By Muhammad Ali Al-Harazy
and Marco Pescantin
Saudi
Paper Manufacturing Co (SPMC) is a leading
manufacturer of consumer tissue paper in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with a production
capacity in excess of 75,000 tons/yr. SPMC’s
plant is strategically located in Dammam which
allows it to serve the Saudi Arabian market
and the entire Gulf region.
In addition to its geographical advantage,
SPMC has been progressive in selecting technologies
to better serve the markets.
Currently SPMC’s
plant includes three high speed tissue machines
and two Deinking lines. The deinking technology
gives SPMC an edge in terms of quality and
production flexibility since it can adapt to
the changing needs of the local and international
markets.
SPMC prudently zeroed in on investing in deinking
technology to produce high quality DIP pulp
products to complement use of wood pulp. The
decision enabled the company to provide a wide
range of product lines, greater customer value
and support the environment.
Comer was the supplier of process design and
equipment for the deinking plants. The scope
of work included the revamp of existing DIP-
1 and addition of DIP-2 for a total capacity
of 70,000 tons/yr of DIP.
In 2000 Comer conducted an in depth analysis
of SPMC’s DIP-1 system and recommended
the revamping of systems. The following results
were achieved following the implementation
of Comer’s recommendations:
Parameter
|
Before
|
After rebuilding
|
Production
|
22,000
|
35,000
|
Yield %
|
<60
|
>68
|
Final Brightness ISOº
|
<75
|
>82
|
Macrostickies removal efficiency
|
<70
|
>93
|
Subsequent to the successful revamp of
DIP-1, SPMC awarded the project for its
DIP-2 to Comer in 2004. Comer provided
end-to-end services including process design,
detailed engineering, equipment supply,
startup and commissioning, as well as project
management services. Comer deployed its
Modular Deinking Technology (MDT) duringthe
process design phase of this project. The
design of the DIP2 was executed through
MDT by combining different process stages
whilst avoiding duplication of actions
which could possibly damage recycled fibres.
The DIP2 system was designed for high flexibility
with different process configurations, namely,
as a single loop or as a double loop depending
on the inlet furnishes and the outlet final
DIP pulp. Additionally a third loop was installed
to minimize water and chemical compound consumption.
It is of particular interest to note the
following: First, the combination and integration
of the three screening phases to obtain macrostickies
removal efficiency up to 95%; second, the
installation of the Cybercelflotation cell
to achieve increase in brightness on the
first loop up to 12 ISO°.
Brief details of the equipment in the different
process loops are as follows;
Loop 1
|
HD Pulper + Twister rotor
Epurex PS – Holes 4 mm
Cybercleaning CPS – 2 stages
Cyberscreens EC Ghibli +Stralis – Holes
1,4 mm.
-3 stages
Flotation Cell – Cybercel FCB
LD cleaning – CTL6 – 4 stages
Cyberscreens ECL – slots 0,15 mm. – 3
stages
Washers AL – 2 x AL200
Screw Press PV
Cyberheater CSH + CDD Disc Disperger
|
Loop 2
|
Bleaching Tower
Flotation cell – FCB
Washers AL – 2 x AL200
Storage/Bleaching tower
DAF1 – water loop 1
DAF2 – water loop 2
|
Rejects
treatment
|
Reject Slotted Conveyor
Rejects Press
Sand dewatering screw
Densidisc
|
| |
DAF3 – final water treatment
|
After the installation of the equipment, the start-up
of the plant was performed in early 2007. Within
two months of start-up the plant was commissioned
with the following results:
| |
Contract design |
Actual value |
Potential with application
of MDT process |
| Production tons/yr |
34,400 |
36,000 |
52,000 |
| Yield % |
>65 |
>68 |
>68 |
| Final Brightness ISO° |
>80 |
>82
|
>82 |
| Macrostickies removal efficiency |
|
>97 |
>97 |
| Final fillers content % |
|
<2 |
<2 |
| Water consumption m3/ton |
|
<4 |
<4 |
The targets achieved reveals that MDT allows a high
process and capacity flexibility. By adopting MDT
solutions in the process design stage production
of DIP pulp can be increased with limited investment.
The results of the successful project in this case
study are largely due to the collaboration between
the management at SPMC and the engineers at Comer.
The experience was mutually beneficial in meeting
the requirements of a market leader such as Saudi
Paper Manufacturing Co and further developing the
expertise of a producer such as Comer.
TW
