black liquor and lignin evaluation lab lo-cated on the same site. The large quantity available from the extraction process at RFP will allow for in-depth testing, help-ing to determine variations in lignin qual-ity based on the type of wood and the process by which the lignin was extracted. The lab and pilot plant also has the capacity for accepting black liquor and lignin samples from across Canada and around the world. Those samples are vol-untarily sent by manufacturers looking to understand the characteristics of the lig-nin to determine the best end use for the product. Currently, lignin is being evalu-ated by companies across Canada as an alternative to petroleum-based chemicals used to make products such as carbon fibre, pharmaceuticals, resins, rubber ad-ditives, and thermoplastics. As researchers are able to provide thorough evaluations of lignin samples from a variety of wood species, these companies will be able to gain a greater understanding of the lig-nin they will need in order to produce the highest quality product. At the same time, researchers at the lab also gain that same knowledge, which will allow for the creation of an extensive database of infor-mation for comparing lignin samples from around the world. The tests being run on the black liquor and lignin samples are being conducted by a four-member team of researchers from FPInnovations, and supported by the work of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Thanks to a partnership between FPInnovations and the Ligno-works network, in co-operation with The Natural Sciences and Engineering Re-search Council of Canada, students from major universities across Canada have access to the lab to assist graduate-level research being done in relation to both the extraction process and lignin-based product development. The research and development that will result from the work being done at the lab will provide significant benefits for the bio-products industry in Canada. The constant, available supply of lignin will help the in-dustry move from the production of lignin-based products at the laboratory sample level to a much larger scale. The evaluation of the demonstration plant’s performance will help FPInnovations, and its engineer-ing partners at NORAM, understand the de-sign requirements necessary to increase the scale of lignin production. Classifying, re-searching, and evaluating lignin from differ-ent extraction processes and wood samples will give producers a real understanding of the most effective end uses for those same lignin samples. The world-class lab and demonstration plant at RFP in Thunder Bay, in partner-ship with FPInnovations, has the potential to provide the needed research and devel-opment to vault Canada to the forefront of the global bioproducts industry. • ® Air System Experts Biomass N Boardplants Power generation N Pulp & Paper Sawmills N Materials handling N Mining Allied brings 35+ years experience in industrial air systems. Allied’s combination of design, supply, installation & maintenance services provides lower project cost, on-time completion, smoother start-up and less downtime – adding value and safety to your operation. Safety Quality Value Surrey,BC N Vernon,BC N WilliamsLake,BC N Edmonton,Alberta N Prince Albert, Sask www.alliedblower.com N Phone: 800-576-3611
Canadian Biomass January/February 2013: Page 23
