Energy Savings by Process Optimization - Reducing Vacuum Demand in the Paper Machine, PaperCon 2010 Conference

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A growing focus on environmental and energy saving measures within the paper and pulp industry is a key driver for technological development, but many energy efficient improvements require significant financial investment. Process-based technology upgrades deliver productivity benefits as well as energy savings and can therefore be justified in many cases. However, many plants might currently be missing the opportunity to leverage the potentially substantial energy savings possible by simply adapting and refining processing capacity to actual need.

Here, results from a study by ÅF based on process modifications at a sack paper machine in Scandinavia, quantify potential energy savings within the vacuum system of a paper machine. By adapting capacity of the vacuum system within the paper machine to the real demands of each product and adopting press nip dewatering, it is shown that no less than two out of ten Nash pumps could be taken out of operation without compromising product quality.