Summary:
- Learn how Steamax’s OBR Kit can help pharmaceutical manufacturers transition from oil to biomass, automate fuel and ash handling, and manage boiler operating costs.
Boilers play a key role in pharmaceutical manufacturing, supplying steam for sterilisation, cleaning, drying, and process heating. Reliable steam generation is essential, and the boiler system must meet the facility’s requirements for temperature control, steam quality, and operational safety.
Switching from fossil fuels to biomass may help reduce fuel costs, but installing a completely new boiler can require significant investment. Steamax’s Oil to Biomass Retrofit (OBR) Kit offers an alternative for suitable existing oil-fired boilers.
Why Choose Steamax’s OBR Kit?
Steamax’s OBR Kit is designed to help industrial facilities transition from oil-fired boilers to biomass while retaining compatible existing equipment.
Key benefits include:
- Potential fuel-cost savings: Biomass may cost less than furnace oil, depending on local prices, fuel quality, and boiler efficiency. Steamax reports potential savings of 20–50%, but actual savings should be confirmed through a site-specific assessment.
- Automated fuel feeding: An automatic feeding system reduces the need for manual fuel handling.
- Automated ash removal: Depending on the configuration, automated ash handling can reduce routine cleaning and labour requirements.
- Biomass fuel supply support: Steamax offers biomass supply support to help customers manage fuel availability and consistency.
- Customised installation: The retrofit can be configured according to the existing boiler and the plant’s steam requirements.
- Ongoing service support: Technical assistance helps support system operation and maintenance.
Important for pharmaceutical plants: A fuel conversion must not compromise steam quality, process control, or applicable pharmaceutical requirements. The suitability of the converted boiler should be assessed before installation.
OBR Kit vs. a New Biomass Boiler
| Factor | New Biomass Boiler | Steamax OBR Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Investment | Requires purchasing and installing a new boiler | May reduce investment by using a compatible existing boiler |
| Installation | May require extensive installation work | Retrofit work depends on the existing setup |
| Fuel | Biomass specified for the new boiler | Compatible biomass fuels based on system configuration |
| Fuel Feeding | Depends on boiler design | Can include automated fuel feeding |
| Ash Handling | Depends on boiler design | Can include automated ash removal |
| Downtime | Depends on installation and commissioning | Depends on retrofit requirements |
| Best Suited For | Plants requiring a new boiler | Plants with a suitable existing oil-fired boiler |
Is Biomass Suitable for Pharmaceutical Processing?
Biomass can be a practical alternative to fossil fuels for some industrial steam applications. However, pharmaceutical facilities must assess more than fuel price alone.
Before converting a boiler, consider:
- Steam reliability: Can the system meet peak and normal steam demand?
- Steam quality: Will the installation maintain the required steam conditions for the intended process?
- Fuel consistency: Are moisture, particle size, and calorific value suitable for stable operation?
- Compliance and validation: Will the converted system meet applicable safety, quality, and regulatory requirements?
- Total operating cost: Include fuel, maintenance, labour, ash disposal, and retrofit expenses when calculating savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Oil to Biomass Retrofit Kit is designed to convert compatible oil-fired industrial boilers to use biomass fuel.
No. The OBR kit removes the old oil or gas burner and mounts an external biomass combustion furnace onto the existing boiler structure, keeping capital expenditure down to a fraction of a new system.
It may reduce fuel costs if biomass costs less per unit of useful heat. Actual savings depend on fuel prices, quality, and system efficiency.
Biomass makes more ash and dust than oil or gas, so every kit comes with air pollution control, such as a bag filter or an ESP. We keep particulate matter below 50 mg/Nm³ on biomass. Ash removal and tube cleaning keep heat transfer efficient.
It depends on the size of your equipment, the fuel you want to burn and the OBR version. As a guide, a conversion costs 60 to 70% less than a new biomass boiler.
Switch to Biomass with Steamax
Steamax’s OBR Kit provides pharmaceutical manufacturers with a potential route to reduce dependence on furnace oil without necessarily replacing a compatible existing boiler. Automated fuel feeding, ash handling, and biomass supply support can simplify the transition.
Results will depend on the existing boiler, fuel availability, operating conditions, and process requirements. Interested in converting your oil-fired boiler to biomass? Contact Steamax or call +91 93151 24803 to discuss your plant’s requirements.
