It isn’t easy to turn trees into paper or pulp. Because mechanical pulp mills require too much energy, most modern mills use chemicals to break down wood. To generalize, the pulp milling process begins with stripping trees of bark, which is often used to fuel the plant. Next, the remaining timber is chopped into tiny chips. These chips are fed into a digester, where they sit in a chemical bath for several hours until a cooked-porridge consistency is achieved.
Being blasted through an airlock separates the wood fibers even more, and then depleted cooking chemicals and unneeded parts of the wood are washed away. Depending on the final purpose, the remaining pulp may be bleached (for white paper) or left brown (for paper grocery bags, etc.). This pulp is then sprayed onto screens and shipped off for further processing to a different mill.
As you can imagine, large investments are required to build pulp and paper mills, and large amounts can be lost to downtime when mill equipment malfunctions. Indeed, if a gearbox or gear reducer breaks, the cost of downtime can far exceed the part’s original cost. Yet it’s not unusual for paper and pulp equipment to fail, since the environment within mills is often extremely hard on equipment. Turning wood into pulp is an extremely harsh process, especially in chemically powered plants. Elevated humidity and high operating temperatures, combined with harsh chemical baths and dusty working environments, compel pulp and paper mill engineers to choose tough, top-quality equipment.
Certain brands stand out in the paper and pulp mill manufacturing field for their reliability and exceptional quality. The following is a look at why Hansen gear reducers are considered some of the most dependable, long-lasting parts in the paper and pulp industry.
About Hansen, Gearbox Manufacturer
Since 1923, Hansen Industrial Technologies has worked closely with clients in a range of industries. Decades of experience (and several unique gearbox patents along the way) have positioned Hansen well for creating reliable parts that will keep on running in the harshest of working environments.
All Hansen parts meet or exceed ISO 9000 standards. Low noise levels, minimized operating cost, and energy efficiency are the manufacturer’s top priorities, along with exceptional engineering and technical support. With Hansen offices on six continents providing parts and maintenance, you’ll have no problem finding support for that new Hansen gearbox.
Distinguishing features of Hansen Gear Reducers
1. Dry well housing. Contamination is a major no-no in paper and pulp mills. If any oil or other outside substances leak into the pulp, an entire load could be destroyed. To prevent this situation, Hansen gearboxes offer dry well housing, which prevents oil from leaking down vertically oriented shafts.
2. Horizontal split housings. Hansen gear reducers are designed with horizontal split housings, which make it much easier to access and maintain parts.
3. Durable paint. The standard epoxy paint system for Hansen gearboxes is strong enough to withstand tough working conditions; humidity-resistant paint is also available.
4. Continuous oil circulation. Perpetually circulating oil running throughout Hansen gearboxes and other Hansen parts fosters long operational life and dependability.
5. Easy oil sampling locations. Covers on Hansen gear reducers are located conveniently, so sampling is a breeze. And you don’t have to worry about a faulty lubrication seal once you’ve finished sampling, thanks to Hansen’s unique Oil-Guard and Oil-Lock systems.
6. International support. Because Hansen is a global brand, you can rely on the company to deliver thorough engineering documentation and support before and after purchase of a Hansen gear reducer. With the force of an international brand behind you, downtime is minimized.
7. One-stop shopping. Hansen’s size is also advantageous when it comes to selecting entire pulp and paper mill drive packages. From right-angle gearboxes to roll drives to drive shafts to couplings, Hansen makes it all so you don’t have to waste time matching various manufacturers’ parts.
8. Superior design features. Hansen designers are passionate about creating high-quality gear drive components, and it shows. What other brand would create a seamless lantern-style housing for placing the gear unit within the motor, for instance? Another example of Hansen’s commitment to smart design: housing that smoothly transmits forces from center bore to mounting feet, so as to reduce unnecessary vibration.
Hansen’s decades-long commitment to creating superior gearboxes results in bevel and helical gears with high torque capacity, impressive surface durability and low noise performance.
Posted under Articles on Friday, April 13th, 2012