Method of increasing the throughput and/or decreasing energy usage of a pulping process

A method of increasing the throughput and/or decreasing the energy usage of a pulping process, said method comprising the steps of:

• A. providing a plurality of lignocellulosic chips;
• B. providing a refining composition comprising;
• (i) water, wherein the water is present in the refining composition in an amount of greater than 5 wt. % based on a total weight of the refining composition, and
• (ii) a lubricating additive present in an amount of from 0.01 to 10 wt. % based on a total weight of the plurality of lignocellulosic chips, the lubricating additive comprising the reaction product of a sugar and an alcohol;
• C. applying the refining composition to the plurality of lignocellulosic chips;
• and
• D. mechanically refining the plurality of lignocellulosic chips to form pulp;
• wherein the step of applying the refining composition to the lignocellulosic chips is conducted less than 5 minutes prior to, or concurrently with, the step of mechanically refining the wood chips to form pulp,
• wherein the lubricating additive has the following general structure:
• wherein n is an average value and is greater than 0 and each R is an alkyl group having from 8 to 14 carbon atoms, and
• wherein the average of n+1 is the degree of polymerization of the lubricating additive and is from 1.2 to 2.5.