Consistency Control on the Wire Improves Formation at the Reel, 1994 Papermakers Conference Proceedings

Please Note: This document will be available in PDF format in the "My Electronic Documents" link on the home page once your order has been completed. Please make sure you have the latest version of Acrobat Reader. Click on the Acrobat Reader icon to check for the latest version, it’s FREE. To print a hardcopy of a PDF file correctly you must have a postscript printer. If you are not sure if your printer is a postscript printer please refer to your owner’s manual.

The addition of top-wires and dandy rolls to the top side of the sheet in the forming zone is designed to 1) improve formation, 2) reduce two-sidedness, 3) provide additional dewatering and 4) control turbulence on higher speed machines. These top-side devices generally perform best at an optimum level of stock consistency. Consistency can be measured by a small nuclear backscatter gauge placed at the in-going nip of the fourdrinier and top-side device. The gauge will show the magnitude of consistency changes at this position, and permit assessment of the effect of consistency variations on the formation of the finished sheet, as measured by laboratory and/or on-line formation gauges. This paper will cover various aspects of the measuring equipment, illustrate the need for consistency control on the wire, and document the potential improvement in sheet formation.