have a thermal power capacity of 12 megawatts (40 million BTU/h). Outside the building, a hot water storage tank called a hydro-accumulation boiler, made by Star Brite Manufacturing, can contain up to 1.3 million litres. Temperature and water level sensors, two diffusers and a corrosion inhibitor complete the stratification. About 400,000 litres of hot water cir-culate into two kilometres of pipe installed in the greenhouses. In order to meet the needs of production, the climate manage-ment of the whole installation is managed using a computer program made by Priva. “This biomass system will help re-duce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 12,757 tons per year, compared to pro-pane,” said Roy. “We used up to 8 millions of litres of pro-pane per year,” added Lefort. “We estimate that we will save 50% on our energy costs the first year, and get payback in three.” The biomass is supplied by Bois Én-ergie3G, located in Sherbrooke, Québec, and stocked in a warehouse. Supplement-ed with hemlock residues, the biomass is brought to the boilers by four hydraulic valve lifter pullers. “These wood residues have a humidity level of 35%, and the sys-tem will need five truckloads per day on average, which means 17 to 18 tons annu-ally,” said Gobeil. According to the manufacturer, the boilers can heat wood residues to a hu-midity level between 15 and 60%. “Everything is in the combustion con-trol,” he added. prOducing FOr 250 Farmers One of the only businesses that produce grafted plants in Canada, Les Serres Lefort provides transplants of broccolis, cauli-flowers, tomatoes and celeries, among others, for 250 truck-farmer producers. This equates to nearly 65%of all produce offered in the Québec market. During the last few years, the couple developed some new products, such as seedlings of vegetables, square soil blocks and hydroponic lettuce that lead to the production of seven million heads of Bos-ton lettuce per year. Les Serres Lefort is in operation almost 12 months a year and counts about 50 Les Serres Lefort provides transplants of broccolis, cauli-flowers, tomatoes and celeries, among others, for 250 truck-farmer producers – that means nearly 65% of the produce offered in the Québec market. employees, including an agronomist and a team of technicians. The Leforts can also depend on foreign employees during the peak season. Since Sylvain Lefort started with two greenhouses in his backyard in 1981, things have really changed. But with daughter Julie in on the business, Les Serres Lefort will not. • Material Handling for Woody Biomass Biomass Handling Equipment Complete Engineered Systems Pulverized Coal Boiler Conversions CFB Boiler Feed Systems UNIT E D STATES STA T ES UNITED CA NADA CANADA SW ED E N SWEDEN Silos Wood Hogs Disc Screens Open Storage Closed Storage Truck Dumpers Chain Conveyors Bucket Elevators Screw Conveyors Screw Reclaimers Pneumatic Conveying SWEDEN: Stockholm Jeffrey Rader AB Domnarvsgatan 11, 163 53 SPÅNGA Stockholm, Sweden Phone: +46 8 56 47 57 47 Fax: +46 8 56 47 57 48 See our Biomass video at www.jeffreyrader.com/videoB USA: CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS Jeffrey Rader Corporation 398 Willis Road Woodruff, SC, USA 29388 Phone: 864.476.7523 Fax: 864.476.7510 CANADA: Montreal, Quebec Jeffrey Rader Canada 2350 Place Trans-Canadienne Dorval, Quebec H9P 2X5 Canada Phone: 514.822.2660 Fax: 514.822.2699 CANADA: Vancouver, BC Jeffrey Rader Canada Unit 2, 62 Fawcett Road Coquitlam, BC V3K 6V5 Canada Phone: 604.299.0241 Fax: 604.299.1491 For information on how Jeffrey Rader Corporation can solve your Biomass Handling needs, visit us at www.jeffreyrader.com/bio2 Canadian BIOMASS 19
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