Papermaking often requires additives to achieve desired properties, such as the strength of the paper. New research shows that this can be solved in an, as of yet, untested way.

Research shows that certain properties in pulp made from selected parts of spruce trees can have more added value than previously believed. Specific properties, such as the rigidity and elasticity of the paper product, vary depending on which parts of the spruce trees or other kinds of wood that are used when producing the pulp.

The research group NewDeP, New Development for Pellet Technology, consists of seven researchers and has been working on pellet research since 2001. The research encompasses how renewable material can become a high-quality pelleted product, in a sustainable and energy efficient way.

Björn Sjöstrand, senior lecturer in Chemical Engineering, has been awarded the Heinzel-Mondi-Sappi Award for his research on the virtual paper machine. His research makes it possible to optimise and test the manufacturing process in the industry, without expensive production stoppages.

Karlstad University is working actively to develop its wood research and the research group, together with its partners, has in the last year received considerable funding from various funders to develop timber construction.

Integrated paperboard manufacturing consists of a number of unit processes that continuously generate large amounts of process data. Manufacturing is energy-intensive and variations must be taken into account to achieve the optimal production process. A new thesis at Karlstad University shows how different mathematical models can be applied to the processes in aspects of improved product quality and reduced energy use.