Presentation of raw material and energy optimization tool SoftaCell for paper and board manufacturing.

1. Furnish Optimization -The Key to Raw Material and Energy Savings in Paper and Board Manufacturing
9.9.2014 Copyright GloCell Oy 1
Juhani Lehtonen

2. GloCellOyhasstartedbackin2004asfiberandfurnishconsultingcompanyforpulpandpapermakers,foundedbybrothersLehtonen(Ph.D.andM.sc).Theyhadanidea,thatforestbasedindustrycandothingsinanewwayandwantedtodevelopanewsoftwaretohelpinthatprocess.ThatishowSoftaCell™
wascreated.
Sincethen,GloCellhasbecomethebestonthemarketprovidingsolutionsformultivariablecostandmaterialoptimization. GloCell’sSoftaCell™optimizationprogramisnowadaysgloballyinusebyforestbasedindustrycompanies.
GloCell Oy
GloCell is a specialized company working with different multivariable models for furnish mix optimization and evaluation of their cost to quality ratios.
Core competences of our company are extensive understanding about the fibres, mathematical modelling skills and wide experience from the pulp-and paper industry
WHAT WE DO
History

3. Part 1: Scientific Background
3

4. Where do we come from?
•The functional behavior of paper is characterized using methods that directly measure certain physical properties that are often believed to correlate with the required functionality
•Although these properties may or may not describe the actual functionality requirements thoroughly, they are tools for the paper manufacturer to target production
•These measured physical properties are often very strongly correlated, and changing one without affecting others is impossible
•This is because many of these properties are governed by the same fundamental variables

5. Wood fiberpropertiesPulp fiberPulp fiberpropertiespropertiesFiber networkFiber networkpropertiespropertiesPaperPaperpropertiespropertiesEnd useEnd userequirementsrequirementsTreeStandMacroenvironmentBonded areaBonded areaUnbonded areaFiber strengthSpec. bond strengthFiber lengthRunnabilityPrintabilitySoftnessCWTFiber lengthMFACWVesselsParenchymaConformabilityConformabilityFibers/gFiber cuttingFibrillationFibrillationFiber damageTensile strengthTensile strengthTear strengthTear strengthIn plane tearstrengthDensityDensityBulkSurfaceSurfacesmoohtnesssmoothnessAir resistanceAir resistanceAdditive retentionGrowth rateAgeSpeciesCompetitionHabitat typeGeneticbackgroundRainTemperatureSoil typeHistoryOpacityFiber lengthCWTMFA
What are the ecology and forestry
based issues affecting
fiber quality
How is fiber quality
transposed into paper properties
How do paper properties provide
product benefits
The correlations of properties through the value chain

6. Example of fiber baskets SWRelative fiber lengthRelativecell wall thickness
Douglas fir
Loblolly
pinestrengthopacityrefinabilitysmoothnessbulkformation
Western
red cedar
Scotch pine
Norway
spruce
Sitka spruce
White spruce
Engelmann
spruce
Lodgepole
pine
Ponderosa
pine
Grand fir
Western
larch
Eastern
hemlock
Western
hemlock
Subalpine
fir
Black
spruce
Red
spruce
Red
pine
White
pine
Balsam fir
Slash
pine
Longleaf
pine
Shortleaf
pine
Radiata pineScandinavian and RussianWest Coast BCSouthern USBC InteriorMaritime province and QuebecMain range Rockies, Plains and Western OntarioChile, New Zealand ® GloCell
Jack
pine2.0-3.3mm2.5-3.5mm>3.5mm>8 μm5-8 μm3-5 μm
Virginia
pine

7. Example of fibre baskets HWRelative fiber length and fiber widthRelativecell wall thickness
Sugar maple
Red maple
Silver maple
Betula
pendula
Betula
pubescens
Trembling
aspen
Bigtooth
aspen
American
beech
Yellow
birch
White
birch
Paper
birch
River
birch
White
oaks
Balsam
poplar
Southern red
oaks
Yellow
poplar
Sweetgum
True
hickories
White
ash
Green
ash
Sycamore
Magnolia
(Sweetbay)
Eucalyptus
grandis
Eucalyptus
urophylla
Eucalyptus
nitens
Eucalyptus
saligna
Eucalyptus
globulus
Eucalyptus
tereticornis
Acacia
mangium
Gmelina
arboreae
Eastern
cottonwood
Acacia
grassicarpastrengthopacityrefinabilitysmoothnessbulkformationIndonesiaNorthern US, Canada high aspen pulpsNorthern USNorthern USHigh maple pulpsScandinaviaBrazilChile, Portugal, SpainDeep south US0.6-0.8mm
<20μm0.8-1.0mm20-30μm>1.0mm>30μm
MTHIndonesia>6 μm4-6 μm2-4 μmMid south USHigh oak pulpsGlobal palette of fibers

8. The Use Of PCA
•Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has been shown to be a very useful tool in detecting fundamental variables that affect paper properties
•The main applications of PCA are to
•reducethe number of variables to a few underlying fundamental effects
•detect structurein the relationships between these variables, and ultimately to
•classify variables

9. Common Variance Explained By Various Factors In Mechanical And Chemical Pulps
Principal componentMechanical pulp, Strand et al. Chemical pulp, Howard et al. Bonding68%42.4%-53.2% Fiber length24%30.0%-40.3% Fiber strength12.7%-17.7%

10. What Type Of Furnish Is Needed?
These targets can be achieved if one knows how to control the principal components (factors) contributing to these properties!
Process optimization
Raw material control
Correct targeting (quality and cost)
High tensile?
High tear?
Opacity?
Softness?
Porosity?

11. 11
SoftaCell™
Fiber Knowledge
Multivariable modeling
Monetary Tools
GloCell’s Approach
The understanding of multivariable modelling in the context of paper and board making has enabled to development of the tool. The user does not have to know why it works and what the mathematics underneath is.

12. 12
•SoftaCell™ primary function is to find and simulate the optimum furnish mix for different paper or board grades based on the potential of the available pulps and fillers
•With the help of SoftaCell™ optimal pulp combinations and refining ratios can be found in acknowledge of effect on final quality and cost efficiency of the mix changes
•In the program it’s easy to set limits minimum and maximum values for all the necessary quality parameter ranges and optimize without loss of total performance
How Softacell™ Works

13. Part 2: Fiber Benchmarking
9.9.2014 J. Lehtonen GloCell Oy 13
Note: The parts 2-4 will be presented as a live case using the SoftaCellTMoptimization tool.
These slides (12-26) give a framework to what will be shown and discussed.

14. 14
First you canstart with just benchmarking pulps
You can selecteach of the pulps you have in the database for components to be benchmarked
You canselect what ever refining level you wish
You see all measured pulp parameterswith chosen refining levels

15. 15
You can use the graphs of any quality measurements in the database
Easy zooming of graphs
Pulp benchmarking is a great tool for users to do first sanity checks on which pulps could be used
Pulps can be chemical, mechanical, DIP or BCTMP, no limits to that!

16. Benefits Of Fiber Behavior Information
16
In this graph is shown how much does five typical hardwood market pulps differ. They are all refined equally much (100kWh/ton). The comparison is made to find the pulp which enables the highest tear strength and opacity at the same time. Would the changing of pulp, shown by the arrow, effect on the quality of the final product, if the half of the furnish mix is HW based? What would you think would happen to softwood hardwood ratio optimum in a mix?

17. Part 3: Furnish Mix Optimization
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18. Input Of End Quality Parameters
•It’s easy to enter all the needed quality parameters into the software for the end use requirements
•Optimization tools help to find the most cost effective way to reach the target quality in any properties
•The changed costs of raw materials and energy influence and change the optimum solution constantly
18

19. Creating the Furnish Mixture
19
Then you go to the real thing: Furnish mix optimization
You usually have different types of machines and/or grades in the database

20. Fillers and Chemicals Included
20
Here as an example of comparison between PCC and Kaolin. All other fiber mixes are the same!
Multivariable Optimization Button!

21. All quality parameters can be seen for the both mixtures in Table or Picture.
For optimization Min and Max accepted values can be entered
The Quality Comparisons
21

22. The Quality and Cost Optimization
In this case MIX #2 shows a significant 9,69 €/ ton savings in raw materials and energy!
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23. Part 3: Board Optimization
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24. Creation of Board Layers
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Alternative mixes for all board layers can be created easily.

25. Board Optimization
•The board structure is created from furnish mixes
•In this case a 3-layer structure in presented
•Easy comparison
•Grammagesincluded
25

26. Alternative Board Recipes are Created
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Target here is to achieve the same bending stiffness with less raw material!

27. The Target Can Easily Be Met With This Approach
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Savings in raw material and energy are even 18,2 €per ton with the main quality parameters remaining intact!

28. Part 4: Future Roadmap
9.9.2014 Copyright GloCell Oy 28

29. Future: Box Compression Modeling
• Fiber types
• Basis weight
• Bonding
• Fiber strength
• Orientation
• SCT (STFI) compression
strength of the liners and
medium
• Thickness of the board from
the form of the medium
(take up factor)
• Bending stiffness of the
liners
Paper Board Box Functional use
ECT
(Edgewise compression)
BCT
(Box compression or
stacking strength)
SCT (STFI) Load demand
Bending stiffness
• ECT of the board
• Bending stiffness
of the board
• Box dimensions
• Weight of single box?
• Printing properties?
• How high will it be
stacked?
• What environmental
conditions?

30. Box Compression Modeling Directly From Raw Materials
• Fiber types
• Basis weight
• Bonding
• Fiber strength
• Orientation
• SCT (STFI) compression
strength of the liners and
medium
• Thickness of the board from
the form of the medium
(take up factor)
• Bending stiffness of the
liners
Paper Board Box Functional use
ECT
(Edgewise compression)
BCT
(Box compression or
stacking strength)
SCT (STFI) Load demand
Bending stiffness
• ECT of the board
• Bending stiffness
of the board
• Box dimensions
• Weight of single box?
• How high will it be
stacked?
• What environmental
conditions?
You can run the board machine based
on end use requirement optimum!

31. 9.9.2014 Juhani Lehtonen GloCell Oy 31
Summary

32. Conclusion
•Principal component analysis is an efficient tool for analyzing the potential of mechanical and chemical pulps
•It can be used to explore the full design space for alternative furnish solutions
•When combined with economical evaluation it can serve as a valuable tool for altering the performance-to-cost ratio of any paper product
•GloCellapproach for furnish optimization can thus serve as a strategic tool to ensure your competitiveness in the future
•SoftaCellTM–tool is used comprehensively today to optimize millions of tons of yearly production of paper and board with effective savings of tens of millions of euros per annum

33. 33
Steering to use the best raw material combinations available
Compare different options of raw materials easy and fast
Cost efficient development and testing of new products
Optimization of quality to customers
•Buy the rightpulps
•Surveyin whichend products you can use same pulp grades.
•Channel right raw materials to right locations
•Find out technical potential in the end product
•Be able to see effects of material change fast on economical level
•Steering of R&D on higher business area level
•Point out the best and be able to forget the rest
•Be able solve customer problems
•Produce “quality good enough”
•Increase your pulp sales with SoftaCell™
SoftaCell™ can offer value for the whole corporation
Mill level
Value Added By Softacell™