THERE is an ever-present need to reduce the installed cost of bagasse boilers
while increasing cogeneration plant efficiency. This is partnered with a push to
higher steam conditions and the desire to burn opportunity fuels such as cane
trash. Notwithstanding incremental advances introduced by boiler manufacturers
and developers/consultants such as the Sugar Research Institute, bagasse boilers
have changed little in the past 25 years. At the same time, there have been
advances in combustion and cogeneration technologies for other biomass fuels,
opportunity fuels such as municipal wastes, low rank coals and high rank coals.
When sugar industry engineers are considering technology options for boiler
upgrades and cogeneration plants, it is important that they are 'informed
consumers'. Hence, this paper aims to outline some of the many combustion and
cogeneration technologies with potential application in the sugar industry. This
includes improvements to conventional suspension fired furnaces, alternative
furnace designs, gasification, staged combustion and steam cycle upgrades. In
recognition of the fact that major new installations are difficult to justify, the
retrofit/integration/upgrade potential of each technology is also considered.