By: Fiber Citrus® Scientific Development Team
Introduction
Tissue and absorbent hygiene grades are engineered under a central constraint: water. Water removal governs machine efficiency, energy consumption, and sheet uniformity. At the same time, modern fiber platforms increasingly use microcellulose structures (such as microfibrillated cellulose, MFC) to improve strength and functional integrity at low basis weights. The challenge is that microcellulose can increase water retention and slow drainage—creating an operational bottleneck—while rewet/rehydration performance must remain stable in end use. Paper Save was developed to address this balance by improving dewatering efficiency while preserving functional performance and microcellulose-driven structuring.
1. The Technical Challenge
Drainage and dewatering influence runnability and drying demand. Slower water removal increases steam consumption in the dryer section, restricts machine speed, and raises variability risk in formation. Microcellulose contributes valuable structure but can increase water binding and reduce dewatering efficiency. Manufacturers need solutions that accelerate water removal without collapsing sheet structure or compromising end-use performance after rewet or rehydration.
2. The SAVE Solution: Paper Save for Water Mobility and Structure Preservation
Paper Save improves water mobility within the fiber network, supporting faster drainage and dewatering while remaining compatible with microcellulose structuring. The goal is not to eliminate water retention entirely, but to control water distribution so the sheet forms and consolidates efficiently while preserving functional properties that matter during rewet/rehydration.
3. Mechanism of Action Inside the Fiber Network
Paper Save supports performance through:
- improved water mobility and release under mechanical dewatering,
- optimized fiber–water interactions that reduce drainage bottlenecks,
- compatibility with microcellulose networks so structural integrity is maintained,
- reduced risk of structure collapse after wetting/drying cycles.
4. Practical Outcomes in Tissue and Absorbent Grades
In process-oriented development, this approach typically delivers:
- improved runnability and dewatering efficiency,
- reduced pressure on the dryer section energy load,
- stable sheet formation and uniformity,
- maintained functional performance after rewet/rehydration.
Conclusion
Paper Save enables faster dewatering without sacrificing structure by balancing water mobility with microcellulose-compatible network integrity. This supports higher machine efficiency and consistent end-use performance in tissue and absorbent hygiene applications.
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