Water Based Coatings That Keep a Pack inside the Fibre Stream
Water-based dispersion coatings achieve food barrier requirements while maintaining full fiber repulpability and standard mill recovery yields.
Hydrapulping Yield
Recovery Efficiency
The ratio of usable fibre recovered to the total weight of raw material fed into a water-based slushing system defines the productivity of a recycling or pulping operation. This hydrapulping yield accounts for the loss of fillers, coatings, adhesives and small fibre fragments that are washed away during the process. It is a primary financial metric for mills that process post-consumer waste or broke.
A high percentage indicates that most of the raw material is being converted into sellable product rather than ending up as landfill.
Loss Component
Non-fibrous elements such as plastic films from laminated boards and mineral coatings contribute to the weight of the input but do not add to the final output. These materials are separated by screens and cleaners after the initial breakdown of the bales. The efficiency of this separation determines how much good fibre is accidentally discarded with the contaminants.
Process Variable
Water temperature and the intensity of the mechanical agitation influence how quickly the bonds between fibres are broken. Longer pulping times might improve the breakdown of wet-strength papers but can also lead to more fibre shortening and lower quality. Balancing the speed of throughput with the percentage of fibre recovery is a constant challenge for the operator.