From the Hole to the Hill: Automation at Niagara Paper PGW Groundwood Installation, 1991 International Mechanical Pulping Conference Proceedings

At 5:55 PM on February 15, 1990, Pressure Groundwood (PGW) Pulp was produced at Niagara Paper for the first time. The new PGW system is part of an overall plant to continue the modernization and expansion of the Niagara Mill. The PGW system has been in continuous operation since March 7, 1990.

Niagara of Wisconsin Paper Corporation produces high quality groundwood printing papers marketed under the trade names of Niagara Book, Pentair, Penagra and Penstar. The mill’s production is targeted for 720 tpd of No. 4 and No. 5 coated papers with basis weights ranging from 40-70 lb/3,300 ft2.

An indicator of the Niagara’s approach to project execution, was the strategy for selecting designing and personnel training for the instrumentation and process control system.

Niagara personnel recognized that they could best determine their specific requirements regarding process automation and thus developed their own control strategy after evaluating all available technology.

This paper focuses on the effects of process control modernization in the new PGW installation as well as in the older screen room and bleachery.