Singlet Oxygen Generated Onsite for Safely Augmenting or Replacing Existing Chlorine Bleaching Stages, 2018 PEERS
Already demonstrated as successful in replacing chlorine dioxide applications in oil field water remediation, a Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) formulation, which generates singlet oxygen in bulk quantities, holds great promise as an inherently safer and fast-acting oxidant in P&P mills.
Singlet Oxygen, previously limited to small scale specialty applications, can have significant beneficial impacts on delignification, lignin extraction and brightening of pulp. A singlet oxygen stage used within a bleach sequence offsets the ClO2 needed to achieve brighter and whiter grades of pulp. This ROS chemistry does not produce AOX, is significantly less corrosive and less volatile than chlorine chemistries, and yields biodegradable and GRAS end-products. Singlet oxygen is particularly efficient at oxidizing electron-rich aromatic rings and unsaturated hydrocarbons, e.g., alkenes or olefins, which dominate the structure of lignin. Singlet oxygen oxidation is selective towards unsaturated hydrocarbons and phenolic materials comprising lignin and, as a result, has low impact on cellulose fibers compared to less selective oxidants. Due to its selectivity, fiber benefits can include improved yield, higher viscosity/strength and potentially greater resistance to color reversion.
The non-halide, less-corrosive singlet oxygen chemistry allows for mill applications not permitted by ClO2 chemistry and installed metallurgy. It can be added to brownstock washing to reduce kappa number prior to entering the bleaching process and thereby return more lignin towards the recovery boilers. Removal of one or more ClO2 bleach stages may be highly beneficial to mills short of ClO2 supply or contemplating a ClO2 plant expansion, but want to avoid capital investment.
An additional benefit for P&P mills is as a biocide for water treatment where this singlet oxygen chemistry can augment or replace current biocide programs while being generally compatible with paper additives and food contact certifications.
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