Practical Methods for Modernizing Paper Machine Vacuum Systems Douglas F. Sweet, P.E. TAPPI PRESS eprint trom 1988 Papormakers Conference, August 1968 Copyright, TAPPI, Techrology ParklAlanta, Atlanta, GA 30348 1668PRACTICAL METHODS FOR MODERNIZING APSR MACHINE VACUUM SYSTEMS Douglas F. Sweet, 2.8, Sales Engineer Clark & Vicario corporation Pinellas Park, Florida aastaact Paper machine vacuum systems get little attention, as long as the vacaum puaps are operating reliably. Therefore, sone milis may not be getting the most out of thele vacuum systems. Paper machines operating at Least 15 years usually have opportunity for vacuun system Improvenents, ineluding enhanced vacuum at the paper machine, Incceased vacuum pump efficiencies and reduced water usage. These Inpeovencnts Generally lead to paper and board production increases, efficiency Increases and better product quality. A practical discussion covering methods to detecnine vacuum system performance and opportunities for modernization 1s presented. Topics Include vacuum systen surveys, system and piping design and seal vater systens. This materLal should allow papecmacars to Gevelop changes In thelr systens and equipment, to achleve production and ef Elciency benefits. KEYWoRDs Vacuum systems, vacuum piping, separators, seal water, Many articles have been written describing benetlts achleved by upgrading a paper machine vacuun systen. These benefits Include, deler sheet off the couch and presses, Amproved tunability, higher machine efficiencies, and reduced vacuum pump horsepower. ‘Hovaver, some authors tend to Give more credit to the vacuum producing egulpsent than to the design of the vacuum system as a vhole, When optimizing a vacuum systen, we say "you can get halfway there vith anew vacuum pup, and you can get ‘the ether halé with new pipe". Another way of saying this is, many vacuia systea inprovenents cone fam piping changes. ‘These changes redistribute instalied vacuum punp capacity to the proper sevice on the paper machine, and reduce vacuum losses caused by long plping runs or undersized Plpe. This paper reviews sone of the basics In’a vacuun system upgrade. A vacuum system survey Ls an important first step. Surveys should Involve a representative of the vacuum punp manufacturec, pusp seevice technician and mi11 process and maintenance personnel. Data from a paper machine vacuum Survey can be divided inte four topics. 1. Vacuum secvices and punp capabilities 2. Piping from papec machine to the vacuum pumps 3. Discharge piplag avay fron the vacuum pumps: 4, Seal water systen Vacuum Services and Punp Capabilities ‘The paper machine should be surveyed with respect to all vacuum services, including Elatboxes, couch, suction press and ule boxes. The folloving information should be recorded: 1, Sizes (length & width) and nusbecs Of suction boxes. 2. Typical operating vacuum levels at each service. (Check gauge accuracy.) 3. Vacuum Tevels at the vacuum punps 42 vacuum pump Infornation, tncluding model, operating speed, motor horsepower consumed and pump condition. 5. Gheet consistency at several points dovn the machine to the dryec Section. A typical tabulation of survey data is illustrated In Pigure 1. The width or area of each service should be determined and the proper vacuum factor (usually com TAPE’ oachods ) applied to Produce a recommended capacity and vacuum level for each sevice, The recommended, capacity can now be compared with actual pump capacity. An age or vear factor, with respect to the Percentage of original capacity, should be applied to each vacuum punp. For example, a thlety year old vacuum pump uslng low pi’ seal water would not be expected to pecform at 30 or 908 of original capacity, Tl is probably more like 50-80%. On the other hands @ Elfteen year old vacuum system that has alvays used fresh or treated seal water, or a recirculated system with controlled pi and solids, could be at 90-958 ef new pump capacity. The vacuum pump manufacturer should be tnvolved In pectorming pump Anspectlons or performance tests to help, deteralne existing pump capacities. An older machine may be seriously undersized in some services, such as flatboves and felt conditloning capacities. Lover than Feconnended vacuum levels nay result in poor devatering. “At the ther extreme, capacities could be higher than necessary. Few Papermkers admit they may have too much 1988 Papermakars Conference / 278Vacuum pump effictency usually varies with vacuum Level. For example, pumps designed for 20" ig vacuum should net be connected to the Hatboxes. Another Important design criteria Is to conhect each service to its own, Independent vacuum source. For example, combining uhle boxes on multiple felts, combining the couch and press of throttling from one service to another ts Inefficient and not recommended. New vacuum equipment should be used on the part of the machine yhere Lt would do the ost good, such ag the couch or on unle boxes. Also, a number of smaller pumps often can be replaced with a never, more efficient Single vacuum pump. Replacenents typically can be justified on energy and maintenance savings The cost of revorking older vacuum pumps should be conpared with purchase of a new vacuum pump. The purp manufacturer should be Involved In evaluating pump conditions and providing estinates for overhauling the equipment. Piping From Paper Machine te the Vacuum Pump the care taken In designing and laying out the piping between the vacuum punps and paper ‘machine is as Important as the selection of the vacuum pump. Many tines, 5 to 10" ig, loss In vacuum levels occur because the Piping 1s too small or old and partially Plugged. Vacuum gauges should be Teplaced or calibrated to check for vacuum losses. Any losses exceeding one or two Inches Hg between the paper machine service and the vacuum pump inlet for that service should be investigated and corrected, A few basic design principles should be followed for vacuum piping. Prior to separation equipnent, vacuum piping should be sized so the velocity Is leas than 2500 fpm. The velocity chart in Appendix A iz helpfel In determining pipe sizes. The volune teed in calculating velocities should be based on ACRH values rather than on atmospherle volumes or SCFM. Vacuum piping containing Liquids prior to separators, should never un up 111, and should slope downward vhen possible. Vacuum piping carrying excessive anounts of liquid, or designed with pockets, Will cause erratic alr flows and vacuum level avings at the paper machine. The ceasons for using separators ts to prolong vacuun punp iife by sininizing the How of sollgs Eheaugh the pangs and maintaining a'clean flow sf'seal water to all Dumps when seal water recitculation Is used. wall @ recirculated of cascaded seal gator systens, This can cause wear on other Vacuum pumps, poor cooling tover per fornance and high suintenance of filters, Seat exchangers and cooling tovers. “It 13 less expensive to Install a separator than to rebutid Just one vacuum pomp. 280/ TAPPI Proceedings Noré: SePARATOR DEOP LEGS Sized far 3-S FPS Separators should be designed for tow velocities to keep from carrying process fluids or stock inte the vacwun pumps. Separation velocity should be between 500 and 750 fpm. Separator design can vary depending on the shape of the separator and the service it Is connected to. Separators should be Installed as close to the vacuun service as possible, The separator should be Located at an elevation sufficient to support a barometric seal leg. A rule of thumb for the correct elevation (3 3 ft. plus 1 ft, for each Inch of mercury vacuum level, at the highest expected vacuum, The seal leq’ piping should be as straight a possible and should not be angled nore than 45 degrees from vertical. Piging should be run eithar Into an existing Usdrain of adequate volune, or an above floor Level seal tank. Seal tank volume should be at least two times the volune of the barometric seal leg plpe for each seal leg. Use of a seal tank with individoal compartments and v-notch Wiezs are connonly employed to measure oF monitor the liguid flow from the separator. Separators with Linited elevation, such as a couch or basement felt, must use a centrifugal punp to remove water from the separators. ‘Not all centrifugal pumps are sultable for this service. They must have Tow HSH capabilities. Instrumentation and controls for controlling liquid level in the separator should be avoided. This is possible with correct pump select lon and | Installation. Packaged separator/punp systens are available vhich pinimize Installation time and eliminate start-up problems. After liguld has been removed in the Separators, vacuum lines can decrease in Glameter and should be sized for maximum velocity of 5500 fpm. This usually permits reducing by one plpe size after a separator. Figore 2 {illustrates pipe velocities before and after a separators Stainless steel vacuum piping 1s recommended over carbon steel. If carbon steel has been Used In the past, the entire run of existing pipe should be checked for holes and Plugging. A good vay to check for leaks ts to cover up the vacuum service with plastic and run the vacuum pup to see what vacuum level Is obtained. “the vacuum measured should be Righer than the typical operating vacuum level. Also, sone leaks can be heard and corrected with the paper machine down. Discharse Piping Avay From the Vacuum Punes Vacuum pump discharge piping {= often neglected in vacuum system design. However, Af you can't get the alr and water out of tho vacuum punp, then the system vill require higher han’ norasl hersepover and can effectthe paper machine operation by causing fluctuating vacuum levels and air glows; Hany older vacuua systens begin with a single discharge sunp of trench arrangenent. Gubsequest upgeades have continually "plugged in* additional vacuum pup exhagts Into ehls system, thus overloading it. This results in poor separation (raining out the exhaust Stack), excessive nolse and back pressure. A, Well designed discharge system should operate with a back pressure not exceeding 1 pelg. TE a systen ls opecating higher than tnia, some of the vacuum pumps need to be taken off Of the discharge systen and connected to Individual separators or ‘separate sump arrangenents. Good separation after the vacuum pump discharge occurs at around 500 Epa velocity. After separation has occurred, the exhaust air can increase to 3000 fpm velocity ia the Gischarge piping. These velocities are based fon stact up conditions with the pumps operating at 0" Hg Inlet vacuum. This worst case condition is used since the vacuum system will often operate for several hours Delor to the paper machine being started up. Figure 3 illustrates desired velocities in discharge vhich can apply to, bath a trench/sump arrangesent or above ground plping and separators. Seal Water svaten There ts usually an opportunity to reduce vacuum punp seal water in an older vacuum system. Sonetines this reduction can occur from simple changes, such ag installing correct size seal water orifices and Installation of pressure regulating valves for the seal water header. Other changes could include partial recirculation of seal water of reclaiming the seal water for use on ether applications, such as machine shovers. Also, the seal water could be fully reclfculated using a cooling tower, or heat exchanger to maintain tenpecature, The enecgy value of the seal water discharged from the vacuua pumps should not be Ignored, Energy can be saved by heating mill water, for shovers or system make-up. Many northern mills take advantage of the heat in seal water and several mills in the south use 1t directly on press felt shavers. A properly designed vacuum systen should not permit contamination of the vacum pump sea? Water system. Seal water remains high quality and has only been heated by going through the vacuum pumps. Most mills obtain seal vater from a clean Source, The use of white water for vacuum punps saves fresh water, But can be narmeul fo the pump operation and reduce afflelency because of corrosion and higher tenperatures. White water or hot water sources should be avoided since tha discharge seal water can be reused. Some mills changed to white water for seal water In the late 60's to reduce fresh water consumption. This 1s not a totally wrong approach, but may require fitting the vacuum punps with stainless steel internals. The ase Of stainless steel can allow the elimination Of sone Inlet separators. Sone "hybrid" seal water systens have been used vith fresh oF Cooled, recirculated water applied to the high vacuum pumps and lover quality, warmer vater going to low vacuum pumps. Figures 4, 5 and 6 show various seal water systens. Sona_examples of vacuum svstem imotovenents: sase ob A225 in. bleached board machine dramatically Improved press performance and felt 1lfe after the feit conditloning vacuum system was Te-worked. Mo new vacuum capacity was required, ‘The machine had tvo single-feltea, straight through presses, each with two unie boxes. Design problens vith the system Included: cgrossly undersized piping wsmall dlaneter uble boxes vith covers of large open area wno separators ahead of the vacuum pumps Wacginal felt devatering allowed premature filling of the falts and average life of only 30 days. The felts ran wet and Limited the use of high pressure cleaning showsrs, All uhle boxes on both felts were connected to a single pipe leading to the vacuum pumps. The Improvenants Involved replacing and enlarging vacuum piping, splitting the vacuum systens between both feits and adding Separators and tailing pumps. Additionally, the two uhle boxes per Felt were replaced with a single uhle box having 60% less open ‘The results were a 0.5% dryer sheet out of the press and a $0-0% increase In felt life (nov averaging 45-50 days). Better, heavier weight felts are now being used which further Inprove press dewatering case _12 A vacuum survey vas performed on a 334" Revsprint machine. One ten of concern was Tow vacuum, about 4" Hg, at the flatboxes, A gauge installed at the vacuum pump read 16" fig, hich meant a lesa of 12" Hg in the piplag. The plping was a little undersized, but not enough fo create this much loss of vacuum. Further Investigatlon shoved the Flatbox separators Were too small for the 1988 Papermakers Conference / 281airflow being handled. the trend to reduce the quantity of flatbsxes while maintaining or increasing vacuum capacity, improves devatering due te Increased vacuum levels. Hovever, separator capacity must be considered. ‘The undersized separators resulted in carryover of white vater into the vacuum piping. A section of pipe was cut and found fo'be blocked with Fiber to an area of a 4" pipe. The entire section of pipe vas replaced Gnd the flatbox vacuum Tevel {8 now at 6-10" Hg. The separators vere not replaced due to a proposed wet end rebuild, ASE _b2 A fairly 014, 160 inch machine producing blesched bag had a vacuum system which had not received much attention other than an occasional "tie-in" made to get by until the next crisis. The machine vas alvays going to be retired inext year’ so there vas never noney spent an inprovenents. Machine Perfornance vas poor at 600 efficiency with 2-3 sheet breaks per shift. The vacuum system Mas studied when the retirement date vas changed from "next year" to "three years from now", The system study Included EIberoation Inspection of the vacuum pumps: ‘The problems noted were: 5 of 6 punps at less than 708 of original capacity sized piping creating losses of up to Kg “holes in piping and flathox separators Ttaling pumps sot vorking on couch and press separators cbatkpressure at the vacuum pump discharges caused by high discharge sunp levels and foo small of exhaust stack -one Inlet of a vacuum punp was not ‘connected to anything Figure 7 shows the vacuum system prior to the upgrade. The vacuum system was upgraded over a several Bonth period. Each Improvenent showed measurable differences in sachine performance. The overall upgrade Included Feplacing three pumps vith tvo new units Zaving about 200 hp, separator and undersized Pipe replacenent, separator tailing pump Feplacenents, and rebullding two vacuum Pompe. The discharge piping and sump vas Bodified to eliminate backpressure. Pigure fhovs the vacuum system after the upgrade. the machine started up after the final seqnent of the opgrade and operated for seven ahléte without a sheet break- Conslatency off the couch, previously at 16%, Increased to 218. Adz ler sheet out of the press section Allowed a steam reduction of 8 psig in the dryer, Overall machine effictency went to 358 1282,/TAPPI Proceedings Sonclusion Dranatic changes in paper machine operation are often achieved folloving vacuum system improvements. Justification of upgrades are usually based on vacuum pimp efficiency Inprovenents and system horsepower reductions. Machine efficiency increases, higher production, improved paper quality or steam reductlons are generally achieved, but it ts dleficult to predict exact outcomes, Conservative estinates of the possible Improvements can usually sustify expenditures on'the vacuum system. References ‘The Nash Engineering Company, e f Bulletin Wo. 587-A., The Nach Engineering Company, Norwalk, 1980, Data Bookena 1S Se a. 9, 1807 wore ar foutae tre mee, 1 CF ten a sevice mom gusto dest,src met aan wen res) net con Fle, evel Com mes fon the) fumes i Rts ua an ® cms ny cant | NaS tet ime art a a in 8 nec We cewek erie ta mes ne wre, es oo unos oie ames He es ee wk aie we es mm mo wa Geo nts tapi Figure 1 ir 500 FEM SEPARATOR 500-750 FAM Ait + Water 1 —_ TSOOFPAT To Barometric Leg} To Vacuum o¢ Recovery Pump Pump 3-5 FPS Figure 2 1988 Papacmakere Conference /289