Abstract
In Japan, pulp production cost is one of the highest in the world mainly due to ever increasing cost of the imported wood chips. Given the variations in wood maturity and subsequent chips quality, it is always a challenging task to maintain smooth operations in the pulp mills. Hence to minimize this effect, it is necessary that more attention is given to cooking and washing operations for an optimal runnability of the fiber lines. The optimization of digester and brown stock washing operations will bring substantial improvements in bleaching and evaporator plants’ operations together with higher pulp quality. As part of the digester optimization, the use of PenSurf Technology offers great benefits of improved production and in reducing and overall total cost of operations.
Further to minimize water borne issues, it is necessary to take the right steps to avoid scale formation in pipe lines and equipment particularly in the bleach plants. The drainage aid for the lime mud dewatering offers great advantages in not only increasing dry solids but also in minimizing the energy cost.
In addition to the process optimization, implementation of an integrated solution for specialty chemical management will not only achieve desired synergy for improved plant runnability and pulp quality but also set a new example of efficient resources (fiber, water and energy) management in pulp mills lower production cost and better environmental sustainability.
