The use of branched ketenedimers in solving the deposit problems related to the internal sizing of uncoated fine paper

Alkyl ketene dimers (AKD) are effective and highly hydrophobic sizing agents for the internal sizing of alkaline papers, but in some cases they may form deposits on paper machines and copiers. In addition, alkenyl succinic anhydrides (ASA)- based sizing agents are highly reactive, producing on-machine sizing, but under uncontrolled wet end conditions the hydrolysis of ASA may cause problems. This thesis aims at developing an improved ketene dimer based sizing agent that would have a lower deposit formation tendency on paper machines and copiers than a traditional type of AKD. The aim is also to improve the ink jet printability of a AKD sized paper. The sizing characteristics ofketene dimers have been compared to those of ASA. A lower tendency of ketene dimer deposit formation was shown in paper machine trials and in printability tests when branched fatty acids were used in the manufacture of a ketene dimer basedsizing agent. Fitting the melting and solidification temperature of a ketene dimer size to the process temperature of a paper machine or a copier contributes to machine cleanliness. A lower hydrophobicity of the paper sized with branched ketene dimer compared to the paper sized with traditional AKD was discovered. However, the ink jet print quality could be improved by the use of a branched ketene dimer. The branched ketene dimer helps in balancing the paper hydrophobicity for both black and color printing. The use of a high amount of protective colloidin the emulsification was considered to be useful for the sizing performance ofthe liquid type of sizing agents. Similar findings were indicated for both the branched ketene dimer and ASA.

Careers of Managers, Comparison between ICT and Paper Business Sectors

The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of how the managers build their early career in information and communication technology industry (ICT business sector) and pulp- and paper industry (paper business sector). The focus of the study is to explore the importance differing a business sectors have in influencing managerial careers. Business sectors can affect careers in several ways.Sectors have different history and traditions. Also the age structure of ICT personnel differs from the age structure of personnel in the paper industry. Managers in the ICT and paper sector are technically educated but in different disciplines. Differences exist also in ways of recruiting and developing commitment inpersonnel. The target group of this research, middle management engineering personnel, work in Finnish ICT and paper companies. Research data were gathered in April-December 2002 in South-Karelia by interviewing 30 managers and six directors working in three Finnish ICT companies and in three paper companies. The research issue is approached on two levels: the individual level and the organizational level. The managers related their career stories in focused interviews. Directors, representing the organizations, described the generalities of the business sector and gave background information on company policies, human relationshippractices, as well as career and human resource development. Results of the study contribute to research discussions of career, life-span reasoning, socialization and commitment. Career is conceived as a series of positions including everykind of hierarchical mobility and all kinds of positions in work. A manager's career develops in interaction with the organization and it can be seen as involving a socializing process in an organization as a consequence of experiences andchanges in positions. This research contributes to the understanding of the nature of career in the context of two business sectors. Universal career theories,for the most part, do not perceive the importance of business sector in determining career experience. This study concentrates on describing and understanding early careers in two different business areas, elements committing managers to particular business sectors and the actions of companies in that particular sector. While career research began in the middle of 1950s, the theoretical basis of career research seems to be quite fragmented still. However, a dichotomy is consistently presented between traditional, hierarchical career research and boundaryless career thinking. In this research we examine how these old and new career concepts are evidence in the ICT and paper sectors. Careers are changing from formal, hierarchy-based structures to more fluid arrangements. The new boundaryless career concept captures territory from old career thinking. Mobility between employers, networks, and changing hierarchical structures in organizations, as well as personal and family reasons are theorized to bring changes to careers patterns in the future. However, the pace of this change in careers will vary between the ICT and paper business sectors. Findings of this research indicate that business sector has an effect on how managerial careers develop. The environment where career is developed differs between ICT and paper sectors. Careers begin differently in the two environments and the speed of career progression is distinct. ICT careers are built within the business sector whereas paper careers are made inside one company. Also recruiting and socialization practices differ from one sector to the other.

Spray coating technique asa surface treatment for woodcontaining paper grades

The objective of this work was to introduce the emerging non-contacting spray coating process and compare it to the existing coating techniques. Particular emphasis was given to the details of the spraying process of paper coating colour and the base paper requirements set by the new coating method. Spraying technology itself is nothing new, but the atomisation process of paper coating colour is quite unknown to the paper industry. The differences between the rheology of painting and coating colours make it very difficult to utilise the existing information from spray painting research. Based on the trials, some basic conclusion can be made:The results of this study suggest that the Brookfield viscosity of spray coating colour should be as low as possible, presently a 50 mPas level is regarded as an optimum. For the paper quality and coater runnability, the solids level should be as high as possible. However, the graininess of coated paper surface and the nozzle wear limits the maximum solids level to 60 % at the moment. Most likelydue to the low solids and low viscosity of the coating colour the low shear Brookfield viscosity correlates very well with the paper and spray fan qualities. High shear viscosity is also important, but yet less significant than the low shear viscosity. Droplet size should be minimized and besides keeping the brrokfield viscosity low that can be helped by using a surfactant or dispersing agent in the coating colour formula. Increasing the spraying pressure in the nozzle can also reduce the droplet size. The small droplet size also improves the coating coverage, since there is hardly any levelling taking place after the impact with the base paper. Because of the lack of shear forces after the application, the pigment particles do not orientate along the paper surface. Therefore the study indicates that based on the present know-how, no quality improvements can be obtained by the use of platy type of pigments. The other disadvantage of them is the rapid deterioration of the nozzle lifetime. Further research in both coating colour rheology and nozzle design may change this in the future, but so far only round shape pigments, like typically calcium carbonate is, can be used with spray coating. The low water retention characteristics of spray coating, enhanced by the low solids and low viscosity, challenge the base paper absorption properties.Filler level has to be low not to increase the number of small pores, which have a great influence on the absorption properties of the base paper. Hydrophobic sizing reduces this absorption and prevents binder migration efficiently. High surface roughness and especially poor formation of the base paper deteriorate thespray coated paper properties. However, pre-calendering of the base paper does not contribute anything to the finished paper quality, at least at the coating colour solids level below 60 %. When targeting a standard offset LWC grade, spraycoating produces similar quality to film coating, but yet blade coating being on a slightly better level. However, because of the savings in both investment and production costs, spray coating may have an excellent future ahead. The porousnature of the spray coated surface offers an optimum substrate for the coldset printing industry to utilise the potential of high quality papers in their business.

Development of a Ceramic Membrane Filtration Equipment and Its Applicability for Different Wastewaters

In this thesis the membrane filtration equipment for plate type ceramic membranes was developed based on filtration results achieved with different kinds of wastewaters. The experiments were mainly made with pulp and board mill wastewaters, but some experiments were also made with a bore well water and a stone cutting mine wastewater. The ceramicmembranes used were alpha-alumina membranes with a pore size of 100 nm. Some ofthe membranes were coated with a gamma-alumina layer to reduce the membrane pore size to 10 nm, and some of them were modified with different metal oxides in order to change the surface properties of the membranes. The effects of operationparameters, such as cross-flow velocity, filtration pressure and backflushing on filtration performance were studied. The measured parameters were the permeateflux, the quality of the permeate, as well as the fouling tendency of the membrane. A dynamic membrane or a cake layer forming on top of the membrane was observed to decrease the flux and increase separa-tion of certain substances, especially at low cross-flow velocities. When the cross-flow velocities were increased the membrane properties became more important. Backflushing could also be used to decrease the thickness of the cake layer and thus it improved the permeate flux. However, backflushing can lead to a reduction of retentions in cases where the cake layer is improving them. The wastewater quality was important for the thickness of the dynamic membrane and the membrane pore size influenced the permeate flux. In general, the optimization of operation conditions is very important for the successful operation of a membrane filtration system. The filtration equipment with a reasonable range of operational conditions is necessary, especiallywhen different kinds of wastewaters are treated. This should be taken into account already in the development stage of a filtration equipment.

Biologia e tabela de vida de fertilidade de Deuterollyta majuscula (Lep.: Pyralidae) em abacateiro (Persea americana MILL.)

As lagartas de Deuterollyta majuscula (Herrich-Schaffer) podem, ao se alimentar, causar danos às folhas e frutos do abacateiro. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a biologia em condições de laboratório, mantido a 25±2ºC, UR de 70±10% e fotofase de 14 horas e descrever os danos provocados pela praga. O ciclo biológico (ovo-adulto) foi de 39,6 dias e a viabilidade total de 55%. Foram determinados 5 instares. O peso de pupas foi de 0,0966 mg para fêmeas e 0,0901 mg para os machos. As fêmeas colocaram, em média, 201 ovos durante aproximadamente 7,6 dias. A longevidade média de machos e fêmeas foi de 15,3 e 13,9 dias, respectivamente, e a razão sexual de 0,56. Através da tabela de vida de fertilidade determinou-se uma capacidade de aumento de 64 vezes a cada geração, sendo a duração média de uma geração de 46 dias e a razão finita de aumento (ll) de 1,095. Estes resultados fornecem subsídios que podem ser utilizados para o estabelecimento de estratégias de manejo do inseto.

Curva de absorção de água em sementes de atemóia (Annona cherimola Mill. x Annona squamosa L.) cv. Gefner

O presente trabalho teve o objetivo de caracterizar a curva de absorção de água em sementes de atemóia (Annona cherimola Mill x Annona squamosa L.) cv. Gefner, submetidas a três métodos de embebição: sementes submersas em água destilada (MSSA), sementes entre papel de filtro embebido em água destilada acondicionada em caixa tipo gerbox (MPEA) e teste-padrão (MTP), com sementes mantidas em rolo de papel de filtro umedecido em água destilada. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com 6 tratamentos e 4 repetições de 25 sementes por parcela, constituídos por três métodos de embebição, empregando-se sementes vivas e mortas. O tempo de embebição entre 27; 34 e 47 horas, nos métodos MTP, MPEA e MSSA, representam indicativo para tratamento de sementes, podendo funcionar como tempo mínimo necessário para embebição em solução com reguladores vegetais. Conclui-se que os métodos que caracterizaram as três fases de absorção de água em sementes de atemóia foram o MTP e MPEA com mudança entre as fases I e II após 27 e 34 horas, respectivamente, atingindo a fase III com 234 horas, o que permite determinar o tempo de imersão para tratamentos pré-germinativos.

Caracterización de rodales irregulares de Abies alba Mill. capitalizados en existencias del Valle de Arán (Pirineos, España) y de las cortas de entresaca practicadas

Se describe, en una zona de la vertiente norte de los Pirineos españoles, la estructura dasocrática de rodales irregulares de abeto excesivamente capitalizados en existencias volumétricas, así como la naturaleza de las intervenciones de entresaca que se les aplican al objeto de contrarrestar la tendencia hacia una indeseable uniformidad de la masa. La situación inicial revela una elevada espesura, con importantes excedentes de individuos pertenecientes a las clases diamétricas de madera gruesa, y que conduce a formas selvícolas tipológicas en avanzado proceso de regularización. Empero, la estabilidad mecánica de los pies se manifiesta alejada de sus umbrales críticos en todos los estratos, y la capacidad de regeneración del sistema resulta aceptable. El tratamiento de entresaca realizado, cuya severidad se centró fundamentalmente sobre los pies de diámetro superior a 30 cm, mantiene todavía una situación de espesura excesiva que impide la adscripción de los rodales a estructuras equilibradas, pero ha permitido la liberación de la competencia vertical de los pies en edad de latizal.

Indications for cardiovascular magnetic resonance in children with congenital and acquired heart disease: an expert consensus paper of the Imaging Working Group of the AEPC and the Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Section of the EACVI.

This article provides expert opinion on the use of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in young patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and in specific clinical situations. As peculiar challenges apply to imaging children, paediatric aspects are repeatedly discussed. The first section of the paper addresses settings and techniques, including the basic sequences used in paediatric CMR, safety, and sedation. In the second section, the indication, application, and clinical relevance of CMR in the most frequent CHD are discussed in detail. In the current era of multimodality imaging, the strengths of CMR are compared with other imaging modalities. At the end of each chapter, a brief summary with expert consensus key points is provided. The recommendations provided are strongly clinically oriented. The paper addresses not only imagers performing CMR, but also clinical cardiologists who want to know which information can be obtained by CMR and how to integrate it in clinical decision-making.

Clonagem do abacateiro variedade "Duke 7" (Persea americana Mill.) por alporquia

Foram conduzidos dois experimentos com a finalidade de determinar a possibilidade de clonagem da variedade de abacateiro "Duke 7", por alporquia e a influência do AIB (ácido indol-3-butírico) no processo. Experimento 1 - Alporque em plantas - O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2L x 4N x 2E, correspondendo à manutenção ou não das plantas à ausência de luz (L), níveis de AIB (N) e tipo de estrutura (E). Nos quatro dias antecedentes à realização da alporquia, 50% das plantas permaneceram na ausência total de luz (L1), e as demais, em condições normais de ripado, 50% de luminosidade (L2). No local anelado, foram aplicadas as concentrações (N) de AIB (ácido indolbutírico): 0; 1.000, 3.000 e 5.000 mg kg-1. O experimento foi realizado em duas estruturas diferenciadas pelo tipo de cobertura: a estrutura um (E1) e a estrutura dois (E2), diferenciadas pela temperatura e intensidade luminosa. Experimento 2- Alporque em plantas adultas após poda drástica - Os alporques foram realizados cinco meses após a poda drástica, quando os ramos possuíam entre 1,5 e 2,0 cm de diâmetro. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial, com 4 tratamentos, caracterizados pelas concentrações de AIB (0; 1.000; 3.000 e 5.000 mg kg-1), com quatro repetições, e cada parcela composta por 10 alporques. Em nenhum dos experimentos, houve enraizamento dos alporques, consequentemente há necessidade de maiores estudos, quanto à clonagem da variedade "Duke 7" para viabilizá-la como porta-enxerto.

The effect of information and communication technology on global paper consumption

The objective of this thesis is to find out how information and communication technology affects the global consumption of printing and writing papers. Another objective is to find out, whether there are differences between paper grades in these effects. The empirical analysis is conducted by linear regression analysis using three sets of country-level panel data from 1990-2006. Data set of newsprint contains 95 countries, data set of uncoated woodfree paper 61 countries and data set of coated mechanical paper 42 countries. The material is based on paper consumption data of RISI’s Industry Statistics Database and on the information and communication technology data of GMID-database. Results indicate that number of Internet users has statistically significant negative effect on the consumption of newsprint and on the consumption of coated mechanical paper and number of mobile telephone users has positive effect on the consumptions of these papers. Results also indicate that information and communication technologies have only small effect on consumption of uncoated woodfree paper or no significant effect at all, but these results are more uncertain to some extent.

Anaerobic treatment of deinking pulp plant effluents

Anaerobic treatment as a first biological stage in wastewater treatment is nowadays a well-established technology in recycled paper processing mills using closed water circuits. Today further developed high-rate processes and especially high-tower reactors are also able to handle lower organic loads and become therefore feasible for deinking pulp plant effluents. The interest in the anaerobic method is based on a positive energy balance in form of biogas production and low biomass yield from the process. The anaerobic treatment method was researched and its suitability for the deinking pulp plant effluents was tested experimentally at Stora Enso Maxau mill. In the theory, the deinking pulp process is introduced and the effluents from the deinking process are characterized. The anaerobic treatment is brought up in depth in terms of its use for the deinking effluents, and different kind of reactor types are presented. In addition, other wastewater treatment methods are shortly introduced with the focus on tertiary treatment. Static biodegradability tests were carried out for the wastewaters both anaerobically and aerobically. Based on the results, the deinking effluents can be degraded anaerobically, and inhibition to the methanogenic bacteria was not noticed. In the aerobic static test a good performance of the existing wastewater treatment plant at Maxau mill was proved. Later on pilot trials with sequential anaerobic-aerobic treatment were carried out for the deinking effluents. The anaerobic reactor used was a so called internal circulation reactor. The results confirmed that the combination of the anaerobic treatment and the aerobic activated sludge process is a suitable method for deinking wastewaters with a COD reduction as good as with a two stage aerobic method. When combined with the outstanding quality of the produced biogas and the cost savings acquired from the lower sludge production, the anaerobic treatment was found to be an especially favorable treatment method.

Germinação de sementes de atemoia (Annona Cherimola Mill. x A. squamosa L.) cv 'Gefner' submetidas a tratamentos com ácido Giberélico (GA3) e ethephon

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os efeitos do ácido giberélico (GA3), do ethephon e da interação de ambos os reguladores vegetais no processo germinativo de sementes de atemoia (Annona cherimola Mill. x A. squamosa L. ), cultivar 'Gefner'. Empregou-se delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 5², com os tratamentos constituídos pela combinação de cinco concentrações de GA3 (ácido giberélico) e cinco concentrações de ethephon, resultando em 25 tratamentos, com quatro repetições de 25 sementes por parcela. As concentrações de GA3 empregadas foram: 0; 250; 500; 750 e 1.000 mg L-1 i.a.e de ethephon: 0; 25; 50; 75 e 100 mg L-1 i.a.. Os tratamentos com os reguladores vegetais foram aplicados na semente por imersão das mesmas nas soluções de GA3 e ethephon por período de 36 horas. As sementes foram semeadas em rolo de papel germitest e levadas à câmara de germinação onde permaneceram no escuro, com temperatura alternada entre 20ºC por 8 horas e 30ºC por 16 horas. As variáveis avaliadas foram: percentagem, tempo e índice de velocidade de germinação, percentagem de plântulas normais e percentagem de sementes dormentes. Existe interação da ação dos reguladores vegetais estudados no processo germinativo de sementes de atemoia, o que permite concluir que a percentagem de germinação de sementes de atemoia (Annona cherimola Mill. x A. squamosa L. ) cv 'Gefner' é aumentada com o emprego de 778 mg L-1 de GA3, enquanto a associação entre elevadas concentrações de GA3 e 75 a 100 mg L-1 de ethephon incrementam o índice de velocidade de germinação e a percentagem de plântulas normais.

Paper Surface Image Processing for Roughness Quality Measurement

Diplomityössä on käsitelty paperin pinnankarkeuden mittausta, joka on keskeisimpiä ongelmia paperimateriaalien tutkimuksessa. Paperiteollisuudessa käytettävät mittausmenetelmät sisältävät monia haittapuolia kuten esimerkiksi epätarkkuus ja yhteensopimattomuus sileiden papereiden mittauksissa, sekä suuret vaatimukset laboratorio-olosuhteille ja menetelmien hitaus. Työssä on tutkittu optiseen sirontaan perustuvia menetelmiä pinnankarkeuden määrittämisessä. Konenäköä ja kuvan-käsittelytekniikoita tutkittiin karkeilla paperipinnoilla. Tutkimuksessa käytetyt algoritmit on tehty Matlab® ohjelmalle. Saadut tulokset osoittavat mahdollisuuden pinnankarkeuden mittaamiseen kuvauksen avulla. Parhaimman tuloksen perinteisen ja kuvausmenetelmän välillä antoi fraktaaliulottuvuuteen perustuva menetelmä.

Paperitehtaan melukartoitus

Tässä diplomityössä on selvitetty Stora Enso Publication Papers Oy Ltd:n Summan tehtaiden ympäristömelun leviämistä tehtaiden ympärillä oleviin häiriintyviin kohteisiin. Ympäristömelua tutkittiin ympäristömelumittauksilla ja mallintamalla SoundPLAN –ohjelmalla. Työssä on ympäristömelun lisäksi tarkastelu työsuojelumielessä Summan tehtaiden voimalaitoksen melua. Työssä selvitettiin Summan tehtaiden merkittävimpien äänilähteiden äänitehotasot. Maastotietojen ja äänitehotasojen perusteella luotiin melumallit koko tehtaalle ja melua tuottaville osastoille. Melumallien avulla saatiin selville, miten melu leviää ympäristöön. Suurimpiin melulähteisiin, kuorimoon ja PK2:n ilmastointikoneisiin, laadittiin meluntorjuntaehdotukset ja tarkasteltiin uusien mallien avulla toimenpiteiden vaikutusta melun leviämiseen. Tulosten perusteella voidaan todeta, että Summan tehtaiden ympäristömelu ei ylitä lupa-arvoja häiriintyvissä kohteissa. Summan tehtaiden voimalaitoksella suoritettiin annosmelumittaukset ja laadittiin meluntorjuntaohjelma. Meluntorjuntaohjelmassa selvitettiin melun syyt, esitettiin meluntorjuntatoimenpiteitä ja niiden toteuttamissuunnitelma sekä ohjelman uusimisajankohta.