Press felt conditioner for neutral and alkaline papermaking systems

Abstract

This invention relates to an improved press felt conditioning treatment which controls the deposition of polymerically flocculated particulate substances in a press felt. The treatment comprises applying to the felt an effective inhibiting amount of a conditioner comprising a relatively low molecular weight organic, anionic polymer and at least one hydrophilic, nonionic or anionic surfactant. The polymer preferrably has an acrylic acid or methacrylic acid functionality and is preferrably selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of acrylic acid, a methacrylic acid/polyethylene glycol allyl ether copolymer, a homopolymer of methacrylic acid, an acrylic acid/polyethylene glycol allyl ether copolymer, and an acrylic acid/1-allyloxy-2-hydroxypropane sulfonic acid copolymer. The surfactant is preferrably selected from the group consisting of octyl phenol ethoxylate, nonyl phenol ethoxylate, dodecyl phenol ethoxylate, secondary alcohol ethoxylate, ethoxylated polyoxypropylene glycol, dialkyl phenol ethoxylate, alkyl polyglycoside, dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid and polyoxyethyelene sorbitan monoester. The use of a relatively low molecular weight polymer having an acrylic acid or methacrylic acid functionality in combination with at least one hydrophilic, nonionic or anionic surfactant is especially effective at preventing the deposition of polymerically flocculated particulate substances in a press felt and papermaking machine.