FEL1 and 2 – The Beginnings of Successful Paper Machine Conversions, 20PEERS Conference

Paper machine conversion projects to alter the machines’ major product grades continue to be a prevailing trend in the paper industry.  In recent years, the major pulp and paper companies and the professional service firms that provide consulting and engineering to them have adopted a Front‐end Loading (FEL) project engineering process similar to other process industries.  Effective use of the FEL process can guide companies methodically and consistently to optimize the use of capital project funds.    This paper reviews the initial phases of successful paper machine conversion engineering efforts.  These phases, the FEL1 and FEL2, are often referred to as the Feasibility Analyses and Conceptual Design phases of the project.

An overview of the FEL process and its deliverables, with examples pertaining to converting papermaking operations from producing one grade to another are presented.  While others have presented the overall FEL concept to the industry, this paper focuses on the important initial phases where the business case is made, and major technical options are explored and narrowed.  Considerations that are particular to paper machine conversions, as well as project approach and stage deliverables are documented.  


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