CMPC: Pulp Mill Sludge Efficiency Challenge
CMPC was seeking a dehydration system that could turn the existing liquid pulp and paper mill sludge into dry, manipulable materials to be reused for new purposes.
CHALLENGE LAUNCH: SEPTEMBER 2022
Creating Circular Solutions in Pulp Mill Operations
The CMPC Pulp Mill Sludge Efficiency Challenge aimed to optimise sludge treatment processes by utilizing valuable solids in sludge generated during pulp production to create new products from traditional waste streams.
This challenge found two winning solutions to enhance efficiency, recover valuable materials, and support CMPC’s transition towards a circular economy.
Read more about this Challenge below.
Challenge Statement & Opportunity
Challenge Statement: The Pulp Mill Sludge Efficiency Challenge focused on innovative solutions to recover fibres from the waste water sludges produced during CMPC’s manufacturing process.
This challenge provided an opportunity for innovators to develop and implement cutting-edge dehydration systems that could:
- Achieve 50 per cent dryness or higher for primary sludge in bale or briquette format.
- Reach 70 per cent dryness or higher for secondary sludge in bulk format.
Eligible technologies needed to be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 or above. Successful participants would pilot their solutions with CMPC, receive feedback, and collaborate with a leader in sustainable pulp and paper production.
Solutions & Winners
To recover high-potential materials, CMPC was seeking a dehydration system that could turn the existing liquid pulp and paper mill sludge into dry, manipulable materials to be reused for new purposes.
The winners of this Challenge were Yilkins Drying Systems (Netherlands) and C-Green (Sweden).
C-Green utilizes OxyPower HTC™ to create a multi-purpose hydro-char from wet biowaste, and Yilkins Drying Systems offers a two-step fluidized bed swirl drying process for high-moisture sludges.
This Challenge presented an innovative and convenient opportunity to work with one of the world's largest pulp and paper companies. In this industry, our technology can solve the sludge and bio ash challenges to transform environmental problems into fertiliser.
The Partner
CMPC produces and commercializes products based on pulp, paper, wood, and tissue. The company was born in 1920 with the production of papers and cardboards, and today commercializes its products through its three main businesses: Pulp, Biopackaging and Softys, reaching more than 26,700 direct clients around the world.
CMPC has 49 industrial plants in nine countries in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, the United States, and Uruguay. Its worldwide presence reaches 12 countries, including three commercial offices in the USA, Germany, and China, and an innovation office in Finland.
Their corporate purpose—to create the natural fibre for a better future—is integral to the company's way of doing business and guides its actions and operations towards a sustainable future on a day-to-day basis.
Challenge Background & Considerations
With the circular bioeconomy projected to be a $7.7 trillion opportunity by 2030, this Challenge offered a unique opportunity for ventures to showcase their bioeconomy experience to an international client.
Through bioeconomy innovation, Canada has the opportunity to elevate competitive advantages in the forestry, pulp and paper, and agriculture sectors, and to use the existing innovation ecosystem to create a thriving market for bioproducts.
Updates + Outcomes
September 2024: Pilot Projects Faced Obstacles
The pilot projects for both Challenge Winners were unsuccessful. C-Green and CMPC couldn’t finalize their proposal, and regulatory issues prevented Yilkins and CMPC from sending materials abroad.
This unfortunate outcome highlights the importance of global collaboration, as climate solutions require cross-border cooperation to support the shift to net zero.
October 2022: Winners and Pilot Announced
The Challenge Winners were Yilkins Drying Systems and C-Green.
The two winning solutions will work together, with Yilkins’ solution recovering fibers from primary sludge, and C-Green solving circular economy challenges in secondary sludge.
The pilots will take place in 2023, and CMPC is planning another challenge with Foresight to continue advancing sustainable innovations.
September 2022: Challenge Launches
"Yilkins is very pleased with our selection as co-winner of the CMPC Challenge. I am convinced that Yilkins' novel biomass and sludge drying solutions can help CMPC and the pulp and paper industry, in general, to improve their sustainability and carbon emission profile by significantly reducing the energy required for drying high-moisture waste streams and recovering valuable raw materials.
Yilkins is looking forward to working closely together with CPMC to investigate further the realization of the specific improvements identified during this challenge."
Our Partners
This Challenge is presented as a part of Foresight's bioNEXT program, powered by CMPC and Genome BC.
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