Woody Biomass Fuel Sources
Wood wastes of all types make excellent biomass fuels. Messersmith offers a variety of biomass combustion system technologies to efficiently burn your fuel. Our boiler systems can be used to generate hot water for a hydronic application, low or high pressure steam, or forced air. We also offer combined heat & power (CHP) systems for applications in need of electrical generation.
Many different wood species and moisture contents can make a good fuel source. Ideal fuel has no sticks over 6” in length and no large, unbreakable chips over one-half inch by two inches by three inches (½” x 2” x 3”). Messersmith conveying systems come with a fuel sorter that will sort out larger sticks.
Green Fuel
Green fuel sources are typically freshly cut wood sources with higher moisture content. Messersmith combustion systems are able to burn most species that have been cut and processed the same day, eliminating the need to pre-dry. Examples of green fuel would be green mill-grade chips, green sawdust, and whole tree chips. These fuel sources could come from a forest products operation, municipal or urban wood waste, sawmill, or other processing facilities. Additional information on green fuel combustion systems can be found here.
Dry Fuel
Dry fuel sources are typically kiln dried residues from sawmills, lumber mills, veneer mills, wood pallet or container manufacturing, hardwood flooring manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, etc. These fuel sources can be wood chips, sawdust, planer shavings, ground pallets or crates, veneer scraps, or other wood based biomass. Messersmith combustion systems can also burn dry chips and pellets.
An important characteristic of wood fuel is its heating value. Certain species of wood are denser and provide more heat per cord. The moisture content of the wood also influences the heating value. Additional information on dry fuel combustion systems can be found here.
Heating Values per Cord (Million BTU)
Source: Great Lakes Regional Woodchip Energy Program Wood Heating Handbook
| High 17-22 | Medium 14-17 | Low 11-14 |
| Live oak | Holly | Black spruce |
| Shagbark hickory | Pond pine | Hemlock |
| Black locust | Nut pine | Catalpa |
| Dogwood | Loblolly pine | Red spider |
| Slash pine | Tamarack | Tulip poplar |
| Hop hornbeam | Shortleaf pine | Red fir |
| Persimmon | Western larch | Sitka spruce |
| Shadbush | Juniper | Black willow |
| Apple | Paper birch | Large-tooth aspen |
| White oak | Red maple | Butternut |
| Honey locust | Cherry | Ponderosa pine |
| Black birch | American elm | Noble fir |
| Yew | Black gum | Redwood |
| Blue beech | Sycamore | Quaking aspen |
| Red oak | Gray birch | Sugar pine |
| Rock elm | Douglas fir | White pine |
| Sugar maple | Pitch pine | Balsam fir |
| American beech | Sassafras | Cottonwood |
| Yellow birch | Magnolia | Basswood |
| Longleaf pine | Red cedar | Western red cedar |
| White ash | Norway pine | Balsam poplar |
| Oregon ash | Bald cypress | White spruce |
| Black walnut | Chestnut |