Toscotec Launches New Concept Machine For a More Sustainable Structured Tissue

Toscotec launches INGENIA, a new concept tissue machine to produce premium quality structured tissue paper. The quality generated by INGENIA line is substantially higher than textured tissue and close to Through Air Drying (TAD) produced paper, but using 35 percent less energy.

With INGENIA Toscotec responds to the challenge of today’s paper market calling for premium quality tissue obtained with lower energy use and lower capital investment than TAD lines. INGENIA’s concept is based on consolidated technologies for premium tissue, building on vast internal know-how of Toscotec’s and Voith’s R&D, and field data validation on TAD and structured paper systems.

Paolo Raffaelli, Toscotec CTO, says: “The key factor for energy reduction compared to TAD, is that INGENIA achieves significantly higher dryness through non-thermal dewatering on a structured moulding fabric. With TAD, the thermal drying starts from 24-26 percent, whereas INGENIA achieves a much higher dryness level without using hot air or steam. This maintains the premium quality obtained through rush transfer and structured moulding fabric, but uses much less energy.”

Ultra-premium tissue quality

Through non-compressive water removal technologies and efficient fiber moulding, INGENIA produces much higher tissue quality properties than other technologies for textured or conventional DCT tissue. These properties include bulk, softness, stretch, and absorbency, which improve the tactile “hand” feel and the final paper characteristics that compete with premium segments for toilet, facial and towel tissue grades.

The specific pattern of the structured fabric and the use of a calender can further enhance the quality of end products.

Energy Efficiency through Process Innovation

The process of this new concept machine begins with a dilution profiling layered TT Headbox-ML operating on a twin-wire forming section. Like TAD machines, INGENIA operates wire rush transfer at low consistency, but its key capability is an enhanced vacuum de-watering system without pressing the paper web, which ensures that dryness is greatly increased while fibers are being supported in the same shape as they originally formed when fully water saturated.

At the end of the wet section, TT NextPress shoe press uses low loading pressure to gently stabilize the web dryness content and transfer the paper to the drying section without bulk compression. The combined action of a third-generation design TT SYD Steel Yankee Dryer and high-efficiency TT Hood achieves the final desired dryness.

The process is completed by dry creping, sheet stabilization integrated with dust removal, and precision winding using an electro-mechanical TT BulkyReel fitted with a Center Wind Assist on the primary and the secondary arms. The Center Wind Assist fully preserves bulk by reducing the nip pressure against the reel drum during the winding process.

Flexible Configuration

The new INGENIA offers top flexibility, as it can easily swing from the production of premium quality structured tissue to conventional DCT. When in conventional mode, INGENIA delivers top machine speed and production capacity.

INGENIA features widths up to 6 m, a production capacity from 100 to 250 tpd, and operating speeds up to 1,500 m/min in structured tissue mode or 2,000 m/min in conventional mode, depending on machine size and customer requirements.

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