Suzano, a global reference in the manufacture of bioproducts developed from the cultivation of eucalyptus, completed an important stage in the construction of the largest pulp mill in a single line in the world in Ribas do Rio Pardo (MS). The company completed the assembly of the metal structure of the Recovery Boiler, a key part of a pulp mill, with the lifting of the part called the 'steam balloon' of the boiler, which took place last week.
Also called the ‘boiler tube’ by the engineers, this is considered one of the project’s essential equipment, responsible for concentrating all the steam generated in the Recovery Boiler and forwarding it to the unit’s electrical energy generation process. Then, the steam is distributed to the areas of the plant that use it, such as the digester, evaporation and pulp drying machines. The 'balloon' is the heaviest part of the entire assembly at the factory, weighing 312 tons, which is equivalent to the weight of more than 11 Boeing 737-800 jets, the best seller in the world.
“We completed a very important stage in the construction of the mill, the Recovery Boiler, which is the heart of a pulp mill. The dedicated work of our employees and contracted partners, always working together and for the whole, is the reason why we were successful in completing this phase without setbacks. We are very motivated with the progress in the right direction and with peace of mind for the sequence of construction of the plant”, says Maurício Miranda, Director of Engineering at Suzano.
Manufactured in Shanghai, China, the piece is almost thirty meters long, the equivalent of eight compact cars in a row, and took 99 days to be transported from the manufacturing site to Ribas do Rio Pardo, considering the sea and land stages. Inside the construction site, the installation required the simultaneous work of two gigantic cranes, with a capacity to lift 750 tons each, which hoisted the 'balloon' to 95 meters in height safely.
“This operation has been planned since the beginning of the project, going through the phases of engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, maritime transport from China to the port of Santos and land transport to the site in Ribas do Rio Pardo. This is the biggest lift ever at the factory through a complex operation involving two of the largest cranes in Brazil and great commitment from the project teams. For Andritz, this milestone represents a shift in focus towards completing the electromechanical assembly and subsequently starting the commissioning and start-up phase of the plant next year,” adds Joel Starepravo, Andritz Project Director.
With the entire 9,000-ton metal structure completed and the 'steam balloon' installed, the stage of assembling the internal equipment of the Recovery Boiler now begins, such as ducts, furnaces and gas scrubbers. Essential structure of a pulp mill, the function of the boiler is to recover chemicals used in the production process and generate steam, which is transformed into electricity.
“The installation of the ‘boiler flask’, as part of the construction of the factory, is fundamental for the delivery of a competitive project in which we seek to unite energy savings and better use of resources with more efficient and ecologically sustainable production processes. Through this project, we are going to generate energy from a renewable source, biomass, and this is in line with our purpose of 'renewing life from the tree' and contributing to a sustainable future for the planet, either by removing of carbon from the atmosphere through our forests or through the generation of clean energy”, adds Maurício Miranda.
All the energy consumed at Suzano's new industrial unit in Ribas do Rio Pardo will be generated at the factory itself, using biomass from eucalyptus bark and liquid biomass resulting from the industrial process. In addition to generating and consuming its own energy, the new unit will generate a surplus of 180 MWH, which will be sold to the national electrical system.