Segezha Group makes the Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill more eco-friendly

As part of a large-scale environmental protection effort at the Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill (Segezha Group, MOEX: SGZH, a subsidiary of Sistema PJSFC), is finishing up its major overhaul of soda recovery boiler No. 2. The focus is on installing and launching a new electric filter for the boiler. The filter will be able to collect over 99% of the solid particles escaping from the boiler. Thanks to the comprehensive approach taken toward upgrading soda recovery boiler No. 2, pulp production will become more efficient and significantly more eco-friendly.

The launch of the new electric filter will have several stages. The current stage is the final setup of the software and technological solutions. Designing the filter and preparing the technical documentation took a year and a half. It took another year to assemble the equipment at the Semibratovsky Gas-cleaning Equipment Plant (FINGO Complex) in Yaroslavl. It took more than 40 heavy trucks to deliver it all to Segezha. When fully assembled, the electric filter is as tall as a six-storey building. The assembly works were handled by the expert staff of Soenergo+.

Pavel Dudko, head of project management at the Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill's Investment Directorate, spoke highly of the team effort displayed in the execution of the project: 'On each of the 250 days spent on the project, work was carried out responsibly, accurately and painstakingly. The soda recovery boiler is one of the facility's most complex and important pieces of technological equipment. Its operation is largely what determines the eco-friendliness of the production process. The facility has never seen such large-scale repairs, especially those involving all boilers at the same time. For our team, this project was, in a way, a resilience test, and we passed it'.

'All in all, we are satisfied with our joint project with Segezha Group. Technically-speaking, it was quite unorthodox. A sense of standing shoulder to shoulder, mutual assistance and the outstanding professionalism of the Segezha PPM team helped us cope with multiple challenging tasks and complete the project on time', comments Ruslan Mullagildin, project supervisor at SoEnergo+.

Soda recovery boiler No. 4 already has an electric filter by Alstom (France), which has been operating smoothly since 2017. Its efficiency exceeds 99%.

There is only one soda recovery boiler (No. 3) that is yet to be upgraded. Starting from 23 September, it has been idling; this will allow major repairs to begin and a new electric filter to be installed. The filter will be delivered to the facility before the end of this year. The upgrade will last for about a month and a half. The new electric filter will be put to use some time in 2022.

As a result, all soda recovery boilers installed at the Segezha PPM will be upgraded and equipped with state-of-the-art electric filters by the end of next year. Since 2016, the total investment in this large-scale project has exceeded RUB 1.1 billion. Once the project is finalised, the boilers' solid particle emissions will be cut to a minimum: the aggregate collection efficiency of all three filters will exceed 99%.