Americans spend about $2.9 billion annually on gift wrapping, which is a considerable expense. Packaging paper has a long history, dating back to 100 B.C., when it was used to protect goods from damage. By the beginning of the 20th century, wrapping paper had become the familiar red, white, and green forms used to wrap various gifts.
There is a key step in the manufacturing process of packaging paper, which is the use of oil-free compressed air. Its use runs through the entire production process, from the processing of raw materials to the decoration of the final product.
The production process of packaging paper roughly proceeds as follows:
The logs are cut into small pieces and only the wood pulp remains after chemical treatment. These wood pulp are cleaned to remove impurities. The wood pulp is then bleached and spread on a moving mesh belt to remove excess moisture. Subsequently, pressure and heat are applied to remove remaining moisture. Use inks made from natural and artificial dyes. Designs created by designers are scanned into a computer and printed on large paper rolls. To increase the visual effect of the design, the foil is pressed into the paper during the printing process.
Throughout the process, oil-free compressed air plays a key role:
1. In pneumatic transport, compressed air is used to move pulp and waste paper;
2. Through air bearings or air casters, heavy objects can be moved on an almost frictionless air film, making it easy to handle heavy products;
3. After the paper is pressed, compressed air is used to cool the paper. If there is oil in the air, it may cause the product to be polluted, so oil-free air must be used;
4. Compressed air is used to operate printing pumps and equipment to print beautiful patterns on paper;
5. Because pulp and paper production requires a significant amount of water, air compressors are used to clean minerals and bacteria from the extracted water before using it in the production process.
6. Compressed air can also be used as an air knife to generate continuous high-speed airflow for removing moisture and debris, which requires a reliable low-pressure air supply.
Oil-free compressed air plays a crucial role in the production of packaging paper, ensuring product quality and production efficiency.
Tips for selecting a right compressor in packaging paper production:
In order to increase production capacity, modern paper machines are gradually developing towards high speed and large width, with the length and width of the paper machine increasing continuously, and the consumption of compressed air is also increasing. The compressed air consumption of different paper types with an annual output of 300,000 to 550,000 tons is about 168 to 206 m3/min, with the air pressure of about 0.6 to 0.8 MPa (gauge pressure).
In the pulp project, compressed air is mainly used in the pulp, pulp board, alkali recovery, chemicals and other workshops in the plant area, and is also divided into process air and instrument air.The compressed air consumption of different types of pulp with an annual output of 100,000 to 1 million tons is about 144 to 420 m3/min, and the air pressure is about 0.6 to 0.8 MPa (gauge pressure).
The required air pressure for compressed air in the paper making industry varies slightly depending on different manufacturers’ specifications, but it generally falls within the low-pressure range, with the air pressure not exceeding 1.6 MPa (gauge pressure).
In the pulp and papermaking industry, the quality of compressed air is required to meet the standards outlined in ISO 8573-1.
For instrument air quality, the requirements are as follows: Particle size: ≤ 1 μm; Dust concentration: 1 mg/m3; Pressure dew point temperature: -40 ℃; Maximum oil content: 0.1 mg/m3.
For process air quality, the typical requirements are: Particle size: 1～5 μm; Dust concentration: 1 mg/m3; Pressure dew point temperature: 3 ℃; Maximum oil content: 5 mg/m3.
Related Reading
In the paper industry, air compressors play a key role. They provide the compressed air needed for pulp preparation, paper drying, vacuum systems and compressed air supply. T
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Power: 18.5 – 250 kw
Working Pressure: 7 – 12.5 bar
Air Delivery: 2.3 – 43 m3/min
