New application: Australian Paper upgrades Maryvale control systems

By Control Engineering Staff January 3, 2007

Australian Paper, the country’s only paper manufacturer, is upgrading the pulping facilities at its Maryvale mill. As part of the more than $200 million overall project, Australian Paper will install an ABB 800xA Extended Automation system to integrate all pulp mill operations. It will connect a new central control room to servers driving individual applications, including the continuous digester, bleach plant, woodyard, wetlap machine, pump store, batch digester, and chemical recovery area. When complete, the mill will be able to produce elementally chlorine-free pulp, consistent with the company’s larger environmentally-friendly policies.

Maryvale is the largest of Australian Paper’s four manufacturing facilities, which together produce 860,000 tpy of fine papers. The companies have reportedly worked together closely in all the mills, with ABB supplying control systems and drives for many paper machines and process areas. The Maryvale plant is 150 km from ABB’s offices in Melbourne, which allows them to perform configuration and factory acceptance tests nearby.

ABB’s System 800xA will provide a common data and process control network using AC800M controllers, S800 I/O and Process Portal operator interfaces. The batch digester will also use ABB advanced process management software to monitor and control operations. In addition, ABB will provide $782,000 worth of switchgear, relays, and variable drive systems.

— Control Engineering Daily Daily News Desk Peter Welander , process industries editor