Pulping of Alternate Fiber Sources, 1995 Pulping Conference Proceedings

Carroll Hale

Temple-Inland Forests Products

Long range projections of shortages in hardwood fibers has increased interest in using several other species of trees as a possible source of hardwood fibers. Samples from two common trees found in Texas were evaluated along with birch imported from Russia. These included the Texas mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) Chinese tallow Sapium sebiferum) and Russian birch (Betula sp.) Since these chips would be cooked along with the mixed southern hardwood that are currently being used in the mill, it is important to know how each would respond to the cooking conditions found in the mill digesters. Lab cooks were made on each different species using conditions found in the mill. Cooking chemicals were obtained from the mill supply. Comparisons of kappa number, CED viscosity, % accepts and rejects were made with results from cooks performed on the southern hardwood chips now being used in the mill. The birch chips cooked very much like the normal hardwood supply. Apparently, the tallow chips were overcooked as indicated by a lower kappa number, much less yield. and reduced CFD viscosity. On the other hand, the mesquite had a higher number of rejects...