Aug 12, 2013. /Lesprom Network/. Arauco implemented a unique piece of equipment in its Valdivia pulp mill in Chile, in order to reduce the moisture level and improve the quality of the biomass that feeds that facility’s power boiler. The new equipment has produced excellent results, positioning the company as a reference point at the national level, as the company said in the press release received by Lesprom Network.

“For a while now, we’ve been searching for a way to improve the process that will allow us to deliver better product quality in terms of moisture, to our power boiler. We knew that if we were able to dry our bark, as well as third party bark, we could improve the production of steam and at the same time, reduce the use of bunker fuel #6 in the boiler, a vital factor in winter,” explains Manuel González, Production Assistant Manager.

The Biomass Dryer was commissioned during the year. This piece of equipment was part of the facility project termed “Increase Steam Production in the Power Boiler”, in order to find a way to avoid the use of oil fuel during the winter months due to the high moisture content of biomass.

“The biomass dryer consists of a belt that transports the bark. When coming in contact with hot air, the moisture is extracted from the biomass. The hot and dry air is heated by secondary energy, which in our case is a surplus of the condensate to generator in the Evaporators. The condensate goes through exchangers that preheat the air and at the same time, cool the condensate, which also improves its temperature, and then it goes to the effluents treatment plant,” adds Manuel González.