SIMPLIFIED KINETIC MODELING OF ALKALINE DELIGNIFICATION OF HEMP WOODYCORE

Alkaline delignification of hemp woody core was studied to support the development and optimization of an efficient and non-polluting alkali ne pulping process. Shavings of hemp woody core were delignified isoth ermally at different temperatures with 1 M sodium hydroxide in a flow- through reactor. From literature data and from experimental data repor ted in this article. it appears that the initial delignification stage is completed before customary reaction temperatures are reached. Cons equently, modelling of alkaline delignification kinetics can be restri cted to the bulk and rest delignification stages, which can be describ ed with two simultaneous first order reactions: L/L(0 = a2 exp (-k2t) + a3 exp (-k3t), with k(i) = A(i) exp -E(ai)/(RT). This equation has b een solved integrally, calculating a2, a3, E(a2), E(a3), A2 and A3 for the best fit for the experimental data, resulting in an accurate desc ription of the delignification reactions. This kinetic model has also been applied on literature data, supporting its validity towards alkal ine delignification kinetics in general.