BTG IPI – HEADBOX ANALYSIS

REPORT

Oki Pulp & Paper

TM 14.1
June 21, 2023
Author: KAP

Page 1

BTG IPI LLC Phone: +1 920 337 2225 durorod@btg.com

1375 Plane Site Blvd Fax: +1 920 337 2223 www.btg.com
DePere, WI 54115
Background:

Oki Tissue has 10 tissues machines, 6 of which have Toscotec headboxes and 4 of
which have PMP headboxes. Many of the Toscotec machines are currently running
BTG headbox sheets at 525mm long and 0.5mm tip thickness. TM 12.1 recently has
installed staggered sheets to reduce fan pump energy. This report is focused on TM
14.1, which is one of the PMP headbox machines.

The mill is interested in decreasing the headbox energy to improve formation.

Production Information:
Machine Speed 1800 mpm
Grammage 11 - 12.5 gsm Toilet Tissue
Pondside 3823 mm
Furnish 75% [LBKP] Hardwood 350 csf
15% [NBKP] Long Fiber 400 csf
10% average Broke
Slice Opening 13mm
Consistency 0.14 %
Retention 60%
J/W Ratio 0.93
Operating Temperature 45 C
Boil Out temperature 65 C

Energy Expansion Analysis: Based on the information provided BTG has made
the following analysis using our proprietary NRGx methodology.

The Headbox nozzle currently has (4) total Sheets that are arranged all at the same
length. The Sheets are 628mm Long with 0.50mm Tips. The existing arrangement
can be seen below.

The primary function of headbox sheets is to reduce the amount of energy in the flow
as it exits the tube bank before the jet exits the slice opening. Each sheet separates
flow into its own channel to create a more uniform and blended flow across the

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BTG IPI LLC Phone: +1 920 337 2225 durorod@btg.com

1375 Plane Site Blvd Fax: +1 920 337 2223 www.btg.com
DePere, WI 54115
machine width. At the end of the sheet, as the flows converge, expansion energy is
observed as the flows take up the space previously occupied by the headbox sheet.
This expansion energy is critical to understanding how the flows will interact and how
mixing will take place.

The existing headbox sheets are generating 4.6% expansion energy. This range of
energy is considered HIGH for most Facial Tissue grades, however the sheet length
is GOOD would normally be recommended.

The current energy and sheet length as compared to the “ideal” ranges for tissue
grades can be seen below. The Graph above shows the overall energy expansion
level. Critical components to calculating energy expansion include sheet distance
from slice and sheet tip thickness, which can be seen in the Graph below.

Current Sheet Distance from Slice Opening

Recommendation:

Staggered Sheet Arrangement, 2% Energy

In order to decrease the headbox energy, the recommendation is to change the sheet
arrangement to a staggered arrangement. When sheets are staggered, it allows
shorter sheets to be used more effectively and allows the overall expansion to
decrease accordingly.

This arrangement will consisit of 2 different sheet lengths, 550mm, and 615mm. This
will reduce the overall headbox energy from 4.6% to 2%. From this reduction, the mill
should see an improvement in formation due to lower expansion energy at the slice,
which allows for less air intrusion at the jet.

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BTG IPI LLC Phone: +1 920 337 2225 durorod@btg.com

1375 Plane Site Blvd Fax: +1 920 337 2223 www.btg.com
DePere, WI 54115
The graphs below show the impact on energy expansion with this sheet arrangement
as well as the recommended layout.

Recommended Arrangement Energy Expansion

Recommended Arrangement Sheet Distance from Slice Opening

The shorter staggered sheet falls out of what is shown as the Preferred range. For
Staggered arrangements this is normal and is intended to reduce the energy level.
The final energy is determined by the longer sheets which are definitely in the Ideal
Range.

The recommended Sheet arrangement is as Follows:

Page 4

BTG IPI LLC Phone: +1 920 337 2225 durorod@btg.com

1375 Plane Site Blvd Fax: +1 920 337 2223 www.btg.com
DePere, WI 54115
Conclusions :

The current energy expansion rate for TM 14.1 is HIGH for producing tissue grades
at 4.6%, however the machine has a desire to improve formation. There is an
opportunity to reduce the headbox energy to 2%, which should help achieve this
goal. The recommendation to change the sheet arrangement to a staggered design
will achieve this lower energy goal, allowing for a better formation result.

Thank you,

Kim Phillips
Headbox Application & Product Specialist

BTG IPI, LLC

1375 Plane Site Blvd. De Pere WI 54114
+1 803.587.4255
Kim.Phillips@BTG.com

Page 5

BTG IPI LLC Phone: +1 920 337 2225 durorod@btg.com

1375 Plane Site Blvd Fax: +1 920 337 2223 www.btg.com
DePere, WI 54115