SCA is investing SEK 500 million in a new lime kiln at the Östrand pulp mill in Timrå, Sweden. The investment will increase production at the Östrand plant by 10,000 tons of pulp per year and reduce its fossil-based CO2 emissions by 80%. The investment makes a future increase in capacity possible.

The new lime kiln will replace two existing oil-fired lime kilns and will use fuel pellets from SCA’s BioNorr plant in Härnösand. Lime kilns play an important role in the production process at sulphate pulp mills. The process produces lime sludge, consisting primarily of calcium carbonate. The lime kiln converts this to calcium oxide (slaked lime), which is then reused in the pulp production process.

The Östrand mill’s two lime kilns consume approximately 17,000 cubic metres of oil per year and significant savings will be made when the oil is replaced with biofuel. The new lime kiln will also lead to lower chemical and maintenance costs.

“The new lime kiln will enable us to increase our production and at the same time, we will achieve a dramatic drop in Östrand’s greenhouse gas emissions,” said Ingela Ekebro, site manager at the Östrand plant.
The Östrand pulp plant produces 420,000 tonnes of chlorine-free bleached kraft pulp, which is used in the production of printing paper and hygiene products, plus approximately 90,000 tonnes of chemically treated mechanical pulp (CTMP), which is used for the manufacture of hygiene products and packaging products.

The new lime kiln is expected to be operational by the end of 2011.