Pulp and Paper Industry

Brown Stock Washing

Is a mills Soda Loss equal to its Soda Make-up ?

YES !!
Focus on Soda Loss, not Soda Make-up !

Anatomy of Soda Loss

100 #Na2SO4/ADT (total mill loss/make-up)
80 #/ADT (BSW loss)
Washable 50#/ADT
- Paper sewer
- Paper sheet

20 #/ADT (spills/purges)
Pulp and Power sewers

Bound 30#/ADT
- paper sewer
- paper sheet

10#/ADT World Class

15#/ADT Best Practice 20#/ADT Go find the low hanging fruit

Pulp and Power Sewer Losses

Good sewer flow and conductivity system w/Alarms on PI or DCS (awareness/training) Food for thought:
Establish conductivity round in smaller sewers to find sources Dregs filter (<= 2#/ADT) Slaker grit leachate (<=2#/ADT) Digester sand separator trap Weak wash balance Salt cake purging Use of sumps in recaust and evaps

Monthly Saltcake Reconciliation

Properly establishes true loss/make-up with inventory changes taken into account Matches make-up to measured total mill sewer loss to insure good measurement Prattville Example

Daily Focus Big Picture

BSW Carryover Soda Loss

Pulp/Power Sewer Soda Loss Total Mill Sewer Soda Loss

BSW Optimization & Economics

Visual audit Evaluate washing efficiencies Audit equipment condition during outage Audit controls Determine benefit of washing versus cost of evaporation Employ dilution factor control to minimize over washing and under washing
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BSW Assessment
Separate digester washing from external washing Assess washers against OEM DF/DR curves
Assess digester against OEM DF/DR curves Water/Dissolved solids balance

Dilution Factor
1st Stage BSW
0.86
Displacement Ratio 0.84 0.82 0.80

0.78
0.76 0.74 1
Dilution Factor
Pulp Washing Training

2 3 Dilution Factor

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Dilution Factor
Shower Liquor In Excess Of The Liquor In The Discharging Pulp Mat DF = (lb liq/lb pulp)shower - (lb liq/lb pulp)mat May Be Positive Or Negative

Displacement Ratio
The Ratio of DS Removed to the Maximum Possible DS Removable DR = (DS vat DS mat) / (DS vat DS shower) 0.0 < DR < 1.0

Washer Stage Data Collection

Inlet vat DS Outlet mat filtrate DS Outlet mat consistency* (high sensitivity/biggest chance for error) Shower DS Production rate Shower flow Inlet vat consistency** ( needed for DS and water balance) Washer filtrate DS** ( needed for DS and water balance)

DR Formula

DR = (Sv - Sm) / (Sv - Ss)

DF Formula

DF = Shower flow(gpm) x 6 - 100-mat const Production (odt/d) mat const

Example Problem
Is this first stage drum washer performing to OEM standards ?
Production rate : 1154 ODT/day Drum specific loading: 0.80 ODT/ft2 Shower flow: 1440 gpm Discharge consistency: 14% Vat DS: 6.41% Mat DS: 2.88% Shower DS: 1.76%

Results
DF = 1.35 OEM DR = 0.802 Tested DR = 0.759
No ! Washer is not performing to OEM standards. Result of getting this one drum to OEM standards: 96#/ton -> 90 #/ton
Net savings is over $500M/yr

Drum Washer Operation

Key issues
WASHING SHOWERS CYLINDER ROTATION PULP MAT

1. Uniform shower distribution INLET 2. Maximize Vat dilution BOX INLET WEIR 8-12 CASCADE 3. Proper Vat level TO VAT LEVEL 4. Minimize air entrainment 5. Operator training 6. Keep equipment in good condition 7. Uniform sheet formation 8. Mat thickness 1 to 2 9. Proper vacuum 10. Good sheet take-off 11. Temperature PULP 12. Run Automated Controls 13. Apply defoamer at the point of the problem
DILUTION

TAKE-OFF DOCTOR

DISPLACEMENT ZONE EXTRACTION ZONES

ATMOSPHERIC TAKE-OFF ZONE GRAVITY FORMATION ZONE

VACUUM FORMATION ZONE

REPULPER

DISTRIBUTION BAFFLES

CD0024-002

Washing Basics to Audit

Showering Maximize displacement washing Vat consistency Maximize dilution washing Vat level control Reduce air entrainment Inspect Vacuum Valves - Reliability Vacuum leaks - Reliability Face wire Reliability Drum Integrity Reliability

Purpose of Wash Showers

Gently & uniformly apply wash water to the pulp mat for optimal displacement washing. Distribute the washer water flow appropriately over the washing arc.

Washer Showers Basics

Uniform distribution
Keep showers clean and washed off Keep nozzles unplugged Soda losses can vary 30% or better across a washing stage due to poor shower distribution Consider feeding water to both sides of the shower headers on washer larger than 18. Shower pipes should be free to rotate for finite adjustment

Washer Showers Basics

Low turbulence
Apply gently / tangentially to mat, do not disturb the mat Blasting the sheet with shower water tends to aerate the stock Minimize roll-back, balance the shower flows to each shower. Run back grooves the pulp mat, causing uneven mat formation. Uneven mat means an uneven wash.

Washer Showers Basics

Shower type / arrangement High volume / low velocity on top Low volume / high velocity on bottom Bottom shower as low as possible to avoid air entrainment into sheet Top shower in position such that filtrate is pulled into mat before vacuum cut-off The velocity of the shower water should be close to the speed of the drum. Shower water should lay on the mat gently and evenly

Operations
Maximize Inlet Vat Dilution
Vacuum increases with increased dilution. More flow down the drop leg produces more vacuum. Typically as mills increase production, the vat dilution pump is a constraint Consider upgrading pump Mills should consider a separate shower pump which will improve washing by reducing variability Maximize blow tank dilution dilution washing starts here

Operations
Maximize Inlet Vat Dilution
Ideal consistency as a result of adding dilution is 1% to 1 %. The surface area of the inlet vat will appear velvety with little or no flocculation
More vat dilution will reduce entrained air, improve mat formation, induce good vat turbulence, no dead zones, good deflocculation Thinner sheet for better displacement, minimizes fingering in mat, ideal mat thickness is 1 2 Dilution should be as much as the washer can hydraulically handle, while keeping the washer drum speed at an average of 2 to 2 RPM If drum speed is too high, then rewetting of sheet discharge mat could reduce washing effectiveness

Operations
Vat level control Reduce air entrainment
4-8 cascade over weir Need some drop over weir to shear/deflock the pulp Higher levels allow more vat dilution it increases the drainage area in the vat Ensures gravity fill of drum looser sheet, better formation, liquor can move through sheet easier Higher levels reduce air entry into mat Good level indication and control tuning required

Consequences of Low Vat Level Operation

Total surface area = 3.14 x 11.5=36.11 Total Surface area lost = 11% Submergence zone = 16 BUT actually 25% of the submergence zone is lost.

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Pulp Washing Training

This allows air to enter the pulp mat which affects 28 of 152 efficiency by 5 to 10%.

Air is the Enemy

Air bubbles interfere with wash water drainage Use defoamers to control air at the point of the problem Do not overuse defoamers carryover will harm paper machine runnability it reduces surface tension which cause an increase in machine breaks
Measure defoamer carryover - carryover should be:
Less than 30 PPM out of the brownstock wash system Less than 10 PPM out of the bleach plant

Recommend using low molecular weight silicon defoamer Check to make sure defoamer is effective in the temperature range that the washers operate If use increases, operators should check places where air can enter system

Operations
Potential Sources of Air
Low level in blow tank Low level in filtrate tanks Dilution injection points Make sure dilution points are submerged. Free falling dilution will cause foaming Soap build-up in first stage service tank Vortexing in dilution and stock pump suctions Poor air removal from filtrate tanks Improper drum washer operation
Low vat levels Poor shower distribution
April 2005 Pulp Washing Training 30 of 152

Brownstock Seal Tank Design

Air is released
DROP LEG VERTICAL BAFFLES

DROP LEG ENTRY

Air & Filtrate Separate

DROP LEG SIZE Up to 12 dia. 300 14 & 16 dia. 350 - 400 18 dia. 450 20 & 22 dia. 500 - 550 24 & 26 dia. 600 - 700 INSIDE DIAMETER 36 900 48 1200 60 1500 72 1800 84 2150 OUTSIDE DIAMETER 60 1500 72 1800 84 2150 102 2600 120 3050 OPENINGS 6 x 12 150 x 300 6 x 18 150 x 450 8 x 24 200 x 600 10 x 24 250 x 600 10 x 30 250 x 750

Filtrate Overflows

VERTICAL BAFFLES

SIX OPENINGS

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Washer Seal Tank/Dropleg Design

Dropleg Design:
Sized for > 12 to 16 fps superficial velocity Straight, vertical, drop no jogs Dropleg Pulp Feed Filtrate Tank Seal Baffle To Shower
Courtesy April 2005 of Beloit Pulping
CONFIDENTIAL & TRADE SECRET

Drum Washer

Recommended ht. > 30 ft.

Vent

Chamber Vat Dilution

Pulp Washing Training
EKA of 152 32 CHEMICALS

or Effluent

Technical Marketing & Mill Services

Diffuser Efficiency Keys

Screen and backflush cycle
Pulp and wash water distribution (orifice sizing) Pulp consistency and bed integrity (>10% inlet, <14% outlet)

Washing temperature (>160 F)

Production Load (5-6 ADMT/d m2)

Screen and Backflush Cycle

*Only washing when your extracting
Upstroke 10% faster than pulp (proportional valve)

Quick closing time of extraction valve and wash valve to minimum position (2-3 sec) (mech stops for wash) Short backflush (<= 1sec)
Proper pressure and volume of backflush

Atmospheric Diffuser

Pressure Diffuser

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Cost of Brown Stock Washing Typical Mill Economic Relationship

4500.00 4000.00 ClO2 $M/year NaOH $M/year

Steam $M/year
3500.00 Total $M/year

3000.00

Net Cost ($1000/year)

2500.00

2000.00

1500.00

$$ Sweet Spot $$

1000.00

500.00

0.00

April 2005

Decreasing Washing DF Pulp Washing Training

Soda Loss lbs/ton (% Weak Liquor Solids)

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Drum Wash Line Controls

-

Control Objectives Reduce soda carryover variability Optimize use of DF Wash line operating stability Reduce mundane low valve activities of operator

Drum Wash Line Controls

-

Minimum Control Expectations Vat level control with drum speed Seal take levels w/cascade shower flows & digester bypass Dilution factor, open loop On-line measurement of conductivity

Pulp
Wash Water In

Dirty Pulp In
Knotter

Washer Decker

Screens

Washed Pulp Out

Filtrate Tanks

Liquor out to April Evaps 2005

Pulp Washing Training

Liquor

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BSW Improve Projects

New high performance showers to replace old whistles, spoons, and weirs LaValley, Comarco Uniflows, Oramac Split Washing - Hot water to last washer top showers to replace high COD condensate Dilution factor controls Course control of showers Shower control using conductivity Fine control of showers Closing decker filtrate systems Reduced soda loss, energy Anti-rewet drum decks Training operators on the principles of drum washers
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Digester Washing Assessment

Compare to OEM DF/DR curve: - Vat DS are calculated end of cook DS or upper extraction DS - Shower flow and DS are cold blow flow and DS - Mat consistency and DS are blow consistency and DS - Filtrate flow and DS are total extraction flow and DS