Back-to-school season: How do steam generators help modern papermaking say goodbye to the "old model"?

The new semester is approaching, and summer vacation is running out. Zipping my backpack and pencil case, I open a brand new notebook, my fingertips gently caressing the pages. The delicate touch heralds a new beginning in life. So, how did paper, so indispensable to our daily lives, come into being? Do modern paper mills still use the ancient papermaking methods of Cai Lun's time?

The answer is NO!

The modern papermaking process can be divided into four core stages: raw material preparation, pulping, papermaking, and post-processing. It is a complex industrial process that integrates chemical, mechanical, and automated technologies, and steam generators are essential components of this process.

Pulping is the core of papermaking, its purpose being to break down the fiber bonds within the raw material and separate pure plant fibers. Currently, chemical pulping is the most prevalent pulping method globally, accounting for approximately 80%. First, wood chips and other raw materials are fed into a "cooking pot," where a mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide (called "white liquor") is added. The process is then cooked at a pressure of 0.6-0.8 MPa for 2-4 hours, dissolving the lignin and breaking down the wood chips into "rough pulp."Paper mills generally carry a high pollution risk. The cooking process requires a large amount of heat energy. Coal-fired boilers emit particulate matter such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, potentially causing acid rain and smog. Steam generators eliminate this concern. Their water-cooled, fully premixed burners achieve a 100% burnout rate, nitrogen oxide emissions below 20mg/Nm³, and CO emissions close to zero.

The papermaking process is also highly dependent on fuel supply. According to a development report from a Chongqing papermaking company, natural gas consumption per ton of paper is approximately 249.29 standard cubic meters. Traditional steam equipment consumes approximately 85-90 Nm³ of natural gas per ton of steam. When heat recovery is poor and thermal efficiency is low, gas consumption is even higher. The composite chamber micro-superheated steam generator achieves a thermal efficiency of 101.21%, maintains a stable exhaust temperature below 50°C, and reduces gas consumption to as low as 75 Nm³/h. When using 100°C high-temperature return water, gas consumption per ton of steam is reduced to 70 Nm³/h, significantly reducing fuel costs for the company.

The composite cabin micro-superheated steam generator ensures a stable supply of paper in a more environmentally friendly and efficient way. It also allows us to enjoy the convenience of school supplies while contributing invisible strength to protecting the green environment and promoting sustainable industrial development.