Comprehensive wastewater portfolio brings MM Kotkamills a range of process improvements and savings
Sep 18, 2024
As a forestry industry innovator and leader based in Kotka, Finland, MM Kotkamills has relied on Valmet’s comprehensive wastewater portfolio since 2019. Valmet solutions have been vital in helping the mill’s experts manage their sludge and sludge dewatering while bringing more efficient processes and a range of savings.
One of the mill’s recent wastewater challenges has been finding ways to separate its biological sludge from its fiber sludge. With multiple Valmet Total Solids Measurement (Valmet TS) units onsite, the immediate results supply operators with the solids information necessary for the operation’s bio sludge centrifuge inlet, primary clarifier sludge outlet and mixing sludge tank outlet.
Real-time data for a better environment
With its real-time measurement advantages, Valmet Low Solids Measurement (Valmet LS) provides live and accurate data of MM Kotkamills’ effluent solids, helping to ensure the plant continuously meets environmental requirements, not to mention the operation’s own ecological standards. For example, Valmet LS can show MM Kotkamills staff when any irregularities appear, such as a high solid amount in the discharged water.
“Valmet LS is allowing us to accurately monitor online the water that’s being discharged out to the sea,” says Juha Selinkoski, Supervisor, Wastewater Department at MM Kotkamills. “Unlike before, with this real-time measurement, we can now make fast decisions in how we operate our wastewater plant.”
When considering the plant’s previous and more manual solutions, such as daily-based laboratory measurements, it’s easy to see the results in the immediacy of data combined with reduced operational steps.
A more optimal dried wastewater sludge
Offering significant savings potential, Valmet Dry Solids Measurement (Valmet DS) utilizes safe microwave technology specifically designed for dried wastewater sludge optimization, including dewatering control in wastewater treatment. For the MM Kotkamills wastewater plant, this has meant their operators are able to optimize the plant’s dewatering completely, in addition to reducing their transportation costs and energy consumption.
“The stability and accuracy we’re receiving from Valmet DS is helping us to handle dry sludge onsite at the factory,” says Juha. “With Valmet DS, we have a more thorough understanding of our dry sludge that comes out of our bio sludge centrifuge, therefore allowing us to continually improve the handling of our sludge field capacity alongside our partners transporting our dried sludge from the plant.”
Intelligent controls are just a touch away
As the complete dewatering solution, Valmet Sludge Dewatering Optimizer (Valmet SDO) puts MM Kotkamills’ operators in full control, bringing Valmet TS, Valmet DS and Valmet LS together into a single control software application.
“With SDO, we’re able to control our sludge handling and sludge deposits in the process much more reliably, as our whole wastewater plant process is considerably more stable and running more smoothly since partnering with Valmet,” says Juha.
More specifically, MM Kotkamills has seen its sludge levels increase to over 2% and even reach 3% at times—an impressive number, considering the dewatering challenges around biological sludge.
“More stable wastewater process makes our environmental loads much more transferable,” Juha adds. “We can make more immediate decisions around changes to process if we begin noticing recurring problems, plus our wastewater plant can handle sudden fluctuations in waste loads.”
While the specificities regarding savings are still being evaluated, MM Kotkamills fully expects that Valmet SDO will also reduce the wastewater plant’s polymer dosing costs, resulting in savings.
