Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Inc.

Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Other

Auburn University

Institute of Paper Sciences and Technology, Inc.

Sujit Banerjee

Wei Su

Russell Wilbur Foulke

Paul Michael Phelan

Howard Corcoran

Brian Via

James Robert Boerner

Stephen P Makris

John T Reye

David K Wilhelm

William G Hand

Earl Malcolm

Edward J Pack, Jr

Engineered wood products and binder compositions are provided. In preferred embodiments, the engineered wood products include wax. Methods are also provided for formulating binders for wood comprising unmodified soy flour and synthetic adhesives. The soy-based formulations are prepared by mixing unmodified soy flour with the synthetic adhesive prior to application to the wood or by adding them sequentially to the wood. The present invention provides adequate bonding at reduced cost.

Soy-modified resins for bonding wood

Methods are provided for formulating binders for wood comprising unmodified soy flour and synthetic adhesives. The soy-based formulations can be in either liquid or solid form and are prepared by mixing unmodified soy flour with the synthetic adhesive prior to application to the wood or by adding them sequentially to the wood. The present invention provides adequate bonding at reduced cost.

Use of soy flour in resin formulations used to manufacture engineered wood composites

A method of treating a suspension of particles in a fluid including the steps of promoting flocculation of the particles, and dewatering the flocs to form a cake with a solids content, an improvement including the step of exposing the suspension to chemicals of the protein family. The suspension can include a suspension of biological sludge in water. The suspension can be a suspension of non biological material.

Consolidation and dewatering of particulate matter with protein

Methods are provided for altering the tack of an adhesive material by contacting the adhesive material with an amount of a cyclodextrin compound effective to reduce the tack of the adhesive material. In a preferred embodiment, the method is for altering the tack of adhesive contaminants in a process fluid, which includes the steps of providing a process fluid in which are dispersed contaminant particles which comprises one or more adhesive materials (such as pitch, pressure sensitive adhesives, hot melts, latexes, binders, and combinations thereof); and adding to the process an amount of a cyclodextrin compound effective to reduce the tack of the adhesive material. The process fluid can be in a process stream in a pulp and paper mill.

Method for altering the tack of materials

The various embodiments of the present invention relate generally to compositions, systems, and methods for altering rates of catalysis. More particularly, the various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward compositions, systems, and methods for enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides, such as cellulose and starch. An aspect of the present invention comprises a method for altering the rate of conversion of a substrate into a product comprising: providing a substrate in a carrier; mixing a reactant and a co-factor with the carrier to form a substantially homogeneous mixture of the reactant, the co-factor, and the substrate in the carrier; and reacting the reactant with the substrate in the presence of the co- factor to convert at least a portion of the substrate into the product, wherein the reaction rate of the reactant with the substrate in the presence of the co-factor is different than the reaction rate of the reactant with the substrate in the absence of the co-factor.

Systems and methods for altering rates of enzymatic processes

Methods are provided for treating suspensions of particles to improve the drainage rate and/or the solids content of flocs of the particles. The method includes the steps of (i) providing a suspension which comprises particles in a fluid; (ii) adding a cyclodextrin compound to the suspension; and (iii) dewatering the suspension by removing at least a portion of the fluid to form a cake comprising the particles. The cyclodextrin compound desirably is added in an amount effective to increase the dewatering rate of the flocs, to increase the solids content, or both, over that rate, solids content, or both, that would be obtained without the addition of the cyclodextrin compound. The suspension may be, for example, a biological or non-biological sludge, or a suspension of pulp fibers, such as in a pulping or papermaking process.

Method for improving the consolidation and dewatering of suspended particulate matter

Exposing sludge to underwater, high-intensity sparks, to increase cake solids, provide faster settling, and increase the rate of dewatering.

Spark-induced consolidation of sludge

A system and method for altering the tack of a material, namely a polymer used as an adhesive, also known as stickies, or pitch. The present invention reduces the tack of the stickies and pitch by exposing the materials for a short duration to low-energy pulsed electrical discharges between a pair of electrodes that are submerged in a liquid medium, such as a fiber stream, water, a pulp slurry, or whitewater.

System and method for altering the tack of materials using an electrohydraulic discharge

A real-time system and method for measuring stickies by separating high molecular weight non-fibrous species from low molecular weight non-fibrous species and sensing the concentration of the high molecular weight species. Specifically, a fiber slurry containing stickies is filtered to remove fibers, fiber debris, and other large contaminant particles from the fiber slurry, after which the carbon content of the filtered sample is measured. Next, the filtrate is ultrafiltered to separate stickies having a high molecular weight from the filtrate, and subsequently, the carbon content of the ultrafiltered sample is measured. Finally, the carbon contents are used to determine the microstickies concentration in the fiber slurry.

Method for sensing stickies

System and method for oxidizing contaminants to alter specific properties, such as tack, of contaminants. The present invention reduces the tack of the stickies and pitch by exposing the materials for a short duration to low-energy pulsed electrical discharges between a pair of electrodes that are submerged in a liquid medium, such as a fiber stream, water, a pulp slurry, or whitewater. An electrical discharge in the liquid medium oxidizes materials, which may be dissolved or suspended therein, such as stickies, pitch, sulfide, ink, toner, and other substances, thereby reducing tack, odor, and/or zeta potential, as well as producing other desirable effect.

System and method for altering characteristics of materials using an electrohydraulic discharge

System and method for diffusing chemicals rapidly and evenly into and through fibrous material, such as wood. Chemicals are introduced into the fibrous material by applying the chemicals to the fibrous material. After treating the fibrous material with the chemicals, the fibrous material is maintained under low-headspace conditions. Thermal energy or dielectric heating, such as microwave or radio frequency energy, is applied to the fibrous material. As a result, the chemicals are able to distribute evenly and quickly throughout the fibrous material.

Method for distributing chemicals through a fibrous material using low-headspace dielectric heating

The present invention is directed to a method for removal of VOCs from wood products prior to drying the wood products. The method of the invention includes the steps of providing a chamber having an opening for receiving wood and loading the chamber with green wood. The wood is loaded to an extent sufficient to provide a limited headspace in the chamber. The chamber is then closed and the wood is heated in the chamber for a time and at a temperature sufficient to saturate the headspace with moisture and to substantially transfer VOCs from the wood product to the moisture in the headspace.

Method for lowering the VOCs emitted during drying of wood products

The present invention is directed to a system and method for removing particulate contaminants from a fluid stream where the particulate contaminants have densities equal to or approximating the density of the carrier fluid.

System and method for removing particulate contaminants from fluid streams

A continuous process for the dewatering of a wide variety of solid-liquid matrices, including primary and secondary sludge, involves the simultaneous application of pressure and heat to solid-liquid matrices.

Growing community of inventors

Marietta, GA, United States of America

Sujit Banerjee