To prepare the raw materials into pulp that’s useful in the paper making process, a few things must be done: Mix the fibers, cook them in hot water containing lye to soften the fibers, run a screen through the fibers, then let the excess water drain from the screen. Additional squeezing or blotting, then, removes even more water.
In the pulp making process, it’s important from both product quality and energy usage standpoints that the moisture of the pulp web be as low as possible going into the drying cylinders. A wetter web requires more energy to produce the steam to the drying cylinders.
Ideally, moisture levels entering the cylinders is less than about 50%. Utilizing a near infrared (NIR) moisture sensor in this situation would include mounting it above the web in a stationary position or on a scanning frame to provide instant, non-destructive moisture results. At this point in the process, the pulp web is incredibly fragile, making non-contact moisture measurement the only safe choice.
Web breakage costs your operation down time, excessive labor, and large amounts of product waste in order to facilitate the necessary machine restart that would correct this issue.
Typically, the Market Pulp that results from this part of the paper-making process is shipped to paper makers as a raw material. Due to the high moisture content in the shippable product, shipping costs can be astronomically high if the moisture is not carefully monitored and kept to a minimum acceptable limit.
Consequently, due to high moisture content, shipping costs are also quite high. This makes it even more important that the moisture of the product is keep to a minimum acceptable limit. That’s why our NIR meters serve such a critical role in optimizing your operation and increasing your profits.
Upgrade the way you approach pulp moisture measurement today.
The OMNIR On-Line Near Infrared Moisture Sensor not only delivers accurate data instantaneously and non-destructively, it also monitors its own health to help keep your operation running smoothly. Click the button to see how Finna Sensors can assist in augmenting your almond process.