Biomass is an important renewable Abstract: energy source of primary energy supply in Sri
Lanka. However, the methods used in these sectors for converting biomass into useful energy are
primitive and inefficient, especially in the industrial sector. Energy generation is transforming
towards low emission alternatives. Therefore, demand for renewable energy sources is escalating and
it is essential for introducing efficient biomass conversion methods. This study focuses on improving
efficiency of wood combustion methods to save fuel wood as well as mitigate unsustainable wood
harvesting. Biomass fuels exhibit range of chemical and physical properties, particulate size and
shape. There is an advantage of using wood chips over conventional logs because higher surface area
availability and controllability making combustion more efficient. In this review paper, potential and
advantages of wood chip combustion are reviewed and discussed to promote in the industries for
thermal energy requirement. In conventional furnaces, wood logs are manually loading to the furnace
by monitoring temperature. However, in the wood chip combustion technologies, wood chips are
continuously loading to the furnace using an automated mechanism. This paper is trying to discuss
the advantage of wood chip combustion over wood logs using the available empirical models and to
compare with results of wood chip application technology in Sri Lanka.
