Expert system for the detection of condensate accumulation inside dryer cylinders during section starting

The presence of condensate inside the dryer cylinders of a paper machine produces a significant increase in the power required to accelerate the section, risking a drive overload and / or section shutdown. In previous works, the authors developed a robust estimation algorithm for the condensate power and a generalized correlation for the estimation of condensate loads in industrial dryer cylinders up to 55 [mm] of condensate rim. This paper presents and evaluates a rule-based expert system (ES) capable of detecting the presence and amount of condensate in up to three groups of cylinders with different condensate loads. The ES can give an early warning message to the operators, and determine the condensate load and number of cylinders within each group. Evaluation is done using a combined condensate load for a fictitious 1500-mm, 8 cylinder dryer section. Results show the capacity of the developed ES to give early warning, as well as a correct estimation of the condensate loads and numbers of cylinders involved.