Solution Overview
China leads the world in both paper output and consumption, at more than 120 million tonnes a year. Papermaking is a process industry: dense equipment, high energy use, and heavy environmental pressure. The Guiding Opinions on High-Quality Development of the Papermaking Industry during the 14th Five-Year Plan call for intelligent manufacturing and green production. Older mills still set machine parameters by hand, run pulping coarsely, risk a discharge over the limit, and cannot control energy in any detail. Built on IoT, artificial intelligence, and big data, this solution covers pulping, the paper machine, coating, and wastewater. It watches the machine, tightens process settings, manages energy, and checks that discharges stay inside the permit.
It covers printing and writing papers, packaging papers, and specialty grades. Speed, basis weight, moisture, and thickness are measured online and held in a closed loop, so breaks fall and quality holds. Pulp consistency, beating degree, and chemical addition can be controlled. Wastewater quality is watched and the treatment process is adjusted so the discharge stays compliant. Steam, power, and water are metered and analyzed. Mills that run it use less energy per tonne, discharge less, and ship a higher share of good paper.
The rules, and what they are worth
Wastewater must meet the Discharge Standard of Water Pollutants for the Pulp and Paper Industry. A discharge permit requires online monitoring of COD, ammonia nitrogen, and related indicators, reported onto the network. Steam per tonne of paper can fall 10–15%, and electricity 5–10%. The break rate falls by more than 30%, and the share of good paper rises 2–3%. Wastewater compliance reaches 100%, which takes the fine off the table. A large mill can save several million yuan a year in energy, with payback in 2–4 years.
