Virtual hand sheet method and system for estimating paper properties

Abstract

A method and system for estimating a property of pulp or paper, such as freeness, tensile index, or tear index. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving image data depicting a plurality of pulp fibers, virtually distributing the pulp fibers over a predetermined area to create a virtual distribution of the pulp fibers, and determining a property using the virtual distribution. In one embodiment, the system comprises an image capture device and an analyzer. The image capture device is configured to send image data depicting a plurality of pulp fibers. The analyzer is configured to receive the image data from the image capture device, create a virtual distribution of the pulp fibers depicted in the received image data, and determine a property by analyzing the virtual distribution.

1 . A computer-implemented method of determining a property of pulp or paper, the method comprising: 
 receiving image data depicting a plurality of pulp fibers;    virtually distributing the pulp fibers over a predetermined area to create a virtual distribution of the pulp fibers; and    determining the property using the virtual distribution.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the property relates to drainage.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the property is tensile index or tear index.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pulp fibers are randomly virtually distributed.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined area is two-dimensional.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined area is a field of known radius.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising processing the image data to produce descriptive information for the respective pulp fibers.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the descriptive information comprises geometric parameters of the respective pulp fibers.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the descriptive information comprises image representations of the respective pulp fibers.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling a component of a paper production system based at least in part on the determined property.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the component is at least one of a refiner, a screen, and a paper machine.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing, in a memory, an image representation of each pulp fiber and determined geometric parameters of that pulp fiber.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the property is determined using a finite element analysis.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the property is determined, at least in part, based on holes in the virtual distribution, the holes representing porosity of the virtual distribution.  
   
   
       15 . A pulp fiber analyzer configured to receive image data depicting a plurality of pulp fibers, create a virtual distribution of the pulp fibers over a predetermined area, and determine a property of pulp or paper by analyzing the virtual distribution.  
   
   
       16 . The pulp fiber analyzer of  claim 15 , wherein the pulp fiber analyzer comprises a computer configured to communicate over a network.  
   
   
       17 . The pulp fiber analyzer of  claim 15 , wherein the pulp fiber analyzer is further configured to process the image data to produce descriptive information for the respective pulp fibers.  
   
   
       18 . The pulp fiber analyzer of  claim 15 , wherein the pulp fiber analyzer is further configured to control a component of a paper production system based at least in part on the determined property.  
   
   
       19 . A system for pulp fiber analysis, the system comprising: 
 an image capture device configured to send image data depicting a plurality of pulp fibers; and    an analyzer configured to 
 receive the image data from the image capture device,  
 create a virtual distribution of the pulp fibers depicted in the received image data, over a predetermined area, and  
 determine a property of pulp or paper by analyzing the virtual distribution.  
   
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of image capture devices configured to send, to the analyzer via a network, image data depicting a plurality of pulp fibers, the image capture devices being located at respective nodes of a paper production line.  
   
   
       21 . An image capture device for a pulp fiber analysis system, the image capture device comprising: 
 a housing;    a first module comprising 
 at least one valve configured to interface with a source of pulp and admit pulp to be sampled,  
 a pump configured to circulate the sampled pulp,  
 a camera configured to produce image data of pulp fibers in the sampled pulp, and  
 a camera interface configured to interface with the camera and convert the image data to packetized network data, the packetized network data including digital image data; and  
   a second module comprising 
 a pump motor drive configured to drive the pump, and  
 an interface configured to send and receive data.  
   
   
   
       22 . The image capture device of  claim 21 , wherein the first module is removably mounted in the housing.  
   
   
       23 . The image capture device of  claim 22 , wherein the first module is self-contained and receivable by the housing.  
   
   
       24 . The image capture device of  claim 21 , wherein the first module and the second module are separate self-contained modules.  
   
   
       25 . The image capture device of  claim 21 , wherein the received data includes control data to control at least one function of the image capture device.  
   
   
       26 . The image capture device of  claim 21 , wherein the image capture device has a unique network address in the network.  
   
   
       27 . The image capture device of  claim 21 , wherein the image capture device lacks a freeness tester.  
   
   
       28 . The image capture device of  claim 21 , wherein the camera is a CCD camera.  
   
   
       29 . A method of implementing a graphical user interface for a pulp fiber analyzer application, the method comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of user-selectable elements through which input of a user can be received;    displaying a representation of a virtual distribution of pulp fibers, the virtual distribution being generated over a predetermined area based at least in part on analysis of image data depicting a plurality of pulp fibers; and    displaying a representation of a property of pulp or paper determined using the virtual distribution.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the representation of the virtual distribution has a plurality of colors indicative of differences among the pulp fibers.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the property relates to freeness.  
   
   
       32 . A computer-readable medium having a plurality of processor-executable instructions for: 
 receiving image data depicting a plurality of pulp fibers;    virtually distributing the pulp fibers over a predetermined area to create a virtual distribution of the pulp fibers; and    determining a property of pulp or paper using the virtual distribution.    
   
   
       33 . A system for pulp fiber analysis, the system comprising: 
 an image capture device configured to send image data depicting a plurality of pulp fibers;    means for virtually distributing the pulp fibers over a predetermined area to create a virtual distribution of pulp fibers; and    means for determining a property of pulp or paper using the virtual distribution.