Quantification and reduction of organic sulfur compound formation in a commercial wood pulping process

This study experimentally quantified the formation of organic sulfur compounds in a commercial SuperBatch kraft pulping process using a laboratory pilot-scale digester. The results indicate that wood chips not only can adsorb HS- but also methyl mercaptan (MM) in the black liquor used for pretreatment during the two pretreatment stages. The absorption rate of MM is much faster than that of HS-. In the third stage of SuperBatch pulping, the rate of formation of MM and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is very similar to that found in conventional batch kraft pulping processes. The study examined the applicability of the phase transition cooking (PTC) concept for reducing organic sulfur compounds in pulping, previously developed in laboratory batch pulping using a bomb-type digester, in a SuperBatch process. It was confirmed that there is a phase transition point (PTP) corresponding to PTC in SuperBatch pulping beyond which further delignification significantly increases the formation of volatile organic sulfur compounds. The results indicate that a 40% reduction of TRS formation can be achieved by using PTC.