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Advanced real-time digital microscopy of foaming processes, TAPPI Journal January 2023
ABSTRACT: The properties of aqueous foams play a major role in foam forming and foam coating. Inline real-time foam measurements provide highly desired opportunities for optimization and control of foaming processes. This paper presents inline digital microscopy measurements of aqueous foams in foaming processes. It presents methods for providing detailed information on foam quality parameters, such as foam density and foam homogeneity in real time from the process. In addition, this study evaluates the performance of transillumination and front-light illumination in imaging of foams. The tests show very good results for the transillumination approach. Limitations of the image-based optical technique are discussed, and the precision of bubble size distribution measurement is assessed with a certificated reference substance. The measured foam densities are compared against the reference foam densities in the range 100•300 g/L, providing a linear correlation with R2 value of 0.99. In the case of heterogenous foams with a wide bubble size distribution, the bubble size-dependent dimensionless depth of field must be taken into account to obtain accurate estimates of foam density. Bubble-scale foam homogeneity is described by the standard deviation of bubble size distribution in foam.
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Pareto-based design of experiments for identifying and comparing optimum sealing parameters of heat sealing applications in packaging machines, TAPPI Journal June 2023
ABSTRACT: Sealing is one of the most important process steps in industrial packaging, because the sealed seam is the most sensitive section of a package in terms of quality. For this reason, a major focus in flexible packaging is the sealing process, and among this, heat sealing is the most frequently used technology. In detail, applications of heat sealing processes are confronted with four conflicting objectives: increasing seam quality, reducing dwell time, reducing sealing temperature, and increasing process robustness towards varying conditions. Typical problems, such as identification of the optimum process parameters or selection of the most appropriate packaging film, are subject to these conflicting objectives.This paper presents a recently published design of experiments for characterizing and comparing heat sealing properties of packaging films based on a multi-objective optimization algorithm. The approach provides easy-to-read charts showing all optimum sealing parameters with regard to the four essential objectives of heat sealing: seam quality, dwell time, sealing temperature, and process robustness. Three case studies show exemplary applications of the new approach: 1) analyzing transport damages of beverage powder packages; 2) identifying and comparing optimum sealing parameter of a standard, mono-material, and fiber based packaging film regarding tightness and visual properties of the produced sachets; and 3) analyzing the effect of additional aluminum layers on sealing characteristics regarding hot-tack.The new design of experiments may provide the basis of a standard test method for the identification of optimal sealing parameters in the heat sealing processes.
Journal articles
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Recovery boiler back-end heat recovery, TAPPI Journal March 2023
ABSTRACT: Sustainability and efficient use of resources are becoming increasingly important aspects in the operation of all industries. Recently, some biomass-fired boilers have been equipped with increasingly complex condensing back-end heat recovery solutions, sometimes also using heat pumps to upgrade the low-grade heat. In kraft recovery boilers, however, scrubbers are still mainly for gas cleaning, with only simple heat recovery solutions. In this paper, we use process simulation software to study the potential to improve the power generation and energy efficiency by applying condensing back-end heat recovery on a recovery boiler. Different configurations are considered, including heat pumps. Potential streams to serve as heat sinks are considered and evaluated. Lowering the recovery boiler flue gas temperature to approximately 65°C significantly decreases the flue gas losses. The heat can be recovered as hot water, which is used to partially replace low-pressure (LP) steam, making more steam available for the condensing steam turbine portion for increased power generation. The results indicate that in a simple condensing plant, some 1%•4% additional electricity could be generated. In a Nordic mill that provides district heating, even more additional electricity generation, up to 6%, could be achieved. Provided the availability of sufficient low-temperature heat sinks to use the recovered heat, as well as sufficient condensing turbine swallowing capacity to utilize the LP steam, the use of scrubbing and possibly upgrading the heat using heat pumps appears potentially useful.
Journal articles
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Non-process elements in the recovery cycle of six Finnish kraft pulp mills, TAPPI Journal March 2023
ABSTRACT: In this work, the aim was to study the distribution and accumulation of the non-process elements (NPEs) in the recovery cycle of Finnish pulp mills and look at whether the geographical location (North vs. South) correlates with the current Finnish NPE levels. In addition, a comparison to older similar Finnish measurements was made with an attempt to analyze the reasons behind differences in the most typical non-process elements, aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), chlorine (Cl), and potassium (K), taking into account the main elements in the white liquor, sodium (Na) and sulfur (S). The extensive laboratory results gained in this study are from seven sampling points at six pulp mills and present analytical data of metal concentrations. The data obtained presents an update to previous NPE studies. The levels found did not statistically differ between North and South Finland. The NPE levels, apart from phosphorus, found in Finnish pulp mills today have not changed considerably compared to the levels in earlier investigations in the 1990s. In the newest data, the phosphorus concentration was consistently higher in the as fired black liquor, electrostatic precipitator (ESP) ash, lime mud, and green liquor than in the previous results. In addition, the levels of Al, Si, Ca, P, and Mg in recovery boiler ESP ash were consistently higher compared to the older results. As the mills start to close their systems more, a stronger accumulation of NPEs can be expected, increasing the likelihood of more operational problems in the process. Further understanding of where the NPEs accumulate and how they can be most effectively removed will be valuable knowledge in the future.
Journal articles
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Paper bending stiffness and web tension measurement from a running web using a vacuum and computer imaging, TAPPI Journal May 2023
ABSTRACT: A novel method for measuring the bending stiffness of paper online during manufacturing is introduced. The method uses photometric stereo imaging to detect the shape of the deflection surface caused by a controllable pressure difference over the paper’s surfaces. The hardware for the measurement is based on a combination of two existing sensors, which has accelerated and facilitated the development of the implementation. The deflection and loads are tied together by the governing differential equation for the bending of an orthotropic elastic plate with selected simplifications. An approach to resolve material parameters and in-plane loads without knowledge of traditional boundary conditions is suggested. The presented method was tested in a paper mill during manufacturing. For bending stiffnesses measured online, correlation coefficients 0.88 and 0.92 were obtained compared to state-of-the-art laboratory measurements. However, the results gained from a moving web are noisy and the data requires correction of the slope and an off-set. Although several issues remain to be resolved before the method can be considered as an accurate measurement for industrial use, the theoretical background, the performance of online implementation, and the results are promising. Possible causes for the observed discrepancies and the future development of the method are discussed.
Journal articles
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The role of hornification in the deterioration mechanism of physical properties of unrefined eucalyptus fibers during paper recycling, TAPPI Journal February 2024
ABSTRACT: Physical properties of cellulosic paper deteriorate significantly during paper recycling, which hinders the sustainable development of the paper industry. This work investigates the property deterioration mechanism and the role of hornification in the recycling process of unrefined eucalyptus fibers. The results showed that during the recycling process, the hornification gradually deepened, the fiber width gradually decreased, and the physical properties of the paper also gradually decreased. After five cycles of reuse, the relative bonding area decreased by 17.6%, while the relative bonding force decreased by 1.8%. Further results indicated that the physical property deterioration of the paper was closely related to the decrease of fiber bonding area. The fiber bonding area decreased linearly with the reduction of re-swollen fiber width during paper recycling. Re-swollen fiber width was closely related to the hornification. Hornification mainly reduces the bonding area of unrefined eucalyptus fiber rather than the bonding force. The work elucidates the role of hornification in the recycling process of unrefined eucalyptus fibers and the deterioration mechanism of paper physical properties, which will be helpful to control the property deterioration of paper and achieve a longer life cycle.
Journal articles
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Temperature profile measurement applications of moving webs and roll structures with intelligent roll embedded sensor technology
ABSTRACT: An intelligent roll for sheet and roll cover temperature profiles is a mechatronic system consisting of a roll in a web handling machine that is also used as a transducer for sensing cross-machine direction (CD) profiles. The embedded temperature sensor strips are mounted under or inside the roll cover, covering the full width of the roll’s cross-dimensional length. The sensor system offers new opportunities for online temperature measurement through exceptional sensitivity and resolution, without adding external measurement devices. The measurement is contacting, making it free from various disturbances affecting non-contacting temperature measurements, and it can show the roll cover’s internal temperatures. This helps create applications that have been impossible with traditional technology, with opportunities for process control and condition monitoring. An application used for process analysis services without adding a roll cover is made with “iRoll Portable Temperature” by mounting the sensor on the shell in a helical arrangement with special taping. The iRoll Temperature sensors are used for various purposes, depending on the application. The two main targets are the online temperature profile measurement of the moving web and the monitoring of the roll covers’ internal temperatures. The online sheet temperature profile has its main utilization in optimizing moisture profiles and drying processes. This enables the removal of speed and runnability bottlenecks by detecting inadequate drying capacity across the sheet CD width, the monitoring condition of the drying equipment, the optimization of drying energy consumption, the prevention of unnecessary over-drying, the optimization of the float drying of coating colors, and the detection of reasons for moisture profile errors. This paper describes this novel technology and its use cases in the paper, board, and tissue industry, but the application can be extended to pulp drying and industries outside pulp and paper, such as the converting and manufacture of plastic films.
Journal articles
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Control of malodorous gases emission from wet-end white water with hydrogen peroxide, TAPPI Journal October 2021
ABSTRACT: White water is highly recycled in the papermaking process so that its quality is easily deteriorated, thus producing lots of malodorous gases that are extremely harmful to human health and the environment. In this paper, the effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the control of malodorous gases released from white water was investigated. The results showed that the released amount of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) decreased gradually with the increase of H2O2 dosage. Specifically, the TVOC emission reached the minimum as the H2O2 dosage was 1.5 mmol/L, and meanwhile, the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and ammonia (NH3) were almost completely removed. It was also found that pH had little effect on the release of TVOC as H2O2 was added, but it evidently affect-ed the release of H2S and NH3. When the pH value of the white water was changed to 4.0 or 9.0, the emission of TVOC decreased slightly, while both H2S and NH3 were completely removed in both cases. The ferrous ions (Fe2+) and the copper ions (Cu2+) were found to promote the generation of hydroxyl radicals (HO•) out of H2O2, enhancing its inhibition on the release of malodorous gases from white water. The Fe2+/H2O2 system and Cu2+/H2O2 system exhibited similar efficiency in inhibiting the TVOC releasing, whereas the Cu2+/H2O2 system showed better perfor-mance in removing H2S and NH3.
Journal articles
Data driven modeling to reduce fossil fuel consumption in a lime kiln integrated with biomass gasifier, TAPPI Journal September 2026
ABSTRACT: Biomass gasification, although already known and applied, is currently being consolidated as a sustainable alternative in the pulp industry, contributing to the reduction of fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and to the utilization of forest residues. In this context, pulp mills are beginning to adopt biomass gasification within their chemical recovery cycles by integrating the technology with lime kilns. However, further process studies are still needed to support and optimize this application. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze lime mud feed temperature by applying an artificial neural network model to a gasification system integrated with a lime kiln. For this evaluation, 10 periods of system stability throughout 2024 were selected under different operational conditions. Data from 28 potential predictive variables were collected, a total of 348 observations. This dataset was then processed using R software, where data treatment and model dimensionality reduction were performed, resulting in 10 predictive variables between gasifier and kiln. Next, the dataset was randomly divided into training (70% of the observations) and testing data. The established neural network model (using “neuralnet” package) was optimized, resulting in a configuration containing one hidden layer with three neurons. This setup enabled optimal estimation of the flue gas kiln outlet temperature, with mean absolute error (MAE) = 3.0°C and root mean square error (RMSE) = 4.1°C, applying the resilient backpropagation algorithm with backtracking — both below the thermocouple’s measurement error (±5.0°C) for the evaluated average temperature range (668.2°C). When the same dataset was modeled using the resilient backpropagation algorithm without backtracking, even better results were achieved: MAE = 2.5°C and RMSE = 3.7°C. Thus, after evaluating these and other configurations, it was concluded that the best model required 10 predictive variables and the backpropagation algorithm without backtracking to determine flue gas kiln outlet temperature. These results provide a better understanding of how gasifier and kiln variables influence the temperature in the lime kiln, which is essential to improve control and optimize the calcination process, avoiding supplementary fossil fuel consumption.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Quantification of block testing for coated paper substrates, TAPPI Journal November 2024
ABSTRACT: Block resistance is a critical property for coated paper and board substrate that will be rolled, stacked, or otherwise contact itself after coating. Small differences in the coated substrate’s blocking can determine whether the substrate can be successfully used for its designated purpose. However, this crucial property is typically evaluated using a qualitative scale that is based on subjective operator ratings and impacted by factors that include: (1) sound of coated substrate during separation, and (2) force with which substrates are separated. This paper tests the hypothesis that quantifying the block test by measuring the force required to peel samples apart improves the test by: (1) providing more standardized testing conditions by controlling peel force and rate; (2) more clearly differentiating samples that experience minimal to some blocking; and (3) maintaining customizability to evaluate customer-specific test conditions. The method developed in this study uses a standard block tester and block testing conditions, but it peels the coated paper samples using a hot tack/heat seal instrument with force measurement capabilities. This paper demonstrates, using the instrument’s heat seal capabilities, that it can measure peel forces that represent the full range of observable block scores. The efficacy of this method was evaluated by having a group of trained operators engage in a randomized, blind experiment where they assessed block resistance on a set of coated paper samples using a modified qualitative block scale and compared their results to force measurements collected using the proposed method. The sample set included two coatings that have successfully run in commercial trials with minimal blocking, and one coating that experienced significant blocking in commercial trials despite only exhibiting some blocking at standard block test conditions in laboratory testing. The quantitative test method presented in this paper clearly differentiated these samples, whereas the qualitative assessment could not predict which samples had suitable block resistance for commercial use. As any tensile tester capable of measuring with 0.1 N resolution can be used for the Quantitative Block Test, the proposed method can be widely adopted. Furthermore, this method can be used for any block condition.