MPC based ring deberking process optimization

Debarking process is a very important step for many industrial uses of wood. The ring debarker commonly used in sawmills. The variations of the log physical properties, environmental and storage conditions, and debarking operation strongly influence the bark remaining, wood loss and damage percentages on debarked log. In this paper a MPC based ring debarking optimization system is presented. In this system the log dimension before debarking and bark remaining and wood loss or damage after debarking have been online measured. A mathematical model has been developed to simulate the ring debarking process, which is also used by an optimizer to define the debarking setpoints. An online identification has been also developed to adjust the model parameters according to the errors between model prediction and online debarked log quality measured. Some simulation results proved that the optimization system can ensure debarked log quality by adjusting debarking operation parameters according to each log fed to debarker.