ECF Conversion at Georgia-Pacific Port Hudson, 1998 Pulping Conference Proceedings

The Georgia-Pacific Port Hudson facility produces 573,000 tons per year of xerographic, bond and offset printing papers on two paper machines and 230,000 tons per year of market hardwood on a pulp dryer. The facility supports these machines with two hardwood bleach plants and one softwood bleach plant.

The #1 Hardwood Bleach Plant produces 870 tons per day of 90.0 ISO brightness pulp; the #2 Hardwood Bleach Plant produces 630 tons per day of 86.0 ISO brightness pulp; the #3 Softwood Bleach Plant produces 430 tons per day of 86.0 ISO brightness southern pine.

In order to meet commitments to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and the Cluster Rule, it was necessary to convert the three bleach plants to 100% chlorine dioxide substitution (ECF bleaching.).

The #1 Hardwood Bleach Plant was converted from DcEoDED at 50% substitution to DoEopDED and the #3 Softwood Bleach Plant was converted from DcEopD at 80% substitution to DoEopD. Both conversions required little or no capital and were completed in late 1996. Due to short retention time in the Dc stage, the #2 Hardwood Bleach Plant could not be converted until a new retention tube was installed in late 1997. The #2 line was converted from DcEoD at 50% substitution to DoEopD.

All three conversions were highly successful and resulted in the following:
met commitment to LDEQ of eliminating elemental chlorine from bleaching process;
met bleach plant effluent and final effluent guidelines in the Cluster Rule;
achieved a reduction in bleaching chemical cost on the hardwood lines by an average of 16.5% and on the softwood line by 3%;
no significant impact on pulp or paper quality.