The Eco-Cyclic pulp mill: Focus on closure, energy-efficiency and chemical recovery development

This paper presents tire main findings from the Swedish research program "The Ecocyclic Pulp Mill", with an emphasis on chemical recovery and energy. An important part of the program is a comparison of a theoretical state-of-the-art bleached softwood kraft pulp mill with different future techniques in model mills regarding chemical recovers, issues, pulp quality and economy. Unlike most normal mills in operation, the theoretical reference mill has a significant surplus of fuel. This energy balance call he further improved by developments like process heat integration, pressurized. black liquor gasification arid direct causticizing. It has been shown, within the program, that there is a considerable future potential for improving the resource-efficiency of chemical pulping, including recovery, but this requires a major RD effort.