Chlorine Dioxide in Paper Production
For Water Reclamation and Bleaching
Chlorine Dioxide in Paper Production
Chlorine Dioxide has been used in the paper industry since the 1940's and it remains the most widely used biocide for this application. Production of paper uses vast amounts of water and in order to remain efficient this water must be reclaimed. However, paper is also an organic compound and as such can be utilised by micro-organisms as a food source and breeding ground. It is therefore important to treat this reclaimed water, which can be as much as 30% of the stock pulp, to ensure this water remains usable.
Chlorine Dioxide is an excellent biocide choice for this as it is highly effective, even in high organic loadings, it is unaffected by pH and it will penetrate biofilm thus removing micro-organisms protection. Continuous dosing systems allow the system to maintain a residual amount of chlorine dioxide whilst ensuring no downtime requirement.
Chlorine dioxide can also be used in the "elemental chlorine free (ECF)" bleaching of pulp. The chlorine dioxide will oxidise lignin and result in bleaching of the pulp. Unlike chlorine bleaching chlorine dioxide will not produce environmentally damaging trihalomethanes and other halogenated organic compounds, virtually eliminating by-product emissions. Chlorine dioxide can do this whilst still retaining pulp efficiency and paper quality.
Using the Prowater Chlorine Dioxide System for Pulp and Paper production has the following advantages:
- Chlorine dioxide is highly effective even at low concentrations
- No environmentally by-products are produced
- Chlorine dioxide does not react with cellulose fibres
- Chlorine dioxide is effective against a wide range of micro-organisms including bacteria, fungi and protozoa
- Anaerobic bacteria such as Sulphite reducing bacteria SRBs are killed and chlorine dioxide will control odour
- Chlorine dioxide does not survive the drying process and so no odour or taint is imparted onto the finished product
- Chlorine Dioxide is unaffected by pH
- There is no build up of bacterial resistance
- The chlorine dioxide systems are proved reliable and safe systems in operation
- Remote system monitoring of chlorine dioxide levels can be incorporated
