Refiner optimization and control Part I: Fiber residence time and major dynamic fluctuations in TMP refining processes

The study focuses on dynamic considerations in a mill-wide perspective showing that mill economy is closely linked to optimization of TMP and power plant. Special attention is given to stability issues in the refining processes. Describing the dynamics in such nonlinear processes is difficult and tedious and requires significant knowledge about where in the operating window to run the refiners. Results show the dynamics in the internal states, temperature profiles and the plate gap sensors responses and how they correspond to the refiner motor load. Disturbances in production affect the plate gap sensors and the temperature profiles in the same direction, while deliberate changes in the plate gap result in a dynamic situation where the motor load and temperature profile change in opposite directions. It is shown that the total residence time and the ratio between the residence time before and after the maximum temperature will be important when formulating specifications for energy efficient refining. As an example of how the refining process affects the mill economy, the start-up procedures for two different types of refiners will be penetrated. It is shown that the start-ups are most often associated with an over shoot in the motor load, which is easy to overcome