The influence of magnesium oxide charge on kappa number after oxygen delignification of softwood acid sulfite pulp

摘要

A laboratory study has been carried out on the utilization of magnesium oxide (MgO) as alkali in an oxygen delignification stage after acid sulfite pulping of softwood. The first objective was to reconfirm results from previous researchers to better understand the process mechanism concerning optimum MgO charge with respect to kappa number reduction. The second objective was to determine if for example the ionic strength could be an important variable in such a stage. It was found that the MgO charge should not be too high as this resulted in reduced degree of delignification which was unexpected. The results also suggested that the ionic strength in the liquor could be an important parameter in the oxygen delignification stage and that it should not be too high. Thus, ionic strength effects seemed to be present already at 0.02 mol/l which is below the normal ion concentration in a pulp mill. The results indicated that there are at least two chemical activities that are competing in an MgO based oxygen delignification stage. The alkalinity is one and a higher alkalinity improves the degree of delignification. The other seemed to be the ionic strength and if this is too high the degree of delignification will go down.