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Solid fuel pucks now being produced in North America

An alternative fuels production system long established in Europe is now available in North America.

An alternative fuels production system long established in Europe is now available in North America.

A steel briquette storate silo. Photo courtesy Briquetting Systems

Vancouver-based Briquetting Systems Inc. is supplying briquetting equipment developed by the CF Nielsen company of Denmark. Solid fuel pucks can be made from any dry wood residue or agricultural biomass feedstock and provide similar heating values and bulk densities as pellets, with the advantage of lower production costs compared to pelletizing.

Briquet pucks are said to be not as susceptible to moisture as pellets. They also save on storage capacity as fuel pucks have five to 10 times the bulk density compared to loose shavings, hog fuels and agricultural residues.

Ag residues, such as switch grass, flax shive and sunflower shells, are a few of the many feedstocks that can be used. Producers can accumulate an annual supply of the fuel pucks during the summer months when dry feedstock is available.

Briquets reduce shipping and handling costs. The company says they can increase burner efficiencies and can also reduce wear and maintenance on boilers. Systems with feed augers larger than six inches can handle the fuel pucks.

Briquetter equipment is supplied with fully automated controls and to CSA and UL requirements. Various capacities and configurations are available ranging up to several tons per hour, including plants built into two-storey round steel collection silos where loose feed is collected in the upper section and briquetted in the lower section.

Briquets have been presold to Fraser Valley greenhouses, and similar systems will soon be installed in southern Ontario greenhouses.

For more information on this technology, contact Wayne Winkler, P.Eng., at Briquetting Systems Inc. at 604-818-0287, or visit www.briquettingsystems.com.

Solid fuel pucks can be made from any dry wood residue or agricultural biomass feedstock. Photo courtesy Briquetting Systems		An example of the company’s briquetting technology. Photo courtesy Briquetting Systems