GLOBAL SURVEY ON LIME KILN OPERATION, ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND ALTERNATIVE FUEL USAGE, 2010 TAPPI PEERS Conference

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A survey on lime kiln operation and fuel usage was conducted through questionnaires distributed to pulp mills in nine countries in late 2008. Responses were received from 67 lime kilns at 59 pulp mills. This paper discusses the key findings from the survey with respect to kiln design parameters, operating data, control strategies, fuel types, energy consumption and operating issues; and where possible, compares them to the findings obtained from a similar survey conducted in 1991. Many improvements have been made over the past two decades to kiln design and operations, including the increased number of kilns that are equipped with product coolers and lime mud dryers, and the higher mud solids content. However, ring formation and dusting/high dust load remain the major operational issues amongst the respondents. Although few kilns have used alternative fuels to date, there is considerable industry interest in their use in the future. About two-thirds of the kilns have plans for implementing alternative fuels within the next five years.