Product News
April 2014

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Mills To Run Flail Debarking/Chipping

A project is under way for CBI to design and build three flail debarking and chipping systems for Rentech’s Canadian wood pellet facilities scheduled for installation this spring. Rentech is converting two decommissioned wood fiber board mills in Ontario for pellet production. As part of the conversion of these facilities, the CBI systems will deliver uniform 6 mm – 8 mm microchips in a single pass that can immediately be dried and milled into feedstock for pellet manufacturing.

 “Traditionally, debarking and chipping in front of a pellet operation has been done with drum debarkers and disc chippers,” says Anders Ragnarsson, founder and president of CBI. “These systems are overall more expensive and have a tougher time debarking frozen wood. It has been proven beyond any doubt over the last several years that making microchips is a more cost effective way to produce raw material for a pellet production line.”

Regarding the Rentech projects, Ragnarsson says they went back and forth with numerous iterations, and came up with a debarking line consisting of a feed conveyer, 2-roll flail debarker, and a 1200 HP CBI Magnum Force 8400 Stationary Chipper with 5-pocket microchip rotor. Each system will have production capabilities of up to 120 tons per hour.”

He says CBI worked in close cooperation with engineers and operating personnel at AgriRecycle and Rentech to design the best solution for producing feedstock from hardwood species.

AgriRecycle was contracted by Rentech as consultants to assist in the design, construction and operation of both pellet plants as well as evaluate options for new chipping lines. Mike Ferguson of AgriRecycle knew first-hand the benefits of CBI from having one of CBI’s 6400 machines with a microchip rotor that fed his pellet plant, Ozark Hardwood, for years.

Two CBI flail/microchipping systems will be installed at Rentech’s Wawa facility, and a singular CBI flail/microchipping line installed at Rentech’s Atikokan facility. At Atikokan, CBI will also deliver a Grizzly Mill to grind the bark into the proper size for boiler fuel. These CBI systems will eliminate hammermilling of wet product prior to the dryer. The CBI systems produce a properly-sized chip that can be fed directly into the dryer. The resulting product is then hammermilled immediately after drying.

Ragnarsson indicates that CBI’s solution reduces Rentech’s capital and operating expenditures due to the elimination of the hammermill prior to the dryer. “There’s a great deal of excitement here on all our behalves about what these systems can and will deliver, and the new standard they will set in producing raw material for a pellet mill,” Ragnarsson says.

Article contributed by CBI.

Log Loader Feeds Wood Yard Chipper

Miles Wright has worked in tough job sites for more than 30 years, from diamond drilling across Canada to forestry products in the Maritimes. But when he needed a new log loader for the pellet mill he now manages, he looked outside the industries he already knew.

“I got to know some scrap people in the area when I was overseeing a large demolition project,” Wright recalls. “They have a rough job and they run their machines hard and in difficult environments. However, they had nothing but good things to say about their Sennebogen equipment.”

Wright recently took possession of a Sennebogen 821 M at the Scotia Atlantic Biomass facility, 40 miles east of Halifax, NS at Middle Musquodoboit.

Formerly known as Enligna Canada, the 157 acre plant is now operated by Viridis Energy of Vancouver. As Plant Manager of the operation under three ownership groups over the past 15 years, Wright has proven he knows his way around the wood pile, too.

The new 821 M log-loader was acquired to feed a CBI 6400 T chipper that completes the primary processing of scrap wood and roundwood for the pelleting process. The plant capacity is 120,000 tons per year, and Wright aims to keep the plant supplied with wood by running the chipper through seven 12-hour shifts per week. Dependability was a key factor in his choice of log loaders.

“As our other loaders were getting older, I got concerned about their electronics. They were very computerized and not easy to troubleshoot. I liked Sennebogen’s idea of simplicity for low long-term cost of maintenance.”

Wright looked at all the top names in material handlers, but chose to work with the local Strongco dealership and its Territory Manager, Mark Haggett. Haggett arranged for Wright to see similar Sennebogen machines in action.

“The 821 is perfect for us,” Wright says. “It’s compact, maneuverable and it’s good on fuel. Our chipper is remote controlled and runs on a track, with the control in the cab of the Sennebogen. So it’s a one-man job. With approximately 150 truckloads a week coming in, the 821 can maneuver very easily around the yard, especially with its 360° working capability.”

Haggett explains that while many of the machines in the region are larger, the 54,000 lb. 821 model is an excellent fit for Scotia Atlantic Biomass. “They receive and handle a real mix of wood here, from mill residues to deadwood to low-grade hardwoods, so you can expect the occasional log to break and wedge itself into the feed. With a compact machine and grapple like this, the operator can reach right into the chipper and pick it out, with no major loss of uptime.”

The 821 is also a cost saver in such a large, paved yard as this one. The log loader is able to move quickly around the piles while saving fuel with its light weight and efficient hydraulics.

Wright’s chipper is currently set to put through about 50 tons/hour, producing a very fine chip that needs little secondary processing before it is processed into fuel pellets. The plant has the equipment and capacity to change up its mix of input woods or end product, and is confident that its new Sennebogen 821 is more than able to keep up with the required pace.

“The plant runs 24/7, but we like to limit the chipper to 12 hours a day to keep noise down for our neighbors,” Wright says. “The 821 is very capable for what we’re asking it to do. It’s getting the job done, with the volume that we need.”

Article contributed by Sennebogen.

Drax Power Contracts For Ash Segregation

Clyde Bergemann Doncaster (Clyde Bergemann Materials Handling Ltd) based in the UK has won a Biomass Ash Segregation System Contract with Drax Power Ltd., the owner and operator of Drax Power Station. The station is the UK’s largest power station, responsible for meeting 7-8% of the UK’s electricity needs.

Drax is executing plans to transform the business from a coal-fired to a predominantly biomass-fuelled renewable power generator, and is set to become one of the single largest renewable power plants in Europe. The power station has historically burned up to 10Mte’s of coal per annum, but since 2003 has been burning sustainable biomass in place of some of its coal. Over the years Drax has progressively increased the amount of biomass burnt, culminating last year in the full conversion of one of its generating units to burn solely biomass. This is the first of three that Drax plans to convert.

As part of the requirements for this conversion, the fly ash produced when burning biomass needs to be handled differently due to its distinct characteristics and chemistry. Drax also wanted to separate the biomass ash from the coal ash for commercial reasons.

Clyde Bergemann’s turnkey solution proposed the installation of a new, separate biomass ash storage silo in the vicinity of the current storage bunkers to receive and store ash from existing pneumatic ash systems. The innovative solution is able to cater for the wide range of material characteristics expected while retaining the accuracy required when monitoring the material discharged.

The new ash segregation system utilizes a dry dustless unloading facility to transfer materials from the silo to tankers while also retaining the capability to discharge onto the overland conveyor system Drax currently uses to transfer material to their current disposal area.

Steve Cragg, Managing Director of CBD, comments, “I am delighted that Drax has placed its trust in Clyde Bergemann to deliver this important project and we look forward to a successful and ongoing relationship with the company.”

Zilkha To Collaborate With Valmet

Zilkha Biomass Energy LLC and Valmet have signed a five-year collaboration agreement in the field of steam exploded black pellets, with the purpose to bring steam exploded black pellets to the market.

“Valmet is a highly regarded technology provider in the pulp, paper and energy industry. Their network will provide a great channel for introducing manufacturers to the advantages of the Zilkha Black Pellet,” says Jack Holmes, CEO of Zilkha Biomass Energy.

Steam exploded black pellets provide a number of benefits compared to traditional wood pellets, according to Zilkha, including improved durability, water-resistance, higher energy content, lower shipping costs, and reduced dust problems. Due to their properties, these black pellets can be handled in similar manner to fossil coal. This significantly reduces, or even removes, the need for expensive investments in logistics and plant rebuilds.

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