The freeness of pulp is designed to give a measure of the rate at which a dilute suspension of pulp (3 g of pulp in 1 L of water) may be drained. The freeness, or drainage rate (see TAPPI T 221 Drainage Time of Pulp), has been shown to be related to the surface conditions and swelling of the fibers. Besides these factors, the result is dependent also on conditions under which the test is carried out, such as stock preparation, temperature, and water quality.
