Runtech-supplied vacuum system started up at Smurfit Kappa Bento, Brazil

RunEco vacuum system with EP500-D2 Turbo Blower, EcoDrop water separator and EcoFlow dewatering measurement with seven measurement points has started up at Smurfit Kappa Bento PM1 in Brazil. RunEco system replaced four liquid ring pumps at mill, making the vacuum system water free. The energy consumption is now approx. half of the old system, depending on the grade produced.

“This project is aligned with Smurfit Kappa's purposes of producing sustainably and preserving the environment, following our Planeta 1 project. We increased our capacity and vacuum control and the first results were very good. We reduced consistency in the headbox, improved paper formation and increased the dryness by 1.5 percentage points, enabling an increase in machine speed, reducing the power consumption and without using water,” said Claudio Magalhães, Corporate Paper Technical Manager, Smurfit Kappa Brazil.

“The customer's wish was to get a more flexible and modern system, which they also got, and are working to increase the speed of the paper machine now with more efficient water removal. We appreciate the trust from Smurfit Kappa in our technology and are really happy to deliver such great results,” says Jarmin Yläkäs, Project Manager, Runtech Systems.

Switching to EP Turbo Blowers is a game-changer in energy efficiency. In numerous rebuild projects, energy savings of 30-70% have been achieved when compared to traditional vacuum systems. Energy efficiency, a key feature of the solution, comes from both turbo technology itself, and the ability to measure water removal with EcoFlows and adjust the vacuum to the optimal level.

EP Turbo Blower offers several benefits, including impellers fitted on motor shafts without the need for a gearbox, fast and straightforward maintenance, energy recovery through a heat exchanger on the exhaust line, a compact and lightweight design that is easy to install in rebuild projects, and the ability to install it step by step with minimal shutdown time.

About Smurfit Kappa

Smurfit Kappa is one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging in the world, with operations in 23 European countries and 12 countries in the Americas. Smurfit Kappa Bento mill produces annually 50,000 tons of recycled fluting on their machine in Bento Goncalves, Rio Grande do Su, Brazil.