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Kaj Henricson
Professor Pulping Technology
Lappeenranta University of Technology
August 2004
Educational course material and only for internal and personal use during
the course: An introduction to chemical pulping technology.
Combustion of bark
Bark is created at the pulp mill when round wood is debarked at the mill. The bark is used for the
production of heat. Pulp mills use two combustion technologies for bark: grate firing and fluidized
bed technology.
Grate firing
The combustion of solid fuels in grate or stoker fired boilers takes place in a bed at the bottom of the
furnace. Grate firing is the traditional method for the combustion of solid fuels such as bark. There
are many applications of grate or stoker firing systems in use for burning different solid fuels at pulp
mills. The fuel burns on some type of a grate through which some or all of the combustion air
passes.
The grate construction is either stationary or moving. Stationary grates are more common in small
boilers. Larger boilers such as the bark boilers in the pulp and paper industry have mechanical or
moving grates with automatic feed of fuel and ash removal. Numerous constructions exist
depending on the fuel used, boiler size, boiler manufacturer, etc.
fluidized. The two types of fluidized boiler are bubbling bed and circulating bed boilers. Both types
of fluidized boilers are in use in boilers in the pulp and paper industry.
Picture 2. Two types of fluidized bed systems are available today for the combustion of bark and wood
wastes: the bubbling fluidized bed boiler (BFB) and the circulating fluidized bed boiler (CFB)
Gasification of solid fuels, such as bark and wood waste, can be used in the pulp and paper industry
to produce combustible gases for the limekiln as a substitute for oil. Picture 3 shows the process
diagram for a circulating fluidized bed gasifier connected to a lime kiln. There are a few installations
of this type in industrial operation.
Picture 3. Process diagram for a circulating fluidized bed gasifier connected to a lime kiln
Bark and wood waste from pulpwood are fired in the bark boiler. Biofuel from outside the mill can
be fired together with bark when such fuels are available at an economical price.
Heat, GJ/ton
Production
Black liquor
Secondary heat
Bark
Consumption
Process heat
Back pressure turbine
Condensing turbine
Cooling water
19.8 Total
18.0
0.7
1.1
Total
Power, kWh/ton
Production
Back pressure turbine 790
Condensing turbine
620
Total
1410
Consumption
Mill consumption
Sold power
Total
10.4
2.9 (790 kWh/ton)
2.3 (620 kWh/ton)
4.2
19.8
740
670
1420
The power production capacity of a pulp mill can be increased if the temperature and pressure of the
steam ahead of the turbine can be increased. Table 2 shows an example of the effect of the pressure
and temperature of the recovery boiler on the production of back pressure power. Recovery boilers
are being developed for higher steam values.
Table 2.
Typical today
60bar
450C
695kWh/ton
Max today
90bar
510C
835kWh/ton
Future target
110bar
530C
895kWh/ton
It has been predicted that future technology for the combustion of black liquor will be based on
black liquor gasification. Table 3 shows the difference between the combustion of black liquor in a
recovery boiler and by gasifying and combusting. The technology for black liquor gasification has
been tested in a small scale but there are still technical and economic problems to be solved before
large industrial plants can be built.
Table 3.
Difference between the combustion of black liquor in a recovery boiler and by gasifying and
combusting
Recovery boiler
18.0
790
620
1410
A kraft pulp mill has a surplus of power and the surplus will increase as technology develops. The
combined production of kraft pulp and mechanical pulp or paper is an interesting technical
alternative as the processes can be integrated regarding the production and consumption of steam
and power. The excess heat and power of the pulp mill can be balanced by consumption in the
production of paper, board or mechanical pulp. Table 4 and Table 5 show the heat and power
requirements for some mechanical pulp and paper production methods.
Table 4.
Energy consumption,
kWh/ton of pulp
1,100-2,200
1,100-2,200
1,100-2,300
1,600-3,000
1,800-3,600
1,000-4,300
Recoverable energy
as hot water, %
as steam, %
20
30
20
30
20
30
20
20
40-45
20
40-45
BAT
Table 5.
Newsprint
Special newsprint
Uncoated wood containing
Coated wood containing
Uncoated wood free
Coated wood free
Tissue paper
Kraft liner
Fluting medium
Folding box board
Bleached kraft board
Sack paper
Other kraft paper and kraft board
Other paper and board
GJ/ton
4.5-5.3
4.5-5.3
4.5-5.4
4.6-5.3
6.6-7.1
5.5-7.8
6.9
5.8
5.6
6-7
7.1-7.7
6.9
7.3
7.5
kWh/ton
550-585
570-590
610-720
700-770
535-670
720-850
1,010
530
510
560-740
600-870
1,000
850
700
Fapet 6B: p.B441
Table 6.
Input:
wood and water
Fuels
MgSO4
crude tall oil plant
ClO2 waste
scrubber NaOH
Total input
Output:
emission to air
dregs and grits
washing losses
Spills
Total output
Difference between input and output
kg Na/ton
kg S/ton
0.1
6.0
4.0
10.1
0.3
0.5
1.3
1.6
4.5
8.2
0.1
0.7
6.5
0.5
7.8
2.3
0.5
0.3
1.4
0.1
2.3
5.9
Fapet 6B: p.B144
Questions
1. Surplus power production at kraft pulp mills, development trends. / Ylimrshkn tuotanto
sulfaattisellutehtailla, kehitystrendit.
2. Bark combustion at pulp mills, boiler types in use. / Kuoren poltto sellutehtaalla, kytss
olevat kattilatyypit.
3. Sulfur-sodium balance at kraft pulp mills. / Sulfaattisellutehtaan rikki-natriumtase.