Mitigating Electronic Corrosion in Modern Pulp and Paper Mills, TAPPICon26

In modern pulp and paper mills, electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)—including distributed control systems (DCS), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and AI-enabled monitoring platforms—are vital to continuous operations. While motor control rooms are designed to protect this equipment, air quality within these rooms is often overlooked. Airborne contaminants combined with humidity and temperature fluctuations create corrosive environments that accelerate electronic degradation.

Pulp and paper processes generate sulfur dioxide (SO₂), hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), chlorine (Cl₂), chlorine dioxide (ClO₂)—in mills containing a bleach plant, and organic acids (formic and acetic acid). These gases attack copper and silver metallization on printed circuit boards (PCBs), causing creep corrosion, dendritic growth, and circuit failure. The problem has worsened since the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive (2006) eliminated corrosion-resistant materials such as lead and hexavalent chromium, making modern electronics more susceptible to environmental attack.

Corrosion-induced failures can cause unplanned shutdowns, costing tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour in lost production and maintenance. As mills increasingly adopt artificial intelligence and automation, the reliability of EEE becomes critical to both safety and profitability. Protecting these assets is thus a strategic priority for sustaining digital operations.

This paper outlines industry standards and mitigation practices, referencing ISA-71.04-2013 classifications (G1–GX) for airborne corrosivity. It reviews corrosion monitoring techniques such as reactivity coupons and continuous sensors, and mitigation strategies including gas-phase filtration using activated carbon and/or potassium permanganate media, room pressurization, and environmental control.

Effective implementation of corrosion control programs can extend equipment life, prevent costly downtime, and ensure warranty compliance, while safeguarding the advanced automation and AI systems essential to the modern pulp and paper industry.

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