Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of lignin oxidation integration into a state-of-the-art kraft pulp mill

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Poster Number:  17 

Main Presenter:    Hao Xi 

Co-Authors:   Rahul Prasad Bangalore Ashok     Emma Verkama      Huy Quang Lê      Victor Bravo Muñoz      Luana Dessbesell                        

The modern kraft pulp mill has evolved from a dedicated fiber production facility into an integrated forest biorefinery, where valorization of all biomass fractions and side streams provides a competitive advantage. Several lignin valorization concepts are emerging to upgrade kraft mill side streams. Notably, alkali–O₂ oxidation technology converts kraft lignin into water-soluble dispersants that can compete with synthetic superplasticizers in concrete applications (Kalliola et al., 2022; Rajagopalan et al., 2022).

However, scaling lignin oxidation technology presents a fundamental thermodynamic challenge. Although the recovery boiler typically generates sufficient energy for mill operations, high lignin extraction yields can lead to an energy deficit (Vakkilainen & Välimäki, 2009). This deficit may require auxiliary heating and external electricity supply to maintain steam production. Furthermore, previous Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) based on outdated fossil-fuel-based mill representations have likely overestimated environmental impacts of modern facilities.

This study evaluates the environmental and energetic viability of integrating lignin oxidation technology at different lignin extraction yields within a state-of-the-art kraft mill baseline. The novelty of this work lies in assessing higher lignin extraction percentages ranging from 20 to 70%, and systematically evaluating the influence of allocation methods. The reference mill model was constructed by synthesizing mass and energy balance data from industrial open-source reports and recent peer-reviewed literature, with an explicit selection of Best Available Techniques (BAT). The lignin oxidation process was modeled using commercial process simulation software (Aspen Plus and IDEAS) to capture the thermodynamic requirements of alkali–oxygen oxidation.

Integration scenarios ranging from 20% to 70% lignin extraction yields were simulated, generating life cycle inventory (LCI) data for cradle-to-gate LCA using both mass and economic allocation methods. This work evaluates the thermodynamic and environmental feasibility of integrating lignin oxidation technology to valorize lignin side-streams. The trade-offs between energy demand and extraction yields are examined, outlining the necessary modifications to mill infrastructure. Furthermore, the distribution of environmental burdens across multiple products is discussed by using mass and economic allocation methods, demonstrating the broader implications for system efficiency.

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