Manufactureof Pulp from Empty Oil-Palm Fruit Bunches For Paperboard at Small-Scale Endeavor

Small-scalepaperboard industriesin Indonesia are mrrentfyfaced with theptvcumnent continuity offibrous raw nyaterial(partim/arfypulp and wastepaper).Wastes ofpal11J-oil processing as e11Jpty oil-palmfruit bunches (EOPFB),inherentfy ligno-cellulosicfibers,are abundantfy available;and asyet have not been utilized comnyercialfy,hence indicating their potential uses as raw materialfor suchpaperboard industries.In relevant, the BO PFB has been experimentally pt1lped usinghot soda semi-chemicalprocess i11 the se11Jipilotscale closed (pressurized)digester, emplf!Ying thefixed cooking condition, i.e. soda (NaOH) concentration 10%, EOPFB toliquor ratio 1:5.5,and maximto temperaf11re 120 'C held for 2 hours. This digester serves as a part of eqnipmenf etnpl(!)led in S11Jall-scalepaperboard manufacttlre.The EOPFB pt1lpyield reached 60.17%. Paperboardsheet iuasformed in a small-scalepaperboard industry-from EOPFB pt1lp (100%);andfrom its mixtur« with wastepaper andpaper-tnill slt1dge(50%:25%:25%),eachfiber stt1ffs incorporating the additives (i.e. 5% kaolinfiller,2% alum retention aid, and 4% tapiocabinder).Strengthproperties ofpaperboardfrom the mixed sttifft (EOPJ-13 pulp, wastepaper,and slt1dge) were somewhat lowerthan those of 100% EOPFBpulp, but better than thoseproduced hy small-scalepaperboardindustriesthat use raw nyaterial of maste paper - sludge mixture (50%:50%,withot1t additives);and could mostfy satiify the standard requirementfor commercialpaperboard,exceptfor burs» index and tear index.These shortcon Jings can expectedly beimproved thro11ghthe use of rosin-soapsizing and greateramount of tapioca binder.