Sulzer Chemtech’s equipment to support Arbaflame pellet project
Sulzer Chemtech’s separation equipment will play a key role in Arbaflame’s pellet production process.
The EU-funded Arbaflame project, located just outside of Oslo, Norway, aims to produce 70,000 tonnes of biomass-based combustibles annually for clean power generation. The pellets are made of wood and can be used as a 100% sustainable alternative to coal in power plants to produce carbon-neutral power.
Sulzer’s equipment will help to minimise energy usage while maximising the recovery of highly useful chemicals generated as by-products in the process, further supporting the circular economy.
Arbaflame’s facility in Grasmo will produce the bio-coal pellets, which will be used as an alternative fuel in place of coal in power plants. The production processes leading to the pellets also generate condensate containing key chemicals, namely methanol and furfural. The methanol will be used to produce energy to power the plant, thereby enabling circularity, while furfural is expected to be used ‘as a building block’ in several downstream manufacturing processes.
Sulzer provided a separation unit that will help Arbaflame recover these materials, maximising the plant’s self-sufficiency while supporting the use of renewable resources in the energy and manufacturing sectors.
“The modular recovery unit provided by Sulzer Chemtech is the best investment we have made in our facility last year,” said Rune Brusletto, chief technology officer at Arbaflame. “It also came fully equipped and piped, ready to be operated.
“The collaboration with Sulzer Chemtech was extremely successful, as the company was able to deliver the unit in a very short time and has helped us streamline our operations.”
Torsten Wintergerste, division president at Sulzer Chemtech, commented: “We are delighted by Arbaflame’s positive feedback. This innovative project shows how our processing technologies can contribute to creating a greener economy.
“We look forward to providing more companies with the tools to maximise the sustainability of their operations in future.”
The EU-funded Arbaflame project, located just outside of Oslo, Norway, aims to produce 70,000 tonnes of biomass-based combustibles annually for clean power generation. The pellets are made of wood and can be used as a 100% sustainable alternative to coal in power plants to produce carbon-neutral power.
Sulzer’s equipment will help to minimise energy usage while maximising the recovery of highly useful chemicals generated as by-products in the process, further supporting the circular economy.
Arbaflame’s facility in Grasmo will produce the bio-coal pellets, which will be used as an alternative fuel in place of coal in power plants. The production processes leading to the pellets also generate condensate containing key chemicals, namely methanol and furfural. The methanol will be used to produce energy to power the plant, thereby enabling circularity, while furfural is expected to be used ‘as a building block’ in several downstream manufacturing processes.
Sulzer provided a separation unit that will help Arbaflame recover these materials, maximising the plant’s self-sufficiency while supporting the use of renewable resources in the energy and manufacturing sectors.
“The modular recovery unit provided by Sulzer Chemtech is the best investment we have made in our facility last year,” said Rune Brusletto, chief technology officer at Arbaflame. “It also came fully equipped and piped, ready to be operated.
“The collaboration with Sulzer Chemtech was extremely successful, as the company was able to deliver the unit in a very short time and has helped us streamline our operations.”
Torsten Wintergerste, division president at Sulzer Chemtech, commented: “We are delighted by Arbaflame’s positive feedback. This innovative project shows how our processing technologies can contribute to creating a greener economy.
“We look forward to providing more companies with the tools to maximise the sustainability of their operations in future.”
