Method for improved pulping using an environmentally friendly pulping aid

Abstract

A safe and environmentally friendly pulping aid comprising a mixture of natural terpene-based chemicals and a dispersant blend. The pulping aid is used in the pulping of lignocellulosic biomass to simultaneously increase screened pulp yield and reduce the extractives content of pulp. The flash point of the pulping aid is at least 49° C.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A safe and environmentally friendly pulping aid comprising a mixture of at least one terpene and a dispersant blend. 
     
     
         2 . The pulping aid according to  claim 1  wherein the terpene mixture is selected from but not limited to one or more of the following biodegradable terpenes: α-pinene, β-pinene, camphene, 3-carene, l-limonene, d-limonene, o-cymene, m-cymene, p-cymene, α-terpineol, α-phellandrene and β-phellandrene, α-terpinolene, α-terpinene and β-terpinene. 
     
     
         3 . The pulping aid according to  claim 1  wherein the dispersant blend is a non-phenolic, readily biodegradable alcohol ethoxylate selected from but not limited to the following: decyl alcohol ethoxylate, dodecyl alcohol ethoxylate, and tridecyl alcohol ethoxylate, and one or more defoamers selected from but not limited to the group of difunctional block copolymers based on ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. 
     
     
         4 . The pulping aid according to  claim 1  wherein the terpene content has a range between 10% and 97%. 
     
     
         5 . The pulping aid according to  claim 1  wherein the dispersant blend has a range between 3% and 90%. 
     
     
         6 . The pulping aid according to  claim 1 , wherein the closed cup flashpoint is at least 49° C. 
     
     
         7 . A method of using an environmentally friendly pulping aid containing a mixture of at least one terpene and a dispersant blend is brought into contact with lignocellulosic biomass during the pulping process. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7  where the pulping process is a kraft pulping process. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7  where the pulping process is a sulfite pulping process. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7  where the pulping process is soda pulping process. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7  where the pulping additive is brought into contact with lignocellulosic biomass during the pretreatment stage. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7  where the pulping additive is brought into contact with lignocellulosic biomass during the digestion stage. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 7  where the pulping additive is brought into contact with lignocellulosic biomass in both the pretreatment and digestion stages. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 7  where the contact time between the pulping aid and the lignocellulosic biomass during pulping is at least 2 hours and the pulping temperature is at least 130° C. in the case of sulphite pulping and at least 160° C. in the case of kraft pulping. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 7  where the addition level of the pulping additive is between 0.2 lbs and 4.0 lbs per ton of dry pulp. 
     
     
         16 . A pulp product derived from lignocellulosic biomass produced using a safe and environmentally friendly pulping aid comprising a mixture of at least one terpene and a dispersant blend where the extractives content of the unbleached pulp is reduced by at least 25%. 
     
     
         17 . A pulping process employing a safe and environmentally friendly pulping aid comprising a mixture of at least one terpene and a dispersant blend where at the same brownstock kappa number target as the control, the rejects are reduced by at least 45%, the pulp production is increased by at least 4.0%, the surfactant-based pitch control chemical is eliminated and the use of defoamers in the fiber line is reduced by at least 20%.