An energy efficient process for extraction of hemicellulose from pulp mill waste streams
WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE?To reach a more sustainable society mankind faces great challenges, such as reduced use of fresh water and increased use of renewable materials to replace fossil based materials. The use of water is expected to increase steadily and is already today 50% of the total available fresh water. In Europe, the industry is responsible for 54% of the water usage, which may be reduced considerably by re-using process water.HOW CAN THE PROJECT CONTRIBUTE TO A SOLUTION?
In this project a method will be developed which combines cleaning and recirculation of process water during production of mechanical pulp with extraction of a valuable product, hemicelluloses. Hemicelluloses, chains of various sugar molecules found in wood, may replace fossil based plastics and aluminium foil as oxygen barriers in food packaging. The aim is to make the process economically sustainable, i.e. to make the income from the hemicellulose sales higher than the cost for the cleaning of the process water.
WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE RESULTS?
The mechanical pulp industries will be the major beneficiaries from the results together with the companies providing filtration and membrane separation equipment. In the future the results may be applied more generally for instance as a part of future biorefineries where the hemicellulose would be one of the products. Also society will benefit as the solution will contribute both to less waste water and to replace fossil based products with products from renewable raw materials.
