Significant emissions reductions and fuel savings at pulp mill

As much as 60% to 80% of a typical paper mill’s energy can be used for drying of the product. Our FLU-ACE heat recovery technology can recover as much as 90% of the heat normally lost through dryer section / hood exhausts in the form of water at 50°C to 70°C. This is possible using the FLU-ACE’s unique direct contact (gas/liquid) packed-tower design, enabling optimal recovery of both sensible and latent heat, in widely varying operating conditions. Here is a case study that looks at one of our FLU-ACE heat recovery systems installed at one of our customers' pulp mills.

Thermal Energy implemented a FLU-ACE Condensing Heat Recovery System on the smelt dissolving tank vent at the pulp mill. The system was designed to recover an average of 12 MMBtu/h of waste heat energy that would otherwise be exhausted to the atmosphere. The waste heat from the exhaust is used to preheat boiler make-up water, reducing steam use in the deaerator. This resulted in elimination of the mill’s consumption of fuel oil and a commensurate reduction in greenhouse gas and other emissions equivalent to removing 2,085 cars from the road.

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Benefits include: ​

• In excess of 100,000 MMBtu/year waste heat delivered
• $1,400,000 in annual fuel savings, equivalent to 18,000 barrels of fuel oil/year
• Greenhouse Gas Reductions (CO2) of 10,400 tons per year
• Reduction in Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) by 22.9 tons/year
• Elimination of 131 tons/year of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

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The project was implemented on a turn-key basis and was completed on budget and on schedule. Under this program, the equipment is owned and operated by Thermal Energy over a given term whereby the recovered energy is metered and charged on a $/MMBtu rate basis that provides a continuous energy cost saving to the user. This provides an immediate cost savings benefit to the user without the requirement to deploy any internal capital - positive cash flow from day one!