Customer: Papierfabrik Palm
Production: Paper for corrugated cardboard
Supplier: Voith
Description: The BlueLine OCC stock preparation unit customized by Voith for paper manufacturer Papierfabrik Palm recently started operation. The facility in Aalen in the southwest of Germany is regarded as one of the largest and most advanced systems worldwide. As a result of the new stock prep system, Palm will now be producing testliner and corrugated cardboard base paper even more sustainably. The BlueLine OCC stock preparation unit allows a maximum yield of high-quality stock from recovered paper. It is designed for a daily capacity of 2,700 metric tons. Thanks to an especially low energy consumption and the comprehensive AquaLine Flex water management system, the stock preparation line at Palm is setting industry standards for the efficient use of resources.
Details: The efficient use of resources is made possible by a combination of tried and tested sub-systems, proven machines and modern automation. As a result, the seamlessly coordinated BlueLine process dispenses with the need for the intermediate vats, additional tanks and agitators that often interrupt operation in conventional systems. This simplification saves on pumps, piping and valves, and consequently, the energy for their operation. Energy savings of up to 20 percent are therefore possible compared with conventional systems.
As well as greater energy efficiency, the new system also saves significant volumes of water. To achieve this, Voith’s complete AquaLine Flex water management system, including wet end process, was installed. In combination with a special disc filter configuration, the process also ensures that only very clean filtrate gets into the wastewater treatment system. As a result, the water management system does not need a primary clarifier.
Palm also achieves more efficiency due to increased fiber yield in the screening process. Thanks to its optimized machine housing, the IntegraScreen ensures consistent flow and pressure conditions around the screen basket, which results in high contaminant separation efficiencies. In addition, equally efficient and energy-saving pulping is achieved through the IntensaPulper. The special vat geometry and asymmetric arrangement of the rotor creates an internal flow pattern in the IntensaPulper that converts flow energy into pulping performance.