Delignification of softwood kraft pulp by chlorine dioxide in a laboratory bleaching liquor displacement reactor

Abstract

The chlorine dioxide delignification efficiency of softwood karft pulp in the laboratory liquor displacement reactor (fixed bed reactor) was investigated and compared with conventional batch reactor. The comparison of two reactors was made based on the effective efficiency and overall efficiency of chlorine dioxide. Effective efficiency corresponds to the oxidizing capacity of chlorine dioxide which consumed by organic materials. Comparison of two reactors based on the effective efficiency showed that the selectivity of delignification significantly enhanced in the displacement reactor in which the primary reaction products are eliminated from reaction zone by displacing flow. On the other hand, the formation of high amounts of chlorate in the reaction zone of displacement reactor reduces the overall efficiency of chlorine dioxide delignification stage. Thus, in spite of significant decrease in useless secondary reactions, this type of reactor would not be cost effective in the industrial scale.

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