Willamette Industries Inc. Hawesville PM 2 - Millennium, 1999 Papermakers Conference Proceedings

Juha Kivimaa

For a long time there has been desire and demand towards uniformity on different paper properties. Hawesville pm 2 is the first machine utilising the uniform forming and pressing processes, in both CD and Z-directions. This paper is discussing of the operating results of this machine.

Headbox is equipped with dilution control. Dilution water is spread evenly through the sheet to all layers in Z-direction, resulting to excellent CD profiles and Z-direction uniformity. Sheet is formed uniformly with gap former. Roll and blade gap former design enables MD/CD tensile ratio control over a wide range. Formation and fiber orientations are controlled through Z-direction. Fiber orientations of surface layers (through the sheet) are symmetrical as well as fines and filler distributions.

Hawesville press has unique features; Two double felted presses without open draws, enabling even dewatering to both sides. In addition the roughness two-sidedness is minimal.

The sheet curl control is vital part of totally single felted Dryer Section concept. Base sheet itself has good symmetry in different layers improving also curl characteristics.

Hawesville pm 2 has been proven to be a high efficiency and high quality paper manufacturing line.