Course syllabus

Jump to today

Course-PM

KBT130 KBT130 Cellulose technology lp3 VT25 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Contact details

.

Course purpose

The purpose of the course is to give the students knowledge of the different processes used in paper pulp production from wood. Some important operations are highlighted in the laboratory sessions (kraft pulping, bleaching and mechanical pulp production). A minor project, dealing with kraft cooking kinetics will be conducted. The results from that project will be applied in the kraft cooking laboratory session.

 

Schedule

  1. Introduction + Wood chemistry and wood morphology 1 (MH) 20/1 8-10, EL41
  2. Wood chemistry and wood morphology 2 (MH) 20/1 10-12, EL41
  3. Wood chemistry and wood morphology 3 (LL) 22/1 10-12, EL41
  4. Kraft process: Kraft pulping technology and chemistry (MH) 22/1 13-15, EL41
  5. Kraft process: Kraft pulping chemistry (MH) 27/1 8-10, EL41
  6. Kraft process: Kraft pulping kinetics (MH) 27/1 10-12, EL41
  7. Kraft process: Developments in pulping process design (MH) 30/1 13-15, EL42
  8. Kraft process: Screening and washing of pulp (MH) 3/2 8-10, EL41
  9. Kraft process: Bleaching-Chemistry and process design (MH) 3/2 10-12, EL41
  10. Kraft process: Chemical recovery-evaporation and soda boiler (MH) 17/2, 10-12, EL41
  11. Kraft process: Chemical recovery-white liquor preparation (MH) 19/2, 10-12, EL43
  12. Sulfite pulping and pulp drying (LL) 24/2 10-12, EL41
  13. Study visit to Södra Cell Värö mill, 26/2, 10-15
  14. Mechanical pulping: Fibre properties, SGW, TMP and CTMP (LL) 3/3 8-10, EL41
  15. Mechanical pulping: Bleaching and brightness stability (MP), 3/3 10-12, EL41
  16. Non-Process Elementa (KL) 5/3 10-12, Zoom
  17. Cellulose, hemi. and lignin: future use of these biopolymers (MH, LL) 5/3 13-15, EL42
  18. Summary (MH) 10/3 10-12 EL41

Written exam 17/3 14:00-18:00

TimeEdit

Course literature

  1. Selected chapters from the e-book (available from Chalmers library):

Pulp and Paper Chemistry and Technology

Volume 1 Wood Chemistry and Wood Biotechnology

Volume 2 Pulping Chemistry and Technology

2. Hand-outs and lecture notes 

Course design

The course is structured around a series of lectures providing a deep insight into both chemistry and technology of the most common pulping processes. The emphasis is on the dominating kraft pulping technology which constitutes the main part of the course and is also further expanded by laboratory sessions (exemplifying some crucial unit operations and processing steps of the kraft pulping and including also a mini project/exercise on pulping kinetics) and a study visit to a pulp mill (Södra's pulp mill in Värö). Other pulping technologies (mechanical and sulfite pulping) are also included but not as extensively.

The lab sessions will follow after the necessary lectures on kraft pulpling technology have been completed and will be introduced with an exercise/mini project in kraft puling kinetics. A completed exercise/project on the pulpling kinetics is required prior to preforming the labs, as this exercise is closely connected to the very first laboratory session where students are supposed to perform a kraft cooking and deepen the understanding of the delignification procedure including kinetcis and selection of the process conditions.

This session is followed by two additional lab sessions focused on bleaching and analysis of the obtained pulps.

Learning objectives and syllabus

  • describe the macroscopic and morphological structure of wood and give a basic description of the chemical structure of the wood constituents (cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin and extractives)
  • describe and discuss the different events taking place during kraft pulping (steaming, impregnation and delignification) - chemical, physical and kinetic aspects should be covered
  • describe batch and continuous kraft pulping processes (including both conventional and modified processes)
  • describe how washing, sieving and drying of pulp are carried out and discuss different phenomena involved in these operations.
  • describe and discuss different bleaching sequences applied in the brightening of kraft pulp (including chemical and environmental aspects, different types of equipment, as well as pulp fibre properties)
  • describe and discuss processes and phenomena involved in the chemical recovery in the kraft process (evaporation, combustion in the recovery boiler and white liquor preparation)
  • give a basic description of the production of sulphite pulps and semi-chemical pulps
  • describe different processes related to mechanical pulp production (SGW, TMP and CTMP) and explain the mechanisms leading to fibre separation during mechanical pulp production processes as well as differences in resulting pulp properties

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.

https://www.chalmers.se/en/education/your-studies/find-course-and-programme-syllabi/course-syllabus/KBT130/?acYear=2025/2026

Examination form

The examination includes a written exam, a mini project on pulping kinetics, three laboratory sessions and a study visit (compulsory attendance). The final grade will be set by the written exam and the projects. The written exam can give 80 points. Depending on the quality of the project report, a maximum of 5 points will be added to the result of the written exam.

< 40 points failed

40-51.5 points grade 3

52-63.5 points grade 4

≥ 64 points grade 5

The exam will be written on: 17/3 14:00-18:00

Course summary:

Date Details Due