Engineered pump control systems at the leading decor paper producer

To make the paper production processes at the site in Aalen more effective as well as sustainable, decor paper producer Ahlstrom-Munksjö decided to replace the high-level fresh water tanks with silo tanks. To this end, a multi-pump system was procured that could generate the required service water pressure and reliably maintain it even when demand considerably fluctuated.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö is a leading supplier of sustainable and innovative fibre-based materials based in Helsinki. The Finnish-Swedish company employs some 8000 people worldwide. The company's product range includes filter media, release paper, food packaging, baking and cooking solutions, beverage filter media and packaging solutions, decor paper, backing paper, electro-technical insulation paper, glass fibre materials, medical fibre materials and a variety of specialty paper for industry and private use.

What was required was a comprehensive automation solution that is supplied as a perfectly matched package and ready for use immediately following installation.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö also wanted Siemens components to be used, which needed to harmonise with the various KSB products as well as be compatible with the existing process control system.

An intelligent monitoring solution should likewise monitor the activity of all pumps and report potential irregularities before a failure actually occurs.

For KSB SupremeServ, assembling complex multi-pump control systems from components of different manufacturers to realise an impressive overall solution is part of getting the job done. The engineers also specialise in configuring heterogeneous systems ex works so that they can be put together at the customer's site and commissioned in just a few work steps.

KSB SupremeServ therefore did not have any problems combining the Siemens modules requested by Ahlstrom-Munksjö with the company's own products. Three powerful Etanorm pumps are now used to control the service water pressure up to a maximum consumption of 600 m³/h. For lower consumption, a small Etanorm pump is integrated. The pumps operate without interruptions or pressure surges, ensuring energy efficiency and low wear. The inlet pressure of the pump system is impacted by the fill level and filling operation of the silo tanks.

The strengths of the multi-pump control system lie in the continuously variable and demand-driven speed control of several pumps via a frequency inverter. The control system can be universally used for centrifugal pumps of all types and makes and comprises the SIMATIC S7 controller, which has been programmed ready for use, with interactive display (SIMATIC HMI) as well as all required power elements such as fuses and contactors in a ready-wired control cabinet. The system control unit is specially tailored to the application and ensures data exchange with the customer's SIMATIC PCS 7 process control system.

Many functions are prepared and can be easily activated or blocked via parameters entered on the operator panel – without a programming device – as well as offer protection against incorrect operation and dangerous operating conditions. Automatic control of the entire pump characteristic curves is a standard feature. The selective fault management of the pumps also factors in inlet-side faults regarding the fill level and filling of the silo tanks. Measured data such as the flow rate, pressure and temperature for water management as well as the operating times can be accessed at any time. Error messages that are easy to understand are displayed for maintenance purposes.

KSB Guard plays a key role in the preventive maintenance strategy required by Ahlstrom-Munksjö. The small sensor module, which can be attached to any pump (including those from other manufacturers) in a few simple steps, immediately reports deviations from normal operation so that corrective measures can be implemented in good time.

Registered users can access all pump status data (e.g. temperature, vibrations and load condition) around the clock via a web portal and are immediately notified by e-mail if any deviations occur. In this way, major damage and downtime can be reliably avoided. This results in considerable benefits for the plant operator for a comparatively low investment, including greater transparency, less downtime, better maintenance work planning thanks to specific status data and reduced operating costs.

As is the case with other complex projects, KSB supplied everything from a single source. One contact person ensured that planning, procurement and configuration of the pumps and pump control system were handled entirely in the background and the software was tested at the factory.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö quickly learned that using KSB Guard in particular was extremely effective. As of October 2021, no fewer than 20 KSB Guard units are being used in other plants run by the decor paper producer. And that number will continue to rise.

Plant: Water supply for paper and corrugated board production

Customer: Ahlstrom-Munksjö

Application: Production of fiber-based products

Project year: 2021

1 x engineered pump control system for pumps operated on frequency inverters

3 x Etanorm ETN 150-125-315 30 kW low-pressure centrifugal pump

1 x Etanorm ETN 065-050-200 11 kW low-pressure centrifugal pump

4 x PumpMeter pressure transmitter with on-site display as accessory

4 x KSB Guard Kit

1 x KSB Guard Gateway

3 x swing check valve: SERIE 2000 DN 200 PN16

1 x swing check valve: SERIE 2000 DN 100 PN16

2 x BOA-CVE H automated control valve in straight-way pattern

2 x B6150011 SAR 10.2 AUMA NORM actuator