An Overview of An Overview of Process Engineering Work in Process Engineering Work in

the Pulp & Paper Industrythe Pulp & Paper Industry

By Rich Bankhead

Prince Albert

Rothschild

Valliant

Plymouth

Cedar River

Manufacturing Locations that I worked

NORPAC

Cedar River Paper Mill

Cedar Rapids, Iowa #1 PM Startup: March 17, 1995 #2 PM Startup: April 1, 1996

2700 tpd production of Linerboard and Corrugating Medium

100% Recycle Post-Consumer Waste 225 Team Members

4 Process Teams (32 People per team) 50 Optimization Team Members Support Staff

Process Flow Diagram

#1 OCC

#2 OCC

#2 StockPrep

#1 StockPrep

#1 PM

#2 PM

#1 Winder

#2 Winder

ShippingWT SystemRaw

Materials

Customer

OCC

Raw Materials

Screening and Cleaning

Process Control

Paper Machine Wet End

Paper Machine Press Section

Paper Machine Dry End

Paper Quality

Finished Rolls

Environmental StewardsWeyerhaeuser Invested over $1.5 billion for environmental protection Promised to reduce greenhouse gas emission by 40% Reuse 90% of chemicals used in paper making process 40% of wood fiber is from recycled wastepaper Generate 2/3 of required energy from the manufacturing

process itselfCedar River Paper Recycled 2 billion pounds of OCC last year Year-to-date recycled over 50% of our industrial waste By 2008 CRP will have reduced greenhouse gas

emissions by 60% Practice minimum impact manufacturing

Process Engineer

What does a process engineer do? Jack or Jill of all trades

safety environmental quality technical support budgeting chemical handling training fire fighting: daily problem solving process improvements projects interface with suppliers interface with customers computer systems support

Skills needed to do job

Technical Skills Engineering

Applied math (statistics!), physics, biology, chemistry Accounting

Without understanding money it is hard to add value to a business

Computer Skills (Word, Excel, Power Point, Database)

Social Skills Communication (Read, Write, Speak, Listen) Initiative Leadership (Everyone’s responsibility) Respect, Trust and Integrity

Chemical Engineering Applications

Mass and Energy Balances on a Hood system

Flash Steam Flow in Condensate System Jet Velocity Control out of the Headbox Moisture Control with a spray shower Surface and Colloid Science Steam control in a dryer section Functional chemistry of paper making

Daily Activities Process ownerships including

Complete rounds Review process and

equipment set points Track runability Monitor quality data Use process data to

understand Water Usage Energy Usage Steam Usage Chemical Usage Tons Produced Downtime Effluent Production Emissions

Work with vendors New/better equipment New/better chemicals

Lead special teams Chemical Management Project teams Residual Management Safety

Work with People Leadership Laboratory Technicians Maintenance Teams Process Teams Administration Accounting Contractors Vendors