International technology group Andritz has successfully started up a new pulp mill for the Brazilian pulp producer Suzano in the municipality of Ribas do Rio Pardo, Mato Grosso do Sul state. When fully operational, it will be the world’s largest single-line eucalyptus pulp mill with an annual production capacity of 2.55 million tons.
It will also be one of the few pulp mills in the world to run without fossil fuels, based on a raw material of 100% planted trees. It will be energy self-sufficient, producing surplus green power for its local suppliers and the national grid.
“This new pulp mill will increase our production capacity while significantly reducing our environmental impact, supporting our financial and environmental goals. The cutting-edge technologies applied are in line with our commitment to sustainability and innovation. Trust and reliability are essential in a project like this, and we found both in our partnership with Andritz,” says Maurício Miranda, Director of Engineering at Suzano and responsible for the construction of the mill.
Andritz supplied a highly resource-efficient pulp mill with leading technologies for fiber production and chemical recovery on an EPCC basis (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Civil Works). The scope of supply included a complete wood processing plant with five chipping lines, the world’s largest single-line fiberline (capacity over 8,000 adt/d) with unique washing and bleaching technology based on DD-Washers, an innovative pulp drying system with two energy-efficient pulp drying lines, an energy-efficient black liquor evaporation plant, a Herb recovery boiler to maximize steam production for power generation, a biomass power boiler based on the high-performance Andritz EcoFluid Bubbling Fluidized Bed (BFB) technology, and a complete white liquor plant with recausticizing plant and two lime kilns.
To enhance the mill’s environmental performance, Andritz is also supplying gasification plants to enable fossil-free operation of the lime kilns and a SulfoLoop sulfuric acid plant to produce commercial grade sulfuric acid from the mill’s concentrated odorous gases and elemental sulfur. This will recycle sulfur from the waste streams and make the mill completely self-sufficient in sulfuric acid.
“We are honored that Suzano has chosen us as their EPCC partner for the implementation of this flagship project, using our most advanced technologies for efficiency and circularity,” says Andritz Executive Board Member Jarno Nymark.