Laboratory Project at Asian Institute of Technology Proves Valuable in Developing Specialty Chemical Applications for Asian Pulp Mills

The application of specialty chemicals in a pulp mill system for the purpose of problem solving or process enhancement is often demonstrated and supported by data produced in laboratory testing. Hercules Chemical Solutions Pte Ltd., a major specialty chemical supplier to the Asian pulp and paper industry, partnered with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on several occasions to provide insight into the efficacy of proposed chemical treatments designed for local operating conditions and wood species. This paper presents an example of a chemically-assisted deresination project. The resulting surfactant chemistry proved to be a superior deresinator for plantation grown acacia wood and has been successfully implemented in an Asian pulp and paper mill.