Canadian Biomass • November/December 2017 • Equipment Spotlight

ECP’s patented Z8 Rotary Dryer is the heartbeat of its proprietary process equipment for dehydration of all forms of biomass. The patented reverse-flow, impinging-stream dryer design with increasing thermal-velocities provides maximum heat-transfer offering multi-stage dehydration within drum embodiment. The material first passes through a single-pass section and then through a reverse-flow triple-pass section, and then repeats the process. The patented design provides uniform dehydration of all particle sizes with no overheating of fines with increased production capacity while minimizing VOC emissions. The Z8 Rotary Dryer can be designed as a drop-in replacement for existing Single-Pass and Conventional Triple-Pass Rotary Dryers.

The Wyssmont Turbo Dryer thermal processor has long been producing solvent recovery systems, heat recovery systems, and environmentally sealed dryers that may be especially designed with condensers or scrubbers for products such as biomass, biofuels and biowaste. Applications with biomass, biofuels, biowaste that may emit toxic gases when pyrolyzed, are only a few of the alternative energy and environmental applications in Wyssmont’s long history. Other related applications include recovery of oil and carbon black from the heat treatment of rubber tires. The Wyss- mont Turbo Dryer thermal processor has recently added to its accomplishments: the first torrefaction dryer in the U.S.

Dieffenbacher high-capacity drum dryers are well recognized for their efficiency and reliability. They are the ideal solution for drying of wood particles for particle- board and pellet production, strands for OSB production, disintegrated seasonal annual crops and other biomass. The dryer internals are designed according to the material characteristics for high thermal efficiency and low moisture fluctuation. Dieffenbacher drum dryers meet high safety standards. The perfect integration of energy system and drum dryer creates additional value for customers, from the planning phase through the complete life-cycle.

PDI specializes in the design and supply of custom rotary dryers and energy systems for the wood products industry. PDI’s exclusive burner technology utilizes either green or dry fuel. Combined with single pass dryers, PDI delivers a drying and energy system that is cost-competitive and versatile. PDI offers a custom solution for manufacturers in the engineered wood products, wood pellet, and animal bedding markets. From feasibility studies and engineering, to equipment supply, to turnkey manufacturing operations, PDI offers comprehensive support for all the wood products industry’s drying and energy needs.

A Thompson Biomass Dryer System dries temperature-sensitive, organic materials safely at a high capacity with thermal efficiency around 85 per cent with minimal air pollution, little material degradation and low fire risk. Thompson Dryers offers the most cost-effective and energy-efficient biomass dryer available today. Designed to operate for 8,400 hours per year, Thompson biomass dryers are fabricated to the same rigid criteria that has kept some Thompson systems running continuously for over 60 years. With Thompson’s proprietary internal flighting package, the dryer is able to dry both small and large chips in your product feed uniformly, inside and out, to the desired dryness.

The Altentech Biovertidryer has been uniquely engineered to dry virtually any type of biomass from wood fibre, including hog fuel, to agricultural by-products consistently, safely, and cost effectively. Some of the significant advantages it offers include: Lower emissions with no additional filtration systems; less energy needed for better drying results; temperature and operation adjustments effective in minutes; output widely adjustable from approximately five to 15 plus tons per hour; reduced temperature and the elimination of turbulence greatly reduces any chance of fire or explosions; and small footprint and modular with over 70 per cent less real estate coverage than a rotary drum dryer.

After pioneering Distiller’s grains drying in the Scottish whisky industry in the 1960’s and 70’s, GEA has become the preferred supplier of drying technology in the bio-ethanol industry providing distinguished product quality. To increase efficient energy usage, systems can be heated by turbine exhaust gases or utilize exhaust gas-recycle which also renders the system inherently safe. The Feed-Type Ring Dryer is designed for drying feed and fibrous materials where extended drying times are required without product damage. Features include a cold disintegrator for breaking up agglomerates and a manifold for recycling heavier and wetter particles back to the disintegrator. GEA also has consider - able experience in drying other moist materials including corn fibre/gluten, wheat and corn feed, cellulose and lignin. This dryer is capable of evaporative capabilities of up to 30 tons per hour. GEA will pair the Ring Dryer with a Fluid Bed Cooler for final powder conditioning.

The Säätökuivaus continuous dryer dries large quantities of woodchips with accurate and homogeneous final moisture content. The dryer is divided into three separate sections. Woodchips move be- tween an upper and a lower convey- or through the sections. The dryer can use any hot air source. With Säätötuli 2x500kW biomass hot air generators, the dryer will convert about 14.1 ton of green woodchips (55 per cent moisture content) into seven ton of pellet-grade woodchips (5 per cent moisture content) per hour. The Säätökuivaus batch dryer has a 16-cubic meter tank for woodchips. The dryer pushes hot air through the batch and monitors the weight in real-time to obtain the right moisture content. The bottom of the dryer is equipped with hydraulic scrapers and an unloading auger.

The triple-pass dryer for wood chips and biomass by Uzelac Industries has a number of unique advantages over similar dryers. Its bolt-on tire design reduces maintenance and increases tire life, while the overhead drive reduces wear on the rollers. Access doors on the outer and intermediate cylinders allow for easy inspection and cleaning of all three cylinders of the drum. Uzelac Industries also custom-designs and manufactures its own equipment, offers project management and 3D modeling, and supports hundreds of dryer installations in North America with parts and service, with 37 years of experience in drying biomass, biosolids, rendering and minerals.

SWISS COMBI belt dryers are used for continuous drying of various wood products and other biomass by using waste heat sources from industrial processes or power plants. Belt dryers are available up to ca. 28t/h of water evap- oration and 424m2 drying surface. Heat sources for the dryers include steam, hot water, glycol, thermal oil, and hot and dry gas. Drying temperature can range from 55 to 110 C, and can produce material with a moisture content of less than two percent. Dryers can be equipped with a freezing protection housing to make sure that the belt washing system works throughout the whole year and wet incoming product can be easily handled.

Stela Laxhuber GmbH is an international operating company specialized in low temperature belt drying technology. One of the greatest benefits using high efficiency belt dryers reflects by usage of waste heat or other low-temperature sources. The latest development of the stela RecuDry system with heat recovery scores an energy saving around 35 to 55 percent compared to common standard drying systems.

Prodesa supplies a low-temperature belt dryer for wood. This technology enables the use of waste energy from other processes such as hot air (direct), hot water or steam (indirect). It works at low temperatures, and emissions are very low as it keeps the lignin content in the product. This is a very important advantage when the dry product is used to produce pellets. Other advantages include: low PM emissions < 10 mg/Nm3; use of waste energy at low temperature. This enables combining belt drying with cogeneration plants; minimum fire risk; automatic operation; and optimum product quality.

Dryer One opens up new possibilities for the drying of forest wood and biomass products, as well as optimizing waste. Dryer One is a drying machine low temperature (max 85-90 C 210 F), designed to meet the increasingly high demands for dryers: increasing volumes, higher productivity requirements, higher quality standards, cost reduction, energy savings, flexibility, no risk of fire, and considerably reduces dust emissions and VOCs pollution. Dryer One dryers can easily adapt to all situations, especially when used as an annexed unit to a gas burner, biomass burner or a cogeneration plants. Dryer One also offers a phyto-Sanitation unit,“PHYTO SAN” by Dryer One. This enhances your capabilities to export/import wood chips and biomass products to all continents. Process for heat treatment equipment for sanitation of wood chips or biomass works at low temperatures without chemical fumigation.