Lesson 1Paper machine sections: forming, press, drying, calendering basicsDetails the main paper machine sections for woodfree grades: forming, press, dryer, and calender. Explains dewatering mechanisms, sheet consolidation, moisture control, and surface finishing, linking settings to 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)Introduces key field instruments, control valves, and automation layers used in pulp and paper mills. Explains basic control loops, DCS and SCADA roles, and how instrumentation supports 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 controlExplores stock preparation for printing and writing grades, including refining theory, screening and cleaning systems, mixing, and dilution control. Highlights impacts on strength, formation, drainage, and machine stability.
Refining mechanisms and fiber 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 millExplains how water and steam circulate through a paper mill, from intake and treatment to condensate return. Focus is on heat integration, specific consumption, pinch points, and impacts on cost, emissions, and 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, chippingCovers the front end of the value chain: wood procurement, transport, storage, debarking, and chipping. Emphasises chip quality parameters, bark handling, and how raw material variability affects 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 homogenizationLesson 6Recycled fibre handling and deinking basicsCovers sourcing, sorting, and preparation of recovered paper, then deinking principles for graphic grades. Focus includes contaminants, unit operations, yield, brightness, and how deinked pulp quality affects paper machine runnability.
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 recoveryIntroduces kraft pulping chemistry and operation, including cooking reactions, liquor cycles, and fibre properties. Explains recovery boiler, causticising, and recausticising, highlighting energy generation and chemical closure.
White liquor composition and active alkaliDigester operation and kappa number controlBrownstock washing and filtrate handlingRecovery boiler combustion and smeltCausticizing, lime kiln, and chemical balanceLesson 8Finishing operations: rewinding, cutting, coating alternativesDescribes finishing steps after the paper machine, including reel handling, rewinding, sheeting, and optional off-machine coating. Addresses defect removal, roll quality, packaging, and how finishing tailors products to customers.
Parent reel handling and storage safetyRewinder operation and defect managementSheeting, ream formation, and packagingOff‑machine coating types and functionsFinished product inspection and labelingLesson 9Overview of uncoated woodfree paper production flowIntroduces the integrated process for uncoated woodfree paper, linking pulp supply, stock preparation, paper machine sections, and finishing. Emphasis is on material flows, key equipment, quality levers, and main cost and energy drivers.
Process block diagram and main unit operationsFiber, water, and energy flow interactionsTypical mill layout and logistics interfacesKey quality parameters and product gradesMajor cost centers and efficiency leversLesson 10Bleaching sequence concepts and environmental constraintsPresents bleaching objectives, sequences, and stage functions for kraft pulps, along with environmental constraints. Discusses ECF and TCF concepts, AOX reduction, chemical optimisation, and effluent treatment interfaces.
Brightness targets and pulp cleanlinessCommon bleaching stages and notationECF, TCF, and oxygen delignificationChemical consumption and cost controlBleach plant effluents and AOX limits
