What is the history of papermaking?

What is the history of papermaking?

The first papermaking process was documented in China during the Eastern Han period (25–220 CE) traditionally attributed to the court official Cai Lun. During the 8th century, Chinese papermaking spread to the Islamic world, where pulp mills and paper mills were used for papermaking and money making.

Why is the pulp and paper industry important?

Canada remains the world’s largest producer of newsprint and northern bleached softwood kraft pulp, and demand for the former has seemingly stabilized. In addition, Canada still sits on what is arguably the world’s largest supply of well-managed, high quality conifer wood fibre.

What is the process of pulp into paper?

Paper is made in two steps: Cellulose fibers are extracted from a variety of sources and converted to pulp. Pulp is combined with water and placed on a paper making machine where it is flattened, dried, and cut into sheets and rolls.

What is pulp in the paper industry?

Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibers from wood, fiber crops, waste paper, or rags.

How has paper changed over the years?

Thinned and allowed to dry, the cellulose reforms as a strong, flexible mat. Over time, the process saw endless innovation: threshing machines, bleaches and additives helped to make paper more quickly and cheaply, even if the result was often a more fragile product.

Is paper causing deforestation?

According to the World Wildlife Fund, “Paper products are crucial to society, as they have enabled literacy and cultural development”—they also enable industry. Around the world, mills produce about 400 million tons of paper per year. This creates jobs but contributes to deforestation.

What is the process of pulp?

Pulping is the process where fibers are separated and treated to produce pulp. The wet pulp is then converted into paper at an integrated pulp and paper mill or is dried and transported from the pulp mill to a paper mill. Different pulping processes are used depending on the fiber material and the desired end product.

Is the paper industry dying?

Conclusion. There’s a nagging perception that paper is a dying product, with the continuous digital transformation of processes. On the contrary, the demand is strong with the increase in activities in eCommerce industries and other products that still need paper.

How is the pulp and paper industry complex?

The pulp and paper industry is a complex one with many different kinds of mills, products and processes. Effluents therefore vary significantly in quality depending on the process from which they originate.

How does pulp get to the paper plant?

In the paper manufacturing process, the wood chips are dissolved into pulp in the solution. Next the pulp is sent through filters. Bleach may be added at this stage or colorings. After cooking process, washing process, and bleaching process, the pulp is then sent to the paper plant.

How did the pulp and paper industry reduce cogeneration?

Lower energy prices and the close link between material and energy use reduced the rate of cogeneration after 1983. As previously discussed, more than 80% of the energy that is self-generated is a direct by-product of chemical pulping of virgin fibers.

How are logs broken down to make pulp?

In the mechanical process, logs are first tumbled in drums to remove the bark. The logs are then sent to grinders, which break the wood down into pulp by pressing it between huge revolving slabs. The pulp is filtered to remove foreign objects.