Valmet delivers key technology for Bracell's new pulp mill in Brazil

Valmet announced it will deliver key equipment for Bracell's project to build a new pulp production line at the mill located in Lençóis Paulista, São Paulo state, Brazil.

Valmet's delivery includes an evaporation plant and a white liquor plant, in which the lime kilns are fueled with gasified biomass.

The order was included in Valmet's orders received of the third quarter 2019. The value of the delivery will not be disclosed. However, a project of this size and scope is typically valued around EUR 200-250 million.

In May 2019, Bracell announced its plan for a substantial expansion of the São Paulo pulp mill in Lençóis Paulista (formerly Lwarcel) to increase its current production capacity of 250,000 tons per year (tpy) by an additional 1,250,000 tpy to reach 1.5 million tpy. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

ÔÇ£The new S├úo Paulo unit in Len├º├│is Paulista will feature best-in-class technology with a flexible line designed primarily to produce dissolving pulp. This project is the largest private investment in the S├úo Paulo state in the last 20 years and it generates employment opportunities for the entire region,ÔÇØ tells Carlos Pastrana, Projects Director from Bracell.

ÔÇ£Our technology represents new innovations and is designed for flexible production with high energy efficiency. The project will have a significant employment impact both for engineering and production in Brazil and the Nordics,ÔÇØ says Bertel Karlstedt, Business Line President, Pulp and Energy, Valmet.

About the delivery

Valmet's delivery includes an evaporation plant with a super concentrator. The plant features Valmet's TUBEL technology for highest availability and easy washing. The evaporation is designed for high energy efficiency with energy recovery from hot weak black liquor.

The white liquor plant is an essential part in the mill's chemical recovery process. Valmet's delivery includes the complete white liquor plant with recausticizing and two lime kilns. In addition, Valmet delivers two biomass dryers and two biomass gasifiers. The two lime kilns are fueled with biogas decreasing the need for fossil fuels. The white liquor plant is designed for producing high quality white liquor for cooking with lower operating cost with renewable furnace fuels and low specific heat consumption.

Valmet also delivers non-condensable gas (NCG) handling system to control and minimize the odors emerging from the chemical recovery processes.

ÔÇ£Valmet has extensive experience in delivering fossil fuel free lime kilns, which are fueled with either wood powder or gasified biomass. Using gasified biomass is a sustainable and economical solution for large mills. Our solution works seamlessly together throughout the whole process from biomass drying, gasification and lime kiln to emission control. Our evaporation technology represents leading energy efficiency and is designed for long lifetime and high availability,ÔÇØ says Fernando Scucuglia, Director, Pulp & Energy, South America, Valmet.

About Bracell

Bracell is one of the largest specialty cellulose producers in the world. Bracell has operated in Brazil for 15 years. The company has main operations in Bahia Specialty Cellulose in Camacari, Bahia and in Len├º├│is Paulista, S├úo Paulo. By the time the expansion project completes in 2021, Bracell will have annual production capacity of 2.0 million tons of dissolving pulp and will employ 7,300 direct and indirect employees.

Photo Credit: Bracell