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Smurfit Kappa Group's Nettingsdorfer mill has installed a new drive system, PM 6, which is aimed at improving drive availability and cutting maintenance costs. The replacement is expected to provide two additional production days per year to the mill.

SCA Ortviken's new $24 million Andritz bleach plant that was bought for serving its PM 2 can be reconfigured without much difficulty in case a new, coated paper machine is installed in the future. Realizing that it could not compete with the latest, high-speed news print machines, SCA decided to switch over to the production of improved news, which is used in flyers, inserts and commercial printing. The history of SCA is briefly traced, and how its R&D has helped its progress is detailed.

The 'old school' definitions of service might include the phrases, 'the customer is always right,' and 'service with a smile.' Service in the new worldwide business environment is more strategically [...]

The total number of operating paper machines in North America has declined in the 1990s. This trend may well continue as producers respond to low prices and poor profitability by [...]

There are many ways to ruin a perfectly good boiler. Here's how to keep that from happening. Power and recovery boilers are among the most expensive parts of a pulp [...]

Weyerhaeuser installed a new high-solids crystallizing concentrator in 1995 in its Longview mill. The enhanced design combined the easy operation and fouling resistance of original models with a power consumption rate that is 40% lower than the original design. Operators do not need to pay much attention to the system because of its stability and high degree of automated control. Future designs are expected to use even less power., In 1993, Weyerhaeuser retained HPD (now a division of U.S. Filter) to provide a black liquor concentration/pre-evaporation system. The system consists of two enhanced high-solids crystallizers, a conventional (un-enhanced) intermediate [...]

Woodships, bark, and other wood materials are transported through the use of screw conveyors which rotate and move along the bottom of the pile. Screw breaks have the potential for shutting operations of a paper mill. However, maintenance and load analysis can prevent downtime. Load applications and improved loads, along with pile height and shape, and material density must be considered, as well as welding anomalies and load stress., By rotating and moving along the bottom of a pile of wood material that is often more than 80 ft high, screw conveyors transport such products as woodchips, bark, and [...]

The implementation of advanced process control technology helps paper mills boost their profitability and quality of their products. Mills need to get familiar with the specifications of control systems prior their installation. Mills can keep their process control systems functional by properly training support personnel and creating process control teams to maintain the systems. Some mills are using the services of control system suppliers' onsite support specialists or third parties to manage their control systems., Control Technology is changing at an extremely rapid pace. In the past 20 years, paper mills have gone from pneumatic control systems using basic control strategies to CRT-based distributed control [...]

Pulp producers have been striving to drastically minimize, or in some cases replace, the use of chemicals containing chlorine in bleaching kraft pulps. This action by pulp producers is in response to market pressures and calls by environmental organization that have expressed their concern regarding the use of chlorine-containing chemicals in pulp bleaching. The development of extended delignification technology since 1984 has helped pulp producers to minimize their use of contaminants in bleaching., IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL and market pressures have intensified the pulp industry's efforts to replace or significantly reduce the use of chlorine-containing chemicals in the bleaching of [...]

Mechanical design of blowtanks and high-density tower agitators for pulp and paper mills must accommodate constant high-amplitude variations in impeller blade forces due to changes in consistency and intermittent shock loads. Mechanical design considerations include sizing parameters, location of dilution and recirculation lines, zone sizing, use of a horseshoe fillet, requirements for startup and operation, and mechanical reliability. Common problems include poor consistency control, upsets and mechanical failure., ALTHOUGH ALL PULP STOCK CHEST AGITATORS must perform to expectations, most of the performance problems--either process or mechanical--can be found in such severeduty applications as blowtanks and high-density towers. From [...]

Premium-efficiency motors offer paper and pulp mills the potential for reduced electricity bills, but that energy savings must be weighed against the higher initial price, usually about 25% more than a comparable standard motor. Cost of electricity and operating hours are the two main factors that determine the cost effectiveness of high-efficiency motors. Size and type of motor should also be considered, with greatest potential cost reduction for 1-125 hp motors. Savings up to 50% can be obtained with centrifugal pumps used in closed-loop throttling systems., ALERTED BY THE ENERGY ACT OF 1992, MANY users of AC induction motors seem to be eyeing premium-efficiency motors with mixed feelings, perhaps some confusion. When the October 1997 deadline [...]

Factors to be considered when selecting a gear drive for pulp and paper mills include the service factor, gear drive rating, thermal capacity, speed variations, equivalent horsepower, gear ratio and size. The service factor, which is used to figure equivalent horsepower, is based on external load dynamics, reliability and longevity. Shaft-driven fans and commercial air-to-oil radiators are recommended to improve the thermal capacity of the gear drive., GEAR DRIVES CAN BE A 'LIFELINE' IN MANY operations within a pulp and paper mill. And, with an increasing emphasis on operating efficiency, selection of the proper drive has become [...]

Oxygen delignification systems are helping the paper industry in North America reduce chemical discharges associated with chemical pulp bleaching. Since 1990 about 40 oxygen delignification systems have been installed at paper mills in the US and Canada. Alabama Pine Pulp Co. uses a Kamyr two-stage oxygen delignification system at its Perdue Hill, AL, mill. Pope & Talbot Inc. uses an Impco oxygen delignification system at its Halsey, OR, mill. A Sunds Defibrator oxygen delignification system is used by Canadian Forest Products Ltd's Prince George, British Columbia, mill., OXYGEN DELIGNIFICATION HAS BECOME THE MOST cost-effective technology in reducing environmental discharge associated with chemical pulp bleaching. Driven by legislative and market forces, U.S. and Canadian mills have installed nearly [...]

Westvaco Corp.'s installation of a bleached paperboard machine at its Covington, VA, paperboard mill ends a three-phase, $750 million, 10-year expansion project. The latest bleached paperboard machine is the second such machine in the facility and began operating on Sep 30, 1993. The expansion project included the addition of two paper machines, a new recovery boiler, coating formulation area, pulp mill upgrades, woodyard and waste treatment modernizations and a converting facility. The company is predicting it will produce 750,000 tons of bleached paperboard in 1994, a 22% increase over 1993 production., WESTVACO CORP.'S LATEST pulp mill expansion and new paper machine at its Covington, Va., mill is a $400-million culmination of an almost 10-year project. The three-step expansion--which totaled $750 million--included [...]

Selecting couplings used on papermaking machinery in paper mills requires engineers to conduct a thorough evaluation of their design and how they will be used. There are four types of gear coupling engineers have to choose from: gear, disc, grid and elastomer. Gear couplings have the highest resulting service factor, but are limited by bore capacity. Areas such as stiffness, torsional deflection, backlash, misalignment capacity, axial float capacity, shaft gaps and prices need to be evaluated before a coupling selection is made., PULP AND PAPER MILLS, ALONG WITH LUMBER-yards, provide a myriad of applications for shaft couplings, including chippers, conveyors, agitators, pumps, mixers, pulpers, winders, calenders, dryers, and paper rolls. No one [...]

Paper mills have a choice between a mechanical rebuild of equipment or one that uses papermaking chemistry to decrease expenses, increase production or come up with new paper grades. The interactive chemical rebuilding process is to the paper mill machinery as software is to computers. The process is inherently more flexible and efficient and is based on microparticle technology., Papermaking chemistry can have the same effect that software does on computers, making paper mill machinery more flexible and efficient TO LOWER COSTS, EXPAND PRODUCTION, OR make entirely new paper [...]

It has been said that there are two ways for a European papermaker to go bankrupt in the prevailing market climate. First, by investing in a new paper machine, and [...]

The last year can be characterized as one of gentle development, particularly in the soft calendering of more challenging paper grades. In fact, the greatest changes have occurred in the [...]

Pulp and paper mills are constantly faced with varied maintenance problems on their respective applications and lubrication programs. As a response to such problems, paper mills are considering lubrication suppliers as an integral part of their maintenance operations. To meet the growing needs of pulping and papermaking equipment, many new additives have been developed by lubrication suppliers. In addition, these suppliers have also offerd ongoing data collection and analyses programs that allows effective monitoring of lubricants throughout the process., New additives, better lubricant monitoring help pulp and paper mills manage faster operating speeds and higher temperatures Selecting a correct lubricant for machinery in the woodyard, pulp mill, and paper [...]

Manual adjustment screws used to be added to blade coaters to promote better coat-weight uniformity and prolong blade and backing roll life. However, manual adjustment cannot react fast enough to short-term process and product changes. Automatic actuators are available for the replacement of manual adjusters, allowing immediate response to these changes. ABB Process Automation has provided five blade coater profiling systems as of May 1993, helping several mills in reducing long-term cross-direction variability by 35%., Automated system installed at several mills can significantly reduce CD variation, as well as time needed to get on grade after blade change For many years, blade coaters have incorpor [...]

The use of mechanical seals on rotating equipment used in the pulp and paper industry is gaining importance due to rising water, energy and effluent treatment costs and the enactment of tough environmental regulations. Cost-reduction programs can benefit greatly from advances made in mechanical sealing technology, which can contribute to the enhancement of emission and effluent control and the creation of effective cost-reduction programs. Provided they are implemented properly, seal conversion and cost-reduction programs will can both protect the environment and increase profit margins., High initial cost of rotating equipment components claimed offset by economic and environment operating advantages The rationale for using mechanical seals on rotating equipment in the pulp and paper industry [...]

How the Inpro/Seal Air Mizer Shaft Seal helped Port Townsend Paper Company (PTPC) solved the long-term bearing contamination problem is presented. Air Mizer-PS uses a solid wall of air which functions as a barrier to contamination and retain product inside the equipment. The installation of Air Mizer by PTPC has eliminated the need to shutdown when replacing fan bearings in their lime kiln.

Union Camp Corp. has started using what is known as the OZEoD sequence in bleaching pine. The company invested 15 years and $113 million to create the OZEoD sequence, which is the first ozone-based system of its kind to be manufactured and used in North America. The primary function of the system, which is being used at the company's Franklin, VA, paper and paperboard mill, is to reduce effluent color and volume that is released into a river. Union Camp is offering the process technology to other mills wishing to produce pulps that are totally chlorine-free and to close up their effluent systems., Integrated free paper and paperboard mill approaches total effluent closure with 1,000-tpd OZEoD 'C-Free' softwood bleach plant Six weeks ago, Union Camp Corp. started up one of the most environmentally [...]

It is believed that the use of infrared (IR) thermography in identifying wasted energy is is a good long-term solution that helps in reducing operating costs. Paper mills often use IR cameras when examining web moisture profiles and in finding plugged motor air intakes. IR imaging can also help in producing high quality products.

Fiber Charge Analyzers Monitor Furnish to Optimize Production Used for a variety of paper and board furnishes, analyzers recommend adjustments in application of wet end additives Since furnish charge affects [...]

This article examines the relative merits of three currently available brownstock washing BSW systems. A case study example compares each system in terms of process and operating considerations, site requirements, [...]

Enclosed PM Hoods Operating at High Humidity Conserve Energy Energy consumption optimized by controlling dryer environment, minimizing airflow, recovering most heat from hood exhaust Water removal by drying paper and [...]

Capital Spending Plans: 1990-92 Paper industry capital spending has boomed for the past two years, but the slowdown in business that began last year will lead to a slowdown in [...]

High-Purity Boiler Condensate Can Save Energy, Reduce Costs Maximizing the return of pure, heat-laden condensate to the boiler system is an important goal in pulp and paper mills. Condensate returned [...]

A mill trial of Kemira's silicate-free bleaching concept called Fennobrite shows that the better dewatering produced by the product equated to less energy needed in the wash presses. 2-3 hours were saved to reach the final product brightness when switching from a 70 percent ISO brightness grade to 77-78 percent ISO grade. Cleaner pipelines and no agglomeration of silicate deposit were found.

SCA Graphic Sundsvall has been using PaperLab and PulpExpert automated testing equipment by Metro Automation, which have helped the company improve process stability. The PaperLab Equipment was installed to also enhance reproducibility of tests at the paper mill. SCA's adaptation of the testing equipment is examined further.

Future Felt: A PIMA Magazine Roundtable Dramatic improvements in machine clothing have extended running life and improved paper machine operations. Even more changes are in store over the next decade [...]

New Recovery Boiler Joins Second Paper Machine in Miramichi Expansion Added steam output, reduced emissions are achieved in supporting new groundwood and free-sheet paper line Miramichi Pulp & Paper Inc. [...]

Packaging-Grade Mills Boost Quality and Output with Multilayer Fabrics As conversion to multilayer forming fabrics continues, more mills report new production and wire life records as well as enhanced sheet [...]

Continuous, Stable Kiln Operation Is Key to Extended Refractory Life In today's pulp and paper industry, refractories for the lime recovery or lime sludge kiln have become extremely important to [...]

Bladin Paper Completes $350-Million Lightweight Coated Expansion Project Bladin Paper Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fletcher Challenge Canada Ltd., has been making paper in the northern Minnesota town of [...]

Today's Shoe Presses Designed For Optimum Sheet Quality, Runability Modern units such as that installed at La Cellulose du Pin's Facture mill in France provide maximum dryness and optimum sheet [...]

Chemical Felt Conditioning Programs Can Boost Press-Section Efficiency Modern press section designs require a thorough economic evaluation to determine the most effective felt conditioning system A great deal of attention [...]

Proper Recovery Boiler Care is Key to Reliable, Productive Operation Damage to a mill's black liquor recovery boiler (BLRB), when no alternate means for chemical recovery exists, can halt or [...]

Used Lift Trucks Can Be Wise Choice for Mills that Evaluate Thoroughly Paper mills considering the acquisition of a lift truck can save up to 35% by purchasing a used [...]

COMBINATION CORROSION COUPON TESTING NEEDED FOR TODAY'S CONTROL EQUIPMENT Copper, silver, and gold are important functional materials found in many of the electrical/electronic devices in today's pulp and paper mill [...]

NEUTRAL SIZING SYSTEM ALLOWS FAST, EASY CONVERSION FOR ACID MACHINES Recent pilot machine and mill trials have shown that rosin sizing at neutral pH works well under operating conditions commonly [...]

It has been demonstrated at trade shows and discussed in professional publications. It's been described as the next generation of industrial instrument communication standards, and its development has seemingly moved [...]