Holmen Paper Mill in Workington, UK, identified an opportunity to cost-effectively improve the efficiency, lifetime and availability of its biomass-fired 150 MW BFB boiler.

With an absolute return-on-investment guarantee and without installing more machines, boiler electrical efficiency increased by 0.62 percentage points while boiler tube erosion from sootblowing impingement was avoided.

The additional renewable power generation corresponds to approximately 2,065 tonnes of avoided CO₂ emissions per year compared with equivalent generation from natural gas.

 

 

Improving sootblowing efficiency at Holmen Workington

Holmen’s Workington mill is certified according to ISO 50001 and has been awarded EcoVadis Platinum, placing it in the top 1 % of companies rated by EcoVadis. Energy efficiency, water savings and reliable operation are therefore natural priorities for the mill. Heat Management engineered, constructed, installed and started up HISS^® Advanced to improve the existing sootblowing system in November 2025.

The main objective was to reduce condensate impact on boiler tubes and lower steam consumption during sootblowing, while maintaining boiler cleanliness and stable operation.

The operational data shows stabilised boiler performance immediately upon start-up. Average generator power increased by approximately 1.0 MWe at similar fuel consumption, with more stable steam temperature and pressure during operation. Boiler electrical efficiency increased by 0.62 percentage points.

 

 

Operating data from November 2025 to March 2026 showing stable boiler operation after HISS start-up (top chart, highlighted area) and higher generator output at similar fuel input (bottom chart).

 

Key results

• Sootblowing steam consumption reduced by 45 % per cycle (11.4 to 6.3 t/cycle)
• No known tube leaks or unplanned boiler downtime reported by Holmen Workington since installation
• Sootblowing cycle time reduced from two hours to one hour
• Average generator power increased by approximately 1.0 MWe at similar fuel consumption
• Measured boiler efficiency increased by 0.62 percentage units

 

For Holmen Workington, availability was an important part of the project. Since start-up, the mill has experienced no issues with either the HISS automation or the HISS actuators in the boiler house:

 

“So far, we have experienced no issues with either the HISS automation or the HISS actuators in the boiler house. Based on our experience to date, I would consider the system to be very reliable,” says Oliver Dyer, Project Engineer at Holmen Workington.

 

The system also includes a fallback function, allowing the boiler to temporarily return to the previous sootblowing logic if required.

 

“The HISS system allows us to revert back to our previous sootblowing system if any issues were to occur. This means we can continue operating the boiler even if HISS is temporarily unavailable, which is critical for a CHP plant such as ours,” says Oliver.

 

The project has also shown positive early indications regarding boiler tube reliability, according to James Long, Boiler and Turbine Manager at Holmen Workington.

 

“Since installation, we haven’t had any known tube leaks, which is definitely a positive. Performance appears to be no different since installation, with key operating values in the expected range,” says James Long.

 

As of writing, the plant has operated for roughly 10 months without any known tube leaks. The next planned shutdown will provide an opportunity for further inspection and follow-up.

 

Download the full case study here.

To learn more about HISS Advanced and how it reduces steam consumption and boiler tube erosion, visit our HISS solutions page.

 

For more information about this case, or to discuss how HISS could improve sootblowing performance in your boiler, please contact Johan Holmér, Sales Manager at Heat Management.

Johan Holmér
Sales Manager
johan.holmer@heatmanage.com
+46 736 544 686