Usage of deinking sludge as raw material for the production of chip paper

Abstract

Smurfit Kappa Roermond Papier is one of the most innovative paper mills in the Smurfit Kappa concern. At Roermond Smurfit Kappa has the only reference laboratory of the company in the recycled based paper area. Due to the high prices for raw material, they always try to find some new material, methods or process optimization to reduce process-, raw material-and energy costs.

Since begin of 2009 Smurfit Kappa Roermond Papier is using deinking sludge as raw material for their paper production. At begin of the project two different deinking sludge's were reviewed and a tissue paper producer from Swalmen was chosen as DIS supplier. Van Houtum is delivering every day 30t of deinking sludge to SKRP. All three paper machines at SKRP are using deinking sludge as raw material. In the production of Chip Liner up to 20 % and in the case of test liner maximum 2 %.

The objective of the master's thesis was to find a mixture where mixed renewable fibres can produce with higher quality raw material, like OCC and Clippings, and additional deinking sludge. Without any losses of paper quality and run ability of the paper machines.

Several paper machine trials were made to find optimal raw material mixture for the production of artificial mixed renewable fibres. During the trial different amount of deinking sludge and several dosages of retention agent were used. The results of the trials should give a fundament for the project "Flat Line" were in a cooperation of a modern process control system (eposC), retention, raw material and deinking sludge an even paper quality should be produced.