Plant design and economics project for fifth year chemical engineering students on waste paper

recycling

Chapter one
1. Introduction
Recycling is the process of taking something that was used by a consumer or post-industrial
user and remanufacturing it into something new again. In another term recycling mean reuse
of resources. Here the concept is reuse of wastes and products repeatedly after utilization.

During the era before the introduction of industrialized paper production 2000 years ago, the
most common fiber furnish was secondary fibers recovered from used textiles. These were rags
based on hemp, linen, and cotton. Only after the invention of mechanical wood pulp in 1843
and chemical wood pulp during the second half of the nineteenth century was paper production
no longer as reliant on recycled material as in the previous 2000 years.
Before industrialized paper production and the invention of the paper machine in 1799,
stationery or writing paper made from rags was recycled to produce low-grade board. As early
as 1774, Claproth in Gottingen, Germany, improved the processing of used, hand-made writing
papers. His process removed optically disturbing inks or printing ink. Today, we call this
method deinking. With growing industrialization and gross national product, the global paper
production increased significantly from almost 44 million tons in 1950 to 339 million tons in
2003;however the present statistical information’s in Ethiopia currently imports over two
billion Birr of paper products annually.
Recovered paper use is most attractive in densely populated regions with a high paper
consumption per capita, where the so-called urban forest growth occurs. Recovered paper use
is an environmentally friendly issue according to the recycled fiber processing paper industry,
environmentalists, governmental authorities, and often even the marketplace. It is accepted that
recycling preserves forest resources and energy used for production of mechanical pulps for
paper manufacturing. Additionally, recovery and recycling of used paper products avoids
unnecessary landfilling .The processing of recycled products requires relatively little fresh
water per ton of paper produced. However, the solid waste rejects and sludge or deinking sludge
from recovered paper processing mills typically present a problem. The rate of formation of
such residues is between 5% and 40%, depending on the recovered paper grade processed and
the paper grade produced. The average rate of rejects and sludge’s totals about 15%, calculated
on the recovered paper input on an air-dried basis. [1]. {Hand book of pulp volume I}
Industrialized paper making has an effect on the environment both upstream, where raw
materials are acquired and downstream. Nowadays 90% of paper pulp is made of wood. Paper
production account for about 35% of felled trees, and represents 1.2%of world’s total economic
output. But in case of Recycling one tone of newsprint saves about one tone of wood while,
recycling one tone of printing or copier paper saves more than two tone of wood. As a result
the designing and fabrication of waste paper recycling plant is became an interesting task for
insuring the source of raw materials for paper production and also waste paper could have
involved for various productive purpose.

Papermaking and production of paper from recycling waste came simultaneously in United
States in 1690, when William Rittenhouse, who had learnt to make paper in Germany. He
founded that America’ first paper mill on Monoshone Creek near Germen town which is now
Philadelphia. At the discovery of Rittenhouse he tried to do paper from discard rages of cotton
and linen [1]. {Counsell T.A.M and Allwood J.M (2005), Desktop Paper Recycling: A survey of novel
technologies that might recycle office paper within the office, Journal of Materials Processing Technology 173
(2006) 111-123}

Around 1921 the British Waste paper Association had been established in Britain to encourage
waste paper reuse. Recycling has become a major industry in the United States, employing
thousands of workers and saving energy, reducing land fill demand, and conserving valuable
resources. In 2010, 63.5 % of the paper used in the United States was recovered for recycling
purposes [2, 3].{Perry R. H. (1984), Green D.W. , Perry’s Chemical Engineers Handbook, 6th edition, McGraw-
Hill,USA. , Sinnot R.K (1984), Coulsons and Richardson’s Chemical Engineering, Volume 6, 3rd edition,}
Approximately 80 percent of U.S. paper mills use some recovered paper fiber to produce new
paper and paperboard products. The first Australian paper mill to use recycled material was
built in 1815. It used recycled rags to make paper. Waste paper collections from households
and factories started in Melbourne in the 1920s. Nowadays Because of the growing waste
management crisis, the need to conserve increasingly scarce resources, a heightened
environmental consciousness, and public support for tougher environmental policies, recycling
has recently become an important public policy issue at the State level. Recycling can play a
critical role in a state's integrated solid waste management plan by significantly reducing the
volume of solid waste, while also conserving valuable energy and resources. Waste reduction
is expected to grow in importance when the full impact of recent Federal regulations is known.
1.1. Statement of the problem
Industries, commerce, households as well as Governmental and non-governmental institutions
consume a lot of paper for different purpose to take their own action on the way they also
produce lots of waste paper. These waste papers are discarded in the environmental hence
destroys the aesthetic beauty in communities and can lead to environmental pollution. An
increase both in economic and commercial activities leads consumption of paper to be highly
increased rapidly. The increase in waste paper disposed-off reduces the life span of landfills
and causes a nuisance in the environment. The primary raw material for the paper production
is pulps fibers obtaining by a complicated chemical process from natural materials, mainly
from wood. This fibers production is very energy demanding and at the manufacturing process
there are used many of the chemical matters which are very problematic from view point of the
environment protection. The production of virgin fiber-based chemical pulp, waste paper
processing does not yield a thermal surplus and thus thermal energy must be supplied to dry
the paper web.
1.2. Significance of the study
Paper production from virgin fiber uses cellulose, the form of wood chips obtained by
felling trees, which increases global warming because of due to deforestation. Moreover in this
method hazardous chemicals are used, this releases toxic substances that cause environmental
pollutions (air pollutions, water pollutions and noise pollution). The paper production from
the recycled fibers consumes less energy, conserves the natural resources, improves
reforestations and decreases disposal of waste to the environmental which brings
environmental pollution. The amount of energy required to produce recycled paper using
waste paper is one third compared to conventional paper production. Recycling reduces
air pollution by reducing the conventional waste disposal and decreasing the amount of
greenhouse gas emission in comparison to the virgin production. Through recycling, the life
span of plant can be saved, incase this leads lowering the greenhouse gas emissions;
also climate change will be changed positively. There are also financial advantages when it
comes to recycling. When less waste ends up to the landfill, communities will save on their
waste disposal costs. Also, sales of recycled materials will bring new businesses and more
incomes to the communities. On the way it can reduce imported paper product from the abroad
area.
1.3. Objectives of the study
1.3.1. General objective
The general objective of this study is to produce paper from the recycle waste paper.
1.3.2. Specific Objectives
The specific objectives of this study are to:
I. Identifying the physical and chemical characteristics of recycled waste paper.
II. Knowing optimum operating variables such as a moisture content, temperature and
concentration.
III. Conduct material and energy balance.
IV. Design the equipment and conduct financial analysis.
V. Compare the recycle paper within the market.
VI. Minimize imported paper product.
1.5. Scope and limitation of the study
This study encompasses from the collection of disposal of waste paper around Addis Ababa
region due to the existence of high amount of collection of waste paper disposals annually.

During our study there were some limitations.

In waste paper recycling, there is still the removal of contraries, although technological
developments have so far been able to remove some of them.

I. No single separation device can remove all of the different types of contaminants since
these contaminants will vary with size, density, shape, surface properties, solubility,
and strength.
II. Uncontrollable variables such as moisture and temperature of the working room
that involves in our operation that have the probable effect on our final product.
III. Recycling has technical limitations, and when recycling activities are performed,
an environmental burden is unavoidable.
IV. During recycling of waste paper fiber strength lost.
V. The technology necessary to recover paper from very mixed and contaminated sources
has not been developed this is also one of the limitation waste paper
Chapter two
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 The raw materials aspect
Even if there is another source of raw materials used for paper production in paper
manufacturing process like pulp wood, other fibrous substances and waste paper. But now for
our project we are interested to use wasted paper products which are underling on the ground
in different sectors where are either in governmental or nongovernmental and in commercial
sectors, manufacturing industries, in shops as well as in education centers by gathering and
collecting them through appropriate ways.
Basically the collected paper from different area is divided into different categories such as;
mixed office waste (MOW), old magazines (OMG), old newsprint (ONP), paperboard and
corrugated fiberboard. The range of an expected composition is fiber (70-90%), filler material
(5-30%) and additions like strength agents, whitening agents and inks. OMG and ONP are the
main source of paper in flotation deinking mills.
OMG is characterized by a high amount of filler and may be coated and are often printed
with rotogravure inks. ONP often has a high amount of mechanical pulp and low amount of
fillers.
MOW is considered as a high quality raw material and is usually used for production of fine
paper or tissue. OCC on the other hand is mainly used for packaging paper production and is
usually considered as a contaminant in a printing paper or tissue furnishes. OCC furnish
usually is not deinked since the optical properties of the paper produced from it is not a
primary concern. There are also a number of higher quality raw materials as residual material
from printer’s shops and as well as sorted paper grades. The price of the raw material varies
and therefore an aim is to be able to run as low-quality recovered paper grade as possible.
From the following table we can identifies the amount of waste paper generated from the
total municipal solid waste in the recently studied data in the specific areas of our country,
basically the research was done in the regional towns as well as in the capital city of our
country. The highest municipal solid waste is generated in Addis Ababa with an amount of
1132 ton / day is generated. From these amount of solid waste 4% of these municipal solid
waste is almost the waste paper disposal form different areas which causes air born disease
and the like condition which harms the welfare of human being whom live in that area.
Table1: Ethiopian municipal waste generation, in 2010.

City Region Population Municipal solid waste generation

Mekelle Tigray 261,200 78 tons/day

Dire Dawa Dire Dawa 256,800 77tons/day

Jimma Oromia 120,960 87tons /day
Adam Oromia 260,600 59tons /day
Bahir Dar Amhara 170,300 98.8 tons/day
Hawassa SNNPR 200,400 46tons/day
Harer Harari 108,200 32tons/day
Addis Ababa Addis Ababa 2,979,100 1132tons/day
Source: Getahun A (2011) Waste generation in Ethiopian municipalities; CSA (2007) Central
Statistical Authority of Ethiopia, Summery and statistical report of the population and
housing censes result of Ethiopia; CSA (2007) Central Statistical Authority of Ethiopia,
Summery and statistical report of the population and housing censes result of Ethiopia.

Table 2: percentage proportion of waste type.

Waste type Average per house hold per day in percentage

Kitchen waste 0.63
Packing waste 0.14
Plastic waste 0.14
Paper waste 0.04
Other waste 0.05
Total waste 1
Source: field survey, 2017

Reasons for the use of waste paper recycling other than virgin wood for paper production.
Recycling half of world’s paper will avoid 81,000 km2 forest land. Therefore; it will reduce
the effect of global warming by trapping the greenhouse gases emitted from manufacturing
sites and sea-level increments. The use of paper recycling in our project is a better means
instead of using pulp wood because one tone of waste paper recycling determines the
following conditions:
[Paper facts and trivia the paper project retrieved 2014-06-09wast resource conservation- common waste and
materials paper recycling US EPA.gov Epa gov. 2006-06-28;]
1. It save 17 mature trees.
2. It saves 26m3 water.
3. It makes free 2.3 of land fill space.
4. It saves 15 GJ of electricity.
2.2. Type of waste paper and their properties
Production of paper from waste paper mainly depend on raw material. The raw material
differs a lot depending on several parameters among them: The regional composition of the
paper and inks and the age and history of the recovered paper.
Secondary Fiber: - fibers that have previously been used in a manufacturing process and
have been reclaimed as raw material for another process.
Pre-consumer waste: - any waste, printed or unprinted, generated in the fabrication or
conversion of finished paper. Before use by a consumer as a final end product.
Post-consumer waste: - Paper that has passed through the end usage as a consumer
product.
Internal broke: - off-specification paper that is re-pulped and used at the same site, not
considered secondary fiber.
2.3. Paper Technologies
Pulping is one of the most important processes in paper, paper board manufacturing, tissue,
diapers and etc. Paper is made by pulping wood, bleaching this pulp and then spreading it out
into sheets to make it into paper. At various stages of the process, chemicals are used to give
the paper particular properties, such as the bleaching chemicals that make paper white and
which also enable it to subsequently be colored.
2.3.1 Collections and sorting

The sorting of recovered paper is continues to be predominantly manual and labor intensive
activity which is increasing as the recovered paper is heterogonous and contaminated with non-
polar components. If the recovered paper is a component of multi-components the collection is
becoming more difficult. Therefore; the means of sorting should have to involve machines like
grid drum to remove small components, magnetic separator to pick up ironic components and
blowers to eliminate especially lightweight materials.

Waste Paper collected from collection point such as trash bins and yard. Once accepted at the
recycling facility, papers are sorted based on quantity and paper values by assessing the
materials that were used to make the paper. Sorting is important since paper mills produce
different grades of paper material based on the material being recovered.
2.3.2 Pulping
The pulping operation is the first and probably the most critical operation in paper recycling.
Proper pulping is a requirement if unit operations downstream (cleaning, screening, flotation,
and others) are to be effective. During pulping large amount water require to the waste paper
to produce pulp. The Main Function is to disperse recovered paper into separated fibers.
Several sub-objectives that are also important are to detach contaminants from fibers, mix
paper with water and chemicals at the correct ratios, maintain contaminants as large as possible
to aid subsequent removal processes, avoid damage to the fibers (fiber cutting), and removal
of large debris from system.
There are two basic pulping categories batch and continuous pulping.
Batch pulping: - the feed recovered paper, water and chemicals are all charged at the beginning
of the process and are removed all at once at the end of the process. The batch process is
repeated.
Continuous pulping: - the feed recovered paper, water and chemicals are continuously added
to the pulper and at the same time the pulped product is also being continuously removed.

2.3.2.1 Mechanism of Pulping

Hydro pulper is a device used to convert recovered paper into slurry of well separated fibers
and other waste paper components. It is basically a large cylindrical tank (varying in diameter
between 1 to 6 m with an average depth of 6 m), open at the top and having a bowl-shaped
bottom with blades fixed on the side. At the bottom of the bowl is the Vokes rotor, a large
propeller carrying another set of routable blades. A perforated plate at the base enables stuff
which has been fully de-fibered and pulped to pass through continuously to the other stages of
the processing system.
The waste paper, chemicals and water added to the pulp tub. There is the rotors drum, spinning
device for agitation, mechanical energy input to the system and Baffles protrusions to assist in
mixing and prevent swirling. In the pulper waste paper and water is added together
simultaneously and the pumpers digest the waste paper by way of the rotating propeller. Fibers
swell, loosening the ink and then begin to separate and slurry of well separated fibers is
discharged through the pulper exit.
2.3.2.2. Types of Pulping

A. Chemical pulp manufacturing process (Kraft pulp processing)

 Most chemical pulp is produced using KP because this method produces strong pulp, is
highly adaptable to any wood species, and pulping chemicals can be recovered and
recycled. Another big advantage is that the method converts constituents other than
wood fiber, such as lignin, into heat energy using boilers in the chemical recovery
process and then makes use of such energy. Seventy percent of wood material for paper
is imported in the form of wood chips from advanced nations that manage forests
sustainably, and many residual wood products.
As for environmental measures, a system combining biological treatment and
coagulating sedimentation treatment is used for wastewater. To ensure the prevention
against air pollution, desulfurizers, denitrification equipment and electrostatic
precipitators have been installed. Boilers, etc., and by introducing low-odor recovery
boilers that produce little odor.
B. Ground pulp manufacturing process
Because ground pulp is merely crushed wood, most lumber ingredients themselves
become pulp. Therefore, the amount of pulp made from lumber is greater than chemical
pulp. Its two disadvantages are that coniferous trees with comparatively longer fibers
should be used because finely crushed fibers make the paper weaker, and milling
requires a large amount of electric power. A large amount of lignin content prevents a
high degree of whiteness in paper, although it is possible to produce thin paper with
high opacity.
C. Process of pulp derived from wastepaper
The processes of pulp derived from wastepaper involves the following steps.
I. Defiberization
II. Dirt Removal
III. Deinking
IV. Bleaching
The paperboard manufacturing only requires the processes of Defiberization and dirt removal.
Incas of Paper manufacturing requires all the process to satisfy quality requirements for an
expected outcome.

2.3.3. Screening
After getting the pulp it was poured on the screener to filter out coating and impurities that
might be covered and stuck on the paper. As a result; the pulp slurry was settled downed on the
screener. If the contraries have a different shape from those of cellulose fibers, they may be
separated by screening. There is a wide variety of screens for this purpose, with plates having
holes 1.0 to 3.0 mm in diameter to plates with slots of width 0.2 to 1.5 mm. Screening removes
over-size pieces such as bark, knots and weeds, particularly uncooked bundles of fibers.
The mixture passes through a Primary Screening process in order to remove smaller debris are
sand, grit, staples, plastics and bindings. Screener made from stainless steel, the stainless steel
net has 80 holes per inch (Aue, 2000).It has an efficiency of about 96%.(http//www.paper
recycling market deinked pulp a tour of a paper recycling).
Centrifugal cleaners use a series of coarse Pressure Screens. Thin stock typically 0.4 to
2% having sand and grit removed still contains other contaminants such as plastic,
synthetic fibers which will be screened out using Pressure Screens, typical vertical pressure
screen. This means the efficiency of centrifugal separation is 98 %( Minshall, et al. 1978).
Discharge the thin stock into the screen tangentially at the top and the flow will obstruct by a
weir separating the heavy particles which exit through the trap. The pulp flows over the weir
and passes through the annular space between a rapidly moving rotor and a stationary bask.
The rotor will be designed to create radial pulsation within the flow which assists in forcing
the pulp fibers through the screen slots (Wistara and Young, 1999).
Table 3: Screening type and condition
Screening Screen Rotor Constancy Consistence Consistence
type opening circumstance Rang MC<6 range rang
speed m/ s MC<4.5 MC<1.5
Disc Hole 20-30 Yes
2-3
Cylinder Hole 10-30 Yes
0.8- 0.15

2.3.4. Mechanism of removal

Stiff particles with all three dimensions larger than width of slot or diameter of hole are rejected
and Stiff particles with one or two dimensions smaller than from width or diameter have a
probability of rejection. The screened pulp fibers pass through to accept branch of the screen,
in order to maintain continuous through the screen. The screen used that contain means to
prevent Blinding of the basket (blocking) that is screen plate dilution water flow, which
dislodges debris on the rejects side of the screen. That rejects fall to the bottom of the screen
and exit via the Rejects Port. The pressure screens are periodically removed for thorough
cleaning on a planned maintenance routine (Onussert, 2006).

2.3.5. Cleaning

Cleaning removes some of the impurities like bitumen, wax and it converts into an acceptable
form. The Contraries bitumen and wax are normally not removed during the re-pulping
cleaning process (Aue, 2000). Bitumen is commonly used as a laminating adhesive and as a
water vapor barrier in sack papers and fiber-board containers which is found in mixed waste
paper and in container waste (Venditti, 2011).

The rotary cleaner used to remove contaminants whose density is low and similar to pulp from
the process stream. Since it is the most modern and efficient methods about 96% used in
cleaning purpose. This machine is specifically designed to remove Polyethylene, Polystyrenes
as well as Hot Melts (Ervasti, et al. 2016). This machine is consisting of a large horizontal
vessel supported on two journal bearings. Each of these bearings is protected by a double
mechanical Seal. The stock is fed to the rotating vessel and separation takes place due to the
density difference between the stock and the lightweights like Polystyrene Polystyrenes as well
as hot melts. The stock centrifuges to the outside and the rejects flow towards the center tube,
which support on an external bearing requiring a mechanical seal on its inboard side
(CANMET, 2005)

Figure 1: Centrifugal cleaner (Kin, 1982)

2.3.6. Bleaching
Belching is the process of removing stains or whitening fabrics especially by the use of
chemical agents. Because of Some reasons paper products require a white paper. The one
reason is the print quality. A whiter paper gives a better contrast between the paper and the
print. The cleanliness of the paper is another reason for bleaching. Impurities in the pulp may
otherwise turn up on the paper as dots, deteriorating the printing (Monica Ek, et al. 2009). A
third reason for bleaching is the ability of paper to resist ageing. Substances in the pulp can
turn the paper yellow and brittle as time goes by, mainly substances connected to lignin. The
bleaching agents remove these structures susceptible to discoloration of the paper. However,
not all bleaching is aimed at removing lignin. Lignin removing bleaching is principally
performed on chemical pulp, whereas the lignin-rich mechanical pulps are subjected to
modifications of the lignin structures absorbing light (Karademir, et al. 2012).
2.3.6.1. Deinking
Deinking is the process in which the ready to use pulp is decolorized. The Thin Stock still
contains the ink which is chemically separate from the paper fibers in the pulper. Further the
pulp is sent for deinking process that involves putting the pulp in a floatation washing device
made up of chemicals and air bubbles that takes away any form of dyes or ink to enhance purity
and whiteness (Wistara and Young, 1999). Now this pulp can be used to generate white paper.
Certain chemicals were added to make the color of the pulp white. After that a dye of certain
color was added so as to obtain a paper of specific color (white). From now the pulp of desired
color is ready to be converted into paper. Then the pulp through conveyor belt then it is sent
into hot rolling process. But good white paper, lightly printed can be recycled with deinking
into most grades of papers except 'high white' papers. Deinking is therefore a way of improving
the quality of printed waste.

Flotation Cell: the pre-screened pulp fiber and liquid is pumped through a series of flotation
cells in which, dyes, soap and fatty acids are added in the machine chest to react with the
Calcium in the aqueous mixture. The reaction creates a surface “scum”. Then air is
introduced into the mixture (at the bottom of the cell) to promote the formulation of bubbles
to which the ink particulates become attached as the bubbles rise and expand. The scum turns
into a black froth is skim or overflows from the top of the cells. During the above process the
individual fibers is dispersed to aid removal of the ink particles.

Wash Cells: -This is similar to the above process however the pulp is dispersed and washed
without the aid of air and collected mechanically from the wash bath. Now this pulp can be
used to generate white paper or can be colored to a single colored paper. This where visited as
decolorized to make it in a single color (Wistara and Young, 1999). Certain chemicals added
to make the color of the pulp white. After that a dye of certain color is added so as to obtain a
paper of specific color. From now the pulp of desired color is ready to convert into paper. After
that Secondary screening is used, a second series of Hydro cyclones and Pressure Screens
employed to remove more of the smaller contaminants. The particulates removed are much
smaller and 19 therefore the screens have slots typically sized 0.003"(0.08mm) to 0.018"
(0.45mm) wide. After it is completely cleaned, it is injected into a forming machine to create a
sheet of paper (Binici, et al.
2.3.6.2 Hydrogen peroxide bleaching
For chemical pulps hydrogen peroxide is used as a bleaching agent when applied as a final
stage of a bleaching sequence. When on the other hand the peroxide stage is used in the
beginning of the sequence it is mainly used as a de lignifying stage. It is also used as
reinforcement of the extraction stage and of the oxygen stage. In hydrogen peroxide
bleaching two reactions are competing with each other. The first one leads to a brightness
increase while the second leads to decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and
oxygen (Olm, et al. 2000). A de-lignifying peroxide stage is placed at the beginning of the
bleaching sequence after an oxygen stage. The stage is then either atmospheric or pressurized.
The benefit of using pressurized peroxide stages compared to an atmospheric stage is that at
equal retention time the delignification is faster and the brightness of the pulp is higher
(Sjöblom, et al. 1988).
2.3.7. Calendaring and pop reel

Most paper grades are subjected to calendaring whereby the paper web passes through nips
between iron rolls. This decreases the thickness of the paper and evens out variations in gram
mage along and across the paper web. The second objective of calendaring is to improve the
surface properties of the paper, mainly to make it smoother and strength. Reel finally, the
paper web is wound onto a reel.
2.3.8. Drying
As the paper web leaves the press section of a paper machine, considerably more than half of
its weight is water. This water must be removed in the dryer section of the paper machine to
the level between 6% - 8% of final water content, before the paper can be suitably used.
(Fundamentals of Paper Drying – Theory and Application from Industrial Perspective
The thickener drains water from the pulp and the sheet is fed into a press whereby large
rollers force water out or it is rolled with the help of the roller in order to remove moisture
from the pulp. All strength properties are sensitive to moisture – about 1% change in samples
moisture content changes the compression strength with an average of 8%. Almost all grade
of paper has some percentage of moisture.
Material that used to make the roller:
 Stainless Steel Pipe (Length - 1 feet; Outer Diameter – 2 inch, Inner Diameter – 1.5
inch)
 Mild Steel Bar (Length - 1.5 feet, Diameter -0.75inch )
 Two Ball Bearings (Bearing no. 6904ZZ, Inner Diameter – 20mm, Outer Diameter –
37mm, Width 9mm.)
The diameter of the rollers were much high and they weigh in kilos. The pulp was converted
into sheet of fine paper with less amount of water (Horn, 1975). Then the pulp passes through
the pressed paper over a series of steam heated cylinder to remove the remaining water. Hence
now we obtain paper which is completely dry. These is assists in the drying of paper and
consolidate the fibers giving the paper enough strength to continue through the machine and
that facilitates the formation of flattened long rolls of continuous sheets of paper.
2.4 Fiber Recovery
In the different cleaning steps of the recycled fiber processes there is always a risk that good
pulp fibers are lost with the rejects. This is true for the screening stages, cleaning stages as well
as for the flotation and washing stages (Elliott and Mahmood, 2006). The techniques used are
specially designed washers, filters and screens adopted for the purpose of recovering fibers.
2.5 Factor Affecting the Recovered Paper
 Quality of the collected raw material
 The equipment used
 At the pulping operation
 The moisture content (affect the strength of paper).
2.6. Environmental aspect
The effect of paper recycling becomes less significant on the environmental areas which has a
reduction of water and air pollution about 35% and 74% respectively less than making the
virgin paper. Pulp mills can be source of both water and air pollution specifically if they are
produced bleached pulp. Recycling paper decrease the demand of virgin pulp, thus reducing
the overall amount of water and air pollution associated with paper manufacture. Recycled
pulp can be bleached with same chemicals used to bleach verging pulp. But hydrogen per
oxide and hydrogen sulfite are common bleaching agents. Recycled pulp is known as process
chlorine free when there is no involvement of chlorine compounds in recycling process.[Macn
addel, Todd; Michaele Vogel( june1996).” Fact about paper”. Printers’ National Environmental Assistance
Center, Montana State University]
In a large-scale process as the recycled fiber industry there is of course also a need for strict
control of the use of water and the amount of wastewater. In general it can be said that the
recycled fiber plant is almost totally closed. This means that the fresh water is added to the
process in the paper machine and cascaded backwards into the process. This is also the way
the water is handled in the deinked pulp plant. Water from the first dewatering stage is used to
dilute the incoming recovered paper in the pulp. The water consumption varies for different
papers produced from recovered fiber, due to differences in process, lay-outs as well as the
need for removal of contaminants. The water is usually treated in one or several water treatment
facilities in the paper mill. The dominating water treatment technique for internal cleaning in
the plant is dissolved air flotation called micro-flotation. A mill using recycled pulp for paper
manufacturing may have from 1 up to 3 dissolved air flotation units.

The chemistry used is flocculating systems with various types of polymers, bentonite clays
and precipitation salts. The contaminants need to be flocculated in order to be efficiently
removed. Polymers are also used in order to improve the dewatering of the waste sludge
coming from the dissolved air flotation unit. Observe that only a fraction of the water phase is
cleaned. The total amount of water in the process is large and it would cost too much to treat
the whole water phase. The sludge from the dissolved air flotation units is dewatered in a
press and incinerated.

Sludge handling: - The residual material after incineration of the sludge has to be taken care
of. There are several ways of dealing with this material. In Sweden it is still common to
deposit the material. The large problem with this procedure is of course the cost but it is
nether desirable from an environmental point of view.

The fee for deposition of this material varies a lot in different countries and there is a large
need to find less expensive and more recycling correct ways of dealing with this material. For
example, it can be used for land reclamation, filling out old mines and using the material as a
component in concrete and brick production it is also common to use the material in road
building. Another very attractive solution is to reuse this material as paper filler although the
trials to do so have not yet been successful.
Chapter three
3. Materials and methods
3.1. Materials, equipment and chemicals
The necessary materials which are functional during the paper recycling process for production
of paper from waste paper are the following. But they may be either chemicals or equipment.
3.1.1. Chemicals
Water: - serves to removes weak black liquor from the pulp which is sent to the chemical
recovery process. The amount of water used in pulper is 25 m3/ton waste paper.
Caustic soda (NaOH): - Is used to increase the pH, which improves the swelling of the fibers.
NaOH, 2-4% of the amount of waste paper is used in a pulper machine. In this section H2O2
0– 40, fatty acid 0.907, Na2S 0-30 kg/ton are used.
Chemical used in the bleaching sections are NaHClO3 0.5-1.5%, NaHS 3-4%, H2O2 1-4% of
waste paper is used in bleaching section.
Fatty acid or soap: - Are used as collectors. The calcium ions precipitate the fatty acid anion.
The actual collector is thus not the free fatty acid ions but the calcium soap.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2):- it is used, as a bleaching agent to counteract the yellowing of the
fibers at Alkaline PH.
3.1.2 Equipment
The Equipment used in waste paper recycling process are the following with their functions.
Pulper: - To dissolve the paper to separate fibers and to separate print inks and paper coatings
from the paper surface.
Screener cleaner: -it involves four stages. The first stage is highly effective for separation.so
it has about efficiency of 96% to remove large pieces of fiber that are not completely broken
down in the digester.
Paper press (paper machine):- is used for dewatering with an efficiency 84.84%.
Centrifuge separation: - enables to separate the contents of waste paper based on density
difference with an efficiency of 98%.
Dryer: - This removes moisture content from pulp with an effective efficiency of about
94.5%.
3.2. Methods
3.2.1. Sorting
The process of recycling starts with sorting the paper. This can be done at home or at a
recycling center. The paper is sorted by removing any contaminants like plastic, metal or
other trash. Paper stained with food is also removed during this process.
3.2.2. Transporting
The papers are then tied and transported to warehouses for storage. From there they are transferred to
the pulper.
3.2.3. Pulping
The pulper is a large vat that has chemicals and water. The paper is chopped into tiny pieces
and then heated in the vat. This turns the cellulose fibers into mush.
3.2.4. Screening
The mushy pulp is then screened. Basically the pulp is pushed through screens that have holes and
slots of different shapes and sizes.
3.2. 5. Cleaning
After screening, the pulp is cleaned further to remove any contaminants by spinning the
mushy mixture. Heavy objects like staples, paper clips, and plastic pins are thrown from the
cylindrical cone shaped vats, while lighter particles gather in the center from where it is
safely removed.
3.2.6. De-Inking
After this, depending on the paper, the pulp might go through the de-inking phase.
This process removes printing ink and glue residues and adhesives.
3.2. 7. Washing
Deinking is a two-stage process. The washing stage involves rinsing pulp with water to
remove the ink particles. However; larger and sticky particles might need the floatation
process. For this the pulp is put in floatation vat in which air and chemicals known as
surfactants are added. Ink and other particles attach themselves to air particles, float to the
surface where they are removed as scum.
3.2. 9. Bleaching
The paper is then treated further to separate all of the color particles from the mush. After this, if
white paper is going to be made then hydrogen peroxide, oxygen or chlorine dioxide is used to bleach
it. If cardboard is to be made, then the pulp is not bleached.
3.2. 10. Rolling
The pulp is then sprayed onto wire screens, which drains the water and bonds the recycled
fibers to form a watery paper sheet. This watery sheet is pressed through a number of press
rollers to remove all the water. It is then dried using heated metal rollers and wound into a
giant roll. Each roll can be as wide as 30 feet and weight as much as 20 tons. Recycled paper
is ready. Recycling paper is one of the best ways to save the trees and protect the
environment. Nearly 80% of the paper we use can be recycled.
Chapter four
4. Material and energy balance
All the calculation is done based on batch production process. One batch production process takes 2
hour three shift with and also the process begins after the waste paper collected and sorted.
4.1. Material Balance
As we have seen in the literature the huge amount of waste paper is found nowadays in our country
which are nonfunctional. Therefore; these waste paper is used again for new paper products through
means of paper recycling. According to the data obtained from our literature we use 5280 tons of waste
paper within 330 working days. One month is used for maintenance.
Assumption which are consider during our calculation are;
Working days 330 per year.
One batch process takes for about 2 hours.
Feed per batch 1333.33kg.
The process is in steady state.
Density of water is constant (1000kg/m3).
The generation, consumption and accumulation terms are zero.
Given data:
The composition of each chemicals in pulper is shown below as we have seen from literature.
Mass of the waste paper = 1333.33 kg/batch
1000 kg waste paper= 25kg of H2O2
1333.33kg/batch. =X
25kg ∗1333.33kg/batch
X=
1000𝑘𝑔

X= 33.33kg H2O2/batch through this way we can calculate the rest mass compositions per
batch.
Mass of fatty acid = 0.907kg/ton of waste paper.
Mass of fatty acid = 1.209kg/ batch
Mass of water = 25m3/ton *1000kg/m3of waste paper =25000kg/ton of waste paper.
Mass of water =33,333.25kg/batch.
Mass of NaOH= 0.03of waste paper = 0.03*1333.33kg
Mass of NaOH= 40kg/batch.
Mass of NaS2 = 15kg/ton
Mass of NaS2 =20kg per batch.
Mass of white liquor = NaS2 + NaOH = 20kg +40kg=60kg per batch.

Chemicals composition during bleaching is;

H2O2 = 1-4%waste paper

H2O2 = 2.5%* 1333.33 =33.33kg/batch.

NaHS = 3-4% waste paper

NaHS =3.5%*1333.33 = 46.67kg/batch

NaHClO3 0.5-1.5% waste paper

NaHClO3 = 0.01*1333.33 = 13.33kg/batch.

Material balance and component balance can be calculated as follows

A) Material balance on pulper:

Other chemicals

Pulper
White liquor Effluent (p1)

Waste paper product of pulp slurry (p2)

Mass of Input = mass of out put

Mass of white liquor + mass of waste paper +mass of other chemicals = Effluent (p1) + product of
pulp slurry (p2).
60kg/ batch + 1333.33kg / batch +33.33kg H2O2/batch +1.209kg/ batch+33,333.25kg/batch.
= Effluent (p1) + product of pulp slurry (p2).

34,761.2kg/ batch= Effluent (p1) + product of pulp slurry (p2).

From the litrarature feed of 550 gm. of waste paper slurry 540gm of pulp slurry is obtained.

550 gm. =540gm

34,761.2kg/ batch = X

34,761.2kg/ batch∗540𝑔𝑚
X= = 34,129.2kg/ batch product obtained.
550 gm

Mass of effluent (P1) =34,761.2 kg/ batch -34,129.2kg/ batch product obtained.

Mass of effluent (p1) = 632 kg/batch of effluent is removed

B) Material balance on screen.

Pulp slurry Screener effluent

Screened pulp
Input = output

Pulp slurry =Screened pulp + effluent

from the literature review the efficiency of screener is about 96% to separate a desired
product from a foreign materials(From lecture video in waste paper recycling process).
Therefore; the mass of the effluent is calculated as follow.
Mass of effluent = 4%*mass of pulper slurry
Mass of effluent = 0.04* 34,129.2 kg/ batch =1,365.17 kg/batch.
Mass of Screened pulp = mass of pulp slurry - mass of effluent
Mass of Screened pulp = 34,129.2 kg/ batch - 1,365.17 kg/batch
Mass of Screened pulp =32,764 kg/batch. Is mass of screened pulp that is 96% of the pulp slurry.

C) Material balance on centrifugal machine.

 Centrifugal
Screened pulp machine effluent

Product
Mass in = mass out
Mass of screened pulp = mass of product +mass of effluent
From the literature the efficiency of the centrifugal machine is almost about 98% with one
percent wastage removal.
Mass of effluent = 2%* Mass of product
Mass of effluent = 2%*32,764 kg/batch
Mass of effluent = 655.28 kg/batch. After we are calculating the mass of effluent we can calculate
mass of product on centrifuge.
Mass in = mass out
Mass of screened pulp = mass of product +mass of effluent.
Mass of product = mass of screened pulp - mass of effluent from centrifuge
Mass of product = 32,764 kg/batch - 655.28 kg/batch.
Mass of product = 32,108.72 kg/batch
d) Material balance on bleaching machine
At this stage the bleaching powder (BP) was added to the product from the cleaner in order to
whitening.

Bleaching
Mass of product Bleached product

Bleaching powder

First of all we have to know the mass of bleaching powder. Before doing mass of effluent from mass in
and mass out calculations.

Mass of product (p2) +mass of breaching powder = mass of bleached product (p3)
Mass of Bleaching powder = mass of H2O2 +mass of NaHS +mass of NaHClO3
Mass of Bleaching powder =33.33kg/batch +46.67kg/batch+13.33kg/batch.
Mass of Bleaching powder = 93.33kg /batch
Mass in = mass out
P2 +mass of powder = mass of bleached product (p3)
Mass of bleached product = 93.33kg /batch+32,108.72 kg/batch
Mass of bleached product = 32,202 kg/batch
E) Material balance on a press machine

Mass of product Press machine mass of wet paper

Water (W)
From the literature the extraction efficiency of the machine is about 84.86%. Meaning the press
machine has an efficiency of 84.86% to remove water through pressure.
Mass of water removed = 84.86%. * Mass of bleached product
Mass of water removed = 84.86% *32,202 kg/batch
Mass of water removed = 27,326.66 kg/batch
Mass of input = mass of out put
Mass of bleached product = mass of water + mass of wet paper
Mass of wet paper = mass of bleached product - mass of water
Mass of wet paper= 32,202 kg/batch - 27,326.66 kg/batch
Mass of wet paper=4,875.34 kg/batch.
F) Material balance on drier.

Mass of wet paper Drier dried paper fiber

Water removed
From the literature the efficiency of the drier is 83.89% to remove water that is left from the paper
machine (press machine). A drier has an efficiency of 83.89 % to remove water from the mass of wet
pulp feed.
Mass of water removed = efficiency of drier * mass of wet paper
Mass of water removed = 83.89% *4,875.34 kg/batch.
Mass of water removed = 4089.9 kg/batch
Mass of dried paper fiber =mass of wet paper – mass of water removed
Mass of dried paper fiber =4,875.34 kg/batch – 4,089.9 kg/batch
Mass of dried paper fiber = 785.4kg/batch
The energy balance on the drier

Dried paper fiber @ 1100C

Hot air@ 1600C air @800C

Drier

et

Wet sheet of paper@200C

From the literature for 1 kg of air dried on pulp which is the optimum value of air to the pulp
ratio is in rang of 1-1.5.therfore;

1kg dried pulp = 1kg of air

785.2kg/batch = X
785.2kg/batch∗ 1kg of air
X= = 785.4 kg/batch dried air is required.
1𝑘𝑔 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑝

Assume during drying there are no generation of heat, consumption, add accumulation term.
0 0 0
E in+ E generation + E consumption= E out +E accumulation

E in = E out
Q = MCP𝛥T=MCP (T-Tref)
wet solid – dry solid
Moisture content of dried paper fiber = 𝑤𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑
4,875.34 kg/batch −785.4kg/batch
Moisture content of pressed wet paper = 4,875.34 kg/batch

Moisture content of washed paper = 0.839

Inlet temperature of wet paper 200C = 20 + 273.15 = 293.15k

Inlet temperature of air 900C = 90+273.15 =363.15k

Out let temperature of air250C=90+273.15=298.15k

Specific heat capacity of water =4.18kJ/kg.K

Specific heat capacity of dry air =1.005kJ/kg.K

Specific heat capacity of dry paper = 1.2585kJ/kg.K
For wet solid entering to the dryer the mass flow rate of the dryer can be calculated as;
M water entering to the drier = moisture content of pressed wet paper * M water removed from
the drier.
M water entering to the drier =0.839*4089.9 kg/batch
M water =3,431 kg/batch
Mass of dry solid = (1-0.839) * 4089.9 kg/batch =658.5 kg/batch.

Energy balance on inlet air or hot air stream.

Q = MCP𝛥T=MCP (dry air) (T-Tref) = 658.5 kg/batch*1.005kJ/kg. K (363-298) K

43,016.5 kJ
Q =43,016.5 kJ/batch = ( ) ∗ 2 = 23.9 kW amount of power consume in one batch
3600𝑠𝑒𝑐

Energy balance on wet solid or wet paper

Q = MCP𝛥T = MCP (dry pulp) (T-Tref) + MCP𝛥Twater

Q wet solid = [1.2585kJ/kg. K * 3,431 kg/batch +4.18kJ/kg. K* 785.4 kg/batch] (353-293) k

456,053KJ
Q = 456,053KJ/batch =( )*2 = 253.4 kW
3600𝑠𝑒𝑐

Amount of heat required for the drying

QT = Q dry air + Q wet solid

QT = 23.9 kW +253.4 kW =277.3 kW. This means the drier uses 277.3 KW power in two
277.3 kW
hours (i.e. in one batch). In other word we use = 138.65 KW in one hour.
2
 CHAPTER SIX

DESIGN OF MAJOR EQUIPMENTS

6.1 Design of pulper

This is an open cylindrical vessel incorporating two bladed rotating elements that serves both
to circulate the slurry and to separate the fibre from each other. It makes the paper source
become disintegrated, transformed and well blended into fibre slurry.

Volume of pulper, Vr it result from its mass and density. Using a scale up factor of 10% (for
the whole plant);

Given:
Mass of pulp slurry leaving pulper 1,195,004.79kg/day from the material balance

Density of pulp:
ρ NaOH= 2130Kg/m3 V NaOH = 40kg/day/ 2130 kg/m3=0.01877m3/batch
ρNa2S= 1860Kg/m3 VNa2S=20kg/day/1860Kg/m3 =0.0107 m3/batch
ρH2O= 1000Kg/m3 VH2O =100,000kg/day /1000kg/m3=100 m3/batch
ρ fatty acid = 1500kg/m3 V fat =1.2091kg/day /1500kg/m3=0.0008 m3/batch
ρ paper = 250kg/m3 V paper = 1333.33kg/day /250kg/m3=5.333 m3/batch
ρH2O2 = 1442kg/m3 VH2O2 = 33.33kg/day /1442kg/m3 =0.2311m3/batch

Then volume of pulp slurry VC

VC = 0.01877m3/batch+0.0107m3/batch +100 m3/batch + 0.0008m3/batch + 5.333 m3/batch +0.

=106.25 m3/batch

Total Volume of pulper: Vr=Vc+ 0.32 Vc = 1.32Vc=140m3

Diameter of pulper (a cylindrical vessel) it result from volume of cylinder

For cylindrical section H/D = 1 to 2 beside this, to select the size range basic factors must be
considered such as earth quick, wind. So that, optimum H/D ratio is selected which is:
H/D= 1.8, H=1.8 D
V=πr2h
V=1.8 D3/ 4π
3
D = √4𝜋𝑉/1.8 =9.929m
Radius of circular cylinder:

D= 2r
r = D/2=4.96m
Height of cylinder;
H=1.8D= 1.8 * 9.929 = 17.87m

The total surface area of cylinder A:

A =2πr(h+r) = 2*3.14*4.96 (17.87m +4.96m) =711.2m2
Circumference of cylinder, C:2πr = 2*3.14*4.96m = 31.14m

Blade Design for pulper

The blade was designed in a way that it has more mixing effect than cutting. The diameter, Da
vary from 1/2.33 DT to 1/3 DT.
From the lower value, Blade diameter = 1/2.33 DT, = 1/ 2.33*9.929m=4.2558m
It follows:
Height of blade (H) from blade of cylinder:
H=
The power required for pulping can be calculated as:-
P = Np ρN3 *Da5
But the density of white liquor can be calculated as by taking the average density of water,
Na2SO4, H2O2 and NaOH since;

Ρfluid=ρwater+ρNa2S+ρNaOH+ρH2O2 + ρfat = 1291kg/m3

The power number can be calculated as: Np/Pρ*N 3D*A5

The power number NP can be calculated, but that can be read from Np vs. Re of the given
graph.

To determine this first calculate Reynolds number:-Re*ρ*N*DA2/ µ

Where, N = rotational speed
µ=viscosity of the fluid which can be determined from Penny, W.R.“gride to tronble free
mixers,” chem. Eng., 77 12 , 171, 1970. At volume of the tank 140m3, from Coulson figure
10.25
N =1150rpm
µ = 0.07 Ns/m2
Re =1291kg/m3*1150/60 * [1.5m]2/0.07
= 1398153 > 10,000
From Coulson figure 10.58
From power curve for Reynolds number greater than
Then power requirement for pulping;
Power P NP ρ N3 D5
gc x 75

Where Power number Rotational speed gravitational