The Workshop

Pitch deposit awareness and control

G. D. "Skip" Laubach and C a r o l S. Greer

Pitch deposits and the associated problems in paper 10% by weight. The amount of pitch released during
machine systems will likely increase in the future. Faster pulping depends on the type of wood being pulped.
paper machines mean higher shear rates, which aggravate Softwoods generally contain a larger amount of pitch (due
pitch deposition. Higher production rates often mean to the presence of resin canals in the wood), but hardwood
overloaded pulp washers and dirtier, more pitch-filled pitch is often more difficult to treat due to its generally
pulps. Increased use of high-yield pulps and secondary higher levels of insoluble neutral organic pitch components
fibers translates into more contaminants and pitch in the (e.g., waxes, fatty alcohols, and sterols).
pulp. The trend towards increased mill closure and greater
water recirculation and reuse means more pitch in the
How do the various pulping processes affect
system. And more pitch in the system translates to a
pitch components?
greater chance of deposits and runnability problems.
The obvious costs resulting from pitch deposits in a In the kraft process, the alkaline conditions serve to
machine system include lost or downgraded production saponify the fats (glycerol esters of fatty acids) and fatty
resulting from specks, spots, and holes in the sheet, and resin acids to their soluble sodium salts, which act
reduced wire and felt life, and downtime due to clothing as natural surfactants for the neutral organic pitch
changes and clean-up of the machine. More subtle costs components. Thus, removal of pitch through an efficient
to the mill arise from the corrosion which can result from brownstock washing stage is usually very good. In the kraft
the microbial growth that can occur in conjunction with process, much of the lignin is solubilized, and many of the
pitch deposits. And, of course, paper machine downtime parenchyma ray cells (containing encapsulated colloidal
means less profits for the mill. pitch) are ruptured, releasing pitch so it can be removed
To understand pitch, the whole papermaking system from the system along with the lignin in the pulp washing
must be considered. A pitch problem on the paper machine stages.
may be originating back in the pulp mill. In the neutral or acid sulfite pulping process, fats are
hydrolyzed to the free fatty acids and glycerol. Resin acids
W h a t effect does w o o d storage h a v e remain unchanged, as do the neutral organics. All of these
o n pitch components? pitch components are insoluble under acid pH conditions.
Since the fatty and resin acids are not in their soluble
Enzymatic hydrolysis and air oxidation reactions can sodium salt form, they cannot act as emulsifiers for the
occur which cause pitch components to become more neutral organics in this system. Although the sulfonated
water-soluble and therefore more easily removed in the lignins can serve as natural dispersants for the pitch
pulp washing stages. Some organic materials (such as particles, removal of the insoluble pitch components by
terpenes) are lost through volatilization. These beneficial pulp washing is poor. Many ray cells remain intact during
reactions are more likely to occur in the w a r m e r months this milder pulping process, so a significant percentage
of the year. Wood stored in chip form rather than log form of the sulfite fibers contain encapsulated pitch. This form
will undergo hydrolysis and oxidation reactions to a of pitch can cause problems further on in the system, since
greater extent, but storage of wood under water will retard it can be released when the fiber cell walls are broken
the oxidation reactions. One drawback to seasoning wood at shear points (such as press nips).
is loss of pulp brightness. Therefore, a balance in wood In the mechanical pulping process, the heat and
chip handling must be achieved. mechanical action of the grinders releases large amounts
Pitch is released during the pulping process in the form of colloidal pitch as an unstable dispersion. The pitch
of hydrophobic, microscopic particles (Fig. 1). Colloidal components themselves are largely unchanged, lignin
pitch droplets carry a negative surface charge and are in remains insoluble, and many of the ray cells are ruptured.
an unstable, dispersed state. Several different factors can Since little or no pulp washing occurs, all of the pitch
cause this colloidal pitch emulsion to "break" and form released into the system is carried along with the pulp.
large agglomerates and sticky deposits in a paper machine Severe pitch-related problems can occur under these
system (Fig. 2). conditions.
Pitch content in wood can vary anywhere from 1% to More often than not, pitch deposits in a paper machine
system are a combination of organic and inorganic
materials. Materials that contribute to organic deposits in
Laubach is a product specialist and Greer is a senior a paper machine system not only include the chemical
research chemist at Nalco Chemical Co., One Nalco components of pitch but also secondary fiber contaminants
Center, Naperville, Ill. 60563-1198. and even petroleum products (such as the oils found in
June 1991 TappiJournal 2 4 9
 )rownstock defoamers). Materials that contribute to effective and accumulated deposits in the system can be
norganic deposits include fillers such as clay, titanium removed. A disadvantage to using dispersants for pitch
dioxide, calcium carbonate, and talc, and insoluble salts control is that they can build up in the white water
such as barium sulfate. Often these materials will co- (especially in a closed system) and adversely affect
deposit along with pitch due to the hydrophobic, tacky retention programs. Also, some dispersants foam, and
nature of a pitch deposit. chunks of old deposits can be dislodged and cause holes
and sheet defects. Some very effective pitch "dispersants"
W h a t are s o m e o f t h e pitch deposit t r i g g e r i n g are actually blends of dispersants and surfactants.
m e c h a n i s m s o f t e n e n c o u n t e r e d i n a paper As mentioned earlier, calcium carbonate scale and
machine system? hardness ions can cause pitch to deposit. Chelants and
crystal modifiers can prevent this from happening. These
Hydrodynamic or mechanical shear can destabilize the chemicals act to sequester polyvalent ions such as Ca ÷2,
colloidal pitch emulsion, causing pitch to agglomerate and thereby preventing the formation of CaC03 microcrystals
deposits to form. Similarly, sudden temperature drops, pH and insoluble calcium and magnesium soaps of fatty and
shocks, or the introduction of water hardness ions (e.g., from resin acids. Chelating agents work very well in kraft pulp
fresh water inlets or showers) can also cause pitch deposits mills and bleach plants but have very poor cost perfor-
by destabilizing the colloidal pitch emulsion. Inorganic mance since stoichiometric amounts are required to be
salts such as calcium carbonate can catalyze pitch effective.
deposition by acting as the "bricks" for the "mortar-like" Alum and sodium aluminate have been used very
pitch. Calcium ions in the white water can react with fatty effectively to control pitch deposits. These chemicals act
and resin acids, forming insoluble, tacky calcium soaps. as coagulation aids to attach pitch particles to fibers and
fines, in much the same way that rosin size is set onto fibers
What methods c a n b e u s e d to control pitch i n by alum. The advantages to using alum are that it's
papermaking systems? economical, and it's very effective in some grades,
especially newsprint. Disadvantages include the high
Control of pitch outbreaks in the wet end is a continual sulfate levels associated with high alum usage, which
process. The desired method of control dictates the increases the corrosivity of process waters, and alum's less
chemical treatment. The traditional agents for pitch than optimum effectiveness at pHs outside the range of
control include talc, surfactants, dispersants, surfactant- 4.6 to 5.5.
dispersant blends, crystal modifiers, chelating agents, A new method to control pitch involves the use of a
alum, and sodium aluminate. specially formulated polymeric pitch "retainer," which
The hydrophobic surface of talc crystals adsorbs the acts to retain colloidal pitch onto the surface of the fibers
hydrophobic, colloidal pitch particles, thereby preventing and fines. Pitch is attached to the fibers in a finely
agglomeration of these particles. If talc is added to the dispersed manner and is ultimately removed from the
system after pitch deposits have already formed, it adsorbs system with the finished sheet. Such a product is much
onto the surface of these deposits and "detackifies" them. more efficient than alum in attaching pitch to the fibers
The advantages of using talc for pitch control are that it's (due to its higher cationic charge density), has better wet-
economical, works fairly well, and, in systems with a good end compatibility, and will complement an existing
retention program, most of the talc and pitch particles are retention program. This method will reduce free pitch in
trapped in the forming sheet. Some disadvantages include a papermaking system and eliminate pitch-related sheet
the high usage rates often required to control pitch defects and machine deposits.
deposition, talc abrasiveness to machine components, and
difficulty in handling and makeup. W h a t are s o m e o f t h e a n a l y t i c a l t e c h n i q u e s
Surfactants act to make pitch more water-soluble by a v a i l a b l e t o i d e n t i f y p i t c h deposits?
placing a hydrophilic coating around the hydrophobic
pitch particles. Surfactants are like soaps in that they have Qualitative tests can be used on-site to identify the presence
a polar, hydrophilic end and a nonpolar, hydrophobic of resin and fatty acids in a deposit or a sheet defect. Thin-
"tail." In water, the "oil-loving" tails of the surfactant layer chromatography and infrared (IR) methods can be
molecules are oriented toward each other with the "water- used to identify the organic components; X-ray fluores-
loving" ends facing outward. If enough surfactant is cence is used to identify the inorganic components.
present in the system, the hydrophobic pitch particles are Microscopy is often a v e r y useful tool for f u r t h e r
surrounded and "solubilized" in this manner. characterization of deposits. Gas chromatography (GC),
Usually only low dosages of surfactants are required for GC-mass spectroscopy, F o u r i e r t r a n s f o r m - I R , and
pitch control. Another advantage is that old pitch deposits scanning electron microscopy X-ray diffraction are other
can be cleaned out of the system. Disadvantages include analysis techniques that are helpful in identifying the
a potentially adverse effect on sizing at higher usage rates, components of deposits.
foam formation, and holes or breaks in the sheet which
can occur if old deposits break loose in large pieces. W h a t are s o m e m e t h o d s t h a t c a n b e u s e d
Dispersants act to prevent pitch agglomeration by to m o n i t o r pitch i n a p u l p a n d p a p e r mill?
effectively increasing the net anionic surface charge of the
particles. The greater the surface charge, the greater the Machine deposits can be an obvious indication of a pitch
interparticle repulsive forces. As with surfactants, the problem, as well as sheet defects and lost or downgraded
advantages to using dispersants are that low dosages are production. Pitch deposition plates can be placed in pulp
2 5 0 June 1991 TappiJournal
1. Arrows point to examples of colloidal pitch particles dispersed in white water among hardwood kraft fibers (360X photomicrograph}.

ii

2. Arrows indicate examples of pitch agglomerates in a machine chest stock sample. Many colloidal pitch particles can also be seen in
the background (630X photomicrograph}.

j... ~99~'r~pp;jo,,ma 251

 ' transfer lines or process streams to monitor both the"pitch-
troublesome" potential of pulps and the effectiveness of
current pitch deposit control programs. A test employing
a high-shear mixer to induce pitch deposition from pitch
and pulp mixtures has given excellent results in laboratory
evaluations of pitch control programs. Microscopic
techniques have proven very useful for monitoring pitch
and demonstrating the effectiveness of pitch control
chemicals. A quantitative method employing a hemacy-
tometer can be used to determine colloidal pitch particle
concentrations in wood pulps. An oil-soluble dye can be
used to help distinguish pitch particles from other colloidal
materials. Pitch dye, in conjunction with the microscope,
can also be used to assess the physical form (e.g., colloidal,
agglomerated) of the pitch in pulps throughout the
machine system. A microscope equipped with a camera
is a valuable tool for establishing a pictorial record of a
pitch "situation" in a mill before, and after, implementa-
tion of a pitch control program.

Summary
Many factors can influence pitch deposition in a pulp and
papermaking system:
* P u l p i n g releases pitch as an unstable colloidal
dispersion.
• Water hardness can cause colloidal pitch to form
calcium soaps and deposits.
• Sudden temperature drops can decrease the solubility
of pitch and cause it to precipitate and deposit.
• pH changes can also cause pitch to become less soluble
and cause it to deposit in the machine system.
• Inefficient pulp washing results in more pitch being
carried through the machine system with the pulp and
increases deposit potential.
There are three basic concepts to keep in mind when
formulating a pitch deposit control program:

1. Reduce inorganic scale potential by applying calcium

scale control programs where necessary.
2. Improve the performance of pulp washing and extrac-
tion stages by applying pitch dispersant and emulsifier
programs to increase the water solubility of pitch.
3. Use a polymeric pitch"retainer" to attach colloidal pitch
particles to the fibers and send them out of the machine
system with the finished sheet. This pitch control
method has the added advantage of eliminating the
build-up of pitch in the system through recirculation
in a closed white-water loop.
Pitch control has been attained by understanding the
process. By understanding how colloidal pitch forms
deposits in a papermaking system, methods can be
developed to control pitch before it affects runnability.[3

252 June1991TappiJournal