Cooling towers can be susceptible to fire if a wooden construction dries out during a maintenance period. The cool-ing tower should be made of non-com-bustible steel or concrete, or should be separated either by spatial separation of approximately 15 metres or by a four-hour firewall. Fuel gas handling systems are critical to the combustion process, and combus-tible elements are typically minimal. If the incineration operation and the fuel gas handling system have been properly designed, there should be no issues. CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS All construction materials used in pellet production plants should be non-com-bustible, including all composite panel insulation. Composite panels should be rated for two-hour fire resistance using mineral wool rather than fire retarding foam. The walls separating fuel stor-age from the rest of the plant should be concrete, providing two-hour fire separation. All plants should include a combi-nation of passive fire protection, which attempts to contain the fire or slow the spread, and active fire protection, which typically includes a fire detec-tion system such as an automatic fire ëÀiÀÊÀÊ}>ÃiÕÃÊvÀiÊÃÕ««ÀiÃðÊU Rob Cruickshank is practice director, Construction & Renewable Energy, with RSA Canada. NEW! .PSCBSL "EWBOUBHF  $IJQQFS%SVN ® ™ Established 1973 World’s Toughest Industrial CCTV Camera The new Morbark ® Advantage 3 ™ high-performance chipper drum gives you improved biomass fuel chip quality, reduces your costs, and is backed by a limited three-year warranty. It comes standard on most new Morbark drum chippers and can be retrofitted to most Morbark units without modification. Either way, you get three significant advantages: t )JHIFS�e;2VBMJUZ$IJQT – The Advantage 3 is wider, has higher inertia, and incorporates Babbitt-style counter-knives, so it produces better, more consistent chips. t %SBNBUJDBMMZ-PXFS$PTUT – The drum’s AR 400 heat-treated steel skin, enhanced knife design, and recessed pockets provide wear-part and maintenance cost savings of more than 70%. t 8PSME�e;$MBTT8BSSBOUZ – The Advantage 3 comes with a limited three-year warranty, and is supported by Morbark’s extensive dealer network for unsurpassed peace of mind. The exceptional Morbark Advantage 3 chipper drum comes standard with most units in our full line of heavy-duty industrial drum chippers. Learn more at www.morbark.com or call 1-800-831-0042. The industry standard for Sawmills, Pulp/Paper Mills, Panelboard Plants and Wood Biomass Refineries • 560 TV Lines • 2.9, 4.3, 6, 8, 12, 16 mm lenses • All Weather, Extreme Environment • Heavy Gauge Di-Cast Metal Alloy & Titanium Components • Tri-Axial Mounting System • Waterproof, IP68 Rating • Vibration Resistant • –60°C to +60°C [–76°F to +140°F] Available from leading electrical wholesalers throughout North America TECHNOLOGIES Inc. BUILDING EQUIPMENT THAT CREATES OPPORTUNITIES Canada – Ph. 604-569-3240 US – Ph. 269-966-2900 www.opticomtech.com 1-888-410-2447 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 26 Canadian BIOMASS
Canadian Biomass September/October 2012: Page 26
