Paper mills across the country have more reliable and efficient recovery boilers because of ORNL and partners. The problem faced by numerous paper mills was that their recovery boilers, which burn organic waste to generate steam and electric power for the mills, were developing cracks. Repairs or replacements are costly, so researchers in ORNL's Metals and Ceramics Division were asked to help solve the problem. Researchers conducted studies that showed that certain alloys were far more resistant than the industry standard stainless steel. Over the past few years, new or retrofitted boilers have been installed at paper mills from Longview, Wash., to Plymouth, N.C. Each boiler saves about 370 billion British thermal units per year and, collectively, the boilers are helping make the process safer, cleaner and more efficient.
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