TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a system for performing papermaking
using a paper machine provided with a head box including a manifold having a cell-structure.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Generally, a paper manufacturing process includes a pulp step for forming a material
pulp slurry and a papermaking step for making paper from the pulp slurry. In the pulp
step, a material pulp slurry is prepared by forming chips from wood and performing
digestion, cleaning, picking, bleaching and so on. In the papermaking step, the material
pulp slurry is supplied from a head box onto a wire element for dewatering, and then
processes such as pressing and drying are performed to produce paper.
[0003] Various kinds of paper machines are known such as a cylinder machine, a Fourdrinier
machine, a "tanmo" machine, a twin wire machine and a crescent former.
[0004] Generally, in the papermaking process using a cylinder machine, a large shearing
force is not mechanically applied to the material pulp slurry in the head box, so
that the pulp is not sufficiently dispersed. Thus, to produce paper having a relatively
low basis weight such as tissue paper or toilet paper using a cylinder machine, a
viscous agent for dispersing pulp is generally used. For instance, polyethylene oxide
may be used as the viscous agent. Specifically, an aqueous solution of polyethylene
oxide having the concentration of not more than 0.01 wt % and appropriate viscosity
may be added to the material pulp slurry. Owing to the pulp dispersion effect of the
viscous agent added in the papermaking process, paper in which pulp fibers is uniformly
dispersed and which has excellent formation is obtained.
[0005] Paper machines such as a Fourdrinier machine, a "tanmo" machine, a twin wire machine
and a crescent former (hereinafter, these machines are referred to as "high-speed
paper machines"), which have been developed to achieve a productivity higher than
that of a cylinder machine and whose papermaking speed (wire traveling speed) is relatively
high, include a manifold having a cell-structure and provided in a head box. In these
machines, therefore, when the material pulp slurry passes through the manifold, a
large shearing force is applied to the material pulp slurry, whereby the slurry is
mechanically dispersed. Thus, by using a high-speed paper machine, low-basis-weight
paper having excellent formation is obtained without using a viscous agent. However,
as compared with the papermaking process using a cylinder machine, the time taken
for dewatering on the wire element in the papermaking process using a high-speed paper
machine is shorter, because of the higher papermaking speed. Further, since a viscous
agent is not used, the dispersion of pulp on the wire element in a high-speed paper
machine is inferior to that in a cylinder machine. As a result, although the productivity
of a high-speed paper machine is higher than that of a cylinder machine, the quality
of the obtained paper in terms of the formation is lower.
[0006] In recent years, competition for high quality paper is heating up in the field of
papermaking, and a system capable of stably and easily making paper having excellent
formation is demanded. Although improvement of paper machines is being carried out,
studies of the addition of an agent for improving the pulp dispersion in a high-speed
paper machine are not making much progress. A conceivable reason for this is that,
even if such a viscous agent as a polyethylene oxide-based viscous agent, which is
known to be relatively vulnerable to shearing, is used for a high-speed paper machine,
the viscous agent is sheared due to a large shearing force applied within the head
box. As a result, the viscosity is reduced, and hence, the effect of the viscous agent
is reduced, so that the improvement of the formation like that obtained in the case
of a cylinder machine is not expected.
[0007] Although the Patent Document 1 described below discloses a viscous agent to replace
polyethylene oxide, only a cylinder machine is disclosed as the application.
Patent Document 1:
JP-A 2000-290892
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An object of the present invention, which is proposed in view of the above-described
problems of the prior art, is to provide a papermaking method and a papermaking system
capable of making paper having excellent formation even by the use of a high-speed
paper machine by optimizing the concentration of a viscous agent solution to be added
to the material pulp slurry.
[0009] To solve the above-described problems, the inventors of the present invention have
studied changes in viscosity of aqueous solution of polyethylene oxide caused by shearing
to find that the viscosity is hardly degraded by shearing when the aqueous solution
has a concentration higher than a predetermined value. By applying this result of
the studies to papermaking, the inventors have found that paper having excellent formation
is obtained even by the use of a high-speed paper machine and achieved the present
invention.
[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method
of making paper using a paper machine provided with a head box including a manifold
having a cell-structure, the method comprising the steps of:
adding an aqueous solution of a viscous agent to a material pulp slurry, and
introducing a mixed pulp slurry containing the material pulp slurry and the aqueous
solution of viscous agent into the manifold;
characterized that the aqueous solution of viscous agent contains polyethylene oxide
at a concentration of 0.03 to 0.4 wt%;
the addition of the aqueous solution of viscous agent is performed between the head
box and a screen located closest to the head box; and
the amount of polyethylene oxide added to the pulp slurry is 0.001 to 1.0% relative
to the dry weight of the paper produced.
[0011] With the above-described papermaking method, the pulp dispersion effect by a viscous
agent is properly exhibited even in a paper machine which includes a cell-structure
manifold in the head box. As a result, paper in which pulp fibers are uniformly dispersed
and which has excellent formation is obtained. In this way, according to this papermaking
method, a viscous agent is effectively used to improve the quality of paper.
[0012] Further, with the papermaking method according to the present invention, the use
of a proper viscous agent reduces the defects such as the breakage of paper due to
insufficient dispersion of pulp fibers, and hence, stable papermaking is possible.
Thus, the yield of papermaking is enhanced, and the production efficiency is improved.
[0013] The addition of the aqueous solution of the viscous agent is performed between the
head box and a screen located closest to the head box. In this case, the pulp dispersion
effect by the viscous agent is properly exhibited.
[0014] The viscous agent is a polyethylene oxide. In this case, the viscous agent comprises
solely of polyethylene oxide.
[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a papermaking
system comprising
a screen for removing impurities from a material pulp slurry;
a paper machine provided with a head box including a manifold having a cell-structure
arranged downstream from the screen; and
a viscous agent adder for supplying an aqueous solution of a viscous agent to the
pulp slurry;
characterized that the viscous agent adder supplies the aqueous solution that polyethylene
oxide at a concentration of 0.03 to 0.4 wt% into a pipe connecting the screen and
the head box to each other, the screen being the one that is closest to the head box;
the amount of polyethylene oxide added to the pulp slurry is 0.001 to 1.0% relative
to the dry weight of the paper to be produced.
[0016] The viscous agent is polyethylene oxide.
[0017] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent
from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018]
Fig. 1 shows the schematic structure of an example of papermaking system used for
a papermaking method according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a principal portion
of a head box.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of manifold.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0019] Fig. 1 schematically shows a papermaking system X1 used for a papermaking method
according to the present invention. The papermaking system X1 mainly comprises a pump
1, a screen 2, a head box 3 and a piping connecting these members to each other for
making paper from a material pulp slurry S by the papermaking method.
[0020] The pump 1 supplies the material pulp slurry S formed in a pulping step and containing
pulp fibers to the screen 2 at a predetermined pressure.
[0021] The screen 2 removes impurities from the material pulp slurry S and makes the thickness
of the material pulp slurry S uniform. When the material pulp slurry S is supplied
to the screen 2, the material pulp slurry S passes through an extremely narrow space
under a contact pressure from a non-illustrated roller. Thus, a relatively large shearing
force is applied to the pulp fibers contained in the material pulp slurry S.
[0022] As shown in Fig. 2, the head box 3, which constitutes part of a paper machine, serves
to eject a mixed pulp slurry MS onto a wire element 4 traveling endlessly. The mixed
pulp slurry MS is obtained by adding a viscous agent P (which will be described later)
to the material pulp slurry S. As shown in Fig. 3, the head box 3 includes a manifold
30 having a cell-structure made up of a plurality of pipes 31. By causing the mixed
pulp slurry MS to flow through the manifold 30, the pulp fibers contained in the mixed
pulp slurry MS are dispersed. Each of the pipes 31 includes an introduction end 31a
and a discharge end 31b, and the cross sectional area of each pipe increases stepwise
as progressing from the introduction end 31a toward the discharge end 31b. Examples
of paper machine including a manifold like the manifold 30 include a crescent former,
a twin wire paper machine and a Fourdrinier machine, which are high-speed paper machines
whose papermaking speed is relatively high. The head box 3 includes a discharge opening
3a on the downstream side of the manifold 30. The mixed pulp slurry MS discharged
from the manifold 30 is ejected onto the wire element 4 through the discharge opening
3a. In the illustrated embodiment, the discharge opening 3a is tapered toward the
downstream side.
[0023] The screen 2 and the head box 3 are connected to each other via a pipe 21. A pipe
22 for adding a viscous agent solution M is connected to the pipe 21. An example of
viscous agent solution M to be added is polyethylene oxide-based aqueous solution.
[0024] When the papermaking system X1 having the above-described structure is operated,
the material pulp slurry S is supplied to the screen 2 by the operation of the pump
1.
[0025] In the screen 2, unnecessary components such as impurities are removed from the material
pulp slurry S, and a relatively large shearing force is applied to the pulp fibers
contained in the material pulp slurry S. Thus, the initially agglomerated pulp fibers
are dispersed to some degree.
[0026] The material pulp slurry S having passed through the screen 2 is introduced into
the pipe 21. An aqueous solution of polyethylene oxide as the viscous agent solution
M is added to the material pulp slurry S through the pipe 22. The aqueous solution
is prepared in advance to have a polyethylene oxide concentration in the range of
0.03 to 0.4 wt %. For instance, the aqueous solution of polyethylene oxide may be
prepared by dissolving powder of polyethylene oxide in water contained in a bath made
of stainless steel while stirring the water using a stirrer provided at the bath.
The material pulp slurry S and the viscous agent solution M are mixed within the pipe
21 to form the mixed pulp slurry MS, and the mixed pulp slurry MS is supplied to the
head box 3.
[0027] In the head box 3, the mixed pulp slurry MS is introduced into the manifold 30 (the
pipes 31). Since the cross sectional area of each pipe 31 is relatively small at a
portion adjacent to the introduction end 31a, the mixed pulp slurry MS flows through
this portion at a relatively high speed. Since the cross sectional area of the pipe
increases stepwise as progressing toward the discharge end 31b, the speed of the flow
of the mixed pulp slurry MS decreases stepwise. As a result, an eddy is generated
within the pipe 31, whereby a relatively large shearing force is applied to the mixed
pulp slurry MS. By the effect of the shearing force, the pulp fibers contained in
the mixed pulp slurry MS are dispersed effectively. The viscous agent solution M is
dispersed and mixed into the material pulp slurry S without being considerably deteriorated
by the eddy generated in the pipe 31.
[0028] The mixed pulp slurry MS, in which the pulp fibers are properly dispersed by passing
through the manifold 30 (pipes 31), undergoes a proper decrease of viscosity due to
the shearing and is ejected from the discharge ends 31b onto the running wire element
4 through the discharge opening 3a. On the wire element 4, by the pulp dispersion
effect of the viscous agent, the pulp fibers contained in the mixed pulp slurry MS
are dispersed uniformly. Thereafter, the mixed pulp slurry MS is dewatered, and the
process steps such as pressing and drying are performed to provide paper as a finished
product.
[0029] In the papermaking method by the papermaking system X1 according to the present invention,
the use of a polyethylene oxide-based viscous agent has good effect even when a high-speed
paper machine incorporating a manifold having a cell-structure is used. Specifically,
although a polyethylene oxide-based viscous agent has been conventionally used for
papermaking by a cylinder machine, the use of a polyethylene oxide-based viscous agent
for papermaking by a high-speed paper machine has been avoided because the reduction
of viscosity is considerable and the pulp dispersion effect cannot be obtained. Under
such circumstances, the inventors of the present invention sought the way to effectively
use polyethylene oxide, which is stably produced industrially and has been used as
an effective viscous agent for a cylinder machine, for a high-speed paper machine.
As a result, the inventors have found that, when a polyethylene oxide-based viscous
agent solution has a concentration (0.03 to 0.4 wt %) which is considerably higher
than that (not higher than about 0.01 wt %) of a solution used for a cylinder machine,
proper pulp dispersion effect is exhibited, and paper having excellent formation is
obtained.
[0030] In the papermaking method of the present invention, the concentration of the viscous
agent solution M to be added to the material pulp slurry S is 0.03 to 0.4 wt %, and
more preferably, 0.03 to 0.2 wt %.
[0031] When the concentration of the viscous agent solution M to be added is not more than
0.03 wt %, the pulp dispersion effect of the viscous agent solution is deteriorated
due to the reduction of viscosity by the shearing in the head box 3, and hence, the
formation of paper is hardly improved. When the concentration of the viscous agent
solution M to be added exceeds 0.4 wt %, the viscous agent solution M is not sufficiently
mixed with the material pulp slurry S in the head box because of the high viscosity
of the viscous agent solution M. As a result, the viscous agent solution partially
agglomerates into a strip or a block, whereby the dispersion of the pulp fibers is
hindered. In this case, failures such as paper breakage may occur, and stable papermaking
may not be performed. Further, the produced paper may include defects such as specks
and/or holes, whereby the quality of paper deteriorates.
[0032] However, when the concentration of the viscous agent solution M to be added is 0.03
to 0.4 wt %, the pulp dispersion effect is properly exhibited, and the defects such
as specks and/or holes are prevented. Thus, with the papermaking method according
to the present invention, paper having excellent formation is obtained, and thus,
the improvement of the quality is achieved.
[0033] Further, with the papermaking method according to the present invention, the use
of a proper viscous agent reduces the failures such as paper breakage due to insufficient
dispersion of pulp fibers, and hence, stable papermaking is possible. Thus, the yield
of papermaking is enhanced, and the production efficiency is improved.
[0034] In view of the pulp dispersion effect and the convenience in handling, it is preferable
that the viscous agent (polyethylene oxide) used in the papermaking method according
to the present invention has a viscosity average molecular weight of 3million to 11
million, and preferably, 4 million to 9million.
[0035] Although the amount of the viscous agent to be used depends on the kind of paper
and is not limited to a particular value, the amount of 0.001 to 1.0 %, and preferably
0.01 to 0.5 % relative to the dry weight of the paper to be produced is considered
effective.
[0036] The viscous agent solution M does not necessarily need to be added through the pipe
22 connected to the pipe 21 which connects the screen 2 and the head box 3 to each
other. However, to properly exhibit the pulp dispersion effect by the viscous agent,
it is preferable that the viscous agent be added at a position between the screen
2 and the head box 3, i.e., at a position downstream from the screen 2 and upstream
from the head box 3. This is because, when the viscous agent solution M is added at
a position upstream from the screen 2, the viscosity decreases by the shearing in
the screen 2, so that the pulp dispersion effect by the viscous agent may not be exhibited.
[0037] The papermaking method according to the present invention is preferably applicable
to the making of thin paper such as tissue paper or toilet paper having a basis weight
of not more than 60g/m
2, but is not limited thereto.
[0038] Examples of the present invention will be described below together with comparative
examples.
[Example 1]
[Papermaking]
[0039] Paper was made from a material pulp slurry S using the papermaking system X1 according
to the above-described embodiment. As the paper machine, a crescent former was operated
to run at a speed of 800m/min to form tissue paper having a basis weight of 13 g/m
2. As the material pulp slurry S, a slurry of 0.15 wt % was prepared from NBKP (conifer
pulp) and LBKP (broadleaf pulp) of 640 mlcsf beating degree (Canadian Standard Freeness)
mixed at the ratio of 40 to 60 (weight ratio). As the viscous agent solution M, use
was made of an aqueous solution of polyethylene oxide having a concentration of 0.07
wt %, which was prepared by dissolving polyethylene oxide (Tradename:PEO-27,Viscosity
average molecular weight:7500000, available from Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.)
in water while stirring. In the papermaking process, the polyethylene oxide solution
was supplied into the pipe 21 between the screen 2 and the head box 3. The amount
of the viscous agent used was 0.1 % relative to the dry weight of the paper produced.
[Evaluation of formation of paper]
[0040] The paper made as above was examined for the improvement of formation. The formation
was checked by visual inspection, and the result is given in Table 1. In Table 1,
the mark ○ indicates that the formation is considerably improved, i.e., the pulp fibers
are uniformly dispersed and holes and/or agglomeration of pulp fibers are hardly found,
the mark Δ indicates that the improvement of formation is hardly found, and the mark
× indicates that the formation is poor, i.e. , holes and/or agglomeration of pulp
fibers are found or a papermaking failure such as breakage of paper is caused.
[Example 2]
[0041] In Example 2, paper was made under the same conditions as those of Example 1 except
that the aqueous solution of polyethylene oxide used as the viscous agent solution
M had the concentration of 0.03 wt %. The examination result of the formation of the
paper obtained by this example is also given in Table 1.
[Example 3]
[0042] In this example, a Fourdrinier machine was used as the paper machine. Specifically,
the Fourdrinier machine was operated to run at a speed of 1100m/min to form tissue
paper having a basis weight of 17 g/m
2. As the material pulp slurry S, a slurry of 0.12 wt % was prepared from NBKP and
LBKP of 660 mlcsf beating degree (Canadian Standard Freeness) mixed at the ratio of
60 to 40 (weight ratio). As the viscous agent solution, use was made of an aqueous
solution of polyethylene oxide having a concentration of 0.06 wt %, which was prepared
by dissolving polyethylene oxide (PEO-27) in water while stirring. In the papermaking
process, the polyethylene oxide solution was supplied into the pipe 21 between the
screen 2 and the head box 3. The amount of the viscous agent used was 0.15 % relative
to the dry weight of the paper produced. The examination result of the formation of
the paper obtained by this example is also given in Table 1.
[Example 4]
[0043] The same paper machine as that of Example 3 was operated to run at a speed of 1000m/min
to form tissue paper having a basis weight of 15 g/m
2. As the material pulp slurry S, a slurry of 0.12 wt % was prepared from NBKP and
LBKP of 660 mlcsf beating degree (Canadian Standard Freeness) mixed at the ratio of
60 to 40 (weight ratio). As the viscous agent solution, use was made of an aqueous
solution of polyethylene oxide having a concentration of 0.15 wt %, which was prepared
by dissolving polyethylene oxide (PEO-27) in water while stirring. In the papermaking
process, the polyethylene oxide solution was supplied into the pipe 21 between the
screen 2 and the head box 3. The amount of the viscous agent used was 0.15 % relative
to the dry weight of the paper produced. The examination result of the formation of
the paper obtained by this example is also given in Table 1.
[Comparative Example 1]
[0044] In this comparative example, paper was made under the same conditions as those of
Example 1 except that the aqueous solution of polyethylene oxide used as the viscous
agent solution M had a concentration of 0.01 wt %. The examination result of the formation
of the paper obtained by this comparative example is also given in Table 1.
[Comparative Example 2]
[0045] In this comparative example, paper was made under the same conditions as those of
Example 3 except that the aqueous solution of polyethylene oxide used as the viscous
agent solution M had a concentration of 0.5 wt %. The examination result of the formation
of the paper obtained by this comparative example is also given in Table 1.
[Comparative Example 3]
[0046] In this comparative example, paper was made under the same conditions as those of
Comparative Example 1 except that a cylinder machine was uses as the paper machine.
The examination result of the formation of the paper obtained by this comparative
example is also given in Table 1.
[Table 1]
| |
Example 1 |
Example 2 |
Example 3 |
Example 4 |
Comparative Example 1 |
Comparative Example 2 |
Comparative Example 3 |
| Paper machine |
Crescent former |
Fourdrinier |
Crescent former |
Fourdrinier |
Cylinder machine |
| Target Paper |
tissue paper |
| Paper making speed (m/min) |
800 |
800 |
1100 |
1000 |
800 |
1100 |
800 |
| Basis weight (g/m2) |
13 |
13 |
17 |
15 |
13 |
17 |
13 |
| Viscous agent concentration (wt/%) |
0.07 |
0.03 |
0.06 |
0.15 |
0.01 |
0.5 |
0.01 |
| Viscous agent amount (relative to dry weight of paper:%) |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.15 |
0.15 |
0.1 |
0.15 |
0.1 |
| Formation improvement |
○ |
○ |
○ |
○ |
Δ |
× |
○ |
[0047] Since the viscous agent solution M used in Examples 1-4 had a high concentration
within a predetermined range, the formation of the paper was better than that of the
paper formed using a viscous agent solution M of a lower concentration like Comparative
Example 1. Herein, the concentration (0.01 wt %) of the viscous agent solution M used
in the Comparative Example 1 is close to the upper limit of the concentration range
(not more than about 0.01 wt %) of polyethylene oxide solution conventionally known
as appropriate for use for papermaking (using a cylinder machine).
[0048] Since the viscous agent solution M used in Comparative Example 2 had a concentration
higher than the predetermined range, the viscous agent solution M agglomerated in
the papermaking process due to the high viscosity to cause failures such as the breakage
of the paper.