FennoClean Concept - Slime Control for Paper Machines
Kemira is excited to announce the FennoClean Concept, new biocide strategies and monitoring for paper machines. The FennoClean strategies optimize the use of oxidizing biocides for microbiological control while minimizing corrosion concerns.
The FennoClean concept is not about randomly killing all microbes on a papermachine. It is about finding the best approach to minimizing runnability problems caused by microbes without creating new problems from corrosion in the press and dryer sections. The FennoClean Concept is an economical and sustainable biocide solution.
Targeted Biofilm Control
FennoClean concept is based on extensive in-house research on biofilm formation. This research has shown that a small number of bacteria, known as primary-biofilm formers, can attach to clean metal surfaces. These act as the foundation for further biofilm development. Targeting these bacterial is the key to efficient biofilm control. It is well known you can’t control what you can’t measure so it is critical to measure these bad actors. Kemira has developed the proprietary PiBa assay to quantify the primary-biofilm formers amongst all the other bacteria in the system.
Key Benefits
- Superior microbiological control, custom tailored to each machine’s requirements
- Minimize risks of vapor phase corrosion from volatile chlorine compounds
- Applicable in nearly all white grades: wood free, ground wood, and recycle furnishes
- Programs for alkaline and acid machines
- No interaction/degradation of other paper making additives.
- Kemira custom designed, computer controlled feed equipment
- Advanced diagnostics with the PiBa assay and on-line corrosion monitoring
Oxidizer Selection
There are many oxidizing biocides available; selecting the correct one is a key to success. Complex oxidizers are products mixed with sodium hypochlorite on-site to moderate the properties of hypochlorite. These have the key benefit of not interacting with other paper making additives such retention aids, dyes, starch, etc. Each of the products approach microbiological control in a different manner.
Fennosurf 300 (dimethylhydantoine solution, DMH) mixed with hypo forms monochlorodimethylhydantoine (MCDMH). This material has unique abilities to penetrate biofilms and release active chlorine at the source of the biofilm formation.
Fennosurf 583 (ammonium sulphate solution) mixed with hypo forms monochloramine (MCA). This mixing needs to be done under certain clearly defined conditions using a dedicated dosing unit designed by Kemira. MCA is well known for its ability to kill planktonic bacteria. It has been used for more than fifty years in the disinfection of drinking water. While giving an excellent planktonic kill it is relatively poor at penetrating biofilms.
Corrosion Risk
Many current oxidizing biocide programs rely on the generation of haloamines such as MCA. Haloamines are formed by mixing in an ammonia-source (e.g. ammonium bromide, ammonium sulphate) and a halogen based oxidizer (typically hypochlorite). Haloamines are excellent biocides but they are also potentially volatile. In some cases this has led to vapor phase corrosion issues in press and dryer sections. More information about corrosion caused by common oxidizers such as haloamines formed by mixing ammonium bromide or ammonium sulphate with hypoclorite can be found in the article Minimizing Corrosion Concerns with Oxidizing Biocides by a Targeted Biofilm Control Approach, which Kemira presented in the Tappi PaperCon’10 conference in Atlanta, USA, in May 2010.
The key to the FennoClean concept is to select the right strategy based on the corrosion risk level on a machine, then design and apply the biocide program to eliminate these risks. This is backed up with corrosion monitoring including a recently developed on-line vapor phase corrosion monitor.
Kemira’s network of global experts are there to support and show how to get the benefits of better slime control, with lower cost and corrosion risk. Please contact us for further information about the advanced methods for monitoring harmful microbes on papermachines and FennoClean concept.
The FennoClean Concept is currently available in Europe, China, and North America. The use of Fennosurf 300 and Fennosurf 583 is restricted in certain markets while government registrations are being obtained. Contact Kemira for further details.