Thursday, 26 September 2024 07:55

Full steam ahead with clean energy from forestry waste

Written by  Mark Daniel
The Mackwell A35 features a unique biomass-fired water tube boiler. The Mackwell A35 features a unique biomass-fired water tube boiler.

While the vehicle industry is addressing the future by developing engines that run on waste oil, hydrogen, or indeed electricity, one Christchurch-based company is looking at things in a different direction with the use of steam.

Mackwell & Co Ltd was established in 2016 by founder Sam Mackwell, with a focus on energy resilience and fossil-fuel-free transport. Mackwell realised the two concept needed to address this are the use of accessible and low value biomass as fuel, and a technology that can safely and cleanly convert this, often waste product, into useful work without relying on an extensive infrastructure.

The Mackwell A35 features a unique biomass-fired water tube boiler that is compact and responsive enough for use in transport as well as statically for fixed shaft power or electricity generation. The A35 traction engine is designed for horticultural and small farm towig up to seven tonnes at 40 km/h, with the developers suggesting that it could be a direct replacement for the myriad of MF 35 and 135's operating around New Zealand and elsewhere.

The same boiler and engine will also be produced as a 26kW generator set offering up to 180kW of heat. Once the concept is proven in the market, the design will be scaled to 600kW for industrial and marine use.

Customers can expect more than 35% in overall cost savings when replacing diesel engines, alongside a 96% reduction in CO2 emissions. Small engines are said to be suitable for manual fuelling, while the larger applications will require a mechanical feed system to maintain the 2.5 kg/kWh input requirement.

Mackwell engines can also deliver additional value where heat is needed, such as in hydronic underfloor heating or food processing situations. In this way, Mackwell engines go beyond traction to complement a range of renewable energy systems, but without the need for expensive storage or distribution.

Looking at practical considerations, biomass fuelling can make abundant use of the supply of waste timber sitting in forests around the country. Dry fuel consumption is 2.5 kg/kWh which will increase with moisture, but a key advantage is the ability to utilise any unprocessed biomass of up to 55% moisture content. Able to start from cold to working pressure in 10 to 15 minutes, the combustion chamber burns the range of 900 - 1000 degrees centigrade, with no smoke or sparks from the stack and the resultant ash able to be used as a fertiliser.


 Read More


Earlier this year, Mackwell partnered with Biocare Pty Ltd to design and manufacture four large combustion chambers for a project in Kangaroo Island, off the coast of Adelaide, which is set to become one of the largest biochar projects globally.

 

 

More like this

Grabbing bales made quick and easy

Front end loader and implement specialist Quicke has introduced the new Unigrip L+ and XL+ next-generation bale grabs, designed for users who need strength, efficiency, and soft handling in their daily tasks.

Gong for NH dealers

New Holland dealers from around Australia and New Zealand came together last month for the Dealer of the Year Awards, which recognises the top-performing dealerships across the New Holland network.

A true Kiwi ingenuity

The King Cobra raingun continues to have a huge following in the New Zealand market and is also exported to numerous overseas markets.

Featured

Mixed season for Waikato contractors

Last season was a mixed bag for Waikato contractors, with early planted forage maize, planted on the dry soils around Cambridge, doing badly after germination and failing to meet potential, says Jeremy Rothery, Jackson Contracting.

National

Machinery & Products

Alpego eyes electric power harrow

Distributed by OriginAg in New Zealand, Italian manufacturer Alpego recently showed its three metre Alysium electric power harrow at the…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Dodgy!

OPINION: If you believe Maori Party president John Tamihere’s claim that “nothing dodgy” occurred at Manurewa Marae during the last…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter