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- Greenhouse Gas Displacement System
- A Biomass Fired Heating System to help you do
- your part to meet the Kyoto Accord guidelines
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- Natural gas prices are rising rapidly past $12 per million btu
- One 1000 lb bale has 7 - 8 million btu of potential heat
- If you heat with natural gas you need $84 - $120 of it to equal the heat
output of 1 bale
- If you heat with coal you need 1500 lbs of Saskatchewan coal to equal
the output of one 1000 lb bale
- For the cost of a coal burning system, you can have a clean burning
biomass system that does not pollute and pays for itself in less than 3
years
- Patents Pending on the only system ever designed that can burn wheat,
barley and oat straw with high silica content and operate trouble free
year after year
- Proven to run efficiently with a 50% chicken manure mix and with flax
straw and shives
- Proven with wood chips and hog fuel
- Automated control systems that will process bales with up to 20%
moisture content with automated alarm systems including cell phone
integration
- Our proprietary SmartFireTM technology constantly monitors
internal temperatures and controls the system to maximize efficiencies
and create the cleanest burn through all operating cycles
- LAMBDA sensors to minimize CO output
- Web based control systems and web cams allow control of the system from
anywhere in the world!
- Your BEST choice is a Vidir GDS!
- Click here for detailed specifications
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- The term biomass refers to structural and non-structural carbohydrates
and other compounds produced through photosynthesis consisting of plant
materials and agricultural, industrial, and municipal wastes and
residues. The components of
biomass include cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, lipids, proteins,
simple sugars, starches, water, hydrocarbons, ash and other compounds.
- Biomass consists of organic residues from plants and animals, which are
obtained primarily from harvesting and processing agricultural and
forestry crops.
- Biomass is wastes and by-products that could be utilized as fuels for
producing energy, instead of becoming landfill waste.
- Examples of some of the biomass residues that are utilized in direct
combustion power plants are:
forest slash, urban wood waste, lumber waste, agricultural
wastes, etc.
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- A Biomass Greenhouse Gas Displacement System is a technology for
extracting heat energy from biomass in a relatively convenient way. Biomass material, which is most often
wood in solid chunk or particulate form, or agriculture generated straw,
is combusted on a grate. The fuel
is fed continuously and automatically by using a conveyor or blower
system. The heat of combustion is
transferred to water in a boiler that is separate from the combustion
unit. Water as hot as 190 degrees
Fahrenheit is pumped in a loop to serve the demand for heat either
through radiant or forced air heat exchangers. Relatively close control of combustion
and heat output can be maintained by synchronizing and automating the
rate of biomass feed, the amount of combustion air intake and the
temperature difference in inlet and outlet water temperature.
- Greenhouse Gas Displacement Systems work best for large loads operating
with a substantial year round baseload, such as a process energy
demand. These systems are more
effective when operating at steady-state, near-rated capacity and with a
high number of operating hours.
This provides maximum fuel savings to cover the capital costs of
a GHGDS.
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- Our GDS can provide substantial benefits to our users. First and foremost, there is the
potential for LOWER COSTS.
- Biomass GDS fuel costs are often much lower than those of conventional
fossil fuels.
- Comparative costs of heating fuels shows the cost of a sample of fuels
used to provide a unit of heat energy based on typical cost. Note that these costs compare only the
value of heat in the fuel and do not include costs of the heating
system.
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- Energy Source Chart:
- Energy Source Mega joules BTU Unit Efficiency Cost/Unit Heat cost For
50,000 Square feet Unit amount 1 bale is worth: Oil 38.2 36,300 Litre
75% $ 0.52 $ 54,241 104,712
$124.48 Electric 3.6 3,413 Kwh 95% $
0.04 $ 35,088 877,193 $
80.53 Natural gas 37.5 35,301 M3 75% $ 0.33 $ 34,773 106,667 $ 79.80 Propane 25.3 24,200 Litre 95%
$ 0.36 $44,934 124,818 $103.12
Hardwood 30,600 26,444,444 Cord 55% $150.0 $26,738 178 $ 61.36 Softwood 18,700 16,160,494 Cord
55% $75.00 $21,877 292 $ 50.21
Wood pellets 19,800 17,111,111 Tonne 65% $95.00 $22,145 233 $ 50.82 Estevan coal 16,200 14,000,000
Tonne 65% $45.00 $12,821 285 $
29.42 Alberta coal 24,300 17,000,000 Tonne 80% $55.00 $ 8,488 154
$ 19.48 Wheat straw 8,100
7,000,000 500 kg bale 85% $ 5.00
$ 2,179 436 $ 5.00 Flax straw
9,985 8,629,012 500 kg bale 85% $
5.00 $ 1,767 353 $ 4.06
This is based on a chart produced by Government Services
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- Renewable Biomass:
- Biomass fuels are derived from a renewable resource. Fossil fuel supplies are ultimately
finite. However, with proper
management the biomass resource base can be sustained indefinitely.
- Environmental Benefits:
- Biomass combustion is considered CO2 neutral and so is not considered a
major producer of greenhouse gas linked to climate change. GHGDSs are not major contributors to
acid rain. Most biofuels have a
negligible sulphur content.
- Available Biofuels at Stable Prices:
- Biofuels are widely available. In
most areas there is a supply of available biomass materials, either
forest or agriculture-based.
- Biofuel prices are relatively stable and locally controlled. Prices have remained steady over the
years in spite of wide fluctuations in fossil fuel prices, and are
expected to increase more slowly than those of petroleum-based fuels.
- Local Economic Benefits:
- Biofuel dollars remain in the local economy. Biomass fuels are generated
locally. Their collection,
preparation and delivery involves greater labor input than fossil fuel
distribution. The economic impact
of this activity plus the actual fuel purchase means dollars remain in
the local area, creating filter-down economic activity as well as
improving the local tax base and building tax revenues.
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- Heating Comfort:
- Biomass systems often provide high comfort levels. Because biofuels can be inexpensive,
system operators are able to justify increased building temperatures
leading to greater comfort and productivity. With high-priced fossil fuels, there
is greater pressure to lower temperatures for fuel cost savings.
- Commercially Proven and Flexible:
- Biomass combustion technologies are commercially proven, having already
achieved significant market penetration in residential and large
industrial applications.
- Biomass combustion systems are highly flexible. Solid-fuel systems can be easily
converted to burn almost any conceivable fuel (solid, liquid or
gaseous), thus providing the user with great flexibility in the future.
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- VIDIR BIOMASS INC. has spent many years designing and developing its
biomass powered close-coupled gasification technology, and is now proud
to introduce the VIDIR BIOMASS GREENHOUSE GAS DISPLACEMENT SYSTEM, a new
concept in open system hot water and air furnaces.
- The VIDIR BIOMASS GHGDS is an updraft, atmospheric pressure heating
system that features
- high output efficiency
- low greenhouse gas emissions
- minimal operator intervention requirements
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- Designed and manufactured by VIDIR BIOMASS INC. Vidir will custom build the gasifier
system to meet your energy requirements utilizing biomass as fuel.
- Biomass being utilized in the GHGDS typically consists of post-harvest
baled wheat straw. Compared to
any other fuel, straw is one of the cheapest and most accessible
resource that is totally renewable. The gasification process in the
GHGDS will convert biomass to hot water or hot air. Models range in a
variety of sizes from 3,000,000 BTUs and up. Our smallest system producing three
million BTUs per hour and operating at full capacity requires
approximately 500 pounds of straw per hour with moisture under 20%. Because of the gasification process
and our unique straw shredder, higher moisture low quality straw can be
utilized after startup.
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- Bale magazine (baled straw conveying system to automatically supply
gasifier with fuel)
- Disintegration machine (straw shredder and product conveyor system)
- Primary combustion chamber (including ash removal system, grate system
and air distribution system)
- Secondary combustion chamber (including tray for manual silica removal)
- Hot water heat exchanger (including automatic cleaning system and tray
for clean-out)
- Exhaust system (including blowers, cyclones, and chimney stack to
control air flow and exhaust)
- Main computerized control system with our proprietary SmartFireTM technology
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- Baled wheat straw can be stored outdoors or indoors. Indoor storage protects the fuel from
precipitation (and often from freezing) and can eliminate varying
moisture content and decay in the fuel supply.
- Received fuel is moved onto the bale magazine by either a front-end
loader or a specially designed automated crane system. The bale magazine can be designed to
handle any amount of fuel desired.
The magazine automatically feeds baled straw into the disintegration
machine as fuel is required for processing.
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- From the disintegration machine / shredder, the particulate fuel is
moved by a belt conveyor or auger to the fuel injection system.
- The fuel injection system feeds the fuel directly into the primary
combustion chamber utilizing a mechanical plunger or airlock auger
system.
- The back flow of combustion flames and gases through the fuel entry is
controlled by an airlock plunger cavity or optionally with a rotary
airlock for pre-shredded materials.
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- The primary combustion chamber is an enclosed area where drying,
pyrolysing and oxidizing occurs.
The fixed rotating grate agitates the fire bed and allows for
under fire air to be blown up through the fuel. Effective oxygen supply and control is
critical to ensure complete combustion.
- Ash collects below the grate and is removed automatically by an
auger. In general, ash from
biofuel burning is not considered a hazardous waste and can be placed in
local landfills. However, most
ash is an excellent soil additive and can be provided to local gardeners
and farmers or can be spread on farms or in forested areas. Proper ash management is critical, as
non-combustible inorganic (mineral) content of biomass can become
significant, depending on the type of fuel utilized. Inherent ash is generally low in clean
wood (0.5%), higher in bark (3.5%) and significant in annual crops such
as straw (6.2%), but usually consistent within a fuel type. Ash content is usually expressed on a
dry basis, i.e. the weight of ash as a percentage of the total moisture-free
fuel weight.
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- The hot exhaust gases exit at the top of the primary combustion chamber
and pass through a refractory duct that includes an oxygen mixer and
into the secondary combustion chamber.
As the gases are being transported from the primary to the
secondary chambers, the injection of oxygen ignites the gases, allowing
spontaneous gas combustion to take place in the secondary chamber. The quantity of heat released during
the biofuel gas combustion is increased to approximately 2,500 degrees
Fahrenheit.
- High temperatures are maintained in the combustion chambers by lining
the chambers with refractory, which radiates and reflects heat back into
the fuel layer. The refractory
also protects the walls and base of the chambers from the high
temperatures in the combustion zone.
- When agricultural straw is being utilized as the primary biofuel, a
small accumulation of silica and potassium debris flows into the
removable tray at the bottom of the secondary combustion chamber.
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- The heat from the secondary chamber is transferred to the atmospheric
pressure heat exchanger or optional steam boiler. Our Vidir heat exchanger consist of a
series of tubes through which the heated flue gases pass transferring
the heat to the water surrounding the tubes. Hot water is the medium
being used to transport the heat through insulated underground pipes to
the desired location and supply precise heat for any public, commercial,
residential or agricultural building.
- Because it is moved by combustion gas flow, fly ash can deposit on the
heat exchange surfaces in the boiler.
This ash must be regularly removed to maintain good heat transfer
performance. Our scrubbers
automatically clean the boiler tubes on a regular basis.
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- Computerization is important for efficient operation in response to
energy demand. The complete feed and gasification process requires a
complex control system using computers and micro-processors to match
heat delivery with demand. A key task of the control system is
determining the rate at which fuel and air are fed to the primary
combustion chamber to ensure efficient combustion. Control is achieved when fuel and air
are automatically modulated to maintain the correct ratio under high or
low demand.
- Start-up and shutdown sequences are programmed, and alarms alert
operator when alarm conditions occur.
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- 1. Electrical power (3 phase
system with AC continuous power)
- 2. Air requirement (compressor
100-120 PSI, 7-10 CSF)
- 3. Cold water source (50-70 PSI,
2-4 gallons/minute)
- 4. Concrete floor and building
structure (brick or metal)
- 5. Shelter (or building structure) to cover the shredder and conveyor
system
- 6. Heat distribution system
- 7. Optional electrical generator system
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- The Vidir Biomass GHGDS requires a low level of maintenance and
management. Tasks such as ash
disposal, general cleanup (usually in the fuel storage and handling
area), checking heat exchanger water levels, checking the fuel delivery
system for material build-up, plus monitoring primary and secondary
combustion chamber temperatures, along with stack temperature are done
daily. The computer system will
signal the operator of alarm conditions.
- In addition, there are regular maintenance tasks that are performed on a
periodic basis. These may
include:
- replenish depleted fuel supply
- mechanical component lubrication
- inspection and adjustment of chains, gearboxes, blowers, etc.
- silica removal from secondary chamber
- debris removal from heat exchange
- refractory inspection and repair
- testing of safety devices
- Most of the routine maintenance can be carried out by the Vidir trained
system operator or by the general on-site maintenance staff. It is highly recommended that the
system be inspected by a Vidir service technician on an annual basis.
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- VIDIR BIOMASS GREENHOUSE GAS DISPLACEMENT SYSTEM will last 20 years with
proper maintenance and components replacement as needed. In the forest industry, wood
combustion systems have been in operation for over 50 years. In practice, 15 to 20 years is used as
a reasonable biomass combustion system life expectancy for the purpose
of life-cycle costing.
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- Dillon Consulting Limited was retained by Vidir Biomass to conduct
source testing on the GDS exhaust stack to quantify combustion gas
emission rates. These measured
emission rates were conducted with the system operating at the maximum
system designed rate of approximately 500 pounds (227 kg) of straw feed
stock per hour.
- The following gases were measured from the exhaust gas stream:
- Oxygen (O2)
- Carbon Monoxide (CO)
- Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
- Oxides of Nitrogen (NO, NO2, NOX);
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
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- The following cost versus savings projection is intended to create
awareness of the real value of using biomass for fuel and the reduced
heating costs that will make any operation requiring large amounts of
heat more efficient and viable.
- Current Annual Natural Gas Expense
..$ 60,000
- Straw fuel cost (energy value equivalent to natural gas)
$ 7,520
- (752 round 5 x 6 ft wheat straw bales @ $10/bale)
- Electricity Cost to operate system
$ 1,200
- (2% of total output $
60,000)
- Labor Cost
.$ 8,100
- Approximate average daily time required:
- 1 hr bale handling
- 2 hrs maintenance/service/ash removal
- total 3 hrs per day @ $15/hr =
$45/day for 6 months
- Total annual operating costs
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$ 16,820
- Annual savings in reduced heating expenses
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.$ 43,180
- Estimated Capital Investment
- 3.0M BTU Vidir Biomass Greenhouse Gas Displacement System
- Plus
- Accessories (pipes, pumps, etc.)
- Accessory installations
- Building, shelter, ash bin
- Trenching
- Total estimated investment
$ 200,000
- Return on Investment:
$200,000 / $43,180 = 4.63 years
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- Grand Opening of the VIDIR BIOMASS GREENHOUSE GAS DISPLACEMENT SYSTEM
ribbon cutting ceremony at
Primrose Farms, Landmark, Manitoba, CANADA on November 22, 2002
- Shown left to right: Ruth and Ron
Penner (Owners of Primrose Farms and the GHGDS); Ron Lemeiux (Minister of
Education); MaryAnn Mihychuk (Minister
of Industry, Trade and Mines);
Vic Toews (Member of Parliament, Provencher, MB); Raymond Dueck
(Co-owner and president of Vidir Biomass)
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Notes
