Environmental implications
M. Kallioinen, M. Nystrom, M. Manttari in ”Encyclopedia of Membrane Science and Technology”
Requirements and factors affecting the selection of
membranes in pulp and paper applications
M. Kallioinen, M. Nystrom, M. Manttari in ”Encyclopedia of Membrane Science and Technology”
Mw
Mw(Da)
(Da)
Polymeric Membranes
MF, UF, NF, RO
Structure of the RO/NF membranes
Ref. – V. Freger, C. Linder, BGU
Composite
structure of
membranes
PS or PES support
TEM image of the skin
Vertical Module Arrangement (16” and 32”)
Reverse Osmosis in Action
RO or NF Membrane
Sea Water, Brackish…
Inorganic membranes
MF, UF, NF
Ceramics, carbon, silica, zeolite, various
oxides (alumina, titania, zirconia) and metals
such as palladium, silver and their alloys
ANOPORE™ Inorganic Aluminum Oxide
Membrane Filters
0.2µm

Applications
Decrease in the Use of Freshwater
Pulp mills generally consume 20–50 m3 freshwater/production ton
CR-ultrafilters treating white water at
Tervasaari Paper Mill (UPM-Kymmene).
Source: Courtesy of Metso Paper Inc.
Fresh Water Use and Reuse
Fresh
Water
Intake 2.5
0.9
Reuse
Waste
50
Paper
Machines
50
water
treatment
Effluent
to river
1.8
2.7
Millions M3/year
Evaporation
0.7
WWTP - Hadera Paper
Fresh water
Primary
treatment
Anaerobic
treatment
Paper machines
Biogas for
electricity
production
Aerobic
treatment
Effluent
reuse
Sand filtration
Lamella
sedimentation
Softening
treatment
Excess
sludge for
on site
composting
RO plant (future)
River
brine

Recovery of Valuable Compounds
1. Chemicals from coating color effluents:
Pigments( e.g. TiO2), binders, and additives, such as dispersants,
viscosity modifiers, lubricants, cross-linkers, insolubilizers,
biocides, dyes
2. UF of spent sulfite liquor (SSL) to separate lignosulfonates for
further use. The lignosulfonates are subsequently used in the
manufacturing of vanillin, industrial detergents, dispersant
precipitates, binders, and adhesives
3. UF and NF are feasible technologies for the recovery of
hemicelluloses or lignin derivatives
Decrease in Environmental Impact
Treat effluents from the bleaching stages of pulp mills.
 Bleaching effluents cause a major part of the color and a significant part of
the COD load of total mill effluent. They also have high biological oxygen
demand (BOD) and, depending on the bleaching chemicals used, might
contain organic halogens (AOX)
 UF decreases the color, BOD, COD, and AOX load of bleaching effluents.
Product water can be used for washing purposes.
 Ultrafiltered bleaching effluents can also be more efficiently treated
biologically because UF removes slowly degrading high molar mass lignin
compounds and decreases the amount of chlorinated compounds, which
are resistant to attack by most microorganisms.
Possible routes to treat or reuse membrane filtration concentrates
M. Kallioinen, M. Nystrom, M. Manttari in ”Encyclopedia of Membrane Science and Technology”
Questions?
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