Industries
Boilers, Kilns, & Wood Dryers

Progress Engineering has a long history of applying state-of-the-art engineering principles and technology to control the processes of drying and burning wood.

Boilers

Progress Engineering is experienced in working with biomass boilers fueled by chips, sawdust and bark. Operating such boilers properly is a challenge, given the variability of the fuel being used. Our process design manages fuel and air flows to improve combustion efficiency and maintain a more consistent fire, and thus improve the boiler’s ability to meet demand swings. This is particularly important where steam loads vary widely, such as in kiln operations. Progress Engineering designs controls for the combustion process for fuel and air (FD and ID), as well as the water cycle of drum level (multi-element), steam flow, heat recovery, condensate return, and make-up, so that boilers achieve maximum efficiency.

Emissions Control

Proper management of the combustion cycle reduces opacity and emissions. Progress Engineering designs control strategies and applies our knowledge of loop tuning to aid customers in meeting state and federal compliance standards.

Steam turbines

Our experience extends to turbine governor and generator load controls as well as integration of multiple electric sources such as local utilities and diesel generators.

Kilns

Progress Engineering designs kiln control systems to improve efficiency and achieve significant cost savings. For example, many kiln owners have installed a single, large variable frequency drive (VFD) on their fans to reduce energy usage. Our engineers have learned that in fact, to maximize drying at the lowest cost, facilities should control each fan individually with its own, smaller VFD. Each drying schedule segment should have a fan speed set point, which can be reduced as the drying rate decreases during the drying cycle. Returns from this modification can be dramatic, with relatively small reductions in fan speed cutting power consumption by as much as 50 percent. See our Kiln Improvements White Paper for more details.

Plant-wide Steam Load Management

We have implemented mill-wide, kiln steam demand systems, which have improved boiler operations and reduce total plant kiln drying times.

Wood Dryers

Progress Engineering is experienced in the efficient control of wood dryers, and integration of flame suppression controls for a safe working environment.

Additional Capabilities

We provide energy assessment consulting services to identify meaningful returns in a facility’s utility infrastructure. We identify the largest energy uses and work with our customers to better manage these. We also have experience developing and implementing energy savings projects as part of cost-sharing programs with state governmental bodies. Examples include plant-wide kW demand, and condensate return and heat recovery.