Paper and Graphic Laboratory

Services

• Analyses, qualified reports and counselling on paper transformation and industrial graphic processes.
• Study of chemical, mechanical and semi-chemical pulp production processes.
• Study of mechanical pulp production processes.
• Study of disintegration and de-inking by flotation of recycled paper.
• Study and efficiency assessment of recycled paper recovery.
• Refining of paper pulp.
• Analysis and assessment of the ink–paper relationship.
• IGT printability tests.

Special equipment

• Pulp making equipment: Dry grinder pulp, Forplex Grinding mill, rotary Autoclave (180ºC), Refiner Sprout Waldron; Classifier fibers Wewerk; washing equipment; Pulcell and Voith, de-inking cells, drum dryer.
• Equipment for pulp refining: Disintegrator, PFI Mill, Valley Cell, Lampen Mill, ºSR and CSF equipment.
• Bauer-McNett and Brecht Holl-HS fibre sosters, conventional laboratory sheet former.
• Equipment for measuring printing ink viscosity, the ink–paper relationship and printability tests: Churchill falling rod Viscometer, Density meter, IGT inker, IGT AC2 equipment and its fittings.
• CADSIM simulation software (Aurel Systems, Inc.) for pulp and paper production processes.

Ongoing and recently completed salient research and technology transfer projects:

• White Biotechnology for added value products from renewable plant polymers: Design of tailor-made biocatalysts and new industrial bioprocesses (BIORENEW). NMP2-CT-2006-026456. Sixth Framework Programme.
• Functionalization of lignocellulosic fibres by use of laccase–mediator systems involving natural phenolic compounds (FUNCICEL). CTQ2009-12904.
• Materials and application treatments of cement mortars reinforced with plant fibres (FIBRACEM-2006). BIA2006-11302.
• Optimization of new bleaching sequences using the laccase–mediator system (ENZPULP). CTQ2005-08925-C02-01/PPQ.

A. L. Torres

T. Vidal

M. B. Roncero

A. Clemente

O. Cusola