A Discussion on Use of Wood chips for wood logs in combustion applications in industrial termal energy supply

Abstract

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.