Innventia develops new papermaking technique

Sep 09, 2010. /Lesprom Network/. The Swedish research institute Innventia said that it has developed a new method of papermaking that will result in a stronger paper with lower production costs and reduced raw materials consumption, Innventia said in a statement received by Lesprom Network. “For a paper mill that produces 450,000 tonnes of the new paper per year, this technology means an annual savings of approximately SEK 120 million ($16.5 million),” says Daniel Söderberg, Research Manager and initiator at Innventia and the person behind the previous work. The Aq-Vane technique is derived from the aircraft industry. It deals with the separation of fibre layers before they are joined together to form the paper. “This technique uses a thin layer of water to stabilise the fibre layers and consequently form an even flow while they are being joined together. This prevents the layers from blending with each other. This means that it is now possible to keep the layers separate as well as to control the precise properties that are wanted in a paper.” As of June 2010, Innventia is leading BoostEff, an EU project with a total budget of Euro 11 million, to demonstrate the industrial and economical potential of the method. Using Aq-vane, with its possibilities for advanced dosage, Innventia, in collaboration with Stora Enso, is developing the kind of paper that is used in catalogues and magazines. “This project also signifies a completely new way of working,” Soderberg said. “The starting point in the project is three existing industrial production units, one of which belongs to Stora Enso. Using these, the possibilities of the new technique, together with existing techniques, are being adapted to demonstrate the potential product and the production process involved. “The results from the project are going to be used as a basis for three investment projects involving technical specifications and economical results,” Soderberg added. ”The Aq-vane technique has the potential to generate increased profits based on the form of savings in the fiber raw materials and energy. “Within BoostEff, several companies and institutes from around Europe are collaborating with us at Innventia,” Soderberg noted. “When the project comes to an end in 2013, the technology will also be available to the rest of the industry giving the opportunity of an increased profitability and, most of all, an improved paper,” he concluded. The Swedish research institute Innventia is a world leader in research and development relating to pulp, paper, graphic media, packaging and biorefining.