Performance innovation for pulp and paper industry
At a glance
Pulp and paper processing is a long-standing industry that is using digital and technological innovation to help meet market challenges and improve production. Robert Sackellares, Senior Industrial Water Engineer joins GHD and shares his insights about some of these new advances.
Pulp and paper processing is a long-standing industry that is using digital and technological innovation to help meet market challenges and improve production. Robert Sackellares, Senior Industrial Water Engineer joins GHD and shares his insights about some of these new advances.
What trends are we seeing in the pulp and paper market?
The industry is facing many challenges and variances, including production impacts from COVID-19, aging infrastructure, and increasing demands on the existing infrastructure. At some mills, wastewater effluent limits are becoming stricter due to stream standards. For example, in Canada the proposed “Modernization of the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations” could have significant impact on clients and operations. To meet these challenges, mills are looking for innovative capital and operating solutions to optimize the performance of their wastewater and water treatment systems, while addressing market changes. Innovation and expertise are required to offer value-added solutions.
How is the pulp and paper market utilizing more advanced technology to address these challenges?
The industry is doing more to understand holistically how their systems work. Mills are automating and digitalizing not only their process, but their support systems to optimize performance, including capturing and utilizing analytics. An example, mills are using floating drones to survey their large, aerated stabilization basins to quantify the performance parameters within critical zones. Mills are also often installing in-basin monitors to track these parameters, enhanced with innovative monitoring and modeling techniques, to identify and respond to peak mill effluent loads. This innovation momentum and proactive response is expected to increase and drive continual performance improvements.
What are you most excited about by joining GHD?
I have worked with GHD over the years and have been impressed by their integrity, innovation and technical ability within a wide range of services required by the mills. I am excited to be able to bring these talented professionals together to support the industry in implementing environmentally responsible and cost-effective solutions to their challenges.