IPST has launched two new consortium projects.  Dr. Preet Singh is principal investigator for “Corrosion Control in Paper Machines Using Reduced Fresh Water,” and Dr. Sankar Nair will lead “Robust Membranes for Concentration of Black Liquor.”  IPST member companies Domtar, International Paper, KapStone, MWV, and Verso are funding the projects.  Additional member company subscribers will be considered for a limited period of time.

Mills closing up their effluent streams and reusing process waters can create new opportunities for organic and inorganic corrosion mechanisms. The corrosion control project will explore the environmental limits to inhibit both mechanisms, and to guide future materials selection choices.

The Robust Membranes project proposes to develop and demonstrate new two-step membrane filtration processes to achieve half of the required water removal in the energy-intensive black liquor evaporation and concentration processes.  The robust membranes proposed will withstand the harsh environment posed by black liquor.  Aside from the concentrated black liquor and pulping chemical solids, a byproduct would be recyclable water. 

The two are part of a suite of five project concepts offered to implement five industry priority research areas identified by the board of the Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance.  The other three concepts are being further developed and may be offered at a later time. They are Wood Chip Activation for Next-Generation Kraft Pulping/Bleaching Technology, Novel Press Fabric Design and Manufacture to Improve Dewatering, and Cellulose Nanomaterials for Green Packaging.