The Arne Asplund Mechanical Pulping Award 2024 has been granted Professor Thomas Granfeldt. Over the past four decades, Granfeldt has made significant contributions to the field of high-yield pulping research, encompassing both TMP and CTMP processes. However, the primary focus has been on the CTMP process, particularly involving various hardwood species.
The award is endowed every second year by The Arne Asplund Mechanical Pulping Award Foundation to promote the development of new technology for the manufacture of high-yield pulp.
Granfeldt’s understanding of the delicate balance between chemical impregnation of chips, refining strategy and peroxide bleaching has enabled him to demonstrate how to produce hardwood based CTMP for various end-uses at lowest investment and production costs. The combination of impregnation chemistry, chip-refining strategies and peroxide bleaching enables production of high bulk hardwood CTMP while maintaining high brightness. Such pulps are of particular interest in production of multiply paperboard.
A key to success is a profound understanding of the necessity for multistage washing in the CTMP process. He has identified the optimal placement of this technology within the process design to minimize both investment and production costs.
Granfeldt graduated from the Chalmers University of Technology in 1982 as a M.Sc in chemical engineering. After some years of research studies at the university he served at various positions in Sunds Defibrator AB, Metso AB and Valmet AB until the end of 2021. Since 2012 he is adjunct professor at Mid Sweden University.
