Optimizing and Modeling Brightness Development in Peroxide Bleaching of Thermomechanical Pulp

Alkaline peroxide bleaching of (chemi) mechanical pulp is a very complicated system where various process factors affect the bleaching performance and pulp properties. Traditional on-factor-at a time method is ineffective and costly in finding the optimal bleaching conditions. In this study statistical experimental methods which include three steps. I. e. screening, response surface modeling and optimization, were used to find the conditions for maximal brightness development during one stage alkaline peroxide bleaching of TMP which had an initial brightness of 54.5% Elerpho. The TMP was pretreated with EDTA(0.5% on O. D. pulp. consistency, $30^{\circ}C$ for 60 minutes) and bleached in a 2L Mark V Quantum Reactor at 750rpm, 7.5% of bleaching consistency and with 0.05% magnesium sulfate addition. The ranges of other factors studied were 1~5% hydrogen peroxide on O. D plup, 1~4% sodium hydroxide on O. D pulp and 1~4% sodium silicate on O. D pulp, reaction temperature 50~$90^{\circ}C$ and reaction time 40~180minutes. A models with good predictability was established and the maximal brightness after one stage bleaching was found to be 70% Elerpho at $50^{\circ}C$, 50 minutes 5% hydrogen peroxide on O. D. pulp 3.2~3.4% sodium hydroxide on O. D. pulp 3.2~3.4% sodium hydroxide on O. D pulp and 4% silicate on O. D pulp. However further studies on other pulp properties such as strength and brightness stability shall be carried out in order to find out the optimal bleaching conditions.