Use of Ophiostoma Piliferum Treatment to Improve Chip Quality, 1995 Pulping Conference Proceedings

Mary Beth Wall

Sandoz Chemical Corporation

Yves Noel

Sandoz Canada

Roberta L. Farrell

Sandoz Chemicals Biotech Research

Sara Iverson

Sandoz Chemicals

Andrew Fritz

Sandoz Chemicals

Poor wood chip quality and poor chip pile management adversely affect pulp quality, paper quality, and process economics. Studies have shown that chips stored in a pile lose about 1% in yield per month mainly due to microbial growth, in addition, indigenous organisms can cause strength losses and chip darkening. Application of the white strain of Ophiostoma piliferum to chips prior to storage can improve chip quality by out competing undesired, indigenous microorganisms and degrading extractives. Increased pulp brightness, reduced pulp extractive content, decreased likelihood of pitch problems, and improved runnability have been observed during mill-scale TMP pulping of fungal treated chips. Laboratory-scale kraft pulping of fungal treated chips has resulted in reduced kappa number without an adverse affect on yield or pulp strength. We hypothesize that the pulping benefits observed experimentally are caused by improved penetration of cooking chemicals in treated chips.