Chemical Process

Technology
(CH30014)
9th Feb 2022

Biomass processing
Biomass
• Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants and
animals.
• Biomass was the largest source of total energy consumption until the
early-1900s across globe.
• Again the demand for biomass fuels increasing because of avoiding
CO2 emissions.
Biomass sources for energy
• Wood and wood processing wastes— firewood, wood pellets, and
wood chips, lumber and furniture mill sawdust and waste, and black
liquor from pulp and paper mills
• Agricultural crops and waste materials—corn, soybeans, sugar cane,
switchgrass, woody plants, and algae, and crop and food processing
residues
• Biogenic materials in municipal solid waste—paper, cotton, and wool
products, and food, yard, and wood wastes
• Animal manure and human sewage
Pulp and Paper Industry
• Papermaking is thought to have originated in China in about 100 A.D.
using
• Rags, hemp and grasses are beating against stone mortars to prepare
pulp

• Just like mango jelly from

mango pulp
Showing an example of wood pulp

Pulping
method
Plant cell walls
Pulping types
• Mechanical pulping
• Thermo – Mechanical pulping
• Chemical pulping
Mechanical pulp

Refiner
Thermo mechanical (TMP) pulping
• Refining process is steam pressurized to allow temperatures up to 170
°C.
• The wood lignin is softened and the wood fracture location is
controlled
• Yield of the pulp is higher than 90%. However, lignin remain present.
• Used for fiber boards and packaging boxes
• tendency to darken and yellow with time

• Often combined with Chemical Pulping process

Chemical Thermal Mechanical Pulping
• Wood chips are impregnated
with 2% Sodium bisulfite (NaHSO3)
prior to refining

• Sodium bisulfite can degrade lignin

and improves the brightness of pulp.

• This is used for news print

applications
Mechanical pulp brightening (bleaching)
• Chromophores (lignin) react with certain components and changes
their light absorption.

• Chemicals used for brightening

• Sodium hydrosulphite
• Hydrogen peroxide
Mechanical Pulping

Ref: http://www.ilocis.org/documents/chpt72e.htm
Chemical Pulping
• Kraft Pulping (Sulphate )
• Sodium Sulphide (Na2S)
• Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)

• Recovery of chemical and energy can be achieved 95%. Hence, most of the
paper mills uses this process.

• Sulphite Pulping
• Sulphurous acid (H2SO3)
• Bisulphite ions (HSO3-) – Na or Ca or Mg
Kraft Pulping
Non condensable,
Chips Extractives

Digester
Cooking mixture – NaOH and sodium sulphide (Na2S) + wood chips

Digester ( stainless steel vessel) – temperature raised to 1700C and

maintained for 3 to 4 hours

Blow down tank

Pulp, Uncooked wood and Black liquor (dissolved organic matter and
chemicals) separated
• Screens to separate pulp and uncooked wood

• Black liquor concentered using evaporator

• Combustion chamber to recover energy from organic matter

• Unburnt inorganic matter mixed with NaOH – Na2S and Na2CO3.

• Mixed with Ca(OH)2. Produces CaCO3.
Bleaching agents