Scott

November 18, 2011 | General

Industry News


BioCycle November 2011, Vol. 52, No. 11, p. 47

Peterson Debarker Gets Redesign
Peterson’s popular 4800E Chain Flail Debarker, an industry standard for removing bark for clean pulp and paper chips, has undergone a major redesign and has many new features demanded by producers of clean chips. The new 4800F features a 350 HP CAT C9 TIER 4 engine, upper and lower flail drives (similar to Peterson’s 5000H whole tree chipper), direct-drive lower infeed and outfeed rolls, floating direct-drive upper feed rolls, a 5-foot-wide bark pusher and Peterson’s IQAN control system. The machine also has a dedicated 100-gallon hydraulic oil tank and a 200-gallon fuel tank, allowing the 4800F to run an entire shift without fill-up. With a retractable gooseneck, the highway legal 4800F can be moved between jobs and has an estimated curb weight of 48,100 lbs. The machine can be operated with a wireless remote, which also can pair with the Peterson 5900 disc chipper. www.petersoncorp.com
Caterpillar Buys MWM
The European Commission has agreed to the sale of the long-established company MWM to Caterpillar. Based in Mannheim, Germany, MWM is one of the world’s leading system providers of highly efficient and ecofriendly complete plants for decentralized power supply with gas and diesel engines. Company representatives said the product portfolios of both companies complement one another without any substantial overlaps and that the deal will lead to more options for sustainable power generation solutions. Clearance by the European Commission was the last major regulatory requirement. www.mwm.net

Small-Scale Containerized Digester
In addition to its proven technology in both dry and wet fermentation, BIOFerm and the Viessmann Group have introduced EUCOlino, a small-scale containerized digester (ranging from 700 to 1,240 sq. ft. in size). The all-in-one unit utilizes a complete mix plug flow design, with modular components that can be combined according to specific needs. Potential input materials include manure and energy crops such as corn silage. The digesters are prefabricated, tested for safety and ready to operate upon delivery. They take up a small footprint (only 700 x 1240 square feet) and feature proven EUCO technology from Schmack Biogas. The compact biogas plant EUCOlino will be tested at the German State of Hessen Agricultural Research and Training Center in Eichhof, Germany. www.biofermenergy.com

Tire Digester
A mesophilic digester technology patented by TIREPower Digesters, LLC consists of a lined and covered earthen lagoon containing a low cost media made from recycled tires. The biomass retained by the media greatly reduces the required hydraulic retention time (HRT) and the corresponding digester size, lowering costs, according to TIREPower. Successful treatment has been demonstrated at 5 to 10 days HRT. The system was designed and tested in its prototype form in cooperation with Washington State University’s Biological Systems Engineering Department. A pilot plant was built in 2006 at a dairy near Pasco, Washington. A full-scale digester was then constructed at a dairy near Boardman, Oregon where it has been operating since January 2010, according to the company. www.tirepowerdigesters.com

Commercial Organics Receptacle
Orbis Corporation released a new line of high-quality plastic commercial waste receptacles under its Norsemen Environmental Products brand. “Orbis’ new plastic dumpsters change the way waste is handled and eliminate many of the concerns that affect traditional dumpster maintenance,” says John Sebranek, marketing manager. Features include a polyethylene (PE) plastic body that will not rust or corrode and resists odor, smooth interior paneling that does not trap waste, a lighter-weight design resulting in substantially reduced noise (enabling earlier collections), eliminating the necessity for painting or welding, quick-release caster pads for easy changing in the field, nestable design to allow economical shipping of larger quantities, ease of cleaning and industry standard lids. The plastic dumpsters, which range in capacity from 2 to 8 cubic yards, are nearly 40 percent lighter than their steel counterparts. www.norsemanplastics.com


Sign up