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Thursday, 19/09/2024 | 23:17

Case study

Vinapaco's Energy-Saving Initiatives in Paper Manufacturing

14:36 - 23/08/2024

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Vinapaco is a leading company in Vietnam's paper production and business, has significantly reduced its energy consumption from 15,467 MJ per ton of paper in 2020 to 12,623 MJ per ton in 2023 by applying management practices, innovative improvements, and investments in modern technology.

Vinapaco has continuously invested in upgrading its machinery and technology to produce high-quality, internationally recognized paper products, including well-known brands like Bãi Bằng and CleverUp.
The company's products meet international standards, and its environmental protection measures comply with national standards. Vinapaco has an annual capacity of 68,000 tons of bleached pulp and 100,000 tons of printing and writing paper.
Investment in Modern Paper Production Technology.
According to Mr. Ngo Tien Luan, Head of the Technical Department at Vinapaco, the company spends approximately 400 billion VND annually on energy costs, making it a key energy user in the paper industry.
Recognizing the importance of energy-saving practices in reducing production costs, Vinapaco has diligently adhered to the Law on Using Energy Efficiency and Conservation.
Since 2018, Vinapaco has established an Energy Management Board across the corporation and its units, clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of each member. The company has also developed and implemented an energy use policy to achieve  3-5% energy savings annually. Vinapaco's Energy Management Board members receive prioritized training on efficient energy use, allowing them to disseminate and implement these practices throughout the company.
Mr Ngo Tien Luan, Head of the Technical Department at Vinapaco.
In 2018, Vinapaco implemented the ISO 50001:2018 Energy Management System standard, which has significantly improved energy efficiency across the company, covering energy use, consumption, and efficiency.
Vinapaco has actively promoted energy-saving awareness among its employees, fostering a proactive approach to electricity conservation. Each unit within the corporation has established regulations for the safe and economical operation of production equipment and lighting systems in workshops, with strict adherence required from all workers. Visual reminders, such as posters, banners, and warning signs, about efficient energy use are displayed throughout the company, reinforcing the importance of energy conservation.
These initiatives have not only helped Vinapaco reduce its energy consumption but also strengthened the company's commitment to sustainable production practices.
Vinapaco's Energy-Saving Initiatives in Production Operations.
In addition to effective management practices, Vinapaco has implemented several technological improvements to enhance energy efficiency for operational processes.
In parallel with management efforts, the corporation has implemented a series of energy-saving technological improvements. Specifically, at the power plant, the applied solutions include load redistribution, load combination, and replacement of underloaded transformers with lower-capacity ones to improve the power factor; installation of variable frequency drives for motors with variable loads (such as agitators, and pumps...); repurposing old heat exchangers, utilizing hot condensate from the distillation system to preheat boiler feedwater; and installing adjustable shields for the air intake on smoke and air fans for power boilers to enhance combustion efficiency.
At the pulp workshop of the paper mill, the corporation has undertaken several measures to save energy. These include replacing four old and damaged heat exchangers in the cooking system to reduce steam consumption; stopping unnecessary agitators and equipment to save electricity; insulating damaged pipelines, and utilizing hot condensate from the distillation system for pulp washing, which reduces steam consumption for heating water. In the paper workshop, variable frequency drives have been installed on agitator motors and the chest churn to adjust motor speed; large motors for edge exhaust fans and high-pressure pumps have been replaced with smaller, more suitable ones to save energy; and oversized motors have been switched to those that match the required load capacity.
Pulp workshop of the paper mill.
At the chemical plant, the corporation has recovered heat energy from the water used to cool chlorine in the chlorine drying area to operate the hot water tank in the chlorine vaporization area.
Additionally, Vinapaco has replaced low-efficiency lights such as fluorescent, T8, compact, and high-pressure mercury lamps with high-efficiency, energy-saving LED lights.
These energy-saving measures have allowed Vinapaco to reduce energy consumption from 15,467 MJ/ton of paper in 2020 to 12,623 MJ/ton in 2023, a 7.5% decrease compared to the energy consumption level set by the Ministry of Industry and Trade under Circular No. 24/2017/TT-BCT.
Ongoing Improvements and Employee Engagement: Vinapaco continues to upgrade and replace outdated machinery to further reduce electricity consumption. The company also emphasizes employee education and awareness to encourage proactive energy-saving behavior during production and business operations.
For Vinapaco and other paper manufacturers, energy consumption accounts for 20-30% of product costs. Efficient energy use not only reduces production costs but also enhances the company's competitiveness in the market.

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