Torrefaction Equipment Converts Wood Biomass into Biocoal
Biomass co-firing is the burning of fossil fuels in coal-fired power plants in conjunction with forestry and agriculture residues, animal manure, wood wastes, such as sawdust or bark from the timber industry, waste wood and dedicated energy crops. Co-firing increases the amount of renewable biomass in the global energy mix and also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The technologies include biomass that is jointly milled with coal and fed into the same boiler, biomass that is converted into a fuel gas and then burned with coal in the same boiler, and biomass in a separate boiler that supplies steam to a coal cycle.
One method of co-firing involves the torrefaction of wood biomass. Torrefaction is a thermochemical process that reduces the moisture content of wood and increases its energy density, transforming it into a charred material resembling charcoal. Through this process, volatile materials and biopolymers are removed from the wood, along with the moisture. All that remains of the original wood is a smaller, blackened solid that can be made into dense pellets of biocoal. Torrefaction can reduce the mass of wood by up to 30%, and results in a denser, higher-valued product that can be transported more economically than wood chips.
Power Plant
Torrefaction is in the process of becoming reality at the Natural Resources Research Institute (NNRI) in Coleraine, MN, part of the University of Minnesota Duluth. The facility studies the economic impact and sustainability of minerals, forest products, peat, biomass and water-related industries, and collaborates with partners in industry, government, universities, tribes, agencies and communities to foster a sustainable, more diversified economy and a healthy environment.
As the result of six years of research, a Heyl & Pattersonheyl p... inc 29440.htm torrefaction unit and other components have been installed as a "torrefaction island" at NRRI, and are estimated to produce approximately 28,800 pounds of biocoal per day upon startup. The project will focus on the cost and thermal effectiveness of the value-added conversion of wood biomass into biocoal, and its goal is to facilitate the efficient generation of carbon-neutral electricity on a distributed basis.
Rotary Calciner
Rotary-Calciner5-resized-600Low moisture wood chips enter the Heyl & Pattersonwww.heylpatterson.com torrefaction unit, also called a rotary calcinercalciners.aspx, and indirect heat is applied to roast the wood without burning it. This produces torrefied wood chips that can then be pelletized for commercial and residential use. The generated heat and gases are returned to the unit to lessen the amount of new energy needed to generate heat, or can be redirected to help heat a separate rotary dryerdryerscoolers.aspx, which dreis wetter wood chips earlier in the process before they are fed into the calciner. In addition to its uses as a coal additive, torrefied wood can also be used as activated carbon for filtration and purification purposes.
Heyl & Patterson will be exhibiting at the International Biomass ConferenceDisplayPage.aspx?pageId=Home to discuss wood torrefaction and other biomass drying technologies. The International Biomass Conference unites professionals from all sectors of the world’s biomass utilization industries across four educational tracks – pellets & densified biomass, biomass power & thermal, biogas & landfill gas and advanced biofuels & biobased chemicals. Among the other topics to be discussed at the convention:
• Reviewing the industry's most recent class of biomass power and thermal projects
• Enormous opportunity for biomass within the existing coal infrastructure
• How policy is deployed locally, nationally and internationally to create and grow biomass markets
• Expanding markets for wood pellets
• Co-briquetting biomass and waste coal
• Conversion of woody biomass to biofuel and other value added products
The International Biomass Conference will feature a general session panel with industry association leadership such as Joseph Seymour - Executive Director, Biomass Thermal Energy Council; Seth Ginter - Executive Director, U.S. Industrial Pellet Association; Mike McAdams - President, Advanced Biofuels Association; Jennifer Hedrick - Executive Director, Pellet Fuels Institute; Bob Cleaves - President & Chief Executive Officer, Biomass Power Association; Gustav Melin - President, European Biomass Association (AEBIOM); and Bernard Sheff - Chairman of the Board, American Biogas Council.
Heyl & Patterson: Torrefaction Equipment Converts Wood Biomass into Biocoal
Torrefaction Equipment Converts Wood Biomass into Biocoal
Biomass co-firing is the burning of fossil fuels in coal-fired power plants in conjunction with forestry and agriculture residues, animal manure, wood wastes, such as sawdust or bark from the timber industry, waste wood and dedicated energy crops. Co-firing increases the amount of renewable biomass in the global energy mix and also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The technologies include biomass that is jointly milled with coal and fed into the same boiler, biomass that is converted into a fuel gas and then burned with coal in the same boiler, and biomass in a separate boiler that supplies steam to a coal cycle.
One method of co-firing involves the torrefaction of wood biomass. Torrefaction is a thermochemical process that reduces the moisture content of wood and increases its energy density, transforming it into a charred material resembling charcoal. Through this process, volatile materials and biopolymers are removed from the wood, along with the moisture. All that remains of the original wood is a smaller, blackened solid that can be made into dense pellets of biocoal. Torrefaction can reduce the mass of wood by up to 30%, and results in a denser, higher-valued product that can be transported more economically than wood chips.
Power Plant
Torrefaction is in the process of becoming reality at the Natural Resources Research Institute (NNRI) in Coleraine, MN, part of the University of Minnesota Duluth. The facility studies the economic impact and sustainability of minerals, forest products, peat, biomass and water-related industries, and collaborates with partners in industry, government, universities, tribes, agencies and communities to foster a sustainable, more diversified economy and a healthy environment.
As the result of six years of research, a Heyl & Pattersonheyl p... inc 29440.htm torrefaction unit and other components have been installed as a "torrefaction island" at NRRI, and are estimated to produce approximately 28,800 pounds of biocoal per day upon startup. The project will focus on the cost and thermal effectiveness of the value-added conversion of wood biomass into biocoal, and its goal is to facilitate the efficient generation of carbon-neutral electricity on a distributed basis.
Rotary Calciner
Rotary-Calciner5-resized-600Low moisture wood chips enter the Heyl & Pattersonwww.heylpatterson.com torrefaction unit, also called a rotary calcinercalciners.aspx, and indirect heat is applied to roast the wood without burning it. This produces torrefied wood chips that can then be pelletized for commercial and residential use. The generated heat and gases are returned to the unit to lessen the amount of new energy needed to generate heat, or can be redirected to help heat a separate rotary dryerdryerscoolers.aspx, which dreis wetter wood chips earlier in the process before they are fed into the calciner. In addition to its uses as a coal additive, torrefied wood can also be used as activated carbon for filtration and purification purposes.
Heyl & Patterson will be exhibiting at the International Biomass ConferenceDisplayPage.aspx?pageId=Home to discuss wood torrefaction and other biomass drying technologies. The International Biomass Conference unites professionals from all sectors of the world’s biomass utilization industries across four educational tracks – pellets & densified biomass, biomass power & thermal, biogas & landfill gas and advanced biofuels & biobased chemicals. Among the other topics to be discussed at the convention:
• Reviewing the industry's most recent class of biomass power and thermal projects
• Enormous opportunity for biomass within the existing coal infrastructure
• How policy is deployed locally, nationally and internationally to create and grow biomass markets
• Expanding markets for wood pellets
• Co-briquetting biomass and waste coal
• Conversion of woody biomass to biofuel and other value added products
The International Biomass Conference will feature a general session panel with industry association leadership such as Joseph Seymour - Executive Director, Biomass Thermal Energy Council; Seth Ginter - Executive Director, U.S. Industrial Pellet Association; Mike McAdams - President, Advanced Biofuels Association; Jennifer Hedrick - Executive Director, Pellet Fuels Institute; Bob Cleaves - President & Chief Executive Officer, Biomass Power Association; Gustav Melin - President, European Biomass Association (AEBIOM); and Bernard Sheff - Chairman of the Board, American Biogas Council.
The International Biomass Conference & ExpoDisplayPage.aspx?pageId=Home will be held on April 20-22 at the Minneapolis Convention Centerminneapolis convention center in Minneapolis, MN. Heyl & Patterson will be located at Booth #208DisplayPage.aspx?pageId=ExpoMap.
To learn more about torrefaction and the equipment that performs the process, contact Heyl & Pattersoncontact.aspx or download the company's white paper "Torrefaction of Wood Biomass"torrefaction whitepaper?hssc=&hstc=41695805.189b4662cde840b1be946f35516224b4.1406120429923.1427388347997.1427904066071.52&hsCtaTracking=ecebc339 4f30 47c1 8641 00237eefea3f|cfa399b8 d7c8 444c 85e0 f6fb55d106c3
More information on Heyl & Pattersonheyl p... inc 29440.htm
Google Search - Websearch?client=safari&rls=en&q=Heyl+%26+Patterson+site:bulk online.com&ie=UTF 8&oe=UTF 8
Google Search - Imagessearch?q=Heyl+%26+Patterson+site:bulk online.com&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch
Heyl & Patterson Celebrates 125 Years in Businessshowthread.php?23620
Heyl & Patterson on the Portalsearch?q=heyl ■