In parallel with the fibre production, chemical pulp mills have unique prerequisites to make large volumes of value-added bio-based materials and chemicals that can substitute petroleum-based products.
A modern kraft pulp mill produces considerable amounts of organic by-products in the cooking liquors, actually in amounts exceeding the amount of pulp produced. The black liquor is burnt in a recovery boiler to recover chemicals and to produce the energy necessary for the pulping operation. In many mills, new and more energy-efficient process technologies have resulted in an energy surplus.
This means that part of the black liquor material could be processed to valuable chemical products, making use of the chemical structures of complex organic compounds deriving from the wood components. This could be accomplished within “pulp mill biorefineries”, utilising the energy surplus of the pulp mill for the processing. In addition, there is a large biomass resource in the form of forest residues from thinning and felling of trees, today used as low-value fuel.
A “wood biorefinery” vision has been pursued by Innventia since early 2005, mainly within Cluster Biorefinery (2005-2008), the Vinnova project PREF (“Pulp mill Biorefinery”) 2007-2008 and the EU project WaCheUp (“New concepts for upgrading pulp and cork mill waste streams to value-added chemicals”) 2005-2008. The promising results and extensive know-how from these biorefinery activities give Innventia a unique lead in the now fast expanding development worldwide in biorefining, making it highly interesting to pursue the “wood biorefinery” activities in the cluster period 2009- 2011.
Goal
The goal of Cluster Biorefinery II is to develop new technologies to refine wood-derived components in process liquors and forestry residues into value-added chemical products and materials. System solutions for integration of the new technologies with the pulp mill are also targeted.
Challenge
The challenge of the biorefinery consists of the development of both products and processes. The products should have a high value and be competitive regarding function and quality. The processes should be easy to integrate with the pulp mill and meet economical and environmental requirements.
Value
The value of a successful biorefinery implementation is new possibilities for efficient production of bio-based chemicals and materials out of residual products from pulp manufacture and forestry. The pulp mill can improve its economic and environmental performance and decrease its dependence on fossil-based raw materials and fuels.
For whom?
The main target group for the biorefinery research is the forest industry, especially chemical pulp mills, but also paper mills (new chemical additives), and the chemical industry, especially producers of polymers and organic chemicals. Further in the product chain are e.g. the car and construction industries.