Progressive system closure at Tembec's Skookumchuck kraff pulp mill, Part 1: Project description and analysis

Over the last ten years, Paprican has developed a suite of technologies and strategies that will reduce effluent flow and chemical consumption at kraft pulp mills. These include, for example, improved brownstock washing and bleaching control systems, a full alkaline bleaching filtrate recycle strategy, the Precipitator Dust Precipitation (PDP (R)) system for the removal of excess chloride from ESP dust and the Generator Acid Purification (GAP (R)) system for the removal of excess acid from chlorine-dioxide generator spent acid. The objective of this paper is to describe the progressive system closure scenario chosen by Tembec's Skookumchuck mill, the technologies and strategies identified as part of this scenario as well as the environmental and economic benefits that will result from the implementation of the proposed progressive system closure program at this mill.