 |
The pulp and paper industry is among the nation's most energy intensive manufacturing industries. From 1972 to 1994, it dramatically increased its energy self-sufficiency from 36% to 57%1, in large part by making use of black liquor, the pulping-process residue remaining after removal of the cellulose for papermaking. Conventional technology burns the black liquor in conventional boilers, primarily to recover the pulping chemicals, but generating enough power to make the process the largest contributor to U.S. biomass energy generation. Gasification of the black liquor, however, could substantially improve the efficiency of the process.
In 2002, the U.S. Department of Energy (both Office of Fossil Energy and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), initiated a major five-year collaborative project with Georgia-Pacific, StoneChem Inc., and others to demonstrate full-scale gasification of black liquor. The project will replace the existing recovery boilers at Georgia Pacific's Big Island, Virginia, Containerboard Mill with a StoneChem gasification system. The technology — one of several available — licensed from Manufacturing & Technology Conversion International, Inc., is a non-pressurized, medium-temperature, anaerobic, steam-reformation process. In addition to improving energy efficiency, the system is expected to eliminate the danger of recovery boiler explosions and dramatically reduce toxic air emissions. Both easier compliance with air quality regulations and reduced energy use could be major financial boosts for the pulp and paper industry.
As of early 2004, project construction is nearing completion and remaining work is primarily conduct of corollary studies to determine optimal operation of the system. Although the pulping process at the Big Island Plant differs somewhat from that of a typical paper plant, successful operation is looked to as a model for the entire industry as aging existing boiler recovery systems require replacement. Possible future technology enhancement includes use of the gas in gas turbines or fuel cells instead of boilers, for even greater energy efficiency.
References
1"AGENDA 2020: A Technology Vision and Research Agenda for America's Forest, Wood and Paper Industry," prepared by the American Forest & Paper Association. November 1994.
For Further Reading
|
){kind=small}
