Bleaching optimization at WestRock mill in Covington, Virginia

Abstract

The WestRock mill in Covington, VA, USA, initiated a long term diagnostic and optimization program for all three of its bleaching lines. Benchmarking studies were used to help identify optimization opportunities. Capital expenditures for mixing improvement, filtrate changes, equipment repair, other equipment changes, and species changes were outside the scope of this work. This focus of this paper is the B line, producing southern hardwood pulp in a D(EP)DD sequence at 88% GE brightness. The benchmarking study and optimization work identified the following opportunities for improved performance: nonoptimal addition of caustic and hydrogen peroxide to the (EP) stage, carryover of D0 filtrate to the (EP) stage, and carryover of (EP) filtrate to the D1 stage. As a result of actions the mill undertook to address these opportunities, D0 kappa factor decreased about 5%, sodium hydroxide consumption in the (EP) stage decreased about 35%, chlorine dioxide consumption in the D1 stage decreased about 25%, and overall bleaching cost decreased about 15%.