News: LPC Roll Out Contract to Impact

01/04/2006

LPC a Leicester based tissue producer, have recently awarded Impact a substantial contract to install an automatic "nubbins" extraction system at their new site in Mountsorrell.

Impact's challenge was to design, not only a reliable system to operate on a 24 hour basis but also to consider all environmental and energy issues. With this in mind, there was only one sensible solution. Impact proposed their latest development within the tissue industry. The design was based on two recent system installations within the tissue industry which were also unique to Impact.

This latest design has moved away from the traditional Venturi system which conveys waste material using a single conveying fan for each production machine.

The system's winning features were:

1. Less operating equipment, as one fan serves all log saws for each grade system, therefore reducing both power requirements and noise levels and capital outlay.
2. No plant equipment within the production area, therefore freeing up vital space and enhancing the work area for staff.
3. This system allows for the inclusion of a reverse jet filter which captures the dust particles in the conveying air. The air is cleaned and recycled back into the factory whilst the dust is discharged into a briquetter unit and compacted into a pellet format (a vital part of the system once the new government legislation is put into place with regards to landfill for loose bag dust).
4. Clever engineering, reliable operation and a competitive price!

This new system collects both toilet tissue and kitchen towel off-cuts from a number of log saws sited at different points within the plant. The off-cuts are then conveyed via a common duct to a new central waste collection area external to the factory. A waste segregation system has been included within the design which allows the toilet tissue and kitchen towel to be collected and recovered separately. This is achieved by means of two separate air systems, one for each grade. Each system is linked to its own dedicated baler / compactor.

Due to the materials easily combustible properties, both conveying systems are fitted with spark detection and suppression equipment as well as fire dampers at appropriate points.

To ensure a true 24 hour availability of the trim extraction system, a stand-by system has also been included. This is capable of taking over at any time from either system, handling either toilet or kitchen waste as required. This standby system safe-guards production and enables access for maintenance to the two main systems whenever required.

Senior project manager for LPC Steve Sarsfield, said "The new site at Mountsorrel has been designed with all the latest innovations, Impact's unique extraction system design fitted excellently within our philosophy and met all of our criteria. Impact's supportive organisational structure also gave us complete confidence when selecting Impact as a supplier within our new build."

The complete system has been supplied on a turnkey basis and is due for commission in the near future.