Bio-SNG Production in a TMP Mill in Comparison with BIGCC

Abstract

Biorefinery as a concept for polygeneration of various bio-based materials, fuels and chemicals has been more and more attractive. This concept is applied to the thermomechanical pulp (TMP) and paper industry in the present study to evaluate the possibility of co-production of substitute natural gas (SNG), electricity and district heating (DH) in addition to mechanical pulp and paper. In TMP mills, wood and biomass residues are commonly utilized for electricity and steam production through an associated combined heat and power (CHP) plant. This CHP plant is designed to be replaced by a biomass-to-SNG (BtSNG) plant including an associated heat and power centre. Implementing BtSNG in a mechanical pulp production line might improve the profitability of a TMP mill and also help to commercialize the BtSNG technology by taking into account of some key issues such as, biomass availability, heat utilization etc.. A TMP+BtSNG mathematical model is developed with ASPEN Plus.