A demonstration plant enables bio oil production from forest residue
Metso and Fortum Power and Heat have signed a contract regarding a delivery of a bio-oil production plant and a related automation system to the Fortum power plant in Joensuu, Finland. The delivery involves a demonstration plant, in which bio-oil is produced from forest residue and other biomasses. The bio-oil produced in the plant can be used instead of heavy fuel oil, and it may be used as raw material in the chemical industry and biodiesel production in the future.
The nominal output of the plant will be 30 MW oil production and the planned annual production will be 50,000 tons. The annual production will equal to 210 GWh of energy, which corresponds to the yearly heating consumption of more than 10,000 private houses. In its process, the production plant will utilize 225,000 solid cubic meters of forest residue and sawdust a year. The integration of bio-oil production into the power plant process enables the utilization of the side product from the production process in the generation of electricity and district heating. The utilization of bio-oil produced at the Joensuu plant helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 59,000 tons a year.
"Metso actively researches and develops new technologies, which support sustainable development in power generation. Demonstration ventures of this type are important for the commercialization of new products. In this delivery, a bio-oil production plant is integrated profitably to a fluidized bed boiler, in which the uncondensed gases and coke generated in the pyrolysis can be combusted", says Kai Mäenpää, Vice President, Metso Power business line.
Bio-oil will be produced by means of pyrolysis. In this process, wood-based biomass is quickly heated up to approximately 500°C, a temperature at which the biomass is vaporized to gases, which are condensed to bio-oil when cooled. Metso has developed the pyrolysis technology in collaboration with VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland), Fortum and UPM since 2007. The development work is based on the basic research and patents of VTT.
Metso will deliver the plant to Fortum as a turnkey delivery. The scope includes foundations and building work, necessary production equipment, a Metso DNA automation system, and electrification. This demonstration venture will test and further develop integrated pyrolysis technology and the control solutions of the Metso DNA system, which will be utilized in the pyrolysis processes of larger-scale power plants in the future.
The new bio-oil production plant is scheduled for start-up in the autumn of 2013. The value of the order has not been disclosed, and the order is included in Pulp, Paper and Power's first quarter orders received.
Fortum's activities cover the generation, distribution and sales of electricity and heat as well as related expert services. The group employs approximately 10,800 people.
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