Effect of Pulp Properties on the Power Consumption in Low Consistency Refining

Abstract

The power consumption in the low consistency (LC) refining is an important indicator for the optimal control of the process and it is composed of the net power and the no-load power. The refining efficiency and process characterization of LC refining are directly affected by power consumption. In this paper, the effect of pulp consistency and average fiber length on the power consumption and refining efficiency were studied through the LC refining trials conducted by an experimental disc refiner. It is found that the curve of power-gap clearance can be divided into constant power section, power reduction section, and power increase section. And the no-load power and the adjustable domain of loading applied by the refining plates will increase as the increase of pulp consistency, while the increase of net power is larger than that of no-load power which makes the increasing of refining efficiency. Meanwhile, the adjustable domain of loading applied by the refining plates can be slightly improved by increasing the average fiber length, but its effect on the no-load power in the LC refining process can be neglected. The study of power consumption in LC refining is of positive significance for the proper selection of pulp properties in LC refining, in-depth exploration of refining mechanism, and energy consumption reduction in refining.