Holmen Workington cuts sootblowing steam use with HISS Advanced
Holmen improved the electrical efficiency and operating stability of the biomass-fired 150 MW bubbling fluidised bed boiler at its Workington mill in the UK through the installation of HISS Advanced by Heat Management.
The upgrade increased average generator output by approximately 1.0 MWe at comparable fuel consumption and raised boiler electrical efficiency by 0.62 percentage points. The additional renewable electricity corresponds to around 2,065 tonnes of avoided CO₂ emissions annually compared with equivalent natural gas generation.
Lower steam consumption and shorter cleaning cycles
Heat Management engineered, built, installed and commissioned HISS Advanced in November 2025 to optimise the existing sootblowing system. The project aimed to reduce condensate impact on boiler tubes and steam consumption while maintaining boiler cleanliness and stable operation. It was delivered with a guaranteed return on investment and without adding further machines.
Sootblowing steam use fell by 45% per cycle, from 11.4 to 6.3 tonnes. Cleaning cycle duration was halved, from two hours to one hour. Operating data showed more stable steam temperature and pressure following start-up, alongside the improvement in generator output.
The Workington mill holds ISO 50001 certification and an EcoVadis Platinum rating, placing it in the top 1% of companies assessed. Energy efficiency, water conservation and operational reliability are established priorities at the site.
Availability and tube reliability
Project Engineer Oliver Dyer reported that the mill had experienced no issues with either the HISS automation or its boiler-house actuators and considered the system reliable based on operating experience.
A fallback function allows the boiler to revert temporarily to its former sootblowing logic if HISS becomes unavailable. Dyer highlighted this capability as essential for maintaining operation of the combined heat and power plant.
Boiler and Turbine Manager James Long reported no known tube leaks following the installation, with key operating values remaining within the expected range. Holmen also reported no unplanned boiler downtime following installation.
At the time of the assessment, the plant had completed approximately ten months of operation without known tube leaks. Further inspection and follow-up were planned for the next scheduled shutdown.
