Characterisation of log loading process

Abstract

The objective of this work was to develop a log loading simulator of the wood room in pulp and paper industry. In the first stage the log loading process is modelled. Then the criteria for evaluating the effects of log loading on the wood room performance are defined. The motivation for the research is that log loading can be identified as playing a central role if the production and cost-effectiveness of the wood room is to be increased. The lack of reliable process measurements and changes in raw material quality, which are not measured on-line, make the data-based modelling of an industrial log loading process difficult. For these reasons, the research was performed via mathematical modelling of the process. The simulated results confirm that the same production can be obtained in many ways, but there can be differences in costs. Especially too high speed of the infeed conveyor in relation to capacity leads to several drawbacks, which typically result in increased wood loss and decreased chip quality. For this reason it is important to consider all aspects of log loading for the best performance. The results give insight into the log loading process and may help to improve the log loading process.