Switching an industrial boiler from coal to biomass
Short answer: most solid-fuel boilers with a stoker grate or fluidized bed can move to biomass by reworking the feed system and retuning combustion — the boiler itself rarely needs replacing. What needs planning is the larger fuel volume per unit of heat, and the bigger storage footprint that comes with it.
How many tons of biomass replace a ton of coal?
Bituminous coal runs around 6000 Kcal/Kg. Our wood chips are about 2200 Kcal/Kg and rubberwood pellets about 4000 Kcal/Kg. On equal heat, one ton of coal is roughly 2.7 tons of wood chips or 1.5 tons of pellets. That ratio — not the price per ton — is what should drive your storage sizing and delivery schedule.
Which boilers convert directly?
Stoker grate and fluidized bed boilers designed for multiple solid fuels usually convert by adjusting grate speed, air ratio and the feed system. Boilers built specifically for pulverized coal need substantially more work and should be assessed by an engineer first.
What changes with ash and sulphur?
Wood biomass carries far less sulphur than coal, which reduces SOx and acid corrosion in the stack. Wood ash is lower in volume but higher in potassium, which lowers the ash fusion temperature — so furnace temperature has to be controlled to avoid slagging. Getting chip size and moisture right is what keeps that manageable.
How do you start with low risk?
Most plants co-fire first: blend 10–20% biomass with the existing coal, log steam output, temperatures and ash behaviour, then raise the ratio once the data supports it. Nothing stops, and you see real numbers before spending on conversion.
Have us assess it
Send your boiler spec, monthly coal consumption and a photo of the combustion chamber. We will calculate the biomass volume, the storage you need to prepare, and tell you plainly whether your boiler converts as-is or needs work first.
Call Morse · 092-392-2292