Benchmarking energy use in the paper industry: a benchmarking study on process unit level

Abstract

There are large differences between paper mills in, e.g. feedstock use and grades produced, but typical processes are similar in all mills. The aim of this study is to benchmark the specific energy consumption (SEC) of similar processes within different paper mills in order to identify energy improvement potentials at process level. We have defined improvement potentials as measures that can be taken at mill/ process level under assumed fixed inputs and outputs. We were able to use industrial data on detailed process level, and we conducted energy benchmarking comparisons in 23 Dutch paper mills. We calculated average SECs per process step for different paper grades, and we were able to identify ranges in SECs between mills producing the same grade. We found significant opportunities for energy efficiency improvement in the wire and press section as well as in the drying section. The total energy improvement potential based on identified best practices in these sections was estimated at 5.4 PJ (or 15 % of the total primary energy use in the selected mills). Energy use in the other processes was found to be too dependent on quality and product specifications to be able to quantify improvement potentials. Our results emphasise that even a benchmark on detailed process level does not lead to clear estimations of energy improvement potentials without accounting for structural effects and without having a decent understanding of the process.

Drivers, Barriers, and Success Factors for Improving Energy Management in the Pulp and Paper Industry

“…Another explanation could be that the saving of energy in the PPI has historically mostly been done by engineers and/or technicians since an in-depth holistic understanding of the causes and effects of various processes and technologies is needed to do so, and therefore the technical personnel do what they are meant to do-save energy via technology and engineering. This explanation is supported by the results of research conducted for paper mills, which emphasized the importance of a decent understanding of the processes, since without such understanding even a detailed benchmarking of processes may not lead to accurate estimations of energy improvement potentials [19].…”

“…Moreover, the results showed that large amounts of heat, especially in the evaporation plant, could be saved. Another example is the benchmarking of similar processes at a detailed process level by comparing SEC in 23 different Dutch paper mills [19]. The benchmarking identified that 15% of the total primary energy use could be saved by improving EE in the drying, wire, and press sections [19].…”

“…Another example is the benchmarking of similar processes at a detailed process level by comparing SEC in 23 different Dutch paper mills [19]. The benchmarking identified that 15% of the total primary energy use could be saved by improving EE in the drying, wire, and press sections [19]. The benchmarking of SEC also identified possibilities and challenges of using SEC.…”

“…The Netherlands Paper mills [19] 5.5-7.2 * Technology upgrading by substantially increasing the level of Research and Development activities, application of taxes proportional to the consumption of energy, reducing the number of production units and increasing profits.…”

The Building of Papermaking Enterprise’s Recycling Economy Evaluation Index System Based on Value Flow Analysis

“…Under the social background of increasingly serious environmental problems and more nervous resource energy, as the basic industry of national economy, the papermaking have to meet the market demand as well as save resource and energy as the starting point (Jung & Kutzner, 1978;Lamberg, Ojala, Peltoniemi, & Särkkä, 2012;Laurijssen, Faaij, & Worrell, 2013;Nickels, 1988;Torres, Lenon, Craperi, Wilting, & Blanco, 2011;Wainwright, 1999;Zhou & Shi, 2011). As a major environmental pollution, papermaking industry as early as 2005, was listed in the circular economy pilot, to formally carry out the circular economy model, while Germany, Japan, the United States, and other developed countries vigorously promoted clearer production technology of papermaking.…”