Pulp and paper production puts sealing and rotating equipment under sustained, multi-directional stress. Stock pumps circulate fibre slurries with solids contents that vary by process stage. Digester pumps handle cooking liquor at temperatures up to 170°C and pressures of 15 to 20 bar. Bleach plant equipment is exposed to chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, and peroxide across a wide pH range — conditions that attack standard elastomers and seal face materials within weeks. At the paper machine, fan pumps, vacuum pumps, and dryer section bearings run continuously, often in wet environments with water washout as the primary lubrication failure mode.
Maintenance teams in this industry know the consequences of a poorly selected seal or packing. A stock pump failure in the middle of a paper machine run is not a minor inconvenience — it is a production stoppage affecting the entire line. At the same time, every litre per minute of flush water injected into a process stream has a measurable cost in dilution, effluent treatment, and energy to reheat elevated-temperature stock.
Chesterton’s sealing products, packings, coatings, and lubricants are selected and configured for the specific process chemistry and operating conditions of each application — from low-consistency stock at atmospheric pressure to high-pressure digester and chemical recovery services.
Why plants choose Chesterton:
- Extended seal, packing, and pump life in abrasive fibre slurries and chemical media
- Reduced flush water consumption with advanced sealing technology
- Corrosion and wear protection for metal and concrete surfaces
- Condition monitoring to detect failures before they cause downtime
- Packing solutions for rotating equipment and valves across the full mill
- Local service specialists with documented pulp and paper application experience
Our Solutions for Pulp and Paper
Mechanical Seals
Chesterton mechanical seals are engineered for pulp and paper applications — from low-consistency stock pumps to high-pressure digester and chemical recovery services. Material combinations are selected for process chemistry, temperature, and abrasion resistance.
Mechanical Packing
Chesterton offers a broad range of compression packings for rotating equipment and valves throughout the mill, including sootblower and digester valve applications. Low-friction designs reduce leakage and maintenance intervention, ensuring equipment responsiveness in continuous service.
Polymer Seals
Chesterton engineered polymer solutions cover paper machine rolls, dryer cylinders, digester screens, hydraulic cylinders, and woodyard equipment. Products are selected for the specific duty, combining wear resistance and dimensional stability under continuous load and
wash-down conditions.
Equipment Monitoring
Chesterton Connect is a condition-based maintenance tool for critical rotating equipment across the mill. Avoid unplanned downtime and reduce maintenance costs by remotely monitoring pumps, refiners, agitators, and dryer section drives — detecting issues before they cause a production stoppage.
Industrial Coatings
Chesterton coatings protect and restore metal and concrete surfaces across the mill — from stock chests and wire pits to bleach room floors and evaporator vessels. They extend asset life, reduce corrosion-driven maintenance costs, and help mills meet environmental compliance requirements.
Industrial Lubricants
Chesterton lubricants and greases protect bearings under continuous wash-down conditions and high load. Quiet Bearing Technology (QBT) combines water washout resistance with extreme pressure
capability to extend bearing life in paper machine
applications.