Kemira’s new Fennosan PFA is a very effective and economic way of eliminating microbial buildup in paper machine systems. As chlorine-free biocide, produced from formic acid, Fennosan PFA is also corrosion safe for paper machinery.
An environmentally friendly bioside
Two environmentally friendly substances are used for producing Fennosan PFA: hydrogen peroxide and formic acid. The end-product, performic acid, is a very efficient biocide; for example, it is 5–10 times more effective in eliminating bacteria in paper machine circulating water than peracetic acid of equal strength.
Fennosan PFA can keep microbial activity under control with cost-effective dosing levels. The effect of this green biocide is based on active oxygen. The initial degradation products of performic acid are formic acid and water, and finally carbon dioxide and water. Formic acid is a ubiquitous natural compound, safe for mill personnel, and has been granted GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status by the FDA. Use of Fennosan PFA does not generate any unwanted odor taint in end products.
Production and dosing on the site
The increasing popularity of slime control systems based on haloamines this decade has been accompanied by a growing number of corrosion problems, particularly in press section rolls, resulting from the high volatility of these halogen compounds. Such gas phase corrosion is not an issue when using Fennosan PFA, however.
Fennosan PFA is an equilibrium solution of performic acid, formic acid and peroxide and cannot be stored. This means that it will be produced on-site with specific Kemira equipment at the use rate needed. The Kemira equipment controls the dosing at selected dosing points and also cuts off the production automatically in the event of a web break or machine shutdown.
Kemira’s application specialists will determine the optimum dosing locations and optimal dosing for each machine separately. One or more dosing points may be needed. Kemira launched Fennosan PFA commercially at the beginning of this year, after having tested it in full-scale for around 18 months. In the fi rst phase the product will be sold in Europe.
Text: Timo Hämäläinen
Read the full article in Kemira Solutions magazine 1/2009.