European Bio-Energy Projects

EFPRO Challenges
A. Energy production and spent
liquor recovery in recovery
boilers
Objectives
The EFPRO project – Integrated energy
and fibre production by a sulphur- free
and carbon dioxide neutral process – is
a research project supported by the
European Commission under the Fifth
Framework Programme. The main objective
of the EFPRO project is to increase the
production of green electricity in the
production of chemical pulp from European
hardwoods, especially birch and
eucalyptus. This target is to be obtained
by adopting a new sulphur-free chemical
pulping process. Here, the main results
relating to power production and how
power production can be increased in a
sulphur-free process, are reported.
Sulphur-free cooking –
How to get more power from
your process
12
Spent liquor from sulphur-free cookers was
analysed for its chemical composition and
physical properties. The liquors have a net
heating value higher than conventional Kraft
cooking spent liquors. Alternative recovery
boiler processes for the new cooking method
have been evaluated and the work done so
far indicates that considerable improvements
can be achieved compared to present
recovery boiler technologies.
B. Energy production and spent
liquor recovery via gasification
The heating value as well as the elemental
composition of sulphur-free spent liquors
confirms the potential for designing a
gasification process. A laboratory-scale study
on spent liquor gasification has been carried
out. The characteristic values of spent liquors
in pressurised and atmospheric conditions
have been used to outline a suitable IGCC –
Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle –
plant concept for the sulphur-free cooking
process.
Project structure
The work plan is broken down into five work
packages so that the ultimate objectives can be
achieved in three parallel or consecutive phases:
1. Laboratory and pilot-scale work to provide
pulping spent liquors for studies on energy
production, and to confirm good papermaking
properties of the pulps.
2. Laboratory and engineering work to study
energy production and recovery chemicals
from the spent liquors provided in phase 1.
3. Feasibility study on energy production and
recovery of the cooking chemicals, mainly
provided in phase 2.
Expected impact and exploitation
The EFPRO project has created contacts between
research organisations in Portugal, France,
Germany and Finland. All participating partners
have their own expertise and the project has
opened up possibilities for exchanging
information and visions on the technical work
needed in future. The EFPRO project has also
brought non-traditional expertise to chemical
pulping process development.
A sulphur-free chemical pulping process with a
high electrical energy output will improve the
quality of life locally at the pulp mills and reduce
CO2 emissions from the process. The reduced
CO2 emissions have a global influence on the
quality of life.
The European Union is the leading supplier of
systems and machinery for the chemical pulping
industry. The project will create new products and
possibilities for the European supplier industry.