Effect of OCC Pulp Fractionation on Paper Properties

This study sougth to the effect of OCC pulp fractionation on produced paper strength properties improvement. Using a pressure screen, OCC pulp was devided to tow distinct fractions of accept ratio (short fibers) and reject ratio (long fibers) in accordance with optimum condition of fractionation based on the previous studies. In the next stage, long fiber stream was refined and recombined with short fiber stream based on different ratios. Then, hansheets were made of notified recombined pulp, inlet OCC pulp and refined long fiber pulp samples. The results of physical and mechanical tests showed that by increasing short fiber ratio up to 50%, strength properties of produced paper were higher than those of inlet OCC pulp. This indicates the positive effect of fractionation on increasing pulp refining potential and paper strength properties improvement. On the other hand, by not refining 50% of the inlet OCC pulp (short fiber stream), operation capacity of refining process and refining energy consumption increases and decreases, respectively.