BEATERCURVESOFAPULP.docVIP

BEATER CURVES OF A PULP Introduction Laboratory evaluation of a pulp aims to characterize the pulps papermaking quality and strength potential. TAPPI standard T 200 gives a detailed procedure that, in the main, will be followed here except for certain simplifications. In essence, this procedure is intended to establish the beater curves for the pulp. This is done by beating a pulp sample in a small laboratory beater known as the Valley beater, for different time intervals, with samples withdrawn after each interval for the determination of Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) and the preparation of laboratory handsheets. In addition to the apparent density, the most important strength properties, like tensile strength, bursting strength, tearing resistance, and folding endurance are measured on these handsheets along with any other properties that may be of interest. Similar measurements are also made on the unbeaten pulp, corresponding to zero beating time. Finally, one plots each property against CSF to obtain the beater curves for the different properties of the pulp. Inspection of these curves and comparison with similar data obtained on a variety of pulps in the past can tell the experienced papermaker much about the most appropriate uses of the pulp in question. The procedure is also fraught with certain difficulties, and one of its most outspoken and persistent critics has been the late James dA. Clark who summarized his arguments in his well-known book (see references). His chief criticisms are two. The first relates to the Valley beater as being notoriously difficult to keep in a standardized condition (standardization is of course absolutely necessary if consistent and reproducible results are to be obtained); he also points out that the kind of beating action the Valley beater imparts to a pulp is quite different from that of typical refining machines used in the mill. His second criticism concerns the concept of CSF. He presents persuasive evide