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EP-3875683-B1 - A FORMATION DETECTION SYSTEM AND A PROCESS OF CONTROLLING

EP3875683B1EP 3875683 B1EP3875683 B1EP 3875683B1EP-3875683-B1

Inventors

  • FORESTER, ANDREW
  • WRATSCHKO, Paul
  • NEAL, Jake
  • JACKSON, DAVID
  • BLAIR, CHRIS
  • FAUFAU, JAMES

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20210308

Claims (11)

  1. A formation detection system (30) comprising: a. two or more sensors (24, 26, 28) wherein the two or more sensors (24, 26, 28) include: i. a first of the two or more sensors is directed to a location along a paper machine (2) corresponding to a first sheet of paper, and ii. a second of the two or more sensors is directed to a location along a paper machine (2) corresponding to a second sheet of paper; b. two or more lights (22); and c. a control system (40); wherein formation of the first sheet of paper and formation of the second sheet of paper are matched up by the control system (40) to form joint data so that when the first sheet of paper and the second sheet of paper are joined, formation data regarding the first sheet of paper and the second sheet of paper is recorded individually.
  2. The formation detection system (30) of claim 1, wherein the two or more sensors (24, 26, 28) include a third sensor (24, 26, 28) that is capable of monitoring a location where the first sheet of paper and the second sheet of paper are joined to form a single sheet, and wherein the control system (40) compares data from the third sensor (24, 26, 28) to the joined data so that formation data of the single sheet is generated and any formation issues within the single sheet can be tracked to the first sheet or the second sheet.
  3. The formation detection system (30) of any of claims 1 and 2, wherein one or more of the two or more lights (22) are located on a different side of a sheet of paper as the two or more sensors (24, 26, 28),or the two or more lights (22) are located on both a first side and a second side of a sheet of paper on the paper machine (2).
  4. The formation detection system (30) of any preceding claim, wherein the two or more sensors (24, 26, 28) include a fourth sensor (24, 26, 28) that is located after all or a portion of a press section (100) so that formation of the single sheet is measured, and wherein formation measured by the fourth sensor (24, 26, 28) is compared to formation measured by the first sensor, second sensor, and third sensor (24, 26, 28) so that the paper machine (2) can be adjusted upstream of the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor (24, 26, 28), or a combination thereof to remove any detected formation issues.
  5. A method comprising: a. monitoring two sheets of paper with two or more sensors (24, 26, 28) at two or more locations along a paper machine (2), wherein the first of the two or more sensors monitors a location corresponding to a first sheet of paper and the second of the two or more sensors monitors a location corresponding to a second sheet of paper; b. monitoring formation of the two sheets of paper; c. matching up formation of the first sheet of paper and formation of the second sheet of paper to form joint data, so that when the first sheet of paper and the second sheet of paper are joined, formation data regarding the first sheet of paper and the second sheet of paper is recorded individually.
  6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the monitoring two sheets of paper includes a third sensor (24, 26, 28) that is capable of monitoring a location where the first sheet of paper and the second sheet of paper are joined to form a single sheet.
  7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the joint data is compared to the data from the third sensor (24, 26, 28) so that formation data of the single sheet is generated and any formation issues within the single sheet can be tracked to the first sheet or the second sheet.
  8. The method according to claims 5 to 7, wherein the monitoring two sheets of paper includes two or more lights (22), wherein one or more of the lights (22) are located on a different side of a sheet of paper as the two or more sensors (24, 26, 28), or the two or more lights (22) are located on both a first side and a second side of a sheet of paper on the paper machine (2).
  9. The method according to claims 6 to 8, wherein the monitoring two sheets of paper includes a fourth sensor (24, 26, 28) that is capable of measuring the formation of a single sheet.
  10. The method according to claim 9 comprising, comparing the formation measured by the fourth sensor (24, 26, 28) with the formation measured by the first sensor, second sensor, and third sensor (24, 26, 28).
  11. The method according to claim 10 comprising, adjusting the paper machine (2) upstream of the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor (24, 26, 28), or a combination thereof to remove any detected formation issues.

Description

FIELD The present teachings relate to a formation detection system that is connected to a control system for that monitors and controls formation along one or more sections of a paper machine and preferably an entire length of a paper machine. BACKGROUND Typically, fourdrinier paper machines include a wet end with a wire that moves in a machine direction. The wire has a width (i.e., cross-machine direction) and stock is applied substantially along the entire width of the wire. A plurality of blades are located under the wire and the plurality of blades assist in removing water from the stock on the wire. The blades are typically static, however, more recently foils and blades that actuate have been added to the wet end. Typically, changes to the paper machine are made by a user adjusting machine characteristics such as a slice opening or machine speed based upon dry end test results. Further changes to the paper machine may be made in the press sections, dryer sections, calender sections, or the reel. Each of these sections may introduce variability in the paper making process. Thus, there is a delay between testing dry end paper and making machine adjustments along of the paper machine, causing additional waste product, out of specification product, or increasing a duration of a grade change. Furthermore, most paper machines have one or two scanners, which are typically located proximate to the reel. If a change is made before the scanner, the scanner may detect the change; however, there is a lag and the precise location of the impact may not be known due to other variables changing continuously. Therefore, an operator may not know a precise location of section of the paper machine that is introducing some variability into the system. Examples of monitoring and adjustment devices for paper machines are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,931,657; 6,129,817; 7,101,461; 7,695,592; and 8,325,225.EP1548399A1 discloses a moving sensor assembly that measures the degree of gloss on both sides the surface of a paper or carton web. The sensors are separated from each side of the web from the glossy surface by an air cushion. The assembly incorporates an air cushion thickness measuring device and the respective degree of glazing. The sensor is an optical gloss sensor directed at both sides of the moving web. The light source is sub-divided into a measuring beam and a reference beam. The light source is a white LED, light source, radioactive source or X-ray source. In a preferred embodiment, the assembly may also incorporate a formation sensor, a surface roughness sensor, specific-weight sensors, and X-ray fluorescence axial sensor. US2018142412 discloses a monitoring system comprising: (a) one or more sensors that monitor activity, amplitude, size, scale, duration of activity or a combination thereof of stock on a paper machine and (b) a control system in communication with the one or more sensors and one or more foil sections within the paper machine; wherein the control system measures the activity, amplitude, size, scale, duration of activity or a combination thereof of the stock and correlates the activity, amplitude, size, scale, duration of activity or a combination thereof to formation of fibers within the stock so that an angle, height, or both of the one or more foil sections are adjusted to change the activity, amplitude, size, scale, duration of activity or a combination thereof in the stock. US2003051843 discloses that streak defects in web structures are characterized by electronically obtaining a plurality of results of a plurality of tests of a web structure, electronically determining a location of and/or a quantification of one or more streak defects based on the plurality of results, and electronically characterizing the streak defect(s) as being static or stochastic based on the plurality of results. Thus, there is a need for a device that monitors formation of each layer in a multi-layer sheet. What is needed is a device that monitors a final multi-layer sheet and is capable of extrapolating which layer has formation issues within the multi-layer sheet. What is needed is a monitoring system that monitors formation at a cut through. What is needed is a monitoring system monitors formation in, before, after, or a combination theroef a press section, a calender section, calender, reel, or a combination thereof. There is a need for a device that can track a point or line on a sheet of paper an entire length of a paper machine. What is needed is a monitoring system that monitors each stage of the paper machine so that the monitoring system assists in identifying which section is responsible for making a change to a sheet of paper (e.g., formation changes). What is needed is a real time system that assists in identifying a location of a negative change and assists in compensating for the negative change in real time. SUMMARY The present teachings provide: a formation detection system comprising: (a) two o