At the beginning of 2021, Swedish forest association and forest industry major Södra made a decision to implement one of the largest investments this century at its Södra Cell Mönsterås pulp mill. The old evaporation line – where water from the pulping process is boiled away – from 1979 was to be replaced with a new one. The SEK 700 million (≈ EUR 62.34 million) investment was decided to ensure long-term energy efficiency and profitability at the mill.
After being commissioned on April 18, 2023, the new evaporator was officially inaugurated on May 9, 2023.
The new line will reduce the pulp mill’s consumption of heat in the form of steam, which in turn means increased green electricity production instead.
This is an investment in a modern facility that strengthens Södra Cell Mönsterås. It feels good that we are building a facility for the future. We are really happy that Södra’s board approved this important investment. Our plant is facing an exciting future and our evaporation investment ensures stable and safe operation in the future as well, said Karin Dernegård, Site Manager at Södra Cell Mönsterås.
Increased extraction of green products
The main task of the evaporation plant is to boil off the water, so that the dry content of the used cooking chemicals increases from 15 percent, which cannot be burned, up to 80 percent, which is combustible, and generate steam for pulp production and excess energy that generates green electricity.
The new evaporation line has a capacity of 530 tonnes of evaporated water per hour. The line is a 7-effect line with Tubel technology for high energy efficiency, accessibility, and easy cleaning.
The evaporation line produces clean condensate that is used in the mill’s processes. The line is also prepared for lignin extraction.
Significant market interest
Lignin is a product that can replace fossil materials in, for example, glue, form sustainable components in road surfaces, or form the basis of new biofuels.
We’ve been really surprised at the scale of interest in lignin. It has so much potential, in everything from graphite material for batteries to glue and insulation. We can see customers want ready-made solutions when it comes to more sustainable alternatives and we want to make conscientious decisions as easy as possible, securing our position as the supplier of choice, remarked Johannes Bogren, VP of Södra Cell Bioproducts.
The investment also enables increased extraction of green bioproducts that Södra already generates and delivers today, namely tall oil and biomethanol.
These can be used as transportation fuel or in the chemical industry to replace fossil counterparts.
Södra’s tall oil, turpentine, and biomethanol were the first in the world at a commercial scale to be certified by both the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC (FSC-C006947) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) (PEFC/05-35-48), offering peace of mind as an environmentally-conscious choice.
It’s almost a year now since we gained certification. It’s a great way for customers to understand that these are products from sustainably-managed forests. Interest in finding alternatives to fossil-based materials is escalating, but forests continue to be an emotive subject, so anything we can do to show potential customers that we have a sustainable raw material base is a positive. Our next ambition is to see the whole chain of custody certified but this is a long value chain and it will take time. Still, we need to start somewhere and for now, the fact that we have full control over our own raw material is a significant advantage, said Viktor Odenbrink, Sales Director, Södra Bioproducts.
Safety first at Södra Cell Mönsterås
Many people have been involved in the work of commissioning the customized new evaporation line. In total, just over 200 000 work hours were spent on the project without serious incidents.
At most, around 200 people have worked simultaneously on-site on the project. Security patrols have been carried out regularly and targeted risk analyzes have been carried out at special work stages.
Carrying out the project during the Swedish cement crisis, the war in Ukraine, and the corona pandemic has also been a challenge. Parts of the main equipment were manufactured in China in the middle of the shutdown and have been shipped by boat to the mill’s own port.
Throughout the process, we have had a strong focus on the work environment and safety. I am incredibly proud of the result. That there was not a single serious incident despite a large number of hours worked, people, and companies on the work site. This is a nice receipt to have with you, ended Karin Dernegård.
