belt dryer with a throughput of 100 tonnes per hour for the Brazilian timber industry
BERNECK®, Brasil
Sector: Timber industry
Challenge: The moisture content of large quantities of bark and wood chips was to be efficiently reduced from 60% to 45% for fuel pre-drying with a unique design due to logistical constraints.
Solution: The new development of the longest belt dryer with an 8.4-meter-wide dryer tunnel.
Dryer used: Belt dryer type BT 1-8000-58.5-8
Products to be dried: Bark, wood chips
Challenge
BERNECK® faced a complex task in their Lages, Santa Catarina (Brazil) facility: efficiently reducing the moisture in large volumes of bark and wood chips from 60% to 45% for fuel pre-drying. This process required managing a flexible usage of low-pressure saturated steam at 2.8 bar(a) , within significant mechanical, load, and site constraints.
The project necessitated a unique design capable of being shipped in 40′ containers, adaptable to material mix variations, and incorporating both efficient heat transfer using low-pressure steam cycles and indirect warm water heating to prevent overheating and fire hazards.
Solution
STELAs solution involved the development of a 27.5 feet (8.4 meters) wide dryer tunnel, comprised of multiple 6.5 feet (2 meters) long segments optimized for overseas container transport. The design included a robust framework for load management and alternating ventilation in the dryer tunnel to ensure uniform drying. This innovative approach carefully balanced capacity, safety, and environmental compliance requirements.
Conclusion and outlook
The system achieved single-line capacities exceeding 27.5 tons per hour for water evaporation, with a maximum heat dissipation of 92,1 MMBtu (27.1 MW) at 60°F (16°C).
The successful implementation of the wide drying system showcases the ability to meet complex industrial needs through specialized, collaborative engineering. This system not only efficiently reduced wood chip moisture but also complied with stringent safety and environmental standards, representing a significant achievement in biomass processing technology.
“Our experience with the STELA dryer has been very positive. Improvements made during the STELA team’s last visits have helped maintain the belt alignment and prevent seam and edge damage. Their support in maintenance, operation, and training has been effective. The heat exchanger and condensate return are also working very well. Overall, we are satisfied with the dryer’s performance.”
Bruno da Fontoura Sprenger, project manager BERNECK®
Downloads
Find out more about the belt drying system type BT:
Get in contact
Contact person
Low temperature, continuous dryer, circulating dryer – not sure what’s the best choice for you? Our experienced colleagues will be happy to help you find the best solution for your product. Please feel free to contact us without obligation.
Telephone +49 8724 899-10
Email sales[at]stela.de
