Application: White Water Heating
In pulp and paper production, precise heating of white water—a milky, fine fiber slurry drained from the paper stock—is critical to maintaining machine speed, product quality, and operating efficiency. At the wet end of the paper machine, consistent stock temperatures in the 115–140°F range improve sheet formation, fiber dispersion, drainage, and additive performance. Poor temperature control can cause additive loss, process instability, and higher production costs.
While this challenge is most common in paper mills, similar heating issues occur in other industries handling slurries, recycle streams, or process water, such as food, chemical, and wastewater treatment. Many mills still rely on steam spargers or externally controlled steam injection heaters. These approaches can create:
- Low steam velocity and poor mixing, leading to inconsistent heating
- Steam hammer and vibration that damage tanks and piping
- Energy loss from uncondensed steam, or the inability to reach desired temperatures
- Temperature stratification, causing variable stock temperatures at the headbox
PSX Heater Solution
ProSonix Direct Steam Injection heaters are engineered to address the shortcomings of traditional spargers and external control systems. By internally modulating steam and injecting at high velocity directly into the white water, ProSonix heaters achieve rapid, uniform mixing and precise temperature control (±1°F) without the steam hammer, energy loss, or temperature stratification common in conventional systems.
Key Benefits for Pulp and Paper Mills:
- Stable headbox temperatures for consistent sheet quality
- Improved additive retention and process efficiency
- Reduced maintenance and downtime from tank or piping damage
And because the same heating challenges exist in industries such as food, chemical, and wastewater treatment, ProSonix technology is equally effective in other slurry and process water applications—delivering reliable performance across diverse operating environments.