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Abstract
High-value, large-volume utilization of forest thinning materials from U.S. National Forests is a potentially important contributor to sustainable forest health. This study demonstrated the utilization of wood chips produced from thinnings for the production of thermomechanical pulp (TMP). Both whole-log chips (primarily from small-diameter logs, tops, and reject logs) and sawmill “residue” chips from a Hewsaw system (Mäntyharju, Finland) were evaluated. The residue chips produced in this study were substituted for a TMP mill’s standard residue chips up to about 50%. The whole-log chips were substituted for the mill’s whole-log chips up to about 30%. The results show that substitution of chips produced from forest thinnings reduced refining energy in all trials. Pulp quality was maintained throughout all trials.
Keywords
Paper industry,
energy conservation,
wood-pulp industry,
pulping,
wood pulp,
mechanical properties,
wood chips,
Douglas fir,
smallwood,
lodgepole pine,
tensile strength,
suppressed growth,
chips,
thermomechanical pulping,
thinnings,
small-diameter timber,
small timbers,
forest thinning,
small diameter trees,
suppressed growth trees,
forest fires,
sawmill residues,
pulp quality,
sheet properties
Citation
Zhu, J.Y.; Scott, C. Tim; Gleisner, Roland; Mann, Doreen; Dykstra, D.P.; Quinn, G. Holton; Edwards, Louis L. 2007. Mill demonstration of TMP production from forest thinnings : pulp quality, refining energy, and handsheet properties. Bioresources. 2(4): 544-559.
