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WO2000032870A1 - Procede de production de papier calandre couche - Google Patents

Procede de production de papier calandre couche Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000032870A1
WO2000032870A1 PCT/US1999/028188 US9928188W WO0032870A1 WO 2000032870 A1 WO2000032870 A1 WO 2000032870A1 US 9928188 W US9928188 W US 9928188W WO 0032870 A1 WO0032870 A1 WO 0032870A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
sheet
paper
moisture content
calender
coating
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US1999/028188
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Steven Simpson Ewens
Timothy Joseph Dumm
Stephen Robert Holmes
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Blandin Paper Co
Original Assignee
Blandin Paper Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Blandin Paper Co filed Critical Blandin Paper Co
Priority to AU21595/00A priority Critical patent/AU2159500A/en
Priority to US09/763,951 priority patent/US6551454B1/en
Publication of WO2000032870A1 publication Critical patent/WO2000032870A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21G—CALENDERS; ACCESSORIES FOR PAPER-MAKING MACHINES
    • D21G1/00—Calenders; Smoothing apparatus
    • D21G1/0073—Accessories for calenders
    • D21G1/0093—Web conditioning devices
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21G—CALENDERS; ACCESSORIES FOR PAPER-MAKING MACHINES
    • D21G1/00—Calenders; Smoothing apparatus
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21G—CALENDERS; ACCESSORIES FOR PAPER-MAKING MACHINES
    • D21G9/00—Other accessories for paper-making machines
    • D21G9/009—Apparatus for glaze-coating paper webs

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the production and manufacture of coated paper grades that are finished especially in a supercalender in order to increase the smoothness, gloss and other properties of the paper.
  • the biggest benefits are obtained with a base web that includes at least some mechanical fibre.
  • the improved properties of the printing surface improve the final quality of the printed sheet.
  • the printability of paper and the quality of the printed surface are primary quality factors that are valued by the users of paper.
  • Different kinds of calendering methods like soft-nip, opti-load and Janus Concept Calenders are used both on uncoated and coated paper grades as well as paper board grades .
  • a supercalender comprises a plurality of soft and hard rolls that are arranged on a vertical stack so that each soft roll is between two hard rolls and vice versa.
  • the stack of rolls can be pressed together in order to produce high linear forces between the contacting surfaces of the rolls.
  • the linear forces are often called nip forces.
  • the hard rolls can be heated.
  • the smoothing of the paper surface is achieved by simultaneously subjecting the fiber structure to high pressure and heat . Under the influence of these forces the fibers forming the paper reach their glass transit temperature and the deformation caused by the nip load is permanent. Sliding of the paper surface on the surface of the rolls also causes deformation of the fibers and increases the smoothing effect.
  • Modern multi-nip calenders comprise often soft rolls made of polymer compounds and effective means for controlling independently the nip loads between each nip of hard and soft roll. These modern types of calenders have several benefits over the earlier supercalanders, the main advantages being better controllabilty and runnability.
  • the control of moisture during manufacture differs on manufacturing coated and uncoated paper grades .
  • the base web which has already been dried to a desired moisture content during manufacture, is wetted and dried at least twice.
  • the coating mix is a admixture of water and additives. When the mix is spread on the base web, the web adsorbs some of the water and the water ahs to be removed from the web by drying. Coating of both sides of the base web requires two coating and drying cycles and if multiple coating layers are desired, the number of cycles increases accordingly.
  • Several wetting and drying cycles inherently mean that the moisture profile of the web is normally more even than the moisture profile of an uncoated sheet that is dried only once. Water absorbed into a coated web exits the web more slowly through the coating layer, whereby the fibers absorb more water which causes more fiber rise in paper of board grades that contain mechanical fiber.
  • the invention is most suitable for products wherein the base web of the product contains mechanical fiber, for example groundwood fiber.
  • the calendered sheet is dried into a moisture content that is 4.0% or less, preferably 3.5% or less, in particular 3.2 to 0.1%, calculated from the dry weight of the paper or paper board .
  • the sheet is dried into a moisture content that is 3.5% or less and remoisturized to a moisture content of 4.0% or less.
  • the moisture content of the sheet entering the calender from a paper making machine, coater or an unwinder is at least about 3.0 %, preferably 3.0 to 8.0
  • the invention is preferably implemented on supercalendered and coated paper grades .
  • the invention may also be implemented on other calendering methods like soft-nip, opti-load and Janus Concept Calenders and for paper board.
  • Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are intended solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.
  • Figure 1 is a schematical side view of a supercalender according to the invention.
  • Figures 2 to 5 are diagrams showing the effect of the end moisture of the calendered sheet on gloss of printed sheet for some paper grades.
  • Figures 6 to 9 are diagrams showing the effect of the end moisture of the calendered sheet on pint smoothness of printed sheet for some paper grades .
  • Figure 10 is a diagram showing the blister resistance of a paper manufactured according to the invention in relation to a reference grade.
  • Figure 11 shows the effect of the moisture content of the sheet on the blistering temperature.
  • Figure 1 shows an off-line calender, wherein the paper is handled as separate rolls manufactured in paper machine and finished in one or several coating stages.
  • the rolls are unwound on an unwinder (not shown) and the paper sheet is lead to a multi-nip supercalender 1.
  • the supercalender comprises a plurality of soft 18 and hard 19 rolls and guide rolls 17.
  • the soft rolls 18 are coated with fiber material or synthetic material.
  • the hard rolls 19 are usually made of steel.
  • the rolls are arranged on a stack wherein each hard roll 18 is between soft rolls 19 and the paper sheet is lead through the nips between rolls 18, 19 by guide rolls 17 so that it passes through each nip.
  • the calender also comprises load cylinders 20 at each end of the rolls 18, 19 for pressing the roll stack together.
  • top and bottom dryers 2, 3 for drying the calendered paper.
  • the dryer system comprises paper guide rolls 5 and 8 for guiding the paper run 4 between the top and bottom dryers 2, 3.
  • the dryers are positioned to face each other and any suitable contactless dryer type may be used, for example air float, air impingement or infra red dryer.
  • a threading tape 6 with tape drive 7 is provided for guiding the leading edge of the paper sheet through the gap between the dryers along the paper run 4 while starting up or threading a paper sheet through the process.
  • the web is taken under the calender to a winder and the finished sheet is rewound on a roll 21.
  • the sheet is first taken to a first spreader roll 9 which tensions the sheet in cross- machine direction in order to prevent crimping of the web.
  • a second spreader roll 10 positioned upstream from the first spreader roll serves the same purpose. From the second spreader roll 10 the web is taken through fly rolls 12 to the winder (not shown) .
  • a scanner 13 for detecting properties of the sheet and a moisture detector are positioned on the web run between the fly rolls and the winder.
  • An alternative web run is provided directly from the calender 1 through the fly rolls 12 to the winder.
  • the winder and dryers may be positioned on the same side of the calender, more than one type of dryers may be used or the calender may be of some other type than a supercalender.
  • the calender is defined to be an apparatus wherein a moving paper or paper board sheet is treated with heat and pressure.
  • the dryers are preferably of a contactless type, but cylinder dryers may also be used if so desired.
  • One important modification is a moisture controlling device that can be arranged before the calender.
  • the moisturizing device can be a steam moisturizer, spray moisturizer or a film application device wherein the water is spread on a roll that runs in contact with the web.
  • Each of these devises is in normal use in paper making industry and familiar to a person skilled in the art .
  • the invention can be implemented with several types of coating processes.
  • the main types of coating methods are blade coating, wherein the coating mix is leveled of the web by a blade and roll coating wherein the coating mix is leveled on the web by an applicator roll.
  • Blade doctoring and roll application can be combined and several types of coaters are included in these general groups.
  • the film transfer or roll coater process has an advantage over the blade coaters.
  • the film transfer coater or other types of roll coaters stresses the web much less than a blade coater whereby the web may contain less chemical fiber and more mechanical fiber.
  • the strength of the web containing more mechanical fiber is lower than that of the web that contains only or high amounts of chemical fiber.
  • the weaker web can be run in a film coater much more reliably.
  • the idea of the invention is to control the behavior of the fibers of the base sheet and the water content of the sheet so that a good smooth printing surface is obtained.
  • One quality problem that may occur in printing of some high quality paper grades is fluting of the sheet in the printing press. Fluting means that the sheet corrugates in the machine direction in large scale or in several directions in small scale. In the large scale fluting corrugated waves are formed over large areas on the sheet and in small scale fluting the waves or deformations occur in such a small scale that no actual waves are formed but the surface of the sheet becomes irregular. The water absorbed causes the deformation of the sheet from the printing ink to the sheet.
  • the invention is based on a surprising discovery that the moisture content of a calendered sheet has a significant effect on the properties of a paper sheet and the printing quality.
  • a second pressroom evaluation was conducted at RIT. In this evaluation a roll of Intrepid Gloss paper in which the finished sheet moisture content had been reduced from 4.6% to 1.7% was run on press. The standard sheet with the moisture content of 4.6% was also printed for comparison. When the Blandin sheet with the 1.7% moisture was printed, it was discovered that not only did the sheet have reduced fluting compared to the standard sheet with 4.6% moisture, but it also had significantly reduced fiber puff and higher ink gloss. On bases of these tests a third pressroom evaluation conducted to determine how low the moisture content would need to be to get the improved printed surface characteristics .
  • results of the trials and test show that the invention, when applied to the finished sheet and then printed, improves the sheet quality a number of ways: it reduces fiber puff and fiber rise improving printed sheet smoothness and ink gloss. it reduces ink absorption improving ink gloss and reducing ink consumption, - it improves the sheets dimensional stability and reduces printed sheet fluting,
  • Improvements seen in printed sheet smoothness and fluting tendency reduction of groundwood containing papers during offset printing as a result of the application of the invention are due to reduced water penetration into the sheet and reduced water expansion within the sheet.
  • water is applied to the surface of the sheet. Some of this water penetrates into the sheet and interacts with the fibers causing stress relaxation of the internal structural components, swelling of the fibers, and debonding of the fibers through dissolution or weakening of the fiber- fiber bonds.
  • coated paper is dried and calendered, the fibers within the sheet are flattened into a ribbon shape. When these fibers are re-wetted in the offset press, they swell.
  • the invention provides a good method for producing ULWC papers and boards also by using base web containing mechanical fiber by control of the fiber rise.
  • the main principle how the invention controls the fiber rise is drying of the coated web into a very low moisture content whereby the fibers do not absorb water easily during the short moisturizing cycle of the printing process.
  • the problem with using higher moisture of the web when the web enters the calander is that it is extremely difficult to maintain good moisture profile of the web when it is not dried to a moisture of 3 - 4%.
  • the moisture content that the invention preferably requires is 6 - 8% or preferably even more. These values are difficult to achieve simply by controlling the drying process of the paper machine.
  • the web is coated before calendering.
  • the web can be normally dried as dry as desired, for example to a moisture content of 3.5 - 4%, and the water in the coating mix provides the water that rises the moisture content of the web to a desired level and the moisture content can be easily controlled by line measurement apparatuses and by controlling the coating profile.
  • Modern coating apparatuses use normally dryers wherein the drying power can be controlled crosswise over the web, which provides an effective means for keeping the moisture of the web even and on a desired value.
  • water and/or ink When water and/or ink is applied to the surface of the sheet in the offset printing process, it seals the coating layer and hinders water (or gas) evaporation from the sheet during the drying process.
  • the bound water will expand during the drying process resulting in a dissolution of the internal and external structure of the sheet.
  • Small cracks in the coating layer can also be the result of this bound water expansion. These small cracks also contribute to print surface roughening, ink gloss reduction, and sheet surface dissolution. This internal and external sheet dissolution, because it disrupts the entire sheet structure, contributes to a loss of dimensional stability in the sheet which in turn results in printed sheet fluting.
  • the invention removes a significant portion of the internal and fiber bound water from the sheet structure prior to the printing press thus decreasing this internal and external sheet dissolution.
  • Water removal from the finished sheet during the paper making process does not disrupt the internal or external sheet structure because the surface of the sheet has not been sealed and gaseous moisture vapor escapes freely. Because the moisture content of the sheet has decreased, the penetration rate of additional water into the sheet is reduced when the paper is printed on press. This phenomena is partly explained by the fact that most of the substances absorb water more easily if slightly wetted and have in a very dry state a hydrophobic character.
  • Ink gloss enhancement results in part from the printed sheet smoothness improvement .
  • the smoother surface allows for more even ink distribution on the sheet surface resulting in ink gloss improvement .
  • Ink gloss enhancement is also the result of a reduced ink setting rate or absorbency of ink vehicle oil . Because the moisture content of the finished sheet has been reduced prior to the addition of ink, the ink absorbency rate has also been decreased.
  • Fast ink setting rate causes a reduction in print gloss.
  • High absorbency of the ink vehicle oil into the coating allows less time for the ink to flow to its ideal level on the paper surface. High absorbency also produces a rougher ink film resulting in lower print gloss.
  • a lower ink absorbency rate allows for a reduced ink setting rate which results in a smoother ink film and thus improved ink gloss .
  • One of the additional benefits of the invention and one of its preferred embodiments is the affect on print binder migration mottle and process changes which allow for additional optimization of printed sheet smoothness.
  • trials were conducted in production to see if the finished sheet moisture could be reduced by lowering the sheet moisture off the coater and going to the supercalender.
  • the white paper was so rough that the print surface was rougher also. What the invention allows for is that we can now run the coater moisture up higher and improve the white paper smoothness off the supercalender.
  • the typical limits for moisture content after coating and before entering the calender are about 3.0 to 8.0 %, after calendering about 2.5 to 7.0 % and after drying the final moisture content of the finished sheet is 0.0 to 4.0 %, preferebly 3,5 % whereafter the paper is remoisturized to a moisture content between 0.5 - 4.0 %.
  • the purpose of the remoisturizing is to finally level out possible variations in the moisture of the sheet and adjust the moisture of the sheet to a level best suitable for the printing method wherein the paper is to be used.
  • the final moisture of the sheet may not exceed a value wherein the fibers absorb water or their hydrophobic properties obtained by drying after calendering will detoriate.
  • the remoisturizing of the dried sheet can be accoplished by applying water in a spray or film or preferably by using water vapor or humid air.
  • the remoisturizing can be performed before winding or rolls may be set to moisturize in a humid atmosphere after winding.
  • Figures 2 to 5 show print glosses of different paper grades on different final moisture contents.
  • the paper grades used in the comparison were 40# INTREPID, 45# INTREPID, 60# INTREPID and 50# GRAND IMPRESSION.
  • the left columns show gloss of the top side of the sheet and the right columns show the glosses of the wire side of the sheet. It can be seen from all of the figures that decreasing the moisture content to 3.2% or less gave significantly better print gloss values compared to a control sample having a moisture content of, for example 4.5%. It also can be seen that if the moisture content is further decreased, the print gloss values did not increase or did decrease slightly. On bases of these test results it can be deducted that the optimum moisture content for different paper grades is about 3.0%.
  • the figures 6 to 9 show the effect of altered moisture content to Parker print smoothness.
  • the same paper grades as mentioned above were used in the evaluation.
  • smoothness scale smaller values describe better smoothness, i.e. smaller values indicate smoother surface.
  • decreased moisture of the sheet gives significantly better smoothness and further decreasing the moisture content does not usually give better smoothness.
  • One further feature is that the difference in smoothness of top side and wire side of the sheet usually changes when moisture is decreased in comparison to the control samples .
  • Figures 10 and 11 show results blistering tests on 60#INTREPID and GRAND IMPRESSION GRADES. Blistering is a phenomenon wherein water evaporating within a paper or cardboard sheet disintegrates the surface of the sheet.
  • the ALTERED MOISTURE INTREPID AM INTERPID
  • Figure 11 shows clearly that when the moisture content is decreased, the blistering temperature increases almost linearly. Note that the diagram shows both target and actual moisture contents and the curve between 3.1 and 2.4% actual moisture is slightly steeper. However, more measurement points would be needed to surely show more rapid increase in blistering temperature when moisture content is lowered below 3.1%, but the diagram gives at least an indication of probable results.
  • a paper or board sheet is handled in a calender which is preferably a supercalander or alternatively an improved calender designed on basis of the supercalender operating principles.
  • a calender which is preferably a supercalander or alternatively an improved calender designed on basis of the supercalender operating principles.
  • Suitable calender types have been mentioned above.
  • After calendering the sheet is dried in a separate dryer before winding to a moisture content that is 4% at highest and preferably about 3.0%. It might be possible to adjust the final moisture content in the calender to above mentioned value, but then the calendering result may not be as good as when separate drying step is used. Also the temperature control of the heated rolls of the calender may be more difficult if very dry paper is produced without drying after the sheet is handled in the calender.
  • the invention may be implemented on other calender types also, but the benefits may not be as great as when implemented on supercaledered papers since the smoothness of paper grades thus produced is not as good as that of grades made by supercalendering or similar high-gloss calendering methods.
  • the invention is preferably implemented on paper grades based on groundwood base sheet that is coated with at least one coating layer. However, it is possible to implement the invention also to grades based on chemical kraft and for uncoated grades and also for paper board.
  • the supercalender is advantageously arranged on-line with a coater, but the paper can be brought to the calender from an unwinder or directly from a paper or board machine.
  • the drying of the paper or board sheet and remoisturizing can also be performed in a separate step by unwinding the calendered and wound sheet and drying and/or remoisturizing the sheet, whereafter the sheet can be directly printed or rewound on a roll. This method makes it possible to handle the sheet directly before printing in a desired manner.

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Abstract

Dans cette invention, plusieurs sortes de papier sont apprêtés dans une supercalandre (1), ou dans des types de calandres similaires, en vue de conférer au papier entre autres, une surface plus unie et plus brillante. Le procédé de fabrication de papier couché ou calandré ou de panneau en carton de cette invention consiste d'abord à coucher un panneau ou une feuille de papier et à amener la feuille contenant l'eau dans un calandre (1), et à avancer ensuite la feuille d'eau dans au moins une ligne de contact formée par deux rouleaux (18, 19) du calandre et d'appliquer simultanément chaleur et pression sur cette feuille au niveau de la ligne de contact afin de traiter la surface de la bande de papier, l'eau étant également éliminée de la feuille. Ce procédé consiste ensuite à éliminer l'eau de la feuille de papier avant l'enroulement dans la mesure où la teneur en humidité de la feuille est réglée à une valeur ≤ 4,0 %, puis à avancer la feuille ainsi traitée dans un tambour bobineur (21), et enfin, à enrouler la feuille autour d'un rouleau.
PCT/US1999/028188 1998-11-30 1999-11-30 Procede de production de papier calandre couche Ceased WO2000032870A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU21595/00A AU2159500A (en) 1998-11-30 1999-11-30 Method for producing coated calendered paper
US09/763,951 US6551454B1 (en) 1999-11-30 1999-11-30 Method for producing coated calendered paper

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US20139098A 1998-11-30 1998-11-30
US09/201,390 1998-11-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000032870A1 true WO2000032870A1 (fr) 2000-06-08

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1999/028188 Ceased WO2000032870A1 (fr) 1998-11-30 1999-11-30 Procede de production de papier calandre couche

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2159500A (fr)
WO (1) WO2000032870A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010018302A1 (fr) * 2008-08-11 2010-02-18 Upm-Kymmene Corporation Procédé de fabrication de papier d'impression
EP4575088A1 (fr) * 2023-12-20 2025-06-25 Billerud Aktiebolag (publ) Production de papier à haute densité

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5425851A (en) * 1991-10-23 1995-06-20 Westvaco Corporation Method for improving the printability of web offset paper

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5425851A (en) * 1991-10-23 1995-06-20 Westvaco Corporation Method for improving the printability of web offset paper

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010018302A1 (fr) * 2008-08-11 2010-02-18 Upm-Kymmene Corporation Procédé de fabrication de papier d'impression
EP4575088A1 (fr) * 2023-12-20 2025-06-25 Billerud Aktiebolag (publ) Production de papier à haute densité
WO2025132278A1 (fr) * 2023-12-20 2025-06-26 Billerud Aktiebolag (Publ) Production de papier haute densité

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2159500A (en) 2000-06-19

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