Optimizing your biomass system

“A boiler system lives and dies (so to speak) by the flow of fuel into the furnace,” says Gene Zebley, renewable energy system sales for Hurst Boiler. So to ensure ideal energy creation, growers need to feed a consistent supply of fuel source into the boiler.

 

Unlike liquid or gas heating systems, solid fuel offers an array of fuel particle sizes. That means that the metering of the fuel must keep the flow in constant turbulence, preventing the particles from separating themselves. If the particles separate, it can lead to concentrated burning and concentrated energy creation. Keeping the fuel source consistent and steady will prevent hot spots and dead air zones within the furnace.

 

Growers should consider using a fuel transfer and metering system which implements augers to transfer fuel. Those tools will help growers control feed rates and maintain a consistent mixture of particle sizes.

As solid fuel enters the biomass furnace, it is blasted from under-fire air airports (located beneath the fuel input bed that pushes the fuel into the furnace) and over-fire air jets. If the air-to-fuel ratio is imbalanced, combustion occurs prematurely and reduces efficiency. The imbalance can cause damage to the furnace itself.

 

When you look inside the furnace, it should look like the biomass isn’t even burning. Instead, it will appear to be “smoking.” This smoking process is the heat and air reacting with the fuel and releasing the fuel’s volatile gases. If too much under-fire air is used, the volatile gases will release and combust simultaneously, which can cause problems with energy creation.

 

One of the best ways to ensure the appropriate air-to-fuel ratio is to use a control system which will throttle the air input along with the fuel input. Growers should also keep records of what combination of fuel and air works best for their operation.