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Continuous Conveyor Drying – Biomass Drying
The main reason for drying biomass is to reduce the overall energetic efficiency, prior to the biomass combustion and storage. Further encouraged by various government renewable heat schemes (such as RHI) solid biomass (including solid biomass contained in waste) system has drawn more attention to utilising waste heat from biomass boiler as well as biomass drying process. Alvan Blanch customers already witnessed some satisfactory drying result from conveyor drier applications on woodchip, digestate, grass, straw, animal manure, and many other types. We have listed below two typical drying processes for your information.
Continuous Conveyor Drying – Digestate
Digestate is known as a nutrient-rich fibrous substance produced by anaerobic digestion, and there is an increasing demand on dried digestate for animal bedding, fertiliser, and other on-farm use. Especially for on-Farm AD projects, post-AD process - dewatering and drying digestate becomes inevitable, considering the saving on transport cost and reuse of heat from engine and CHP units.
The drier will efficiently dry digestate from a maximum moisture content of 75% down to below 10% if required. If higher input moisture is required this can be achieved through the addition of our back-mixing system.
Continuous Conveyor Drying – Woodchip ![]()
Woodchip drying is a vital part of a biomass fuel production which adds to bio solid fuel quality: continuous drying process utilises heat from biomass boiler, which is charged by fuels such as woodchip, wood shaving and wood logs. Biomass Energy Centre’s study indicates that the wetter the intake fuel is, the less responsively the boiler operates, and therefore drying process becomes essential in improving efficiency on woodchip usage. In addition, we supply a series of auxiliary equipment such as pelleting press, briquetting press, chopper and Hammermill to cater to woodchip and other biomass markets.
Continuous Conveyor Drying – Grain Drying
Continuous conveyor drier is specialised for handling crops as well as other industrial materials. An optional grain hopper can be fitted in the feed section on all CD range driers to facilitate granular product intake, such as grain, wheat, barley, rice, etc. As CD driers adopts the same unique louvered bed principle as to other range of grain driers, drying bed blockage can be prevented, while a higher drying consistency can be achieved under a prompt and precise air flow control.
For applications and installations where different types of driers are required, Alvan Blanch manufactures a range of alternative driers such as DF and SPD ranges, as well as a full range of rotary driers, both batch and continuous. More information about other drier ranges are available here.
Versatile Drying Control Systems ![]()
Alvan blanch offers both relay logic control and PLC (programmable logic controller) systems for the range of driers. We aim to improve our user friendliness and offer a control system that has remote control built into it, so that drier settings can be adjusted by iPad, iPhone, Android and similar. In particular, with our upgraded PLC system, the drier operator is able to view a different screen as to the drier supervisor, while the supervisor’s screen reflects latest remote operation happened on the machine. In addition, fault-finding diagrams are built into HMI and machine manual so as to facilitate the operations. With regard to the data storage, PLC internally stores key values with date and times stamped, which can be used for future operational analysis and comparison.
Throughput, thermal and electrical power values are approximate and will vary depending on ambient conditions, product variation, drier temperature and drier set up. (Overall width includes larger footprint of externally mounted fans)
With over 65 years of experience, Alvan Blanch have an in-depth understanding of drying and know that it is an ancient way of preserving crops and other materials. By its very habitat, seaweed is very high in moisture when first harvested; we have created a solution to ensure this moisture is reduced and the seaweed is preserved. 
stry leaders in hemp drying, processing up to 140,000 tonnes of the crop per year. We also remain as the manufacturers of the “World’s Biggest Hemp Dryer”, located in Europe, and measuring around 50 metres.
drying is an essential step to ensure the safety standards of the product. As the product is free-flowing, the Double Flow works as an efficient Hemp Seed Dryer. The unique louvered bed moves the seed along the dryer, at even and controlled bed depth. The Hemp Seed Dryer’s conveying system eliminates the possibility of hotspots and blockages, minimising any potential damage that could be caused.