Fourdrinier Drainage Performance Evaluation - Blow Test Method, Technical Information Paper TIP 0410-07 (2005)

This Technical Information Paper provides guidelines for evaluating fourdrinier performance by blowing stock samples off the forming fabric and catching them for measurement and analysis. Most paper machine clothing companies and drainage equipment suppliers currently use total mass sensors to monitor fourdrinier drainage performance. The guidelines for this method are described in TAPPI TIP 0502-12. However, not all mills have access to this equipment and the procedure described here permits analysis of filler content and chemical additive performance. The procedure described permits study of formation rate and retention distribution over all equipment on the fourdrinier section. It can also be used to compare forming rates for different fourdrinier equipment, furnishes, chemical additives and refining methods. The method used is a mass balance using consistency and ash determinations combined with mass throughput based on reel production data.