Development and optimisation of disk filter for high consistency paper stock dewatering and fiber recovery

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The last 10 years have seen an important shift in the production of papers and boards in Canada. The sharpdemand decline for printing and writing grades lead to several mill closures but the tissue and packagingsectors of the industry rather see a strong and persistent increase in demand. The industry must also face thechallenge of reducing energy and water consumption while increasing the quality of its products. There is thusa strong industrial need for efficient equipment, both to first prepare the pulp and then produce the requiredpaper and board grades.Kadant is a leading supplier of stock preparation and approach flow systems designed to produce high-qualitywhite and brown paper grades, with extended expertise in the use of recycled fiber pulps. The company startedthe development of a disk filter that can process a fiber slurry with a high solid proportion (high consistency).Innofibre plays a leading role in this development. A pilot scale unit of the disk filter, specially designed fordevelopment work, is located at Innofibre and joint efforts by Kadant and Innofibre already led to significantadvances.The goal of the present research proposal is to pursue the development of the disk filter in the modern contextof the pulp and paper industry. This project will first focus on white water fiber recovery and then further thedevelopment of the disk filter to the thickening of relatively high consistency pulp (larger than 1 % in solidcontent). These objectives are in line with recent shifts in the Canadian pulp and paper industry towards theproduction of linerboard and the increased mill production capacity, both phenomena requiring betterdewatering capacity and water recycling.