Digester Fingerprint

The ABB OPT800 Continuous Digester Fingerprint is a process diagnostic service for continuous digester optimization. It is a platform-independent, non-invasive service that can be applied to any existing continuous cooking process where improved quality and productivity are desired.

ABB has extensive and worldwide experience in pulp and paper mill optimization and control packages. ABB’s pulp mill supervisory control systems increase capacity, save energy and chemicals, and also reduce mill effluents.

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Overview
Key Performance Indicators
Delivery Schedule

The ABB Cook/C Continuous Digester Fingerprint identifies operation bottlenecks and opportunities for improvements in the continuous cooking process. It provides unbiased insight into:

  • overall digester performance based on the measures of key control loops;
  • the digester transient response based on measures of key supervisory control loops;
  • variations in pulp quality;
  • issues with all level 1 control loops.

Analysis of pulp quality variability, digester performance, digester response and control loop performance are used to establish performance benchmarks. The resulting diagnostic report provides improvement recommendations and associated estimated return on investment.

The Fingerprint gathers process and operational information through structured interviews with plant personnel, and data gathered by ABB’s Data Logger (DL400) software tool, to assess process and control system performance.

Next, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that highlight the bottlenecks in operation are calculated. These KPIs are reviewed by ABB’s optimization experts and used to benchmark your process against industry standards. Areas of opportunity are identified and evaluated by these experts, who provide recommendations to implement and sustain performance of your continuous cooking process.

After verifying and collecting data, ABB determines Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the following areas:

  • Pulp Quality: The pulp quality index measures pulp quality variability. This index is based on two pulp quality measurements: Kappa and consistency.

  • Digester Performance: The Digester Performance Index is a single number representing digester performance quality. Digester performance is measured by continuous cooking process efficiency and the pulp quality. Areas measured are:

    • Liquor balance
    • Fiber balance
    • Temperature control
    • Alkali control
  • Digester Response: The Digester Response Index is a measure of the transient response of key digester supervisory controls. This index provides information that can be related to speed of response, start-up time and grade change time.

  • Loop Performance: The Loop Performance Analysis gives the overall picture of the quality of the level 1 control loops in the continuous cooking area.

Reporting

After the evaluation, two reports are presented:

  1. Executive Report: summarizes the findings, benchmark results, financial impact of recommendations and an actionable improvement plan. ABB can assist in implementing this plan.

  2. Technical Report: provides detailed results of the Fingerprint along with the data collected during the assessment.

Delivery Schedule

The following is the Delivery Schedule for the Digester Fingerprint:

Day 1

  • Safety briefing
  • Kick-off meeting
  • Plant tour
  • Data collection setup

Day 2

  • Preliminary analysis of overnight data
  • Interview key plant personnel
  • Retrieval of long-term data for pulp quality & key control loops
  • Check data and make configurations accordingly

Day 3

  • Digester Performance and Pulp Quality Analysis
  • Open and closed loop tests on:
    • H Factor Control
    • Chip Level Control

Day 4

  • Open and closed loop tests on:
    • Alkali/Wood controls
    • Liquor/Wood controls in ImpBin (Applicable to compact cooking)
  • Digester response analysis

Day 5

  • Data analysis for Summary of Findings exit meeting presentation
  • Exit Meeting

A final Executive and Technical report will be issued approximately two weeks after the Exit Meeting.  ABB can usually deliver a Continuous Digester Fingerprint within two months of receipt of a purchase order.

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