Weighted averages and distributions of fibre characteristics of mechanical pulps Part Ⅱ: Distributions of measured and predicted fibre characteristics using raw data from an optical fibre analyser

摘要

Characterisation of fibres in mechanical pulps is important for process evaluation and control, and necessary to be able to optimise the refining process with respect to the total electric energy consumption. There are large variations of cross-sectional fibre characteristics in the wood raw material which influence the properties of the product. Despite this, it is common to evaluate the fibre characteristics as averages instead of distributions. This study shows that the raw data from a FiberLab analyser can be used to make distributions of measured and predicted fibre characteristics. The factor BIN (Bonding ability INfluence), which correlates to long fibre tensile index, includes both the external fibrillation and wall thickness of each fibre. Distributions of BIN, fibrillation and wall thickness which take the characteristics of each fibre into consideration have higher resolution than histograms. These distributions weighted by length and wall volume with maintained resolution revealed more information about the pulps than average values.