Publishable Summary

Cost efficient biomass boiler systems with maximum annual efficiency and lowest emissions.

BioMaxEff is founded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Program. Grant Agreement No 268217

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BIOMAXEFF: Cost efficient biomass boiler systems with maximum annual

efficiency and lowest emissions

FP7 Grant Agreement Number: 268217

Start date of project: 15/04/2011

Duration: 42 months

Project Periodic Report

Period 1: From 15th April 2011 till 14th April 2012

PUBLISHABLE SUMMARY Project's administrative coordinator name:

DI Dr. Walter Haslinger

Project's scientific coordinator name: DI(FH) Dr. Christoph Schmidl

Project coordinator organization name:

BIOENERGY 2020+ GmbH Branch Wieselburg | Gewerbepark Haag 3 | A 3250 Wieselburg-Land www.bioenergy2020.eu

(BE2020)

Publishable Summary: BioMaxEff Page 2 of 6

A summary description of project context and objectives

The BioMaxEff aims at the demonstration of ultra-low emission and highest efficiency

performance small scale biomass boilers under real life operating conditions. The demonstrated

technologies will fulfill the requirements of three substantially different market sectors, namely 1) boiler

exchange, 2) refurbishment, 3) new buildings.

The boiler exchange and refurbishment markets are addressed with an outstanding natural

draught log wood boiler and a product series of a 10 to 26 kW (and 60 kW) pellets boiler, and a 6 to 12

kW pellets boiler. The pellets boilers are demonstrated solely or in combination with modular built

secondary components, such as a flue gas heat exchanger, an electrostatic precipitator and the

combination of both.

The investigated boilers are characterized by outstanding behaviour regarding load change.

This allows the optimum integration with ventilation components for energy recovery to energetically

optimize the energetic performance of buildings. Integrated solutions will be demonstrated in pre-

fabricated houses to highlight the substantial potential for seasonal efficiency increase and emission

reduction in this field. Fig.1 represents an overview of the project concept of BioMaxEff

Fig.1: Overview of the project concept of BioMaxEff

The chosen system approach of the BioMaxEff consortium rather than an isolated product

optimization and demonstration approach consequently is to:


■ Perform an analysis of framework conditions and market needs

■ Develop seasonal efficiency and emission factor determination methods for the test stand and field

testing

■ Demonstrate and optimize considered technologies and components under test stand conditions

■ Demonstrate and optimize system solutions by integrating components into buildings

■ Demonstrate the performance of systems by vast field monitoring with sold installations (> 2.300

units)

■ Accompany the demonstration and optimization with R&D activities where necessary

■ Perform an overall environmental impact assessment

■ Disseminate results

The consortium consists 13 partners from 8 European countries.

Description of the work performed since the beginning of the project and the main results achieved so far

The first year of BioMaxEff focused on the establishment of overall project and consortium

management tools; the background, framework and market analysis: the development of several

monitoring methods; the first demonstration of boilers performance on test stands and in field

conditions; some R&D activities and the dissemination planning for project results. Following the kick

off in Seekirchen (Anton-Windhager Str. 20, 5201 Seekirchen-Austria) from 25-26th of May-2011, the

project is running smoothly. In Work package (WP) 1, specific progress has been made in setting the

protocol for overall project management, fund allocation and IPR management. An Executive Board

was established consisting of one member of each Industrial partner and the Project Coordinator. For

appropriate exploitation of BioMaxEff outcomes, Mr. Werner Granig (Windhager) was elected as the

Exploitation Manager and Mr. Jürgen Brandt (WhTech) as the Chairman of the Technical Committee.

In WP2 a thorough techno-legislative-market analysis of small scale biomass boiler

technologies was performed. A comparative analysis of several existing legislations, standards and

quality labels in EU member countries at EU, national and federal level was carried out. It was found

that German regulations and quality label define the most stringent requirements for the emissions of

pollutants and efficiency for biomass boilers. Pros and cons of several technological options (using

biomass as fuel) for residential heat production were analyzed. In addition to the technical description

of biomass heating systems, several secondary measures for pollution emission reduction, their

advantages and shortcomings were documented. Three different relevant market sectors were

analyzed i.e. fuel market, boiler market and buildings.

The main focus of WP3 is to develop and validate methods for the upmost accurate evaluation

of the performance of boilers, both on “test stands” and in “field conditions”. Several parameters for

the evaluation of boiler performances were defined. Developed methods (draft) were divided into three

distinct parts. In the first part a method for demonstration and monitoring of performance of biomass

boilers on test stands was developed, while in the second part a method for the demonstration and


monitoring of performance of biomass boilers under field conditions was developed. The third part

provides guidelines for assembling and use of data acquisition cabinet/system. It is to highlight that the

methods developed in year-1 will further be improved and validated after gaining more experience on

test stands and field test experiments. Therefore, modifications, i.e. improvements, in the methods are

likely. WP3 also defined a load cycle test which is shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2: Load cycle for pellet boiler.

In WP4, manufacturing of different components and of different boilers for test stand

demonstration is started. For example, Windhager has started to manufacture electrostatic precipitator

and performed internal tests for component evaluation. Based on the methods developed in WP3, test

stands of the RTD partners have been prepared 1) to perform computer controlled heat sink to

simulate the real heat demand of a house hold and 2) to measure annual efficiency and implement

evaluation routine.

WP5 focuses on the demonstration of system solutions performance in field conditions. Four

boilers have been installed for the field demonstration (2 each in Austria and UK). For the concept and

design of system solution, software from “Openstudio1”, the Energy Plus is being used to simulate the

building performance and will further be adopted according to the building specifications in BioMaxEff

target countries. So far the simulation tool has been applied to a prefabricated house (ELK) in Austria.

A vast monitoring program of system solutions was planned in WP6. Six installations have

already been chosen (3 in UK, 1 each in Austria, Germany and Greece) and four more will be chosen

1 http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/energyplus


by end June 2012. A questionnaire has been prepared (in English and German language) to collect

system solution specific data from field and will also be translated into other local languages.

WP7 focuses on several R&D activities. WP4 and WP5 have mutual relation with WP7. First

tests to improve annual efficiency of the boilers have been performed. A detailed analysis of the

performance of low energy houses and especially the interaction of ventilation systems with a pellet

boiler in a prefabricated house of ELK is performed and improvements will be evaluated. Tests to

evaluate PM removal efficiency of electrostatic precipitator are ongoing. In WP8 several criteria for the

LCA and LCC are under discussion.

To disseminate the results of BioMaxEff, a dissemination plan has been worked out in WP9. In

addition, a project specific website has been created which is accessible at www.biomaxeff.eu.

The expected final results and their potential impact and use

BioMaxEff aims to develop and demonstrate the performance of highly efficient, ultra low

emission and cost effective biomass boilers for residential heat supply. The system approach of the

project is expected to improve the social acceptance of biomass boilers in the residential heat market.

Following impacts are expected for small scale boilers;

■ Reduced pollutants emissions by biomass heating systems

■ Highest efficiencies of biomass heating systems

■ Low cost of biomass heating systems

■ Increased market share of biomass heating systems

■ High impact on air quality in residential zones during heating season


Project public website: www.biomaxeff.eu

Fig. 3: Picture of the BioMaxEff consortium at the kickoff meeting from 25-26th of May 2011 in Seekirchen, Austria, at the premises of Windhager

For further details please contact Vijay Kumar Verma ([email protected]).

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