15 April, 2012
A major part of the Montes del Plata mill is installed in Punta Pereira
The installation of the recovery boiler tank on 15 April represents a new milestone for the construction of the forthcoming pulp mill.
This part is one of the largest pieces of the mill. It measures 26 meters in length and 5.5 meters in diameter and has a volume of 648 cubic meters and a weight of 124 tonnes.
Given its weight, the tank has garnered surprise since its arrival to the country while its transport has demanded never before seen manoeuvres and logistics. Built in Estonia, it sailed the Hamina port in Finland at the end of September 2011 and reached Nueva Palmira on 16 February.
Transport to Punta Pereira required over three days and detailed logistics planning. Finally, on 15 April the tank was raised to 25 meters, after more than 8 hours of highly complex operations.
The recovery boiler is the most significant structure of the recovery cycles that are performed throughout the pulp production process. This is where biomass (black liquor) is burnt to generate the water vapour that feeds the energy plant`s turbines. It is also the start of the chemical recovery process used to produce pulp. The water tank feeds the boiler that creates vapour needed to produce electricity.