Paper Machines & Pulp Dryers

Pulp & Paper Plants Face Significant Challenges When it Comes to Energy Usage, Reliability, and Product Quality

The pulp dryer is the final stage in the process for producing the specified end product in a pulp mill. The pulp slurry is drained on the 'wire' to create a continuous pulp web, and the wet web passes through a press section to squeeze out excess water before finally passing through a heated drying section. Effective operation of the pulp dryer can be extremely difficult as there are many critical loops on a pulp dryer that require accurate and reliable measurement and control. Basis weight, moisture content, stock flow, head box level, and vacuum and dryer temperature can result in an off-spec end product, or a sheet break and lost production.

The paper machine can vary in complexity, depending on the type of paper product it makes. It consists of four sections – the wet end, the wet press section, the dryer section, and the calendar section. Pulp is put through the headbox in the wet end and then distributed across a wire. The fiber is spread across a wire mesh, which shakes it, while the liquid is sucked out by a vacuum to create a sheet with intertwined fibers. This sheet is carried through the press section to squeeze out more water and then to dryer sections. Different machines have varying numbers of dryers depending on the product being made. If the product is a coated paper, there may be on machine or off machine coaters depending on the facility. The paper exits the machine at the reel section that rolls the sheet on large parent rolls that are processed further in the converting area to create the final product.

NECI works with pulp and paper mills to deliver automation solutions, automation repair services, outage planning, and training. Our brands include Fisher, Rosemount, Instrument & Valve Services, DeltaV, PlantWeb, Entech, TopWorx, Hytork, Bettis, and Keystone. We also offer a full scope of valve products, including control valves, isolation and shutoff valves, pressure and safety relief valves, regulators, actuators, solenoid valves, flame and detonation arrestors, tank vents and hatches, and much more.

Choose the best-in-class technology for the application.

We supply high performance Emerson Fisher™ control valves, Emerson Rosemount™ measurement instrumentation, and advanced control systems and solutions for pulp and paper machines. High performance control valves for optimum reduction in variability, high signal and thick stock magnetic flow meters, and highly repeatable pressure and temperature measurements have contributed to effective operation of pulp and paper machines for our customers.