Utilization of excess heat in the pulp and paper industry––a case study of technical and economic opportunities

Newly developed methods and tools based on pinch technology are used in a case study to investigate the potential and economy of using excess heat for pre-evaporation of chemo thermo mechanical pulp effluent and heat pumping in an integrated pulp and paper mill. The new tools give information about the system that traditional pinch tools such as the grand composite curve or the composite curves would not reveal. For example, the highest temperature levels possible where excess heat can be released are identified together with the amount of excess heat at each temperature level. The new curves are also able to provide information about where heaters and coolers are placed in an existing system. The matrix method has been used successfully in order to find an economically feasible heat exchanger network retrofit for the release of the excess heat found with the curves. The results of the case study show that a pre-evaporation plant can be integrated with the overall process with just a few modifications in the existing process. There are also opportunities for heat pumping in the system. Both projects have a pay-back period shorter than required for implementation.