Analysis of Wood Chips for Paper Production and Pulp

Purpose

One of the most important parameters we analyze is the bark content in the wood chips. Bark can adversely affect pulp quality by introducing unwanted impurities or chemicals into the process. By measuring the bark content, we can assess how well the wood chips have been cleaned and prepared for pulp manufacturing.

Moisture content in the wood chips is also a critical parameter that we analyze. Correct moisture content is essential for achieving desired production outcomes and for avoiding problems such as overcooking or difficulties in achieving the desired pulp consistency.

The properties of wood chips are crucial for ensuring an efficient and high-quality cooking process in the pulp and paper industry. One of the key properties that we carefully monitor and control is bulk density. Bulk density refers to the amount of pulp that a given volume of wood chips occupies and is therefore an indicator of the density or packing density of the wood chips.

Bulk density is particularly important in the trading of wood and wood chips. It affects the transport efficiency and thus the transportation costs of the wood chips. Wood chips with high bulk density occupy less volume and can therefore be transported more efficiently, potentially reducing transportation and storage costs for both suppliers and buyers. On the other hand, wood chips with low bulk density may require larger volumes to be transported to achieve the same amount of pulp, which can result in higher costs and inefficiency.

This parameter gives us an indication of how tightly packed the bark is, which can affect the flowability of the wood chips and their ability to absorb cooking chemicals during the process.

We also examine the dimensions of the bark; a uniform distribution of bark sizes is desirable to ensure even cooking and quality of the resulting pulp. Wood chips with high bulk density may have more efficient liquid absorption and chemical penetration during cooking, resulting in a smoother and more efficient cooking process. However, wood chips with low bulk density may potentially have difficulty absorbing liquids and chemicals, which can affect the efficiency and quality of the cooking process.

By carefully monitoring and controlling the bulk density of the wood chips, we can optimize the cooking process to achieve desired results and ensure efficient use of raw materials. This is crucial for maintaining high production quality and minimizing costs and resource wastage in pulp production.

The thickness of the wood chips is a crucial property that has a significant impact on several aspects of the impregnation process in the pulp and paper industry. This property affects not only how effectively the wood chips absorb liquids and chemicals but also the quality and homogeneity of the resulting pulp.

Methods

• Dry content SCAN-CM 39:94 Determination of bark content in wood chips for the production of chemical and mechanical pulps. It is applicable for the determination of wood grade chips, preferably in conjunction with the method of chip size distribution described in SCAN-CM 40.
• Size distribution SCAN-CM 40:01 Classification of wood chips intended for the production of chemical and mechanical pulps and is applicable in determining the quality of wood chips in terms of chip size and fineness.
• Bark content SCAN-CM 42:06 Determination of bark content in wood chips for the production of chemical and mechanical masses. 
  Dry-Crude Density or Bulk Density SCAN-CM 46:92 Method for determining the bulk density of wood chips intended for the production of chemical or mechanical pulps. It is also possible to measure the bulk volume of wood chips, i.e. the volume of loosely packed chips. 
• Thickness and thickness distribution SCAN-CM 47:92 The method is applicable in determining the quality of wood chips. 
  Length and length distribution, width and width distribution SCAN-CM 48:01 Determination of mean length and length distribution of wood chips intended for the production of chemical or mechanical pulps (accepted chips). 
• Wood content in bark fraction SCAN-CM 53:94 Determination of the wood content of the bark fraction from a bark drum or from other debarking machinery. The method is applicable in the determination of wood losses in the debarking process. The total timber loss also includes breakage.
• Dry-raw density SCAN-CM 43:95 Determination of the basic density of wood chips for production of chemical and mechanical pulps.

• Metals
• Extractives
• Carbohydrates
• Ash content

Delivery

RISE offers a report that includes data in Excel format and relevant images and diagrams. It is carefully compiled using standard methods for the conducted analyses. The report also includes an assessment of measurement uncertainty to ensure the reliability of the presented results. All relevant parameters significant to the specific analysis are included to provide a comprehensive picture of the situation. Additionally, detailed comments and explanations are provided to offer further insight and understanding of the presented data.