Wood chip feeding and dosing system
Project overview

Revismo’s engineers carried out the development and engineering works for the execution design of a 77 MW wood-waste thermal power plant located in Belgium. The scope covered the development and design of the wood-chip feeding and dosing system, with the objective of delivering a reliable, fire-safe and wear-resistant solution for the thermal power plant. The plant primarily burns non-recyclable wood waste, such as construction debris and demolition residues.

Scope of engineering work and project technical solutions

The engineering activities included the development of technical solutions, CAD design, strength calculations, preparation of the user manual, production drawing packages, and an installation design in accordance with the Machinery Directive.

The end client provided input on equipment functions, layout constraints, and required throughput. Revismo delivered the full engineering development, producing detailed mechanical solutions for the entire system. A significant part of the work consisted of strength calculations, structural analyses, and the preparation of the required technical documentation. Strength analyses (FEA) were carried out for operating conditions, lifting, overload scenarios, and maintenance operations.

Ensuring wear resistance was critical for the overall system performance because the fuel handled in the boiler plant is considerably more abrasive than typical wood material. For this reason, special focus was placed on material selection, wear resistance, and weldability. The main structure was designed in S355 steel, while wear-prone components were largely manufactured from Hardox. Stainless steel AISI 316 was used where required.

Purchased components were selected jointly with the client and the builder to ensure long-term availability during construction and operation. Reliability was a key criterion, which led to the selection of higher-grade components even at a higher price point.

Lifting solution and maintenance processes

More emphasis than usual was placed on simplifying equipment maintenance. The equipment is large and heavy, and most maintenance tasks must be performed while the overall system remains operational. To support this, a comprehensive operation and maintenance manual was developed, including step-by-step maintenance procedures, work sequences, and detailed illustrations.

Furthermore, a dedicated lifting plan with drawings was prepared to specify all lifting methods and lifting points. To ensure safe lifting procedures and meet Machinery Directive requirements, the calculated center-of-gravity positions were indicated in the lifting drawings.

Revismo-designed equipment and system components:

  • Wood-chip distribution screw – 1 pc
  • Infeed chutes – 3 pcs
  • Storage silos – 3 pcs
  • Dosing screws – 3 pcs
  • Discharge chutes – 3 pcs
  • Platforms – 1 pc
  • Handrails – 5 pcs

Work performed by the Revismo engineering team:

Client overview

The client Welmet OÜ is an Estonian machine building company operating since 1992. Welmet specializes in the design and manufacture of screw conveyors and conveyor systems, primarily serving industrial sectors such as sawmills, pulp and paper, pellet production, waste management, and bioenergy production.