Estimating risk level in an aqueous process

A method for estimating or predicting a runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level for a pulp, board or papermaking process, the method comprising:

• providing samples from at least one aqueous stream of the pulp, board or papermaking process;
• fractionating the samples into fractions based on mass and/or size of particles;
• measuring hydrophobicity values of fractions of at least two samples originating from a same aqueous stream;
• producing a hydrophobicity measurement signal of measured hydrophobicity values as a function of time for the fractions of said at least one aqueous stream;
• processing said hydrophobicity measurement signal to calculate a runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level for the pulp, board or papermaking process, wherein the processing includes calculating at least one mathematical index, based at least:
• on the hydrophobicity measurement signal produced for the fractions of said at least one aqueous stream, and
• optionally on an amount of particles in said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, on another property of said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, and/or on production data as a function of time,
• wherein the mathematical index and optionally the amount of the particles in said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, the another property of said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time and/or the production data as a function of time is used as a risk indicator input in calculating the runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level;
• and
• based on the runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level calculated for the pulp, board or papermaking process, indicating the runnability risk level and/or the end product quality risk level for the pulp, board or papermaking process.

An apparatus for estimating or predicting a runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level for a pulp, board or papermaking process, the apparatus comprising:

• a sampler configured to obtain samples from at least one aqueous stream of a pulp, board or papermaking process;
• a hydrophobicity meter configured to measure hydrophobicity values of at least two samples originating from a same aqueous stream of the pulp, board or papermaking process;
• a processor configured to for producing a hydrophobicity measurement signal of measured hydrophobicity values as a function of time for said at least one aqueous stream;
• wherein the processor is further configured to process said hydrophobicity measurement signal to calculate a runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level for the pulp, board or papermaking process, by calculating at least one mathematical index based on:
• the hydrophobicity measurement signal produced for said at least one aqueous stream, and
• optionally an amount of particles in said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, another property of said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time and/or production data as a function of time,
• wherein the processor is further configured to:
• use the calculated mathematical index, and optionally the amount of the particles in said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, the another property of said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, and/or the production data as a function of time, as a risk indicator input in calculating the runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level, and
• based on the risk level calculated for the pulp, board or papermaking process, indicate the runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level for the pulp, board or papermaking process.

An apparatus for estimating or predicting a runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level for a pulp, board or papermaking process, the apparatus comprising:

• a sampler configured to obtain samples from at least one aqueous stream of the pulp, board or papermaking process;
• a fractionator configured to fractionate the sample into fractions based on mass and/or size of particles;
• a hydrophobicity meter configured to measure hydrophobicity values of fractions of at least two samples originating from a same aqueous stream;
• a processor configured to produce a hydrophobicity measurement signal of measured hydrophobicity values as a function of time for the fractions of said at least one aqueous stream;
• wherein said processor is further configured to process said hydrophobicity measurement signal to calculate a runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level for the pulp, board or papermaking process, by calculating at least one mathematical index based at least:
• on the hydrophobicity measurement signal produced for the fractions, and
• optionally on an amount of particles in said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, another property of said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, and/or production data as a function of time,
• wherein the processor is further configured to:
• use the calculated mathematical index, and optionally the amount of the particles in said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, the another property of said at least one aqueous stream as a function of time, and/or the production data as a function of time, as a risk indicator input in calculating the runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level;
• and
• based on the risk level calculated for the pulp, board or papermaking process, indicate the runnability risk level and/or end product quality risk level for the pulp, board or papermaking process.