Process Considerations and its demands on TMP property measurements – a study on tensile index

As a vital component in the strive towards improved energy efficiency in the operation of TMP refining processes, this work highlights the importance of well-designed procedures when collecting and analysing pulp properties with respect to process conditions. Process data and pulp from a CD82 chip refiner have been used to show that tensile index has strong covariance with fibre residence time calculated by the extended entropy model. A combination of theoretical and practical analysis methods has shown that, in order to assure representative, reliable results, pulp sampling procedures should comprise composite pulp samples collected during a sampling period of about three minutes. In addition, at least four subsequently collected composite pulp samples should be included in the analysis to effectively dampen effects from fast process variations as well as from slow process drift. An in-depth study on tensile index measurements clarifies that 40-60 strips should be used in the case we studied regardless if machine made paper or handsheets are considered.