Paper manufacturers now have access to optimized screening technology in stock preparation. Full-line supplier Voith has developed the C-bar Vertecs, a new screen basket that sets new standards in terms of separation efficiency, throughput, energy efficiency and operational reliability. The technology is already being used successfully at heinzelpaper in Laakirchen, Austria.
The C-bar Vertecs went into operation there as part of a trial comparison. Following installation and several hours of operation, Oliver Hunstein, responsible for process and plant technology at heinzelpaper, drew initial conclusions: “Compared to all other screening profiles that we’ve used so far, sticky removal has on average significantly improved. Losses in fine screening have been minimized, enabling us to achieve a higher yield.”
Previously, when choosing the right basket, paper manufacturers had to decide whether to focus on better pulp quality, higher throughput or increased operational reliability. With the C-bar Vertecs, these trade-offs are no longer necessary. A new profile geometry has made this possible: Regardless of which performance aspect paper manufacturers prioritize, C-bar Vertecs outperforms all previously known solutions in all relevant parameters. Depending on the individual focus, production volume can be increased by at least 20 percent, and sticky and dirt spot separation can be improved by up to 50 percent.
“We have extended the operating window for fine screening and reduced the vulnerability of the screens to plugging. This means that the screening process can now also handle more difficult-to-screen raw materials with a higher thickening factor in a stable manner,” reports Hunstein.
At the same time, the specific energy consumption per ton is reduced. With a throughput increase of 25 percent, for example, the rotor speed remains unaffected, while the pressure difference at the screen with installed C-bar Vertecs is at a lower level. This allows energy savings of over 20 percent to be achieved without any problems.
The C-bar Vertecs is based on proven Voith C-bar technology, known in the paper industry for over 35 years as the leading solution for slot screen baskets. It is characterized by an overlapping profile with a constant and stable slot width, which enables particularly consistent screening results over the entire service life.
The C-bar Vertecs screen basket is also being used by other paper manufacturers in the EMEA and North America regions. It is suitable for different types of recovered paper and is already being utilized in a wide variety of process stages such as coarse screening, fractionation, fine screening and reject screening. “In addition, the C-bar Vertecs can be installed in Voith's BlueLine screens as well as older Voith machine generations and third-party machines,” says Axel Dreyer, Global Product Manager Screening Wear Parts at Voith Paper.