of the very first impacts of the paper industry was the deforestation of large tracts of land in the early 1900 s u Today the paper companies practice a process of sustainable forestry u

The Problems and Solutions The Sustainable Forest Initiative program was developed in 1994 by the American Forest & Paper Association to ensure forests are protected “responsible environmental practices and sound business practices can be integrated to the benefit of landowners, shareholders, customers and the people they serve” [aboutsfi, 2004]

The Problems and Solutions u For every tree harvested today, the paper companies are planting five seedlings u There is now more forestland than in 1970 u The Sustainable Forest Initiative has been a success

The Problems and Solutions Many environmental concerns surround water usage v Release of Hydrogen Sulfide (H 2 S) and Sludge v Creation v BOD, of Dioxins and Furans COD, TSS

The Problems and Solutions Hydrogen Sulfide Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic gas that smells like rotten eggs At elevated levels, it can irritate the eyes and respiratory system It can be deadly at very high levels (greater than 500, 000 parts per billion)

The Problems and Solutions u No current Federal Limits on H 2 S u In January 2000, EPA issued a Federal Register notice announcing H 2 S is one of the chemicals for which EPA is developing a health assessment u Individual States are setting limits

The Problems and Solutions Dioxins and Furans u Most toxic chemicals known to science u The most toxic compound is 2, 3, 7, 8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin or TCDD u Any process that uses chlorine can change or generate chlorinated dioxins and furans u White Paper bleaching uses Chlorine

(EPA/600/C-01/012, March, 2001)

The Problems and Solutions Reduction of Wastewater u Reduce the demand for the high quality bright-white paper u For “lower quality” papers use a combination of other chemicals in the bleach process (oxygen for example) u Do a better job of pulping the wood

The Problems and Solutions Ash and smoke, byproducts of burning the black liquor and fuel in the recovery boiler and power boiler, escapes thru the smoke stacks

The Problems and Solutions u Improved are the electrostatic precipitators being installed to help prevent release of ash and smoke into atmosphere u The process of concentrating the black liquor has been improved u Use cleaner burning fuels

Hope for the Future Still have a long way to go to prevent any environmental impact u Operating a paper mill is a balancing act u Cost Quality Environment Time

Hope for the Future Advances Toward Sustainability u Sustainable Forest Initiative Program u Recovery of Process Chemicals u Recycling of Process Water u Reduction of Dioxin Production u Make use of by-product Residue Tall Oil – used in paints, perfume, cosmetics Turpentine

Hope for the Future “responsible environmental practices and sound business practices can be integrated to the benefit of landowners, shareholders, customers and the people they serve”

References u u u u u http: //www. americanlands. org/forestweb/photos. htm http: //www. aboutsfi. org/about. asp , 2004. http: //www. afandpa. org/Content/Navigation. Menu/Pulp _and_Paper/Paper_-_the_history_and_making/Paper__the_history_and_making. htm , 2004. http: //cfpub. epa. gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay. cfm? deid= 20797, (EPA/600/C-01/012, March, 2001) http: //www. chesterton. com/pulp-paper/ , 2004. http: //www. linde. com/en/en. jsp , 2004. http: //www. paperhall. org/info/glossary. html , 2004. Profile of the Pulp and Paper Manufacturing Sector in Georgia, 1993, http: //www. ganet. org/dnr/p 2 ad/pblcations/pulp/page 1. html World Bank. 1996. “Pollution Prevention and Abatement: Pulp and Paper Mills. ” Draft Technical Background Document. The Environment Department, Washington, D. C. World Bank. 1998. “Pollution Prevention and Abatement: Pulp and Paper Mills. ” Darft Technical Background Document. The Environment Department, Washington, D. C.