Why Swedish power plants order Biofuel Analyzers
Original photo: Halmstad Energi och Miljö
Karl Wejke, Sales Manager Bioenergy.
This summer Norrtälje Energi and Halmstad Energi och Miljö both ordered a Biofuel Analyzer for their biofuel power plants. Karle Wejke, biofuel sales manager at Mantex, explains that they each have slightly different motives for their purchases.
Tell us about Norrtälje Energi – why do they want a Biofuel Analyzer?
”Well, their primary reason has to do with fuel quality. In the past, they’ve had problems with subpar fuel being delivered and dumped at their terminal, and it’s just a mess to take care of. Norrtälje doesn’t have an outside storage/mixing area, so fuel is dumped directly into huge underground storage bins based on type and quality. With the Biofuel Analyzer, they can reject bad fuel shipments before they’re even unloaded, which saves a lot of grief for everyone involved.”
Norrtälje is using biofuel for district heating.
”In the long term, the Biofuel Analyzer will allow them to rate their suppliers based on price and fuel quality performance. Potentially, this could open up for big savings for the municipality that runs the power plant.”
Do they have any plans to improve boiler performance?
”That’s also an important reason. Like most power plants, they are constantly aiming to reduce their NOX-emissions, and accurate fuel properties is an important part of this process. They are also looking to save some money by reducing wear and tear on the boiler and other equipment related to power/heat generation.”
What about Halmstad Energi och Miljö?
”In Halmstad, they also want a quick assessment of the fuel’s quality, right at the delivery terminal. The truck drivers are responsible for taking the samples themselves, and the Biofuel Analyzer is the ideal machine since it’s so easy to use.”
Once the fuel is sampled, it’s dumped in designated areas based on its quality. The fuel is then usually mixed before it heads into the incinerator.
Do they also want to use fuel quality data for boiler improvements?
”Very much so. They are very interested in optimizing their fuel use, and they think they can achieve a much smoother steam-curve with Biofuel Analyzer information readily available. Halmstad has two boilers which open up the possibility for some interesting A/B-comparisons.”
Do these customers have something else in common?
”Well, they both want to free up resources for more constructive work. Today’s sampling process, with long drying times and tricky measurements, is just too unwieldy. The potential for human error is also pretty big. With the Biofuel Analyzer’s quick scan-and-forget workflow, everybody can spend their time on more productive things.”
If you’d like to know more, please don’t hesitate to contact Karl Wejke at karl.wejke@mantex.se or +46 72-857 32 48. He has plenty of ideas on how to make your biofuel power plant even more efficient!