The Evolution of LignoBoost Technology and the Refining of Lignin for End Product Uses - Part 1

摘要

Utilizing a greater part of the biomass raw material and producing other marketable products than pulp has been in focus the latest years for the pulp and paper industry. To do this in a sustainable way is often referred to as "The Biorefinery Concept". The lignoboost process technology is a commercial process that extracts lignin of high purity and has experience from full scale operation. The lignin can be used for producing high-end products such as transportation fuels, technical carbons, low cost carbon fibre, phenols and bio plastics as well as fuel replacing e.g. oil in lime kilns or coal/wood/bark in power boilers. One aim of this paper is to describe the learnings during the commercialization of the lignin extraction process, throughout the first laboratory tests in 2001 to the start-up of the first commercial plant in Domtar Plymouth 2013, and how that influenced the second plant in Stora Enso Sunila mill 2014. All these learnings from project executions and start-ups have provided a lot of experience that will continue driving the development of the technology forward towards further commercialization and successful start-ups. As more lignin becomes available on the market the next challenge is to develop the lignin end use markets. This paper will provide a high level overview of some of the end use lignin applications that are being developed using kraft lignin from a global perspective.