At the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Identify and describe the major components of a lime mud washer
- Describe the purpose and operation of a lime mud washer
- Identify and describe the typical process flows in a lime mud washer
- Describe the negative impacts of improperly washed/filtered lime mud
- Identify key safety considerations when working around a lime mud washer
The following key questions are answered in this module:
Why does lime mud need to be washed?
Lime mud from the white liquor clarifier still contains a significant amount of white liquor. If the white liquor is left in the mud it will interfer with the calcining process in the kiln.
Where does lime mud come from?
Lime mud is calcium carbonate which has settled out of the white liquor in the white liquor clarifier.
What is the principle behind a lime mud washer?
Most lime mud washers are dilution washers. The mud is mixed with a large quantity of relatively clean liquor, and the washed mud is settled out in a clarifier.
What can happen if mud is not properly washed?
Poorly washed mud can lead to an increase in sulfur emissions from the lime kiln and/or to the formation of rings in the lime kiln.
What is weak wash?
Weak wash is the low concentration clarifier liquor which is created in the lime mud washer.
Below is a transcript of the video sample provided for this module:
The diluted mud enters the clarifier at the top and is discharged through a center feedwell. This semi-enclosed area provides a small mixing and buffer zone, slows the flow and evenly distributes the incoming mixture into the clarifier.
Use the additional resources and links below to learn more about this topic: