On June 30, the Royal Decree was published approving the direct concession to the autonomous communities of an incentive program linked to the implementation of renewable thermal systems in the residential sector, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Direct aid is included for the installation of biomass stoves that meet ECODESIGN and use certified fuels as pellet ENplus A1, among other renewable systems. The coordination and monitoring of this incentive program will be carried out by the Institute for Diversity and Energy Saving -Representative-, an entity dependent on the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.

Companies that biomass boilers MOLLIER® with powers between 100 and 500 kW have been designed for the residential and tertiary sector, and developed under the new European ECODESIGN regulations.

To date, BIOENERGY BARBERO, whose priority is to have high-quality equipment, reliability and maximum energy efficiency with the lowest possible level of emissions, has deployed 50 units in buildings in the city of Salamanca, contributing to the fight against climate change in this Heritage city of Humanity at a key moment for the decarbonization and substitution of fossil fuels.

Horizon + is the new boiler concept developed and patented by Sugimat after several years of R&D work. It is based on a self-cleaning rotary boiler that effectively combats fouling and the formation of deposits inside.

The operating principle is based on the rotation of the boiler that causes the ash to slide between the smoke passages of the same until it is evacuated. In addition, the equipment is equipped with an aggregate injection system that guarantees the release of deposits adhering to the tubes, a common phenomenon in fuels with high alkaline content.

This revolutionary boiler concept has some advantages over conventional cleaning systems:

• Ability to handle fuels with very high percentages of unburnables without problems of passage obstruction or decrease in performance.
• Saving of electricity self-consumption that requires cleaning by compressed air and its consequent installation, thus increasing the overall efficiency of the installation.
• Stable and non-decreasing performance during the operating time given the maintenance of the surface of the exchange body always clean.
• Savings in scheduled stops for cleaning, both due to production stoppage and maintenance hours
• Mounting versatility, allowing installation at a low height, saving building and civil engineering costs.

Application, use and recipients

Today, the problems of fouling and corrosion in boilers and heat exchangers are one of the main problems when it comes to recovering solid biofuels. Waste such as olive pomace, pruning, bark or chicken manure are examples of biofuels with a high calorific value that makes them theoretically recoverable, but which nevertheless contain high rates of non-burning (between 10 and 40%), in addition to compounds chemicals that cause deposits on heat exchange bodies. This leads to a significant decrease in the performance of the equipment, the obstruction of smoke passages and corrosion. Until now, this problem has been confronted through the installation of continuous cleaning systems that, although they allow the availability of the equipment, do not guarantee that the performance of the equipment and, therefore, its energy efficiency, will remain stable over time. of operation. In addition, it does not prevent the formation of deposits in the exchange bodies, forcing stops for cleaning when the performance is diminished.

The Horizon + is intended for users of boilers fed any type of solid waste, given the energy savings that it entails, even in fuels with a low amount of non-burnables, it represents an added value to their production process. The boiler is manufactured in ranges of up to 12 MW of power and can be adapted to different combustion systems.

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OPS are zerovalent iron nanoparticles encapsulated in a matrix of carbon, green energy and digestate that can be converted to fertilizer, organic amendment and / or compost. Thanks to this process, polyphenols are reduced, making it possible to generate biogas from exclusively vegetable water and alperujo as sole substrates.

OPS are produced from vegetable water using hydrothermal carbonization techniques, which is a new method for the synthesis of iron nanoparticles. This process complies with the principles of green chemistry and is a low-cost method of synthesis of reduced iron nanoparticles, with improved characteristics compared to the reduced iron nanoparticles currently produced and with up to 6 environmental applications, such as the improvement from the production of biogas, biohydrogen, polluted water treatment, fertilizers ...

OPS contain an average of 2,5% zero-valent iron (ZVI), 44,5% total iron, and 55,5% carbon. They are magnetic and have a mean size of 150 nm, a surface area of ​​14,7 m2 / g and a total pore volume of 0,0696 cc / g. If an activation process is applied to them, these values ​​can be improved, for example obtaining a surface area of ​​190 m2 / g and 10% ZVI. Likewise, PAHOs are a novel product, non-existent on the market and non-toxic within the framework of the circular economy.

The OPS, which have been presented for the Expobiomasa 2021 Innovation Award, are applied directly to the digesters, offering numerous advantages: They improve methane production by 10-20%. The resulting digestate generates greater interest and viability when applying it to soils due to the higher iron and sulfur content and its lower polluting load. Elimination of hydrogen sulfide gas by 99%. They provide greater stability to the biogas production process in the face of variations in the substrate, which favors the transition towards the massive introduction of biogas as a reliable and renewable energy source.

The recipients are: 

• Caterpillar mills and oil mills that need to value their waste, to which a new method of treating their waste is proposed for the production of OPS and biogas from alperujo.
• Biogas plants. Potential clients would be all those plants that do not have high energy yields. The application of the product would allow to increase the methane content giving a higher performance to your plant.
• Plants with engine problems due to hydrogen sulfide or have to upgrade the biogas to transform it into biomethane, where it is necessary to eliminate said gas.
• Biogas plants whose machinery is obsolete and do not carry out a correct biogas production. The application of the OPS would improve the production of biogas and digestate, in addition to avoiding the formation of hydrogen sulfide.

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It is a solution for the recovery of waste and by-products from the agri-food sector, based on gasification technology, for the combined generation of electrical and thermal energy in self-consumption mode. The end customer, agribusiness, makes it possible to value its biomass by generating its own energy and obtaining other value-added products such as biochar and, in a second phase, green hydrogen and CO2. 

The solution is designed to recover residual biomass such as olive pomace, which is the main by-product of olive oil production, representing 80% by weight of the total fruit and entailing significant logistical and energy problems associated with its high initial humidity, of the order of 65-70%. Other types of biomass such as chips, rice husk, bagasse, etc. can also be gasified.

With this technology, based on a downdraft type gasifier or parallel currents, it is possible to obtain a syngas with a high PCI (1.336,11 kcal / Nm3) which is injected into motor-generator sets in 500 kW modules (SIEMENS brand) for the production of electrical energy in self-consumption mode (type 2). The thermal energy is used for the previous drying and for the production of hot water for the review of the pomace. In addition, a product called biochar with 65% fixed carbon is obtained, suitable to be used as a fertilizer or for other industrial applications or as a biofuel (PCI 5.841 kcal / kg. 

The main recipients of the solution are agroindustries that generate their own biomass and that present simultaneous demands for thermal and electrical energy. It could also be applied to industries in the forestry and wood sector, including activities in the field of management and treatment of MSW, since the gasification system is very flexible in terms of raw materials to be used. This technology also has the great advantage of cracking most of the hydrocarbons, with which the syngas comes out in better conditions for use in motor-generator sets.

This technology, which Recursos Estratégicos de Biomasa, SL (BIOLIZA) has presented to the Expobiomasa Innovation Award, allows working in three lines: the production of gas for drying wet biomass with the consequent environmental improvement and cost reduction by reducing stages in cleaning the syngas; the generation of energy for self-consumption (cogeneration) and the production of green hydrogen and CO2, through a process of reforming the syngas with steam, displacing CO towards H2 and CO2.

This means that the market is huge since it allows replacing fossil fuels with renewable ones (syngas) in industrial or tertiary fields. Generate thermal energy for processes, for example in pellet plants or in wet waste management industries, etc. 

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The use of long-range, open and low-energy networks has given the possibility of exploring new applications and massive deployments of extremely useful sensors for the world of biomass. With these networks you can manage boilers, silos, transport, emissions, crops, production, certify the chains with Blockchain etc.

The air quality model with temperature, humidity and CO2 patented by Redytel IOT is an example of its capabilities. This technology presented for the Expobiomasa Innovation Award will be presented at the 14th edition of the International Bioenergy Congress. 

Simply measuring a temperature forces us to pay data for each measurement point via network, SIM card, etc. Having implemented this technology, it allows to measure all the sensors of entire cities with only 4 or 5 data points (Gateways). 

It can be used with temperatures, humidity, energy, boiler alarms but also thanks to its low energy it can be used with magnitudes related to crops or transport. An outstanding example is the massive sensorization project in the cities of Ponferrada, León or Boadilla: https://www.redyteliot.info/video/edificios_municipales_web_1920x1080.mp4

Its application for distributed heat networks is novel and extremely useful for generating blockchain in energy exchange. 

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Rika's Domo Back model complements Rika's best-selling model with a kitchen oven. With adjustable temperature from the touch screen, both for the stove and for the oven, independently, the Domo Back model takes a step forward in the management of the energy generated with a view to making the most of it. In addition, this model can incorporate up to two convection air fans.

This stove not only heats one room, it can heat two more and cook your meal, all controlled manually, remotely by mobile phone, using the "Rika Firenet" module, or by voice, using the "Alexa" voice assistant. 

This model incorporates automatic cleaning of the combustion vessel using a rotating rack, a 36 kg pellet tank, and one of Rika's most valued features, its silent operation.

This model has been created at the time when the design of shared rooms is spreading in European architecture. For years the kitchen and living room of homes have become more and more open and close rooms. Domo Back is another element that contributes to this symbiosis, offering these spaces a reason for interrelation.

Rika will be at Expobiomasa and has presented this new team to the 2021 Innovation Award.

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ROBAX® IR SuperMax is a glass ceramic panel for observing fire designed in Germany with a new highly efficient infrared reflective coating on the outside of the panel. The cladding reflects significantly more heat into the fireplace combustion chamber than a ROBAX® panel without cladding. It has the highest infrared reflection in our ROBAX® Smart Heat range. The coating increases the temperature in the combustion chamber, which makes the combustion process much more efficient. Among other things, this can reduce the amount of particulate matter and CO. It also helps minimize the effects of user errors (for example, poor airflow or low fuel). The catalytic effect in a fireplace can be significantly improved, depending on the design of the fireplace.

In addition, as a result of this more efficient combustion, there will be less soot on the glass, significantly reducing cleaning needs. On the other hand, the living room is prevented from overheating and instead a pleasant warmth is created in the living space. Furniture and curtains can be brought closer to the fireplace and new design options open up for the living space, thanks to the printing options on the glass ceramic panel. In addition, the liner does not degrade, so liner performance remains constant throughout most of the life of the fireplace.

ROBAX® IR SuperMax, which is presented for the Expobiomasa Innovation Award, was developed for use in wood-burning fireplaces, but can also be installed in pellet stoves. It is especially suitable for chimneys in modern, well insulated, low energy consumption and / or passive houses. For this reason, our target customers are mainly manufacturers of wood-burning fireplaces looking for solutions for:

• improve the combustion of the combustion process 
• reduce emissions
• avoid overheating,
• reduce soot to minimize cleaning efforts

The latest product in the SCHOTT ROBAX® Smart Heat portfolio was launched in the fall of 2020 and the first samples were already delivered to customers earlier this year. This shows that with ROBAX® IR SuperMax technical innovation, we identify and understand current and future challenges in the fireplace industry and offer a solution that can contribute to future legal requirements. However, as its effects are highly dependent on fireplace design and usage habits, we recommend testing ROBAX® IR SuperMax to achieve the desired results in your products.

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The treatment and storage of the rejection flow of desalination (brine) through reverse osmosis, very widespread in the Murcia region, requires a large space and a high cost, since its elimination by natural evaporation is impossible, the Polytechnic University of Cartagena has acquired a brine evaporation system using a cooling tower. 

The purpose of this study is to obtain theoretical operating points capable of predicting the behavior of the cooling tower, the main component of the installation, the behavior of a biomass boiler has also been modeled, arranged to provide thermal energy to the brine with the one that can have sufficient capacity for its evaporation. To know the behavior of the tower, a theoretical model has been proposed that has subsequently been validated using the TRNSYS software, with which the models of the different components of the installation have been validated, as well as the study of the complete system-prototype with calculation of energy required to contribute to the biomass boiler. The system has been modeled to study in different situations, as well as to know the efficiency and the energy consumption derived from the evaporation of the brine.

The agricultural sector needs this water to irrigate its plantations, but there is an increasing rejection flow that has to be treated. This rejection flow has a high salinity and its discharge is controlled by the administration, being necessary its storage in rafts for its evaporation. By means of natural evaporation processes it is impossible to eliminate this rejection for reasons of space and necessary investment. By means of forced evaporation systems, this process can be faster and avoids the excessive storage of water with high salinity coming from the rejection of osmosis.

The Polytechnic University of Cartagena presents this model to the Expobiomasa 2021 Innovation Award.

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Prodesa Medioambiente presents at Expobiomasa a new optimization process for its clients and performance tests with two different developments to increase production and lower its electricity consumption. The results have been very satisfactory and they are currently working with five more clients to improve their electrical cost per ton of pellets using their method of designing dies. 

The result with its customer 1 is that they have increased the kg / kW by 20% while achieving an increase in the useful life of both dies and rollers. The impact of this improvement has been significant for their operations since they have been able to produce up to 20% more pellets without increasing the electricity bill. With their client 2 they have been able to increase the kg / kW by 6%, also without reducing the useful life of their spare parts, and they continue working on the development of the dies to continue optimizing their energy cost. 

In conclusion, the result is a matrix that manages to differentiate itself from a product with little differentiation between the main brands in the market, and give it a competitive advantage. They are unique pieces, designed to adapt and adjust to the characteristics of each client, with immediate application and direct, measurable and verifiable results in the plant's operating expenses account. 

The process

In the first place, the different energy consumptions of the plant's operations, the costs between energy and consumables and the distribution of percentages in electricity consumption were evaluated. Pellet plants have to manage their operations well to ensure benefits with the pellets produced. This management has been especially important with the fall in the price of pellets in the last year. Around 25% of the costs associated with the sale of pellets correspond to production in the factory. This section includes spare parts, energy and personnel expenses, among others. Granulators are the biggest consumers of electricity.

After this first study, the structure of the matrices, the integration and the operation within the granulators were analyzed. Among other factors, the technology of the materials, the behavior of the steel, the distribution of loads and physical, chemical and mechanical parameters were examined that led to a proposal of optimization measures to achieve a higher production per kW. In the next step, the measures proposed for each client were implemented and the results were evaluated. 

Thanks to this experience, Prodesa Medioambiente has developed a die optimization system that not only produces more pellets per kW, but at the same time allows smoother operation for the granulator and increases the life of dies and rollers.

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Ignisdom has presented to the Expobiomasa Innovation Award the first wall-mounted pellet boiler that can replace any electric or gas wall-mounted boiler. 

It has a self-suction system for the pellets from the same bag or from the tank (optional) with a capacity of 65kg. Its minimal dimensions allow it to be hung on the wall and it complies with all currently required European certifications such as ECODESIGN.

It also incorporates high-quality components such as a quartz heater and a self-cleaning burner. 

The Italian manufacturer MAGIKAL SRL and IGNISDOM SL as the exclusive distributor for Spain present this innovative product to the market, with three models of different power of 14, 18 and 21kW capable of meeting the needs of the majority of customers who want savings, eco-efficiency and quality for heating your home with ACS and optional WIFI.

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This system was tested in the TÜV laboratories. In a cyclical test simulating the various operating conditions throughout a year, an average particulate emissions of just 2 mg / m3 (13% O2) were measured. This level of practically negligible emissions is achieved with a new design of the flame tube in the combustion chamber, and a divided recirculation of the exhaust gases. These gases feed the primary air in the lower zone and are injected in the upper burning zone at high temperature. In this way we achieve a fire WITHOUT FLAME, and a minimum emission of particles.

The alternative on the market to this technology is the use of filters, so the advantages of ZeroFlame are clear: without the need for a high investment, without special maintenance, without high voltages, and it works in all phases of operation of the pellet boiler.

Today, this technology is available for the OkoFEN Pellematic Condens model, a condensing pellet boiler from 10 to 16 kW, therefore the scope of application is mainly for heating and hot water in single-family homes. 

In the near future, it will be extended to the rest of the OkoFEN boiler range, up to 512 kW, so ZeroFlame will be available for heating and DHW for all types of applications: industry, hotels, farms, swimming pools, etc. 

ÖkoFEN has presented this technology to the Expobiomasa 2021 Innovation Award

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This revolutionary technology allows the burning of all unburned waste from pellet combustion equipment, many of which fall into the brazier. At the end of the combustion process there are usually tiny mineral particles that no longer burn

This innovation called Complete Burning System, which is presented at Expobiomasa, allows a process that completely burns the entire pellet. It is guaranteed by the material with which the brazier of the latest generation Palazzetti stoves is made: the Thermofix. This special material of natural origin based on refractory clays and molten cements is characterized by its great heat accumulation capacity, which guarantees very high temperatures in the combustion chamber, triggering the re-ignition process of unburned materials. 

Through the total combustion of the pellets, it is possible to achieve greater energy efficiency, lower emissions that are harmful to the environment, and practicality of use linked to the drastic reduction of ash residues generated by combustion.

The Complete Burning System used in the latest generation Palazzetti brand stoves and boilers such as the Jackie stove and the JP Boiler, together with the automatic cleaning system of the ashtray and heat exchangers, allows the production of extremely efficient, ecological products. and practical for the user, bringing biomass even closer to the growing demands of private customers.

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