Innovation Award 2019!
EcoPulser at Expobiomasa – success story: In September, the international bioenergy trade fair Expobiomasa presented the Innovation Award 2019 to SIEMPELKAMP subsidiary Pallmann. The EcoPulser technology, which uses shock waves to comminute wood, was deemed worthy of the award. The concept is also gaining traction in the market.
Expobiomasa in Valladolid, Spain, is regarded as a fixed meeting point for companies involved in using biomass as an energy source. It was therefore only logical that the Pallmann “EcoPulser” concept found an ideal forum here.
With its unique functional principle, the EcoPulser adds an important innovation to the Pallmann size-reduction technology portfolio. The EcoPulser does not comminute by mechanical contact, but by means of shock waves generated by two counter-rotating rotors. This new system saves 80% of energy costs compared with conventional mills such as hammer mills or chippers. “This makes it possible to significantly shorten payback periods; in some cases, a return on investment can be achieved in only about eight months,” says Carlos Gómez, Head of Pallmann Ibérica.
In detail: With only two 22 kW motors, the EcoPulser can comminute approximately 5 t/h (atro) of wood chips. With no mechanical contact, maintenance costs between overhauls, for wear parts, and so on can be reduced by up to 30%. In addition, the concept does not generate wood dust during comminution, which means it does not create an ATEX zone, and the extraction system can be designed with a much smaller capacity, which also saves energy. Finally, when processing recycled wood, the shock waves crush only the wood, not other contaminating elements such as plastics or metals (ferrous or non-ferrous), and these do not impair the EcoPulser rotors as they pass through. As a result, the end material achieves better separation and improved final cleaning.
The EcoPulser’s technological edge meets customer needs perfectly: Spanish wood-based material manufacturer Financiera Maderera S. A. (FINSA) has already opted for this innovative and efficient size-reduction technology. During LIGNA 2019, the project was discussed in detail and finalized in July: FINSA ordered two EcoPulser Twin units, each equipped with two pairs of rotors. With dry material (for example, particleboard surface layer), the Twin version achieves a throughput of approximately 10 t/h (atro). FINSA will use the second EcoPulser Twin for processing recycled wood with a moisture content of around 30%.
EcoPulser – smart technology for pellet or wood-chip production
The production of pellets or biomass as fuel for energy generation has a significant drawback, as more than 50% of production costs are attributable to energy costs. Although the goal is to generate energy, it seems paradoxical that a great deal of energy must be consumed in the process in order to provide energy later on.
The EcoPulser is an alternative and revolutionary technology compared with conventional milling systems used in pellet production or in producing wood chips for combustion in biomass boilers. In addition, its use with recycled wood is revolutionary, as customers achieve an even higher purity of the end product without needing a complex separation system. Metals and plastics are not comminuted and can be separated much more effectively, which significantly reduces the level of contamination in the end product.
Potential customers include manufacturers of wood-based material products, pellets, briquettes, flakes, or wood chips for power plants, as well as all wood recyclers.
