Eldorado Brasil Celulose: The Two First Operation

Years
Leonardo R. Pimenta: Technical Control Manager, Eldorado Brasil Celulose, Brazil,
leonardo.pimenta@eldoradobrasil.com.br
Tiago E. S. Segura: Project Specialist, Eldorado Brasil Celulose, Brazil, tiago.segura@eldoradobrasil.com.br
Francisco B. Mattiazzo: Technical Control Specialist, Eldorado Brasil Celulose, Brazil,
francisco.mattiazzo@eldoradobrasil.com.br

Abstract
The objective of this work is to present the two first operation years of Eldorado Brasil Celulose.
Located at Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, Eldorado’s mill present design annual production
capacity of 1,5 million of eucalyptus bleached pulp, using the most advanced technologies existing in the
world. The pulp of Eldorado is produced from kraft pulp process and bleached until 90% ISO of brightness in
a four stages ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) bleaching sequence.
The mill started its operation on 2012 November 15th with the digester’s startup. The quality learning
curve was achieved after 84 operation days, while the production learning curve was completed after 264
operation days. On first year, 1,27 million of tons of bleached pulp were produced, whereas Eldorado
produced more than 1,57 million of tons in 2014 – this production is higher than the project nominal
production. Eldorado achieved 97% of Export Quality Index at the first operation year and 99% on the
second operation year.
The energy cogeneration was also considered in Eldorado Project. The steam from the Recovery Boiler
and from the Biomass Boiler is sent to two turbo generators of 110 MW each for energy production. To
generate this steam, Eldorado uses the concentrated black liquor at Recovery Boiler and eucalyptus
biomass (fines of chips and bark) at Biomass Boiler. The energy produced on-site guarantees the own mill
consumption and the delivery to the over-the-fence partners, that are responsible for oxygen and chlorine
dioxide production (White Martins and Akzo Nobel) - the excess energy is exported to power grid. Another
important area in Eldorado is the wastewater treatment plant, which has the installed capacity of 6.500 m³/h.
On first operation year, the effluent specific generation was 31 m³/ADtB, while in 2014 it was reduced to 26
m³/ADtB, corresponding to a 16% reduction.
The pulp record production until 2014 December 31st was 5.300 ADtB in August 30th 2014. This record
was broken in 2015 and the last production record was achieved on 2015 March 9 th, when Eldorado
produced 5.364 ADt.

Keywords: eucalyptus; pulping; production indicators.

Introduction
Eldorado Brasil was founded in 2009 as a forestry based company. Owned by the Brazilian J&F group,
the company has started its pulp mill project in 2010 to produce 1.5 million of tons of bleached kraft market
pulp at Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The main suppliers at Eldorado Project were Andritz
(woodyard, digester/fiberline, drying machine and causticizing/lime kiln), Valmet (evaporation and recovery
boiler), CBC (biomass boiler), CentroProjekt (waste water treatment plant), Veolia (water treatment plant)
and Degrémont (boiler feed water plant).
Eldorado’s mill started its operation on 2012 November 15th with the digester’s startup. The quality
learning curve was achieved on February 6th 2013 (figure 1) after 30 days of 95% Export Quality production
average, while the production learning curve was completed on August 5th 2013 (figure 2). The production
learning curve is completed when the last 30 days average production reaches production design (4.237
ADtB/day at Eldorado Project).

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 100
AVERAGE 30 DAYS: 95%
90
80

Export Quality (%)

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Export Quality 30 days average Export Quality

Figure 1 – Quality learning curve

5000
4500 NOMINAL CAPACITY: 4.237 ADtB/d
Pulp production (ADtB)

4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Pulp production 30 days average production

Figure 2 – Daily pulp production during learning curve

Nowadays, Eldorado stands out for having one of the biggest and most modern mills around the world
and for presenting a very productive forestry and innovative logistics. Based on competitiveness, innovation,
sustainability and people valorization, Eldorado Brasil Celulose has the objective to build a confidence
relationship with actionists, employees and partners and its mission is to consolidate the company as a
global leader at world market pulp.
In its first operation year (2013), Eldorado Brasil produced 1,27 million of tones of bleached pulp, while
the production in 2014 was 1,57 million of tons, 4,5% higher than the project nominal production.
The main production data of each mill area is presented in this work. Operating Stability and % of use
were calculated as below:

𝐴𝑉𝐺
𝑂𝑆 =
𝑀𝑆𝑅
𝐴𝑉𝐺
%𝑈𝑆𝐸 =
𝐷𝑆𝐺𝑎𝑣𝑔

Where:
OS: Operating Stability (%);
AVG: Average rate;
MSR: Maximum Sustainable Rate, first data after 10% best results;
%USE: % of use (%);
DSGavg: Design average.

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7th International Colloquium on Eucalyptus Pulp, May 26-29, 2015. Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil.
 This work aims to present the operational results of the two first operation years of Eldorado’s pulp mill
in Três Lagoas.

General production indicators

Figure 3 presents monthly production and accumulated production between January 2013 and
December 2014.

160 3.000
Monthly pulp production (x 1000

Acumulated pulp production (x

140 2.500
120
100 2.000

1000 ADtB)
80 1.500
ADtB)

60 1.000
40
20 500
0 0
Jan-14
Jan-13

Mar-13

Jun-13
Jul-13

Mar-14

Jun-14
Jul-14
Feb-13

Nov-13
Dec-13

Feb-14

Nov-14
Dec-14
Aug-13
Sep-13

Aug-14
Sep-14
Apr-13
May-13

Oct-13

Apr-14
May-14

Oct-14
Monthly production Acumulated production

Figure 3 – Monthly pulp production

The total production in 2013 was 1,27 million of tons of bleached pulp. First mill shutdown was in
January/February 2014, which explains lower production in these months. In 2014, production was 1,57
million of tons. Considering that in 2012 Eldorado produced 27.120 tons, the total production at mill site was
2.869.582 until 2014 December 31st (Table 1).

Table 1 – Pulp production

Year Production (ADtB)
2012 27.120
2013 1.274.714
2014 1.567.748
Total 2.869.582

The Maximum Sustainable Rate (MSR) of Eldorado mill was 4.964 ADtB/day on the two first operation
years (Figure 4).

6000
MSR
5000
Pulp daily production

4000
(ADtB)

3000

2000

1000

Figure 4 – Daily production and Maximum Sustainable Rate (MSR)

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7th International Colloquium on Eucalyptus Pulp, May 26-29, 2015. Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil.
Areas indicators
Woodyard
Eldorado receives debarked wood for chipping. The woodyard presents three wood chippers, each one
with daily capacity to chip 400 m³/h of solid wood, four chip screeners, each one with capacity of 1.000 m³l/h
and a stacker-reclaimer system. The chip’s pile has capacity for 105.000 m³l. Table 2 presents woodyard
indicators.

Table 2 – Woodyard indicators

Parameter 2013 2014
Received wood, m³ 5.288.979 5.772.154
Average chipping, m³s/day 11.955 14.645
Chipping MSR, m³s/day 14.971 16.629
Chipping Operating Stability, % 79,3 88,0

The main wood quality indicator used at woodyard is basic density. The previewed basic density is 469
± 20 kg/m³. Figure 5 shows an example of basic density wood control at woodyard.

500
Basic Density (kg/m³)

490
480
470
460
450
440
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31
Day
Real Basic Density Previewed Basic Density
LSC (+20 Kg/m³) LIC (-20 Kg/m³)

Figure 5 – Example of basic density wood control

Fiberline
Eldorado’s fiberline consists in a DownFlow Lo-Solids® digester, two oxygen delignification vessels and
DA EP D P as bleaching sequence (figure 6).

Figure 6 – Eldorado’s Fiberline

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 The capacity design of cooking is 5.100 ADt/day, while the average design is 4.555 ADt/day. The main
cooking indicators are presented in table 3.

Table 3 – Cooking indicators

Parameter 2013 2014
Average production, ADt/day 3.816 4.671
Maximum Sustainable Rate, ADt/day 5.067 5.212
Operating Stability, % 75,3 89,6
% of use, % 83,8 102,5
Brownstock pulp kappa number 16,2 16,3
Pulp viscosity, cm³/g 1.252 1.269

In 2013 the cooking production was 83,8% of project design, while in 2014 this production was higher
than average design (102,5% of % of use). The Operating Stability (ratio between average production and
Maximum Sustainable Rate) was also increased in 2014.
Oxygen delignification is performed in a two-stage system with retention times of 10 and 50 minutes,
respectively. Oxidized white liquor is used as the main source of alkali in oxygen delignification. Oxygen
delignification Operating Stability is showed in figure 7.

40% 37,3%
36,8%
Oxygen delignification

35%
Efifciency(%)

30%

25%

20%
2013 2014
Year

Figure 7 – Oxygen delignification efficiency

During the shutdown occurred some improvements in oxygen delignification that allowed a temperature
setpoint higher than 100°C in the second reactor. After the improvements, delignification efficiency (1-(kappa
out / kappa in)) was higher than 37% with a delta kappa higher than 5,9 kappa number (Figure 8). The
improvements were at steam addiction and at the alkali mix (NaOH and white liquor).

42%
40%
Delignification
Efficiency (%)

38%
36%
34%
32%
30%
Jan-13

Jan-14

Jun-14
Jul-14
Feb-13
Mar-13

Jun-13
Jul-13

Feb-14
Mar-14
Nov-13
Dec-13

Nov-14
Dec-14
Aug-13
Sep-13
Oct-13

Apr-14

Aug-14
Sep-14
Oct-14
Apr-13
May-13

May-14

Figure 8 – Monthly oxygen delignification efficiency

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 The capacity design of bleaching is 4.750 ADt/day and the average design is 4.244 ADt/day. The main
bleaching indicators are presented in table 4.

Table 4 – Bleaching indicators

Parameter 2013 2014
Average production, ADtB/day 3.533 4.421
Maximum Sustainable Rate, ADtB/day 4.705 5.011
Operating Stability, % 75,1 88,2
% of use, % 83,2 104,2
Pulp viscosity, cm³/g 819 815
Total Active Chlorine, kg/ADtB 30,7 29,4

Both bleaching Operating Stability and % of use increased on 2014. On the second operation year, the
bleaching total production was 4,2% higher than its design average capacity.
Hexenuronic acids profile is presented in table 5.

Table 5 – Hexenuronic acids profile

Parameter 2013 2014
Hexenuronic acids after pulping, µmol/g 67,7 66,0
Hexenuronic acids after oxygen delignification, µmol/g 67,0 65,5
Hexenuronic acids after DA stage, µmol/g 14,2 17,3

Eldorado’s brown stock pulp presents high hexenuronic acids amount, typical for Eucalyptus pulp. DA
bleaching stage is responsible for more than 70% of hexenuronic acids removal.
Monthly bleached pulp brightness is showed in figure 9.

95
Bleached pulp brightness (%

90

85
ISO)

80

75

70
Jan-13

Jun-13
Jul-13

Jan-14

Jun-14
Jul-14
Mar-13

Mar-14
Feb-13

Nov-13
Dec-13

Feb-14

Nov-14
Dec-14
Aug-13
Sep-13

Aug-14
Sep-14
Apr-13
May-13

Oct-13

Apr-14
May-14

Oct-14

Figure 9 – Bleached pulp brightness

Brightness of 90±1% ISO was achieved in every month. The exception is February/2014, when the first
shutdown was conducted. The brightness reversion is under control – average of this parameter was 1,4%
ISO during 2013 and 2014.
Pulp production on target of brightness and viscosity is showed in figure 10. This is an internal control of
Eldorado, that is more restrictive than Export Quality: minimum viscosity in this case is 680 cm³/g and
brightness range is 90±1% ISO.

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 100% 98,5%
92,8% 95,8%

Pulp production on
90%

target (%)
80%
71,4% Brightness
70%
Viscosity
60%

50%
2013 2014
Year
Figure 10 – Pulp production on target (brightness and viscosity)

In first operation year, 92,8% of total pulp production presented viscosity on process target (higher than
680 cm³/g). In 2014, the production on target of brightness was near 96% and viscosity on target achieved
98,5%.

Drying Machines
Eldorado has two drying machines with capacity design of 2.511 ADtB/day each. The total average
design for drying machines is 4.237 ADtB/day. Main drying indicators are presented in table 6.

Table 6 – Drying indicators

Parameter 2013 2014
Average production, ADtB/day 3.521 4.416
Maximum Sustainable Rate, ADtB/day 4.708 5.056
Operating Stability, % 74,8 87,3
% of use, % 83,1 104,2

Both Operation Stability and % of use at drying increased in 2014. On the second operation year, the
drying total production was 4,2% higher than its design average capacity.

Evaporation
The capacity design of evaporation is 38.400 tons/day of evaporated water, while the average design is
34.512 tons/day. The main evaporation indicators are presented in table 7.

Table 7 – Evaporation indicators

Parameter 2013 2014
Weak black liquor solids, % 13,2 14,4
Average evaporated water, t/day 30.776 36.224
Maximum Sustainable Rate, t/day 35.160 38.931
Operating Stability, % 87,5 93,1
% of use, % 89,2 105,0

In 2014 the evaporated total water was 5% higher than the project design.

Recovery Boiler
Eldorado’s recovery boiler has capacity design to fire 6.800 t/day of virgin solids, which represents
7.344 t/day of solids as fired. The average design is 6.324 tons/day of virgin solids and 6.830 t/day of solids
as fired. Table 8 shows the main recovery boiler indicators.

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Table 8 – Recovery Boiler indicators
Parameter 2013 2014
Average fired solids, t/day (as fired) 5.450 6.834
Maximum Sustainable Rate, t/day 7.082 7.344
Operating Stability, % 77,0 93,0
% of use, % 79,8 100,1

In 2014 the recovery boiler achieved its average capacity, presenting 100,1% of % of use. During the
second mill shutdown, some improvements were done on recovery boiler tertiary air, increasing in 6% this
equipment’s capacity.
The ash from recovery boiler is treated at an ash leaching system. Potassium and chlorine contents on
treated ash are presented in figure 11.

5
Proportion on ash (%)

4,3
4 3,7

2,9
3 Potassium
2,3 2,3
1,8 Chlorine
2

1
2013 2014 2015
Year
Figure 11 – Potassium and chlorine proportion on ash

Operation problems at ash leaching centrifuges maintained potassium and chlorine proportion high in
2013 and 2014. After the second shutdown (January and February/2015), the centrifuges were adjusted and
potassium and chlorine contents on ash decreased 32,6 and 21,7% respectively.

Causticizing and lime kiln

The capacity design of causticizing 2.119 t/day of active alkali and the average design is 1.903 t/day.
The main causticizing indicators are presented in table 9.

Table 9 – Causticizing indicators

Parameter 2013 2014
Average AA production, t/day 1.464 1.827
Maximum Sustainable Rate, t/day 1.938 2.053
Operating Stability, % 75,5 88,9
% of use, % 76,7 96,0

All efficiencies increased at causticizing. However, the alkali average production in 2014 hasn’t
achieved the design average – % of use is 96%.
Eldorado has a lime kiln with capacity to fire 1.200 t/day of CaO, while its average design is 1.057 t/day.
The main lime kiln indicators are presented in table 10.

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Table 10 – Lime kiln indicators
Parameter 2013 2014
Average fired CaO, t/day 856 1.038
Maximum Sustainable Rate, t/day 1.111 1.201
Operating Stability, % 77,1 86,4
% of use, % 81,0 98,2

As observed at causticizing, Eldorado’s lime kiln hasn’t achieved the design average. Its % of use was
98,2%.

Utilities
Eldorado has two turbo generators of 110 MWh of design capacity. The biomass boiler has capacity to
produce 70 t/h of steam with biomass, 120 t/h with combustible oil and 105 t/h with biomass and combustible
oil. Generated and sold energy in 2013 and 2014 is showed in figure 12.

1.400.000 1.272.848
1.200.000
Energy (MW)

1.000.000 848.369
800.000
550.944
600.000
400.000
200.000 7.004
0
2013 2014
Year
Generated energy Sold energy
Figure 12 – Generated and sold energy

In 2013, generated and sold energy were lower because the second turbo generator was out of
service. After the adjustment of the second turbo generator, Eldorado produced more than 1 million of MW in
2014, of which around 43% was exported to grid. The energetic matrix of Eldorado mill is based on non-fossil
(black liquor fired on recovery boiler and bark/fine chips fired on biomass boiler) and fossil (combustible oil
sources). Figure 13 presents energetic matrix of Eldorado.

100%
90%
Energy generation

80%
proportion (%)

70%
60% 87,4%
50% 91,2% Non-fossil
40% Fossil
30%
20%
10% 12,6%
0% 8,8%
2013 2014
Year
Figure 13 – Energetic matrix

From all generated energy in Eldorado, the non-fossil matrix (black liquor and biomass) are
responsible for 87,4% of 2013 generation and 91,2% of 2014 generation.
Wastewater treatment plant has the installed capacity of 6.500 m³/h at Eldorado. The biological
process adopted is the activated sludge system with selector, in the form of extended aeration, with high
sludge age, seeking a better effluent quality and minimum biological sludge generation. Specific flow of
treated effluent and treated water is presented in figure 14.

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 50
Specific flow (m³/ADtB) 45
40
35
30
25
20

May-13

May-14
Feb-13
Mar-13
Apr-13

Jul-13

Feb-14
Mar-14
Apr-14

Jul-14
Oct-13

Oct-14
Nov-13
Dec-13

Nov-14
Dec-14
Aug-13
Sep-13

Aug-14
Sep-14
Jan-13

Jun-13

Jan-14

Jun-14
Treated effluent flow Treated water flow

Figure 14 – Specific flow of treated effluent and treated water

Specific flow of treated effluent and treated water was high until April 2013. After that, these flows
were stabilized and in the end of 2014 the treated water flow was around 29 m³/ ADt, while the specific
treated effluent flow was 24 m³/ADt. The effluent specific generation in 2013 was 31 m³/ADt, while in 2014 it
was reduced to 26 m³/ ADt, corresponding to a 16% reduction.
All environmental requirements were completed in these two first operation years of Eldorado.

Records
The record productions of each area until April 2015 are presented in table 11.

Table 11 – Record productions

Area Record
Woodyard – chipping, m³s/day 19.334
Cooking, ADt/day 5.440
Bleaching, ADtB/day 5.295
Drying machines, ADtB/day 5.364
Pulp expedition, ADtB/day 6.750
Evaporation – evaporated water, t/day 41.746
Recovery Boiler – fired solids, t/day 7.600
Causticizing, active alkali production, t/day 2.290
Lime Kiln, t CaO/day 1.312
Energy Generation, MWh/day 4.207

Final comments
- Eldorado pulp mill main results during the two first years of operation were presented. Quality
learning curve was finalized after 84 days of operation and design production learning curve was reached in
264 days.
- In 2013 the pulp production was 1,27 million of tons and in 2014 this production was 1,57 million of
tons, 4,5% higher than project nominal production.
- Cooking, bleaching, drying and recovery boiler achieved more than 100% of % of use, which allowed
the mill production be higher than its nominal capacity.
- Environmental performance of Eldorado mill has been as it was expected.
- It can be considered that Eldorado mill project, start-up and two first operation years were successful
in terms of schedule, production, quality and environmental.

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7th International Colloquium on Eucalyptus Pulp, May 26-29, 2015. Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil.