Cross-linked glycerol based polymers as digestion aids for improving wood pulping processes

摘要

The invention provides a method of improving the digestion of wood chips into pulp. The method involves: adding a cross-linked glycerol-based polymer additive to a solution used in the digestion process. This additive is unexpectedly effective at facilitating digestion. The branched and ether structure of the additive allows it to withstand the harsh nature of a high stress environment. In addition, it is more soluble in the harsh condition than other surfactants. The structure, resistance, and particular balance between hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, causes the additive to increases the interaction between the wood chips and the digestion chemicals. This in turn reduces the costs, the amount of additive needed, and the amount of reject wood chunks that result from the digestion process.

主权项

1. A method for enhancing the penetration of cooking liquor into wood chips, the method comprising cooking wood chips in a cooking liquor to form a paper pulp and including at least one cross-linked glycerol-based polymer comprising additive in the cooking liquor, the method so enhances the penetration of pulping liquor into the chips that it reduces lignin such that the resulting pulp has a lower kappa number than if no polymer or if equal amounts of other glycerol based polymers were added to the liquor.