Use of fluorescence to monitor hydrophobic contaminants in a papermaking process

Abstract

A method of monitoring and controlling one or more types of hydrophobic contaminants in a papermaking process is disclosed. The methodology utilizes the measurement of dyes, which are capable of fluorescing and interacting with the hydrophobic contaminants.

1 . A method of monitoring one or more types of hydrophobic contaminants in a papermaking process comprising:
 a. obtaining a bulk sample of fluid from said papermaking process;   b. selecting a hydrophobic dye that is capable of interacting with said contaminants in said fluid and fluorescing in said fluid;   c. adding said dye to said fluid and allowing a sufficient amount of time for said dye to interact with said contaminants in said fluid;   d. measuring the fluorescence of the dye in said fluid;   e. correlating the fluorescence of the dye with the concentration of said contaminants; and   f. optionally controlling the amount of one or more chemicals that reduce or inactivate said contaminants which are added to said papermaking process.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: measuring the turbidity of said fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said turbidity of said fluid is measured before and after the addition said chemicals. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fluid is filtered or diluted or a combination thereof prior to said addition of said dye or said fluorescent measurement of said dye. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said dye does not include N-(n-butyl)-4-(n-butylamino)-naphthalimide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said fluid is obtained from a wet end of said papermaking process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said dye is mixed with a solvent prior to its addition to said fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said contaminants are selected from the group consisting of: pitch, fiber, filler, fines, coated broke, mill broke, recycle, groundwood, thermal mechanical pulp, deinked pulp furnish, chemi-thermal mechanical pulp, chemical pulp, ink, adhesives, stickies, tackies, waxes, binders and dissolved and/or colloidal substances, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method is an on-line method and/or batch sample method. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fluorometric measurement is performed at a pre-set basis, intermittent basis, and/or continuous basis. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fluorometric measurement is performed with a handheld fluorometer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fluid is an aqueous filtrate of a pulp slurry. 
     
     
         13 . A method for measuring the effectiveness of one or more chemicals that decrease the amount of one or more hydrophobic contaminants in a papermaking process:
 a. monitoring one or more types of contaminants in a papermaking process comprising: obtaining a bulk sample of fluid from said papermaking process; selecting a hydrophobic dye that is capable of interacting with said contaminants in said fluid and fluorescing in said fluid; adding said dye to said fluid and allowing a sufficient amount of time for said dye to interact with said contaminants in said fluid; measuring the fluorescence of the dye in said fluid; and correlating the fluorescence of the dye with the concentration of said contaminants;   b. adding one or more chemicals to said papermaking process that decrease the amount of said hydrophobic contaminants; and   c. re-measuring the amount of contaminants in said papermaking process by performing step (a) at least one more time; and   d. optionally controlling the amount of said chemicals that are added to said papermaking process.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said chemicals are at least one of the following: a fixative; a detackifier; a dispersant; a surfactant; and a retention aid. 
     
     
         15 . A method of monitoring one or more types of hydrophobic contaminants in a papermaking process consisting essentially of:
 a. obtaining a bulk sample of fluid from said papermaking process;   b. selecting a hydrophobic dye that is capable of interacting with said contaminants in said fluid and fluorescing in said fluid;   c. adding said dye to said fluid and allowing a sufficient amount of time for said dye to interact with said contaminants in said fluid;   d. measuring the fluorescence of the dye in said fluid;   e. correlating the fluorescence of the dye with the concentration of said contaminants; and   f. optionally controlling the amount of one or more chemicals that reduce or inactivate said contaminants which are added to said papermaking process.