PTS in EU research projects

PTS is collaborating in nine EU projects, in six of them (ALBAQUA, PAPRIQUA, PrintIP, SONOPULP, SORT IT, SOTIPA) as coordinator.

ALBAQUA (Combined ALgal and BActerial waste water treatment for high environmental QUAlity effluents) is an ERA-NET CORNET project funded by national agencies members of the CORNET Network. In this project, the potential of algae for the paper industry and related industrial sectors will be investigated. The aim is to establish suitable concepts for this purpose and determine their cost-efficiency potential. More information at Homepage of ALBAQUA.

The AquaFit4use project aims at a more sustainable use of water in the main water consuming industries. The objectives are ambitious: water consumption should be reduced by 30%. This should have an environmental impact of 5% less CO2 emissions and 20-40% less sludge disposal. And a far-going closure of the water cycle should achieve over 10% energy saving. More information at Homepage of AquaFit4use .

BoostEff (Boosting raw material and energy efficiency in papermaking using advanced sheet structure design and fibre modifications) is new EU project starting in 2010. It will focus on more efficient processes that will lead to a better productt as well as lower energy and fibre costs. BoostEff will develop innovative paper manufacturing concepts where the final product has a tailor-made layered structure. This will give the possibility to manufacture products that have the same or better properties compared to the conventional products, while introducing a significant reduction of wood-fibre raw material and energy use. More information at Homepage of BoosEff.

PrintIP (Development of suitable laboratory test methods for improved communication between printers and paper and ink suppliers) is is an ERA-NET CORNET project. Purpose is to develop test methods for determination of printability properties of paper for use in the paper, ink and printing industry. The focus is on the three main aspects: mottling, striking-in and picking. A particular aim of the project is to establish the fundamentals for an improved information exchange between the printing industry and its paper and ink suppliers.

PaPriQua is an acronym for Paper-Print-Quality. The project aims at predicting the printability of paper for offset printing. The results should enable print offices to apply material more efficiently at lower cost in the converting processes. More information at Homepage of PAPRIQUA.

SONOPULP (Sonication of natural fibres and agro-waste for production and up-grading of papermaking pulps and biogas) is an ERA-NET CORNET project funded by national agencies members of the CORNET Network. The objective of this research project is to develop a process principle for producing pulps for paper manufacturing from annual plants, including agro-waste, utilising high-power ultrasonic (US) pulping technology and to influence by means of US the pulps used in papermaking to develop the desired fibre properties. More information at Homepage of SONOPULP.

The concept of SORT IT is the development of new and improved sensor and measurement technologies for recovered paper sorting. The main objective is to enable sustainable and cost effective paper recovery at more than 95% yield for all recyclable paper and board grades and a purity of 98% in wanted materials. Additional focus will be given to future requirements for food-contact concerning recycled paper products. More information at Homepage of SORT IT .

SOTIPA (Objective assessment of softness of tissue papers and possibility to obtain given softness specifications) is an ERA-NET CORNET project funded by national agencies members of the CORNET Network. The project aims at developing a cost-effective, objective, repeatable and fast measuring procedure which gives information about the softness of a tissue paper with a very close correlation with the human perception. More information at Homepage of SOTIPA.

SUNPAP (Scaling Up Nanoparticles in Modern Paper Making) with a budget of EUR 9.8 million aims to demonstrate that it is possible to manufacture high-quality functional paper and packaging products on a pilot scale by using flexible, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly processes. More information at Homepage of SUNPAP