The Metso Fractionator is a new, automated laboratory analyzer that classifies and measures fiber furnish characteristics to optimize paper, board or tissue production. It opens new windows to increase productivity and profitability through better raw material utilization, improve sustainability and lower production costs. The highly repeatable results can significantly reduce trial times and simplify furnish or process troubleshooting.
The new analyzer replaces time-consuming and laborious laboratory Bauer-McNett analyses and makes it possible to separately measure fibers and free ink particles in recycled pulp to evaluate the quality of slushing and deinking processes. By separating fibers and fillers, the analyzer also improves the understanding of the effectiveness of different retention chemicals. A typical measurement takes only four minutes, with no need for special sample preparation.
Unlike Metso's other automatic fiber or pulp quality measurements, the new solution utilizes tube flow fractionation to sort furnish particles according to dimension and specific surface area before the measurements.
Tube flow fractionation technology is based on controlling the flow profile, where the flow rate is higher in the center of the tube than near the tube walls. Particles with larger dimensions and specific surface area are captured by the faster moving middle zone of the flow, whereas particles with a relatively small diameter and specific surface area tend to move towards the slower moving zones in the flow. An image analysis at the end of the tube first sees the larger vessel fragments, then fibers, followed by fillers and fines. Additional measurements with optional ink and high-definition fiber cameras are available.
The Metso Fractionator joins three other Metso devices in Metso's growing arsenal of fiber analyzers: the recently introduced and very successful laboratory fiber analyzer Metso FS5, the Metso MAP online furnish analyzer, and the automatic pulp testing analyzer Metso Pulp Expert.
