The repair of key production infrastructure at the Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill, one of the world’s largest producers of cardboard and pulp, was completed in August 2021 in Novodvinsk, Russia. The Penetron System was specified to ensure durable concrete structures exposed to aggressive effluent, paper production chemicals, and the harsh climate of northwestern Russia.
The Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill (ACBK), one of the largest producers of cardboard and pulp in the world, is a leading timber and chemical manufacturer for Russia and Eastern Europe. ACBK is also the main employer for the town of Novodvinsk, located on the left bank of the Northern Dvina River in the Arctic region of northwestern Russia. The town has about 40,000 inhabitants and is 20 km (12 miles) south of Arkhangelsk, the largest city in the Arkhangelsk Oblast.
ACBK is part of Pulp Mill Holding GmbH, an Austrian-German company headquartered in Vienna, Austria with paper, cardboard, and packaging production facilities in Russia and Ukraine. Founded in 1940, the Arkhangelsk Pulp & Paper Mill manufactures and exports cardboard, pulp, paper, packaging materials, and chemical pulp to Western Europe, Italy, Turkey and the UK.
Earlier this year, SBT, the representative for Penetron-Russia in the Arkhangelsk Oblast, was assigned to repair and reconstruct a range of concrete structures at the ACBK: the pumping station (which also supplies water to Novodvinsk), the facility’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), the pulp production tanks, and other structures.
Faced with Aggressive Effluent and Harsh Climate
“The WWTP was in dire condition and urgent repairs were needed for many of the reinforced concrete treatment tanks, which had deteriorated due to the aggressive environment of the effluent. The concrete walls of the pulp production tanks also needed to be repaired to alleviate extensive damage from the caustic chemicals used in the production process,” explains Igor Chernogolov, President of Penetron Russia.
The Penetron System was specified to repair and restore the concrete structures and prevent further deterioration. Because of the region’s subarctic climate, with long, cold winters and heavy snowfall, protecting concrete from further freeze-thaw cycles damage was an important aspect of the waterproofing and repair solution.
Working with a certified application team, the SBT team prepared the damaged concrete surfaces using a combination of PENECRETE MORTAR, a crystalline waterproofing mortar used to fill large cracks, and PENETRON, a topical crystalline waterproofing slurry, sprayed over the surface to provide a durable and impermeable concrete structure. The Penetron products were also used to seal the construction joints and fill the tie-holes in certain structures.
Resistant to Freeze-Thaw Cycles
Once applied to a prepared concrete surface, the proprietary chemicals in Penetron crystalline products react in a catalytic reaction to generate a non-soluble crystalline formation throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. The resulting crystal formation permanently seals micro-cracks, pores, and capillaries against the penetration of water or liquids from any direction – making the concrete impermeable. Penetron-treated concrete is resistant to freeze-thaw cycle damage. This increases the lifespan of the concrete structure and reduces the amount of maintenance required in the future – a substantial advantage in Russia’s subarctic climate.
“Penetron-treated concrete has the added benefit of preventing further deterioration from effluent and chemicals from occurring, thus increasing the lifespan of the concrete structure and reducing the amount of maintenance required in the future,” adds Igor Chernogolov. “In addition to the integral waterproofing properties of the Penetron System, the ease of application helped keep the repair and restoration work on track."
Protected by Penetron: Russia’s Arkhangelsk Pulp & Paper Mill manufactures cardboard, pulp, paper, packaging materials, and chemical pulp – for export to Western Europe.
