Press section water balance testing

Monitoring and understanding press section parameters is essential to being able to establish best practices for optimal machine operating performance. Having equipment and methods in place to obtain accurate information regarding water removal in the press section (including dewatering, through press nips and uhle boxes) allows for a means to establish optimal operational standards and pinpoint areas requiring improvements. Measurement of water removal through properly designed and installed weir boxes, supplemented by means of measuring shower water supply with rotometers, assists in providing accurate information necessary to perform water balance testing in the press section. This paper discusses the approach and method implemented to establish a monitoring program that is used to determine the impact of varying press nip loadings, and press shower flows/pressures on press section water removal. Modification to seal pit weir boxes provided a means to conduct accurate, on-line, water removal and water balance studies by individual positions within the press section.