Did you know that Östrand’s pulp mill in Timrå produces around 220 GWh more electricity annually than Bergeforsen hydropower plant*? That is not what one would usually expect from a pulp mill. But at Östrand, forest raw material becomes not only pulp, but also large amounts of renewable energy. This makes the facility an important part of both industry and society’s energy supply.
The fiberline project at Östrand has reached the finish line
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- Pulp
The fiberline project at Östrand is now complete. During the annual maintenance shutdown, the final work was carried out before startup, marking the completion of one of SCA’s larger projects this year.
The investment in Östrand’s digester area is fundamentally about creating a safer and more stable process. The aim has been to reduce the risk of blow-through, improve availability, and lay the foundation for a sustained increase in production rate.
A key part of the project has been the redesign of the steaming and impregnation stages, including a new hot top solution. This keeps the entire chip column warm and helps reduce the risk of unstable cooking. At the same time, the temperature in the impregnation stage has been lowered, further improving operational reliability.
The project also includes a new washing stage after the digester, with two pressure diffusers designed to deliver better washing results while reducing the use of washing liquid. In the long term, the solution is expected to contribute to better runnability, higher wood yield, and more sustained production.
The work has been technically complex, but close collaboration between SCA, Valmet and other contractors, as well as strong internal engagement, has helped keep the project on schedule.
“We involved as many people as possible with the relevant expertise in meetings and follow-ups. I believe that has been one of the reasons it has worked so well, says Daniel Solberg, process manager in the project.
A 96-hour test run of the new equipment is now underway. If it goes as expected, SCA will take over the new equipment.
“The next step is to bring the plant up to full speed and then continue with optimization and fine-tuning, says Hanna Norberg, process engineer in the project.
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