2. Pulp refining

Pulp refining is a unitary operation that consolidates the fibrous raw material. As they pass through the air gap of a turbomachine (or refiner) equipped with interlocking geometries, fibers in aqueous suspension are subjected to compression and shear forces that induce morphological changes in their ultrastructure. Three primary effects are generally associated with these morphological transformations: hydration, fibrillation and cutting. At the millimeter scale, refined fibers will have greater flexibility and will significantly increase their binding potential, which will later be favorable to sheet formation.