Thermal dewatering of biomass can be time-consuming and costly, but Drinor has the solution to this problem. Now their pilot machine will be tested in Denmark.
“We have the opportunity to see how our technology works in an existing production line, and that’s an important step in the process of launching the zero series to the market,” says Carl Romlin of Drinor.
Drinor was founded in 2016, and the same year the company received support from the Swedish Energy Agency in order to take its technology from lab scale to industrial production. Drinor offers a solution for drying wood-based biomass. Thanks to its mechanical dewatering press, the energy consumption for drying can be reduced by 50 per cent. The company has developed rapidly, and a full-scale pilot machine is already being installed at the site of a pellet manufacturer in Denmark.
“I’m particularly happy that the Danish company where we’re installing our machine actively looked for streamlining its drying process and believes in the exact mechanical solution we offer. It proves there’s a need in the market,” says Alexander Thelander of Drinor.
Positive results in test phase
In 2018, Drinor’s pilot machine was ready to be installed. The first installation took place with pellet manufacturer Rindi in Älvdalen.
“The objective was to confirm the results of the process, such as capacity and energy consumption,” says Carl Romlin.
The outcome of the first test phase was good, but it also indicated what more needs to be done before the first zero series can be put on the market.
“We realized that we needed to ensure some additional parameters, so we chose to extend the test phase. This time, focus is on operational data and long-term tests. Thanks to the tests at Rindi, we know that it works on a large scale, so now we need to find out how it works best in the production line,” Carl explains.
Why Denmark?
“It has always been important for us to select our collaborations, and in Denmark there was both great interest and the opportunity to make it happen in the best way based on what we want to achieve,” says Alexander.
The near future will be busy in Denmark, where the outcome will pave the way for a full-scale market launch.
About Drinor:
Drinor offers a solution to one of the most expensive steps in biomass processing, namely drying. In pellet production, mechanical dewatering can reduce the drying cost by 50 per cent.
Drinor was founded in 2016, and in cooperation with partners including the Swedish Energy Agency, they developed the CDP concept, which is planned for market launch in 2020.
Drinor cooperates with Sting Bioeconomy since the spring of 2019.
Read more about Drinor.
