A process for depolymerization of lignin, the process including using at least one catalyst internal to a pulp mill for performing catalytic treatment and separation of biomass components into cellulose and lignin rich material is provided.

A method of preparing a sizing boost additive, includes: I) combining a lignin oil and an aqueous solution of gelatinized cationic polysaccharide to obtain a lignin/polysaccharide blend, wherein the lignin oil is obtained by base catalyzed depolymerization of lignin; and the gelatinized cationic polysaccharide is prepared by cooking dry cationic polysaccharide in water until completely gelatinized; and wherein a weight ratio of lignin oil:polysaccharide in the blend is 1:0.5-2, where the weight of the polysaccharide is the weight of dry polysaccharide added in preparation of the aqueous solution of gelatinized cationic polysaccharide; and the combined weight of lignin and polysaccharide is 1-10 wt-% based on the total weight of the resulting blend; followed by II) mixing the lignin/polysaccharide blend at a temperature of 40-100 C., until the blend has changed color from grey-white to brown.

A method of utilizing lignin-containing material separated from spent kraft pulping liquor including: acidifying the liquor to a pH not less than seven thereby precipitating solid particles, separating precipitated solid particles from the accompanying liquid, and subjecting the separated precipitated solid particles to a washing process in which: the separated precipitated solid particles are washed with an aqueous medium or aqueous media in one or more washing steps, in each one of the washing steps, the aqueous washing medium contains, in a dissolved form, significant amounts of one or more added sodium salts, and a combined concentration of the added sodium salts in the washing medium in each of the washing step exceeds three percent by weight; and utilizing as fuel in a lime kiln at least part of the washed lignin-containing material is utilized as fuel in a lime kiln of a pulp mill.

A method for processing a bark press water from sawmills and/or pulp mills is disclosed. According to the disclosure, the method comprises a) filtration of the bark press water to provide a bark press water filtrate having a particle size of less than 100 ?m, and b) concentrating the bark press water filtrate to a level of at least 10% dry weight and thereby providing a first fraction of concentrated bark press water, comprising tannic compounds; and a second fraction of purified bark press water.

A method for handling spent wash solution produced in the washing of lignin that has been precipitated and then separated from spent alkaline pulping liquor. At least part of the spent wash solution is introduced into the chemical recovery cycle at a location in that part of the cycle which starts at, and includes, the smelt dissolving stage and ends at, and includes, the pulping stage. In preferred embodiments, input of other water and/or aqueous solution into the chemical recovery cycle after the recovery boiler is adjusted so that, as a consequence of the introduction of the spent wash solution, the amount of water in the white liquor going to the pulping line is not significantly increased. Among others, two preferred locations for the introduction of the spent wash solution are (1) the smelt dissolver and (2) the location where unwashed lime mud is diluted.

A method of utilizing lignin-containing material separated from spent kraft pulping liquor including: acidifying the liquor to a pH not less than seven thereby precipitating solid particles, separating precipitated solid particles from the accompanying liquid, and subjecting the separated precipitated solid particles to a washing process in which: the separated precipitated solid particles are washed with an aqueous medium or aqueous media in one or more washing steps, in each one of the washing steps, the aqueous washing medium contains, in a dissolved form, significant amounts of one or more added sodium salts, and a combined concentration of the added sodium salts in the washing medium in each of the washing step exceeds three percent by weight; and utilizing as fuel in a lime kiln at least part of the washed lignin-containing material is utilized as fuel in a lime kiln of a pulp mill.

One embodiment provides an apparatus for cooking lignocellulosic material, comprising a pressurizable, inclined top separator including a sluicing liquor inlet for receiving a sluicing mixture comprising impregnated lignocellulosic material and sluicing liquor, a hot black liquor inlet, an excess liquor outlet, and an impregnated lignocellulosic material outlet; a continuous digester vessel including an impregnated lignocellulosic material inlet in communication with the impregnated lignocellulosic material outlet, and a warm black liquor outlet; and a black liquor circulation and heating loop including a warm black liquor inlet in communication with said warm black liquor outlet, a heater for heating warm black liquor to produce hot black liquor, and a hot black liquor outlet in communication with said hot black liquor inlet. Methods of making and using the apparatus are also provided.

A method for processing a bark press water from sawmills and/or pulp mills is disclosed. According to the disclosure, the method comprises a) filtration of the bark press water to provide a bark press water filtrate having a particle size of less than 100 m, and b) concentrating the bark press water filtrate to a level of at least 10% dry weight and thereby providing a first fraction of concentrated bark press water, comprising tannic compounds; and a second fraction of purified bark press water.

The present invention relates to a process for treating ash recovered from a recovery boiler. The process is designed to recover valuable pulping chemicals, such as potassium, sodium, carbonate, and sulfate. In the course of treating the ash, a chloride-rich purge stream is produced and includes sulfate, carbonate, potassium, and sodium that can be beneficially used in a wood pulping process. To segregate the chloride from the beneficial chemicals, the chloride-rich purge stream is directed into an anion segregation unit such as a nanofiltration or ion exchange unit. This effectively separates or removes the chloride from the purge stream and enables the beneficial chemicals to be recycled and used in the wood pulping process.