Authors*: Parmenides Cuberos-Martin
Song Won Park

Considering that low consistency refining is fundamental to
papermakers and to researchers as well, the present paper intends
to review its physical principles starting from the first attempts that
culminated in the C-factor theory, which was closely examined.
Forces in refining are the prime variable and their definitions
and effects are described as well. The low consistency refining is
essentially seen by authors as fatigue phenomenon due its cyclic
nature, and some results and concepts from fatigue theory are used
and applied. The damage variable was introduced in order to have
an accessible tool to describe refining. Common effects of refining,
as for instance internal and external delamination, are explained as
consequences of pulp fiber fatigue.

References

O PAPEL vol. 73, num. 8, pp. 65 - 72 AUG 2012

*Authors’ references:
1. Ashland Especialidades Químicas Ltda. – E-mail: pmartinez@ashland.com
2. Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo. Av. Luciano Gualberto, 380 trv3 - São Paulo - Brasil
Telefone: +5511 30911171 - Fax: + 55 11 38132380 - E-mail: songwon.park@poli.usp.br
Corresponding author: Parmenides Cuberos-Martinez