Mill demonstration of TMP production from forest thinnings: pulp quality, refining energy, and handsheet properties

J.Y. Zhu; C. Tim Scott; Roland L. Gleisner; Doreen Mann; Dennis Dykstra; G. Holton Quinn; Louis L. Edwards

Treesearch

Mill demonstration of TMP production from forest thinnings: pulp quality, refining energy, and handsheet properties

Informally Refereed

Authors:

J.Y. Zhu, C. Tim Scott, Roland L. Gleisner, Doreen Mann, Dennis Dykstra, G. Holton Quinn, Louis L. Edwards

Year:

2007

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

Source:

BioResources. 2(4): 544-559.

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Download (PDF 2.44 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/33125.pdf

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^TM system (Mantyharju, Finland) were evaluated. The residue chips produced in this study were substituted for a TMP mill's standard residue chips up to about 50 percent. The whole-log chips were substituted for the mill's whole-log chips up to about 30 percent. 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

Forest thinning, small-diameter trees, suppressed-growth trees, thermomechanical pulp (TMP), forest fire, whole log, saw mill residues, pulp quality measurement, 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.