Background
The commercial pressures driving paper manufacturing continue to demand increased production whilst improving efficiency and product quality. As competition increases, paper companies are seeking new ways to get the most out of existing assets and deferring major capital investment. One of the most cost-effective solutions to this challenge is Advanced Process Control. APC projects delivered by Perceptive Engineering offer payback periods of 3-6 months by delivering increased production rates, reduced energy consumption and improved stability. These type of systems offer a low risk approach to process improvement through integration with the mill's existing automation platform.
Benefits
- Improved Quality: APC systems reduce process variation and improve quality. They allows fibre plants deliver stock with more uniform optical properties such as brightness and luminance. Paper machines produce product with significantly reduced variability in sheet ash, moisture and weight MD.
- Capital Deferment: Equipment rebuilds can be delayed or avoided by APC and optimisation. The APC system is able to push production, drying efficiency and stability while considering process bottlenecks and constraints.
- Flexibility: PerceptiveAPC real-time software integrates with legacy and modern QCS and DCS systems. This extends the life of legacy systems and enhances the capability of modern systems.
- Improved Efficiency: Efficiency is improved through process stabilisation. For a paper machine this results in reduced wet-end breaks and product re-processing due to quality issues.
- Optimisation: The reduced variation may present opportunities for optimisation, by moving the target closer to the specification limits.
- Consistent Operation: The need for continuous manual adjustment is eliminated, freeing the operator for other duties.
