In recent years, research has shown that refining is highly significant in terms of the strength properties of paper. Here at Innventia, we have a wide range of refining equipment for everything from laboratory-scale trials to full-scale trials.

In Innventia’s research projects, PFI mills – which can refine  at the minimum 30 g – are often used for initial trials to evaluate factors such as a fibre’s strength potential. The pilot facility also includes full-size refiners for pilot trials. The intermediate stage now includes Innventia’s Voith refiner (1.7-2.1 kg pulp) for refining under more industrial-like conditions, but with smaller quantities. This can be used when refining large quantities of pulp is undesirable, but where researchers still want to carry out trials under industrial-like conditions. Chemical Pulp is an Innventia research cluster in which the Voith mill is used to evaluate more industrial-like refining.

Marie Bäckström, head of the Fibre Engineering group at Innventia, believes that the Voith refiner has a definite place:
“At the Voith refiner, we can look at different refining fillings and different fibre raw materials. The equipment is highly flexible, and besides traditional applications can also be used for refining mechanical pulp and carrying out studies using deionised water.”

Innventia has also constructed a refining loop next to the FEX pilot facility, which offers a whole range of different testing opportunities using industrial refiners. The effect of different fillings,  pulps and pulps mixtures, flow conditions, chemical environment are just some of the process conditions that can be studied.

“We’ve worked long and hard with refining here at Innventia,” continues Marie. “For example, we’ve developed a new concept for LC-refining of mechanical pulp that has now been implemented at a large Swedish mill. With our ultramodern stock preparation system, we hope to be able to help our customers to create additional future concepts.”