The current process relates to the treatment of a primary sludge that is produced from waste water treatment facilities such as a pulp mill or a pulp and paper mills. It further relates to a process of using the primary sludge in the production of cellulosic ethanol. It further relates to the use of the treated primary sludge in the manufacture of recycled linerboard.

Processes for converting lignocellulose to feedstock and downstream products are disclosed. The processes may include acid treatment of lignocellulose to produce a fermentation feedstock. In various instances, the processes include recovery or recycling of acid, such as recovery of hydrochloric acid from concentrated and/or dilute streams. Downstream products may include acrylic acid-based products such as diapers, paper and paper-based products, ethanol, biofuels such as biodiesel and fuel additives, and detergents.

A method for the production of paper products, such as paper and cardboard, by recycling cellulose-based raw materials containing starch. The method includes the steps of pulping in water cellulose-based raw materials containing starch, particularly recycled paper products, obtaining a pulped mass; adding to the pulped mass of the previous step under agitation a mineral acid in a quantity that is suitable to obtain a pH of the pulped mass not lower than 4, and obtaining a pulped mass treated with acid. The method further includes the step of subjecting the pulped mass treated with acid obtained in the second step, optionally treated with other chemical additives, in succession, to filtration, pressing and drying, and obtaining a paper product. Paper products obtainable by this method are also related.

A method for the production of paper products, such as paper and cardboard, by recycling cellulose-based raw materials containing starch. The method includes the steps of pulping in water cellulose-based raw materials containing starch, particularly recycled paper products, obtaining a pulped mass; adding to the pulped mass of the previous step under agitation a mineral acid in a quantity that is suitable to obtain a pH of the pulped mass not lower than 4, and obtaining a pulped mass treated with acid. The method further includes the step of subjecting the pulped mass treated with acid obtained in the second step, optionally treated with other chemical additives, in succession, to filtration, pressing and drying, and obtaining a paper product. Paper products obtainable by this method are also related.

The present invention addresses the problem of efficiently manufacturing a recycled pulp from a used sanitary article, said recycled pulp being reusable for sanitary articles and having an ash content and antibacterial properties both meeting the standards for sanitary articles. A method for manufacturing a recycled pulp reusable for sanitary articles by recovering a pulp fiber from a used sanitary article that contains the pulp fiber and a high water-absorbing polymer, said method comprising an ozone treatment step for immersing the used sanitary article or pulp fiber in an ozone-containing aqueous solution and thus disintegrating the high water-absorbing polymer contained in the used sanitary article or sticking to the pulp fiber, characterized in that the used sanitary article or pulp fiber is treated with a cationic antibacterial agent before, after or together with the ozone treatment step.

The present invention addresses the problem of efficiently manufacturing a recycled pulp from a used sanitary article, said recycled pulp being reusable for sanitary articles and having an ash content and antibacterial properties both meeting the standards for sanitary articles. A method for manufacturing a recycled pulp reusable for sanitary articles by recovering a pulp fiber from a used sanitary article that contains the pulp fiber and a high water-absorbing polymer, said method comprising an ozone treatment step for immersing the used sanitary article or pulp fiber in an ozone-containing aqueous solution and thus disintegrating the high water-absorbing polymer contained in the used sanitary article or sticking to the pulp fiber, characterized in that the used sanitary article or pulp fiber is treated with a cationic antibacterial agent before, after or together with the ozone treatment step.

The present invention relates to regulation of the p H of a liquefaction process. Presented is a method for treatment of a biomass feedstock wherein the biomass feedstock is subjected to liquefaction, at a p H of at most 4, by treatment with hot compressed liquid water (HCW) at subcritical and/or supercritical conditions to improve the conversion efficiency. The present invention is also directed to quenching of a liquefaction process according to above, preventing, minimizing or eliminating clogging and/or fouling of sticky biomass components in process equipment during processing as according to above, and to the use of additives in a biomass liquefaction process.

The present invention relates to regulation of the p H of a liquefaction process. Presented is a method for treatment of a biomass feedstock wherein the biomass feedstock is subjected to liquefaction, at a p H of at most 4, by treatment with hot compressed liquid water (HCW) at subcritical and/or supercritical conditions to improve the conversion efficiency. The present invention is also directed to quenching of a liquefaction process according to above, preventing, minimizing or eliminating clogging and/or fouling of sticky biomass components in process equipment during processing as according to above, and to the use of additives in a biomass liquefaction process.

Methods for reducing the effects of wetlapping, drying, and hornification of pulp fibers and consequently increasing the pulp drainage and strength properties in the final product (i.e., paper) are provided. The method which has been developed creates a “value-added” product by the wastepaper supplier or at the pulp and/or deinking (recycled paper) mill—a wastepaper load/bale, wet pulp stock or wet lap, or dried pulp treated with or impregnated with enzymes that enhance the quality of the pulp or paper product when it is repulped and processed at the paper mill.

Methods for reducing the effects of wetlapping, drying, and hornification of pulp fibers and consequently increasing the pulp drainage and strength properties in the final product (i.e., paper) are provided. The method which has been developed creates a “value-added” product by the wastepaper supplier or at the pulp and/or deinking (recycled paper) mill—a wastepaper load/bale, wet pulp stock or wet lap, or dried pulp treated with or impregnated with enzymes that enhance the quality of the pulp or paper product when it is repulped and processed at the paper mill.