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On two‐phase modeling of dewatering pulp suspensions
Author(s) -
Paterson Daniel T.,
Eaves Tom S.,
Hewitt Duncan R.,
Balmforth Neil J.,
Martinez D. Mark
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.17277
Subject(s) - dewatering , pulp (tooth) , materials science , composite material , porosity , porous medium , pulp and paper industry , geotechnical engineering , geology , engineering , medicine , pathology
An experimental study of the dewatering of wood‐pulp fiber suspensions by uniaxial compression is presented, to rationalize their dewatering dynamics within a two‐phase framework. Twenty‐seven pulp suspensions are examined, encompassing materials with different origins, preparation methodologies, and secondary treatments. For each suspension in this library, the network permeability and compressive yield stress are calibrated at low rates of dewatering. Faster compressions are then used to verify that a solid bulk viscosity is essential to match two‐phase model predictions with experimental observations, and to parameterize its magnitude. By comparing the results with a suspension of nylon fibers, we demonstrate that none of the wood‐pulp suspensions behave like an idealized fibrous porous medium. Nevertheless, the properties of pulp fiber networks can be reconciled within a two‐phase framework, and comparisons made between different wood‐pulp suspensions and between wood‐pulp and nylon fibers, by appealing to potential microstructural origins of their macroscopic behavior.