The Braviken paper mill near Norrköping, Sweden employs 400 people and is one of the world’s most efficient paper mills in terms of production. In 1972 Hydria Water delivered a machine to the paper mill, and this year, 48 years later, they delivered a replacement machine.
– The previous machine ran practically flawlessly for almost 50 years – that is a good grade to have achieved, Hydra Water’s Technical Manager says with a smile.
The new machine is a 17-metre long, custom-made overhead travelling carriage with a sludge suction pump that purifies the water used in the mill’s processing.
– The sludge suction pump functions a little like a vacuum cleaner, purifying the 55°C process water of cellulose fibres. The basic function is the same as for the previous machine, but the new one has a more modern design and new, acid-resistant components.
The previous machine was constructed using black steel, and when the components began to wear it was felt that it would be better to upgrade to a new machine rather than renovate the old one. New technology, new materials that handle process water more efficiently, and a new, more compact control system, resulted in a great improvement for the paper mill as a whole.
– It’s a marked difference: we have moved from a control system the size of a small garden shed to one that measures 80 x 80 centimetres. We are good at technology, and much has changed over the past five decades.
The new machine was installed at the end of April in a water-filled tank.
– There were special requirements during installation, and it was not possible to empty the tank, which is normally done during installation, or even lower the water level. As a result, we installed it in a water-filled tank this time. Everyone involved rose to the challenge in an admirable way, Andreas concludes.
Photograph: Braviken
