Mini-Encyclopedia of Papermaking Wet-End Chemistry
Part Three: Equipment & Unit Operations

Slaking

The word slaking means the addition of water to calcium oxide powder (lime). The resulting product is calcium hydroxide (milk of lime). The reaction is exothermic, so the mixture heats up. Slaking is a key step in the most widely used procedure for formation of precipitated calcium carbonate. Slaking is also used as part of the chemical recovery cycle for the kraft pulping process.

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This page is maintained by Martin hubbe, Associate Professor of Wood and Paper Science, NC State University, m_hubbe@ncsu.edu .