Intelligent microprocessor-based devices provide advanced motor protection, flexible control, and communication in paper mills

Motor failures are very costly in a typical paper mill. Typical motor failure cost upwards of $20000 per hour. Motor repair costs for the North American mills of Champion International total over $10,000,000 per year. Lost production associated with these failures can reach a staggering $1,000,000 per day. Considering these facts. Champion International embarked on a program to use intelligent motor control and protection equipment in all new installations, where applicable, and to replace outdated motor protection equipment. The combination of advanced motor protection, flexible control, and communication provided Champion with the opportunity to directly control and monitor their processes. The advanced features of the new equipment provide warning of impending problems, minimize downtime, and improve process results. This paper provides case histories where the new equipment replaced dated electromechanical protection and control equipment. In addition, we also discuss the present generation of motor protection technologies and the need for a new generation of motor protection equipment that truly provides total motor protection against all known motor failure modes.