Wood Chip Fired School Boiler

[TMonter]

I work for a engineering/design firm in my area and I'm in charge of a project for installing a wood-fired boiler. We're going to fire it up in the upcoming weeks on solid fuel and I just wanted post a few pictures over the next week showing the boiler system.

As we get the system up and running I'll post some more information and pictures.

Link to our website: Glacier High School Boiler

It should be a pretty cool setup once we get it working. We've done a lot of wood/alternate fuel boilers for other industries, but this will be our first High School.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Have you looked at some of the installations in Vermont, T? There's quite a few over there that have been working for at least a decade.

Good to see it catching on in the West.

 

[begreen]

Hey TMonter, welcome. I see PES did the Seattle steam project. How has this worked out? Is it operational yet? If yes, how are the results?

I reallly like what PES is doing, but if you don't mind a suggestion, PES could use a little help with web design. If you need a reference I might be able to help.

 

[TMonter]

Actually right now the Seattle Steam project is still going. The design has been done and the equipment selected, they're just working out the remainder of the financing before proceeding. We're hoping to get started on that project early this summer and be finished by mid-fall. The boiler is going to be a fluidized bed design with an open bottom A-Type boiler on top for heat recovery.

We do need a redesign on our web page and that is being worked on. If it comes down to our company looking for someone to do some web work I'll shoot you an e-mail.

 

[DavidV]

I was hoping for pictures.

 

[TMonter]

Some initial Pictures:

 

[TMonter]

Auger Drive & Reclaimer

 

[brian_in_idaho]

TMonter, it's nice to see someone else from this neck of the woods on here, I'm a bit north of you, up between Sagle and Priest River. That looks like a very interesting application, does your firm design and/or build the boiler? I'd like to see more of the material handling side as far as how the wood chips are transported from the storage hopper and fueled into the boiler.

Slash burning season is somewhat depressing around here, thinking about all that wood being wasted.

Brian

 

[begreen]

Thanks for the pictures TMonter. Cool project. I'm looking forward to hearing/seeing more about the Seattle project as it progresses. Let me know when you are installing, maybe we can get together?

 

[keyman512us]

Brian:

Slash burning season is somewhat depressing around here, thinking about all that wood being wasted.

Brian...(and all)

Wood chip fired apps. interest me too (hope to someday heat with a 'domestic' chip fired boiler)...but if you do some research on these projects...even though they could accomodate a "wide range of fuel quality" (slash chippings,chip from tree removal/pruning)...most "operators" of these setups use "pulp quality chip"(no leaves or needles,bark removed,then processed into chip). So if you really consider the "whole cycle" most of these "chip boilers" are burning "greatly downsized cord wood".

(to the author of the thread): I'd be interested in some of the "material handling side" also. What's the "Intake" setup, storage means...and does the system use an auger screw conveyor? Does the system work on "both ends of the spectrum" in regards to chip quality....does design/engineering or operator specify which quality of chip???

Don't know the specifics (smallest to largest) but we have five wood chip setups within 20 miles here...the largest is Pine Tree Generating Station in Westminster MA...think it generates 17 Megawatts of electricity...

Whats the firing rate of this project...looks sweet!

TMany thanks for posting info...good topic!

 

[Eric Johnson]

Here's a series of shots from a 19 megawatt wood-fired power plant in northern New York, keyman. Just about 20 miles from the biggest windfarm east of the Mississippi. I think it may be the biggest windfarm in the country.

Anyway, they're building a cellulosic ethanol plant right next to the power plant.

Here's a view of the chip pile and the dumper used to uload chip vans.

 

[Eric Johnson]

View from the chip reclaim.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Metering the chips into the boiler.

 

[Eric Johnson]

The business end of the operation and the control room. The plant draws about a megawatt for inhouse needs, such as the microwave and coffee pot, LOL. So it actually produces 20 mw and sells 19.

 

[keyman512us]

Thanks for the Pics' Eric...This plant looks about similiar to Pine Tree over in Westminster/Fitchburg.

Wood fired...thing of beauty!