Non contact measurement & inspection R
ecent developments in thermal signature analytics have expanded the applications of thermal cameras beyond routine troubleshooting; they now contribute to paper machine control, energy usage benchmarking, wet streak
detection, and the identification and prediction of certain classes of sheet breaks. Industrial Video Solutions Inc (IVS), a US-based specialist in automation for the papermaking industry, is leveraging FLIR infrared (IR) thermal cameras to obtain valuable data from paper machines as part of a patented system that boosts machine control and efficiency. Moisture and temperature directly affect both paper properties and machine runnability making the measurement of these parameters essential to the papermaking process. However, despite the presence of visual spectrum cameras in several machine locations, some aspects of the papermaking process remain invisible to operators. This problem is attributable to factors such as steamy operating environments, visual camera limitations, and a lack of tools that convert camera images into actionable data. The solution arrives in the shape of ThermoVision, an IVS-patented system featuring FLIR IR cameras at its core. With its FLIR cameras, ThermoVision sees real-time moisture profiles in any paper machine location, mapping them to a multi-functional thermal profiler. The system can provide real-time, full-width, cross-direction (CD) moisture and temperature profiles, as well as real-time machine direction (MD) profile variations. Moreover, profile analytics provide insights into dewatering and drying efficiency - critical for energy benchmarking.
ThermoVision facilitates the real-time detection and classification of wet streaks and spots, as well as the real-time detection of embedded foreign materials, such as metals in fluff pulp. A key capability of the system is its ability to provide visibility in steamy machine locations. Using a FLIR IR camera to capture an image of a pulper vortex, for example, allows users to see through steam and visualise the vortex in full detail, including the position of the chain and vortex edges. This ability is indispensable for monitoring locations within the machine like trim squirts and dryers.
While it only requires a single FLIR IR camera to execute all ThermoVision analyses, multi-camera systems are more effective for complete process troubleshooting, optimisation, and improvement. It is even possible to feed data from a combination of IR and visual spectrum cameras to an artificial intelligence (AI) module. This neural network learns the relationship between the forces exerted on the paper, paper vulnerabilities, and process upsets - such as sheet breaks - with the goal of predicting runnability issues.
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VISUALISING THE PATHWAY TO BETTER PAPERMAKING EFFICIENCY AND CONTROL
March 2025 Instrumentation Monthly
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