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Wood pulp is extremely tough. Why use water power to pulp wood for a very long time when you can use it to pulp rags for a much shorter time to get the same am
by bsder 2y ago
Wood pulp is extremely tough. Why use water power to pulp wood for a very long time when you can use it to pulp rags for a much shorter time to get the same amount of product?
Water power is limited. Consequently, you have to make choices as to what you are going to use it for. At that point economics kick in.
Until your demand for paper significantly exceeds supply, you won't start looking for a better process. And then it took until the steam engine until such a process became economical.
- Bluestein 2y ago> At that point economics kick in. (And chemicals ...)
- bsder 2y agoYou have to prove that wood pulp works well enough before anybody will invest in the chemistry research. Proving that wood pulp works effectively for paper requires the steam engine. Technological advance almost always consists of many incremental steps that have to come together simultaneously. Generally, the limitation was economic--if there was enough money at stake humans are clever enough that they will find a way.