The control of water usage in pulp and paper mills has long been a hot topic. In this article John Crane UK Pulp and paper specialist Gary Webb examines some of the factors that affect water useage and looks at a surprising area where significant savings can be made. Water consumption represents a significant expense for pulp and paper mills and that alone is enough reason for them to look at ways to cut down its useage. However increasingly tight environmental regulations covering discharges and pollution are adding to the pressure to use less water and threaten major penalties for those who break them. Mill operators are increasingly being encouraged to question every incidence of water useage and to ask if their total consumption can be reduced. Yet they cannot afford to let this impact on their production or to degrade their levels of efficiency. There are many instances in the average mill where water useage could theoretically be reduced. Naturally these cannot be ignored. Yet modern technology has also created opportunities for water savings in some unlikely areas, prominent among which is the water used in mechanical seals.
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