KEY DEVELOPMENT PHASES OF CONDEBELT,LONG JOURNEY FROM IDEA TO COMMERCIAL PRODUCT

摘要

The development of Condebelt from idea to a commercial product took twenty one years. The first patentrnwas issued 1975 and the start-up of the first mill scale installation was 1996. The results obtained fromrnthe first mills scale applications have clearly exceeded the early expectations put on the paper properties.rnThe progression of the development work was not a continuos and steady. The development work wasrneven halted for nearly three years in early 80's. However, since the late 80's extensive efforts were madernto commercialize the process. Several static test dryers and two dynamic pilot machines were built. Thernsecond pilot machine especially offers versatile capabilities to study the drying process and it’s effects onrncommercial paper and board grades. Recent efforts have concentrated in applying the concept tornincreasingly wider machines and higher speeds. Technically Condebelt has been a success, a brilliantrnexample of perseverance and ingenuity. However, the extent of work needed to overcome thernencountered problems probably was seriously underestimated. Commercially it has not become a successrnstory, yet. But it has all the possibilities to become a one.