Consistency - Moving Fiber Through the Mill, 1998 Process Control, Electrical & Info. Conference Proceedings

There is no parameter in the pulp and paper industry that has greater impact on the performance of operations and the quality of products than the consistency of the stock being processed. Excessive levels of variability are introduced into fiber streams directly as a result of efforts to manage consistency, starting at the chip feeder all the way through to the reel of the paper machine. Consistency, or fiber flow, is affected by the design of the processes through which stock travels; the equipment used for dilution or thickening; the control strategies applied to the process; the tuning of loops implemented for control; the performance of the actuation equipment being used; the measurement technology available; and the operating practices being employed.

There is a need to understand consistency from a macro perspective and apply management techniques that will result in more stable processes, thereby allowing higher throughput, lower product costs and better quality products. This paper discusses the issues, the challenges, the requirements and the benefits of establishing consistency management as a mill program.