Case Study: Finegind Meat Process Plant
Silver Fern Farms Ltd
Bubbling Fluidised Bed Boiler
Committed to best outcomes by applying leading edge technology
2009 EECA Awards – Winner, Innovation Award
2009 EECA Awards - Highly Commended, Renewable Energy Award
“Energy for Industry showed enthusiasm, strict attention to detail and an innovative well thought through approach,” says Silver Fern Farms Ltd Engineering Manager, Marthinus Hendriks.
“They were very innovative and their proposed solution solved two of our energy issues.”
Marthinus Hendriks oversaw this major project that EFI undertook to install a 8.5MW bio-fuel boiler at Silver Fern Farm’s largest meat processing plant, Finegand, near Balclutha.
The purpose built boiler is designed to supply one third of the plant’s steam requirements (12t/h of base-load steam).
Importantly, it replaces an old coal-fired boiler and reduces at least 2000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year, while also reducing fine ash particulate and sulphur dioxide emissions.
Hendriks says the new boiler almost didn’t happen. It was an informal discussion between Silver Fern Farms Ltd and EFI that initiated the proposal and demonstrated it to be the best option.
“Initially we were planning a new waste, water treatment plant to meet resource consent requirements stipulated by the Otago Regional Council,” Hendriks said.
“This would have created much larger volumes of sludge which, at that point, we were considering composting. But we would have needed a new composting plant to deal with about 10,000 tonnes of compost a year, and that was an issue.”
It was at this point that EFI undertook to consider other options. A subsidiary of Meridian Energy Ltd, EFI specialises in developing and supplying sophisticated on-site energy solutions designed to improve energy efficiency, enhance environmental outcomes and reduce energy costs.
In this case EFI identified a bubbling fluidised bed boiler could utilise the dewatered sludge, from the meat processing effluent plant as fuel co-fired with some wood waste.
The boiler design used technology that was new to New Zealand, in this configuration, although it was proven overseas and is now the preferred method of burning ‘low grade fuels’.
It allowed Silver Fern Farms Ltd to retire the old coal-fired boiler and deal with the sludge composting issue at the same time. EFI provided a detailed analysis of the benefits of this innovate concept. This analysis allowed Silver Fern Farms to access the financial, operational, and environmental compliance outcomes of the EFI solution.
“EFI’s work made good sense strategically”.
The bubbling fluidised bed boiler technology was sourced from Babcock and Wilcox and was supplied under licence by contractors. The plant also includes a wood residue fuel reception and feed system, a sludge handling and feed system along with a flue gas baghouse for the boiler.
The boiler burns some 3000 tonnes of sludge (dry base) each year from the site’s waste water treatment plant. EFI undertook the project as a BOO (Build, Own, Operate) partnership with Silver Fern Farms. Under the partnership, EFI met the costs of developing, building and commissioning the boiler plant. As the plant owner, EFI is also responsible for the overall management of the boiler operation, including full asset management and ensuring plant optimisation to agreed performance standards.
Silver Fern Farms operate the boiler on a day to day basis as part of the 15 year agreement with EFI.
“EFI’s proposal has delivered us a modern and much improved boiler system, better environmental outcomes and enhanced operational efficiencies.” Marthinus Hendriks said.
