VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, together with industry, has started setting up a new pilot scale technology platform for foam forming applications. Foam forming technology gives exciting opportunities to develop new recyclable and light weight wood fiber products. It also gives a possibility to decrease raw material and production costs remarkably compared to recent technology.
According to VTT, foam forming technology makes it possible to improve paper properties and manufacture high porosity, smooth and light weight products (e.g. hygiene products, insulation materials and filters). It may be solution for various printed intelligent, nano- or microcellulose applications.
“The foam forming technology requires significantly less water than conventional paper and board manufacturing. In foam forming large amounts of air are mixed into the fibre furnish which makes it possible to achieve unique product properties,” states VTT’s technology manager Janne Poranen. “This technology reduces water and energy consumption while saving raw material. Laboratory results from the Forestcluster programmes have shown potential for remarkable fiber savings.”
At the beginning of 2012, VTT launched a project targeting the scale-up of foam forming technology to SUORA, a pilot-scale research environment for fibre processes. Other partners of the project are UPM, Stora-Enso, M-real, Metso, Kemira, Omya, Wetend Technologies and Vision Systems, and the cities of Jyväskylä, Äänekoski and Jämsä.