Lesson 1Paper machine sections: forming, press, drying, calendering basicsThis lesson details the primary sections of the paper machine for woodfree grades: forming, press, dryer, and calender. It explains dewatering mechanisms, sheet consolidation, moisture management, and surface finishing, connecting machine settings to resultant paper properties.
Headbox design and jet-to-wire ratioForming table drainage and retention aidsPress section loading and dewateringDryer section steam and hood controlCalendering impact on gloss and smoothnessLesson 2Common process instrumentation and control elements (sensors, valves, SCADA)This lesson introduces essential field instruments, control valves, and automation systems employed in pulp and paper mills. It covers fundamental control loops, the functions of DCS and SCADA, and how instrumentation bolsters safety, quality, and efficiency.
Level, pressure, flow, and consistency sensorsControl valve types and sizing basicsPID control loops and tuning conceptsDCS architecture and operator interfacesSCADA, alarms, and data historian useLesson 3Stock preparation: refiners, screens, cleaners, mixing and dilution controlThis lesson delves into stock preparation for printing and writing papers, encompassing refining principles, screening and cleaning systems, mixing processes, and dilution control. It highlights effects on strength, formation, drainage, and machine stability.
Refining mechanisms and fibre developmentPrimary and secondary screening systemsCentrifugal cleaners and heavy reject handlingConsistency control and dilution profilingWet end additives and mixing strategiesLesson 4Water and steam balance in a paper millThis lesson explains the circulation of water and steam in a paper mill, from intake and treatment to condensate recovery. The focus is on heat integration, specific consumption rates, pinch analysis points, and their influence on costs, emissions, and operational reliability.
Fresh water intake and treatment stepsProcess water loops and closure levelsBoiler house and steam generation basicsCondensate recovery and flash steam useWater, steam, and energy performance KPIsLesson 5Raw material handling: wood logistics, debarking, chippingThis lesson covers the initial stages of the supply chain: wood procurement, transportation, storage, debarking, and chipping. It stresses chip quality standards, bark management, and the impact of raw material variations on pulping and paper quality.
Wood sourcing, species mix, and contractsLog yard layout and inventory managementDebarking technologies and bark disposalChipping systems and chip size controlChip screening, storage, and homogenisationLesson 6Recycled fibre handling and deinking basicsThis lesson addresses sourcing, sorting, and preparation of recovered paper, followed by deinking principles for graphic papers. It focuses on contaminants, unit operations, yield, brightness, and how deinked pulp quality influences paper machine performance.
Recovered paper grades and specificationsContaminant types and removal strategiesPulping, screening, and cleaning stagesFlotation deinking and washing principlesDeinked pulp quality control and testingLesson 7Chemical pulping fundamentals: kraft process and kraft recoveryThis lesson introduces kraft pulping chemistry and operations, including cooking reactions, liquor cycles, and fibre properties. It explains the recovery boiler, causticising, and recausticising processes, underscoring energy production and chemical cycle closure.
White liquor composition and active alkaliDigester operation and kappa number controlBrownstock washing and filtrate handlingRecovery boiler combustion and smeltCausticising, lime kiln, and chemical balanceLesson 8Finishing operations: rewinding, cutting, coating alternativesThis lesson describes post-paper machine finishing steps, including reel handling, rewinding, sheeting, and optional off-machine coating. It addresses defect elimination, roll quality, packaging, and how finishing customises products for end-users.
Parent reel handling and storage safetyRewinder operation and defect managementSheeting, ream formation, and packagingOff-machine coating types and functionsFinished product inspection and labellingLesson 9Overview of uncoated woodfree paper production flowThis lesson introduces the integrated process for uncoated woodfree paper, connecting pulp supply, stock preparation, paper machine sections, and finishing. Emphasis is placed on material flows, key equipment, quality controls, and primary cost and energy factors.
Process block diagram and main unit operationsFibre, water, and energy flow interactionsTypical mill layout and logistics interfacesKey quality parameters and product gradesMajor cost centres and efficiency leversLesson 10Bleaching sequence concepts and environmental constraintsThis lesson presents bleaching goals, sequences, and stage functions for kraft pulps, alongside environmental limitations. It discusses ECF and TCF methodologies, AOX minimisation, chemical optimisation, and effluent treatment considerations.
Brightness targets and pulp cleanlinessCommon bleaching stages and notationECF, TCF, and oxygen delignificationChemical consumption and cost controlBleach plant effluents and AOX limits
