The work described in this thesis was aimed at obtaining a better understanding of the neutral sulphite semichemical pulping process employed by Mondi Kraft's Piet Retief mill, and to investigate ways to improve this process. The unique feature of the process in this mill is that hardwood and softwood species are pulped simultaneously in a continuous digester. The pulping trials described were carried out in a laboratory batch digester which was build as a part of this project. Pulps were evaluated for yield, Hypo number as an indication of the residual lignin content and strength properties. The first part of the experimental work focused on the effect that different pulping variables have on the process and the resulting pulp. Variables investigated were the chemical charge, pulping temperature, chip composition and anthraquinone dosage. The second part of the work was to investigate ways in which the process can be improved. In particular it was investigated whether it would be advantageous to pulp hardwood and softwood separately and mix the two pulps together after pulping. The effect of changing to an alkaline sulphite process was also briefly investigated. It was found that the current process is optimized as far as the chemical charge and pulping temperature is concerned. Increasing the softwood percentage used to 50 % (from current value of 41 %) increases the tear strength, whilst decreasing it to 30 % increases the tensile strength of the resulting pulp. It was also determined that increasing the AQ dosage from 0.1 % to 0.5 % might bring savings in chemical costs. It is suggested that this is investigated in a mill trial. It was further found that pulping the two species separately improves the tear strength of the pulp by about 20 % compared with that which was pulped simultaneously. The results indicate that no benefits concerning the chemical costs, pulping temperature, pulp yield, burst strength or tensile strength are to be gained from separate pulping. Preliminary results indicated that significant strength increases and possible chemical cost savings are to be gained by changing from a neutral sulphite to an alkaline sulphite process. Further work to determine the reproducibility of these results, as well as the effect of different chemical charge and ratios is suggested. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology (Biotechnology), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2014. / Microbial enzymes are gaining worldwide attention due to their potential industrial applications. Microorganisms producing thermostable -xylanase and their associated hemicellulases have significant application in the paper and pulp, food, animal feed, and textile industries. The potential of partially purified xylanase from Thermomyces lanuginosus MC 134, Luminase PB 100, Luminase PB 200 (a commercial xylanase) and T. lanuginosus DSM 5826 (Sigma Aldrich) was evaluated in bleaching of bagasse pulp. The temperature and pH optima for all the enzymes were 60°C and pH 6, respectively. The temperature (50- 80°C) and pH (5-8) stability of the enzymes were also assessed. All the enzymes were relatively stable at 60°C and pH 6 for 180 min. T. lanuginosus MC 134 retained 80% of its activity at 60°C and pH 6 for 180 min and PB 200 retained 75% of its activity at 80°C for 180 min. T. lanuginosus MC 134 also exhibited good alkaline stability at pH 8. The commercial xylanases Luminase PB 100, Luminase PB 200, T. lanuginosus DSM 5826 (Sigma Aldrich) were purified to homogeneity using a gel filtration column packed with sephadex G-100 and characterized for Km and Vmax. However extracellular crude xylanases from T. lanuginosus MC 134 was purified to homogeneity using (N )2S04 precipitation and gel filtration column, packed with sephadex G-100. The purified xylanases exhibited a molecular mass of- 26 to 24 kDa, given range as determined by SDS page. The Km and Vmax values of Luminase PB 100, Luminase PB 200, T. lanuginosus MC 134, and T. lanuginosus DSM 5826, xylanases were determined by the Michaelis-Menten equation using birchwood xylan as the substrate. The Km value for Luminase PB 100, Luminase PB 200, T. lanuginosus DSM 5826 and T. lanuginosus MC 134 were, 8.1 mg/mL, 11.7 mg/mL and 14.3 mg/mL respectively. The Vmax for Luminase PB 100, Luminase PB 200, T lanuginosus DSM 5826 and T lanuginosus MC 134 were 232.6, 454.6 and 74.6 !Jl11ol/min/mg. Biobleaching conditions of the xylanases were also optimised and the release of reducing sugars and lignin derived compounds showed that an enzyme dosage of 50U/g of pulp was ideal for biobleaching at pH 6 and 60°C for 180 min. This brightness for T lanuginosus MC 134, Luminase PB 200, Luminase PB 100 was 45.5 ± 0.11%, 44.1 ± 0.007% and 42.7 ± 0.03% respectively at pH 6, compared to untreated samples. Reducing sugars and UV-absorbing lignin-derived compound values were considerably higher in xylanase-treated samples. All the enzymes analysed exhibited similar trends in the release of lignin derived compounds and reducing sugars which indicated their potential in the pulp and paper industry. / PDF Full-text unavailable. Please refer to hard copy for Full-text / M

Combustion properties of kraft black liquor solids were studied using a laminar entrained flow reactor. The tendency of black liquors to release fume (compounds containing Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, SO₃²⁻, S₂0₃²⁻ and C0₃²⁻) during combustion were observed at 1000°C. Black liquor solids with a size fraction of 63 to 100 μm were burned in a mixture of 4% 0₂ and 96% N₂ at a residence time of 0.67 seconds. Combustion properties of one black liquor (liquor #3) were studied by varying the solids feed rate from 0.47 to 1.08 g/min (liquor feed rate study). Combustion properties of five North American and Finnish black liquors were studied at a target solids feed rate of 0.73 g/min (liquor to liquor study). Black liquor fuming was observed to be a decreasing function of solids feed rate and an increasing function of excess oxygen. The appearance of char residues varied from black and porous at high solids feed rates to white and dense at low solids feed rates. Combustion may have been enhanced at low solids feed rates by liquor swelling due to a combination of heat and mass transfer effects and limited at high solids feed rates by inter-particle and bulk gas mass transfer limitations. For the liquor to liquor study, black liquors were observed to release fume differently. Chars produced during this study varied in appearance, indicating that the black liquors had unique combustion properties. Variations in temperature and mass transfer effects resulting from liquor swelling properties were likely responsible for the variability in liquor fuming behavior. The liquors that contained the most NaCl and had the highest anionic equivalents as C0₃²⁻ (or other chemical species) produced the most fume. Sodium vaporization varied from 25.2% to 33.7%: Liquors #2 and #5 vaporized the most sodium and also had the lowest concentrations of measured anions in their char residues. Potassium and chloride enrichment factors for the five liquors were slightly lower than those of common industrial boilers. Liquor #3 had a concentration of Cl⁻ that was (roughly) an order of magnitude higher than the other liquors studied; however, it also had the lowest chloride enrichment factor. / Graduation date: 2002

Graduation date: 1996

This project explored the feasibility of using fungi in a constructed wetland for the treatment of pulp mill effluent. The effluent is high in dissolved lignins (some of which are chlorinated), which have proven very difficult to degrade biologically. Mindful of work done with the (terrestrial) white rot fungi, especially Phanerochaete chtysosporium, the question is asked, Is there a fungus which can tolerate submerged conditions while degrading a significant amount of dissolved lignins? Two fungal species with lignin-degrading capability were isolated from submerged films in a log pond. These fungi have been evaluated for decolorization potential under different environmental conditions. Results of laboratory experiments show that one of these fungi, identified as Acremonium sp., was capable of 44% decolorization of pulp mill effluent under sterile, submerged, room temperature conditions. The fungal decolorization was evaluated both in floating cultures and as a film inoculated on wood chips. In addition, bench-scale examination of the potential of this fungus to decolorize pulp mill effluent in non-sterile conditions was completed. / Graduation date: 1994

Graduation date: 1994

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.