The bio-energy heater powered by a truck turbocharger

A new combined heat and power biomass generator has been developed, using technology more usually found in trucks. Staffordshire-based Talbotts has developed the new biomass generator in conjunction with the bio-energy team at nearby Harper Adams University College. Talbotts' CHP unit, called the BG25, works by burning waste wood, in the form of pellets, in a combustor that generates hot air through a mile and a half of piping packed into a compact heat exchanger. The hot air from this then powers a turbocharger, more usually found on Scania trucks. While much of this heat energy is cycled back through the compressor to charge fresh incoming air and to drive the turbocharger, excess energy is captured by a second turbocharger that drives two substantial alternators via a specially designed gearbox. The self-contained system continuously generates 25kw of power. By using rugged automotive components, the unit is highly durable, runs for long periods without significant servicing and can be repaired simply and easily, with parts readily available. In addition to electricity generation, the BG25 provides a source of local heating to the location receiving power. Talbotts' MD Paul Firth says: "The size of the CHP installation can power a hotel, large house, farm or modest industrial complex, but we are aiming to build units with significantly greater output, based on this technology." Talbotts Heating was first established in 1973, as a retailer of Italian-made log stoves during the OPEC oil crisis in the 1970s. Talbotts has since then evolved into a manufacturer of biomass-fuelled equipment for heating and power generation.