Energy and Water in the Pulp and Paper Industry – the Two Solitudes

Energy analysis of the kraft pulping process combined with water analysis of the bleaching department has been applied in order to study the interactions between energy and water. Strategies for reducing water consumption which consists in reuse of the water in the process have been suggested. The impact of the proposed improvement of the water network on the energetic efficiency of the process has been observed. As a result of the strong interactions between water and energy, reducing water consumption influences the energy demand. This work showed that the correct way to identify appropriate projects for energy and water savings is to consider and analyze them together.