The Dalkia story turned to a greener page

The Dalkia power plant with an extensive solution for biomass processing was commissioned in October 2010 and is running successfully. The combined heat and power plant, in Facture, southwest France uses mainly bark and forest residues as fuel to produce 50 megawatts of electricity for the national grid and 74 megawatts of process steam for Smurfit Kappa’s paper mill.

Dalkia is the energy division of Veolia Environnement, a globally operating specialist in environmental services.

Full-scope solution for managing emissions

The full-scope solution provides both immediate and long-term advantages for the environment, power generation process, productivity and resource management. Proven solutions in BFB (Bubbling Fluidized Bed) combustion, Metso automation and fueldling enable to operate the plant in the framework set by tight emission guarantees. And not just that. They enable to meet future regulations as well, should changes be made in the fuel base. Due to higher process steam values the ratio between electricity and heat is considerably higher than before. The entire power plant operation is concentrated into one plant with one control system and reporting system for utilizing steam produced in the new power boiler and the old recovery boiler. All this creates a base for cost efficient maintenance and plant operation.

Partly self-sufficient in fuels

Fuels are acquired internally at the adjacent Smurfit Kappa pulp and paper mill as well as outside the plant. Bark and sludge, both side products of the Smurfit Kappa Cellulose du Pin pulp and paper mill, are combusted. The second turbine of the plant receives the needed steam from the Smurfit Kappa recovery boiler, and the black liquor produced in the pulping process is utilized in the power boiler.

The fuel base can be widened to cover plastic reject, which is recovered with recycled board, but this needs changes in the environmental permit. Smurfit Kappa Comptoir du Pin, another company of Smurfit Kappa, provides wood fuel from outside sources. It is delivered as unprocessed logs, and crushed at the plant before utilization. Part of the fuel acquired outside the plant is provided by Veolia Environnement that together with Dalkia belongs to Veolia group.

Seamlessly compatible solution

Combining the Valmet plant delivery, turbine delivery and connecting the Smurfit Kappa mill to the plant was an ambitious and very demanding endeavor. Smurfit Kappa needed to ensure energy supply for the mill at a competitive price without investing in the technology, and simultaneously utilize its own fuels derived from the mill as well as its own wood acquisition organization.

“By ordering new technology, i.e. all biomass combustion related equipment and controls from a single supplier, the customer secured a successful project,” points out Jaakko Haapio, Project Manager, Valmet.

According to Jouni Kinni, Sales Manager, Valmet: “The delivery included the boiler, flue-gas cleaning and fuel handling systems as well as complete automation of the power plant, which ensures, among other things, that Dalkia benefits from compatible reporting and communication. For the customer, centralizing the process equipment required for biomass handling with the same supplier reduced the likelihood of delays during construction and ensures that all equipment is seamlessly compatible.”

*) Metso until Dec 31, 2013