A new sensor and a novel control concept for optimized fiber line operation

Kraft and sulfite pulp mills use several consecutive process stages for pulp production. However, usually only one key pulp parameter is used for process control and that is the lignin content in the fibers, typically expressed as the kappa number. Even so, to improve process efficiency, more variables need to be monitored. To do that, a new sensor was developed, the dissolved lignin transmitter (DLT), along with a new control concept. The DLT measures the dissolved lignin content in the pulp slurry using a unique principle based on optical measurements. The device can measure the dissolved lignin inline at low consistency and at medium consistency. The sensor has two major applications: 1) improving the efficiency in washing stages and 2) optimizing chemical charges. Results from several mill trials have shown that the contribution from dissolved lignin in the filtrate portion of the pulp is up to 30% of the total bleach load, i.e., fiber and filtrate kappa number combined into the bleach plant. Hence, chemical savings can be achieved taking this component into account compared to only measuring the washed fiber kappa number.