Paper Mill Reduces Headbox Bacterial Count by 69% Using eLIXA® AI-Powered Microbial Control
Haber deployed eLIXA®, its industrial AI platform, to automate microbial control across the paper machine wet end. By continuously monitoring water chemistry, predicting microbial activity, and optimizing biocide dosing in real time, eLIXA significantly reduced headbox bacterial count, minimized slime-related defects, and improved machine reliability.
The Challenge
Paper mills provide an ideal environment for microbial growth due to the continuous presence of water, recycled fiber, starch, fillers, and dissolved organic matter. Rising microbial populations lead to slime formation, sheet defects, odour, corrosion, and unexpected production interruptions.
The mill relied on periodic laboratory testing followed by manual chemical dosing, making microbial control reactive rather than predictive. As recycled fiber usage increased, microbial contamination became increasingly difficult to manage, resulting in:
- High Total Bacterial Count (TBC)
- Frequent slime formation
- Product quality defects
- Increased corrosion
- Unscheduled boil-outs
- Higher biocide consumption
Haber's Approach
eLIXA continuously monitored critical wet-end parameters including ORP, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and other operating variables influencing microbial activity.
The platform combined real-time process data to generate a proprietary Microbial Control Index (MCI), allowing microbial growth to be predicted before laboratory TBC results became available.
Using AI-driven insights, eLIXA optimized both the timing and dosage of biocide addition, maintaining microbial populations within the desired operating range while minimizing unnecessary chemical usage.
Cloud-connected dashboards, KPI monitoring, and advanced analytics enabled continuous visibility into microbial trends and supported proactive operational decisions.
Evidence-Backed Results
| Metric | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headbox bacterial count | 13 ×10⁴ CFU/ml | 4 ×10⁴ CFU/ml | 69% reduction |
| Operating bacterial range | 11–18 ×10⁴ CFU/ml | 4–5 ×10⁴ CFU/ml | Stable microbial control |
| Slime-related defects | Frequent | Significantly reduced | Improved sheet quality |
Business Impact
By replacing reactive microbial management with AI-driven process automation, eLIXA enabled continuous microbial control across the paper machine water system.
Conclusion
Haber's eLIXA platform transformed microbial management from a laboratory-driven activity into an intelligent, continuously optimized control program. By combining real-time sensing, AI-driven analytics, and automated biocide optimization, the mill achieved sustained microbial control, improved product quality, and more reliable paper machine operation.
