SOLID FUELS FOREST BIOMASS EQUIPMENT DIRECTORY Woody biomass is by far the largest source of renewable energy in Europe accounting for almost 50 percent of the renewable energy consumption in the EU. It is estimated that by 2030 the annual supply of woody biomass will increase by nearly 50 percent, or by more than 400 million m3. Mobilising this volume requires equipment and machinery which the 100 or so companies listed in the directory can provide. Forest Biomass Equipment Categories A. Terrain machines (i.e. self propelled operator/remote) A1. Harvesters A2. Skidders A3. Forwarders A4. Harwarders (combined harvester & forwarder) A5. Skyliners A6. Chip-harvesters A7. Residue-harvesters & bundlers A8. Mulchers & mowers A9. Forestry tractors & ATV’s A10. Other B. Stand-alone machinery with operator/remote B1. Chippers, shredders & grinders (incl. whole tree & tub-grinders) B2. De-barkers & delimbers B3. Chip-trucks B4. Firewood processors B5. Other C. Attachments (e.g. for tractor/excavator/truck carrier) C1. Harvesting heads (incl. accumulating) C2. Stump extractors & grinders C3. Log-splitters C4. Slash rakes C5. Cranes C6. Logging trailers C7. Winches C8. Other D. Ancillaries & services D1. Mapping & measurement incl. moisture D2. Residue wrap & covering D3. Planning software D4. Other Bioenergy International No 79, 3-2015 41 Happy chaps at Green Biomass Factory Co. The company recently installed a Vermeer HG6000E for its roundwood chipping needs. chips at the power plant. The ideal chip size for the boiler is 2 inches (5.1 cm) in length, with a maximum of 3 inches (7.6 cm), with no fines. To get this size, a 3-inch (7.6 cm) square-hole screen with a baffle and a 4-inch (10.2 cm) square screen with a baffle are used. The accept rate of the chipped material is about 97 percent. Green Biomass Factory mostly processes clean logs obtained from forests within a 100 km radius of the plant. The power plant uses around 200 tonnes of biomass fuel per day, so to avoid any fuel shortage a large volume of logs is kept on site, typically between 20 000 to 40 000 tonnes. – This grinder with chip drum is the key to running this biomass power plant, as all logs are to be chipped by this machine, remarked Saito. Configured with start-up support In the area of Japan where Green Biomass Factory Co. is located, the power supply is 440V/60Hz, so the grinder was configured accordingly in the US with suitable electric motors and control panels. By running on electricity, operational costs were going to be up to 50 percent less than diesel fuel. There would be no engine oil and filter changes, saving on maintenance costs. Also, the unit was quiet compared with a diesel model, which was important because the power plant is sited in a populated area that includes residential housing. – It is a sophisticated facility with designated areas for processed chips and for dried chips. There are conveyor belts going between all of the machines, commented Jon Yoder, Field Support Engineer with Vermeer who assisted in the start-up to ensure things ran smoothly. Yoder, along with the local Vermeer dealer and Maruma Technica Co. — an equipment service company — reviewed the job site, the set-up of the grinder and the control panel, and made machine performance checks, including multiple runs of chipping whole logs. Testing continued successfully into 2015. – Green Biomass definitely seemed satisfied with the piece of yellow equipment in their building chipping wood. Having local dealer support and service will help keep it like that, ended Jon Yoder. Editor’s note: This article was originally commissioned by Vermeer and is used with kind permission. BI79/4752/AS
Bioenergy no 3 May 2015
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