1. BIOREFINING AS A POSSIBILITY TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY
Valentin I. Popa, prof.emeritus,
member of Romanian Academy for Science and Technology, ILI, IAWS, IASPM
Technical University of Iasi,

2. Raw materials for papermaking

3. Raw materials processing

4. C.I. Simionescu, V. Rusan and V. I. Popa
Options concerning phytomass valorification
Cellulose Chemistry and Technology , 21 (1), (1987)
The term of biorefining appeared in 1990, analogous to today petroleum refinery and defined by International Energy Agency as sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, chemicals, materials) and bio-energy (biofuels, power and/or heat).

6. V. I. Popa, Chapter 1 Biorefining and pulp and paper industry, in Pulp production and processing: from papermaking to high-tech products, Smithers Rapra, V.I.Popa (editor), p.1-28 (2013).
V. I. Popa, Biorefining and the pulp and paper industry, Lecture presented at The 7th International Symposium for the Pulp, Paper and Corrugated Board Industry, Braila, Romania, September 3-6, 2013, published in Celuloza si Hartie, 61 (1), 3-17 (2014).
V. I. Popa, Wood bark as valuable raw material for compounds with biological activity, Plenary lecture, The 8th International Symposium Advanced Technologies for the Pulp, Paper and Corrugated Board Industry, September, 15-18, 2015, Braila, Romania, published in Celuloza si Hartie, 64 (4), 5-17 (2015).

7. Waste paper and biorefining

8. Romanian paper industry is based almost exclusively on recovered paper and its recycling gained a special attention in producing corrugated board and sanitary papers.
Paper for recycling should also be seen as a source of many valuable components obtained from rejects resulted in this process that can be used for the production of additional high value products alongside with paper

9. Wastes from paper recycling
Recovered paper processing generates important quantities of :
coarse rejects and fine rejects,
deinking sludge,
primary wastewater treatment sludge,
secondary wastewater treatment sludge
kg of dry solid waste per tonne of packaging paper production,
kg per tonne of newsprint production,
kg per tonne of graphic paper production kg per tonne of tissue production

12. Fractionation 1. Reuse of fibres from coarse rejects
1. Reuse of fibres from deinking rejects
reuse own “lost” fibres, without adverse processes effect;
supply fibres or fines to other neighbouring paper mills;
offer ash-free cellulosic side streams to other parties (e.g. chemical industry);
reduce the problems with on-site sludge incineration.

13. Application of the side stream of rejects without further processing
2. Application of the side stream of rejects with further processing

14. 1. Application of the side stream of rejects without further processing

15. Application of the side stream of rejects without further processing
Landfilling of sludge
1. land spreading, where sludges are spread on agricultural land for nourishing and conditioning purposes
2. application as landfill cover, where sludges are used as a barrier cover in landfills, using their favorable permeability characteristics
3. land remediation, where the side stream is contributing to the revegetation of degraded soil (e.g. old surface mines)
4. composting of sludge, which can offer a better product for use in agriculture and horticulture

16. Absorbent materials the production of animal bedding
2. absorbent materials for liquids with application in the cleaning of chemical and fuel spills

17. Building materials
production of cement, concrete, bricks, and various types of board materials (e.g. gypsum fibre board, MDF, hardboard etc.)

18. Softboard

19. Hybrid MDF

20. Cement bonded sludge board

21. Application of the side stream of rejects with further processing

22. Heating, ash, moisture content of solid fuels

23. Thermal processing Incineration Torrefaction (250-300°C) –”bio-coal”
Secondary fuels – pellets/fluff
Oil distillation out of plastics (for rejects plastic containing)

24. Secondary fuels – pellets/fluff

25. Gasification
Gasification allows to obtain synthesis gas, a mixture of CO, CO2, CH4, H2O and N2 which can be used directly as fuel (co-combustion in a steam boiler), or converted to other fuels or chemicals
Four types of gasifier can be used:
counter-current fixed bed, co-current fixed bed, fluid bed and entrained flow

26. Syngas uses

27. Biological processing
Hydolysis and fermentation

28. Nanocellulose
Nanocrystalline cellulose (nanocrystals or nanowhiskers) is produced by acid hydrolysis of cellulose fibres, usually with sulfuric acid

29. V.I.Popa, Nanotechnology and nanocellulose, Celuloză şi Hârtie, 63 (4), 14-23 (2014).
V.I.Popa, Obtaining of nanocellulose (I), Celuloză şi Hârtie, 64 (1), 3-10 (2015).
V.I.Popa, Obtaining of nanocellulose (II), Celuloză şi Hârtie, 64 (2), (2015).

30. Anaerobic digestion

31. Critical elements: influent distribution system, the gas-solid separator and effluent withdrawal design. The gas is collected on a gas collection dome. An upflow velocity of m/h must be maintained to keep the sludge blanket in suspension.

32. PHAs production
The term PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates) refers to a family of polyesters that serve as carbon and energy storage units with certain microorganisms and which also have considerable potential as a bioplastic material.

33. Alginates production
A new aerobic waste water treatment was developed substituting activated sludge with anaerobic granular sludge. This procedure facilitates producing alginate-like exopolysaccharide as by –product. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is used.

34. A granular sludge-matrix populated by different microoganisms is used

35. CONCLUSIONS
There exist a significant potential for the valorization of the large amounts of side stream generated during the paper and board production process.
These can be organized in four categories:
1. application in its current form without further processing
2. application by conversion into a material products
3. application by conversion into energy
4. application by conversion into an energy carrier
Application of any option is determined by the local conditions: composition of the side streams, regional/national subsidy schemes, distance from the partners etc.

36. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
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YOUR ATTENTION !

37. QUESTIONS