Tall oil has evolved from a by-product of the forest industry to a valued bioproduct used in the production of chemicals, biofuels and pharmaceuticals, among other things. With sustainable development, it is important for pulp mills to utilize tall oil efficiently, both from the perspective of economic profitability and environmental responsibility.
The concept developed by BIM Finland promotes the recovery of tall oil by improving the separation of extractives from brown pulp. The chemically enhanced sap peeling process enables the recovery of valuable tall oil from black liquor. The concept also improves the separation of tall oil from sap.
“With chemically enhanced separation, we can increase tall oil recovery in pulp production to over 95 percent, while traditional methods often only achieve around 80–90 percent. This significant improvement does not require new equipment solutions or large investments, but is implemented simply by dosing chemicals into the pulp mill’s existing processes,” says BIM Finland’s Pulp Segment Team Leader Hannu Hamalainen.
Sustainable raw material for the industry of the future
Tall oil is a versatile material that has found applications in numerous industrial sectors due to its unique chemical composition. Tall oil contains, among other things, fatty acids, resin acids and other organic compounds. The fatty acids familiar from soaps make tall oil a good lubricant and coating. Resin acids, in turn, act as water repellents and provide adhesion and hardening properties, which are needed in the manufacture of adhesives and paints.
"Although the separation of tall oil from the pulping process has been known for decades, its large-scale utilization has been limited by both the availability of raw materials and the underdevelopment of the market. For this reason, tall oil has previously been used mainly in energy production in pulp mills," says Hämäläinen.
The green transition has led to a significant increase in demand for bio-based materials, which has increased the value of tall oil. Advanced technologies now allow for more efficient separation of wood extractives and the production of higher quality tall oil products. New processing methods allow tall oil to be used in a wider range of products, contributing to sustainable development and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
The rise of biofuels increases the value of tall oil
The tall oil market is particularly strong in regions with a thriving pulp and paper industry, such as North America, Europe and parts of Asia. In Europe, Finland and Sweden in particular are significant players due to their strong forest and pulp industries. The Asia-Pacific region is seeing a growing interest in tall oil, driven by increased environmental awareness and industrial demand.
"Currently, the global tall oil market is worth approximately two billion euros. If tall oil production is increased at the current rate, the market could grow to three billion euros by 2030. This growth requires both the development of separation technology and investments in new pulp mills," estimates Hämäläinen.
Demand for renewable fuels is a major growth driver for tall oil. Governments around the world are implementing biofuel regulations and providing incentives for the deployment of renewable energy. Tall oil-based biofuels, particularly biodiesel and renewable diesel, are well positioned to meet this growing demand.
