Abstract
The reduction of paper machine water usage is precursor to the water system closure of any mills. This reduction in water consumption reduces the loss of solids; especially fine particulates and their surface adsorbed chemical additives, from mills, which causes an inevitable increase of fine materials in papermaking systems. Also the reduction of paper machine water usage causes substantial increase of organic and inorganic substances in process water. The deterioration of the papermaking process water quality accompanying the reduction of papermaking system closure can be a prime source of the aggravation of paper quality and process efficiency. It is of great importance for paper mills to investigate the influence of the level of papermaking system closure on the paper properties and process runnabililty before implementing process closure. To predict the changes in paper properties at different levels of system closure, highly cotaminated white water was prepared using reverse osmosis technology and used to prepare handsheets from fine paper and newsprint stocks. Results showed that the quality of process water affects the strength. Preparation of highly contaminated process water and handsheet forming with headbox stocks provided important criteria to determine the relationship between the qualities of process water and paper products.