Creating process heat using biogenic solid fuels

Biomass plants use organic solid fuels such as sawdust, wood chips, timber or landscape management by products to produce hot flue gases. Biomass is an excellent alternative to generating heat using conventional fossil fuel products. Depending on their quality, these solid biomass fuels can create high demands on a plant. The combustion process, the heating components and the legal and emission regulations must be considered.

Many biomass burning plants have been built since the end of the 90s as a measure to end dependence on fossil fuels. Many plants constructed early on have ongoing issues with the two and three-pass heaters. Recurring ash is a major reason heaters require frequent cleaning – up to six times a year. This cleaning operation requires the plant to be shut down. The ash is also a solid material that in certain conditions (ex: high flow rate) can take on abrasive properties and over time, the tube coil can be damaged. Over a period of time, the abrasion from ash causes a reduction in wall thickness of the tube coil and holes will eventually form. In the worst case, a fire will occur. At the minimum, extensive repairs will be required for proper and safe operation.

Turn-key solutions

NESS is proud to offer a complete biomass burning plant using trusted partners. We can implement grate-fired, dust-fired or underfeed-fire options. We design our plants for simple cleaning and minimal abrasion. Our special design directly discharges ash and pollution created long-term, efficient and easy-to-maintain operations. We always focus on the thermal oil component of a plant by producing a complete thermal oil management system including expansion and collection vessel, pumping stations, heat exchangers, economizers, air-preheaters, emergency coolers, switch cabinets and more.

Two-stage heater: Efficient ash separation for the long haul

Efficient separation of ash and particles is possible due to the separation of the heater in radiation. Longer periods between maintenance intervals are possible because much of the arising debris can be directly separated, thus requiring less cleaning.
NESS offers benefits of a balanced temperature profile and high performance refractory materials as a result of the quality heaters NESS is known for. The convection section is built for a long lifetime as special protective shells are installed to protect the heat exchangers from wear. Cleaning abilities are also enhanced in the radiation sections.