By Alexander Franklin – Managing Director, Ranheat Engineering Ltd.
A key strength of Ranheat industrial wood waste systems is their ability to automatically match fuel feed rate to the waste stream and heating requirements of a factory. Our systems are designed with tight control over combustion—delivering the heat you need without wasting fuel. Ranheat silos play a critical role too: they buffer wood waste until it’s needed, allowing your system to respond flexibly to production cycles.
But what happens in the summer, when your factory still produces dust and offcuts but doesn’t need as much heat? That’s when a well-designed system shows its value. Excess energy from waste combustion still needs to go somewhere. At Ranheat, we’ve designed a range of features that ensure your waste is managed effectively, automatically, and safely—so you can focus on production, not on managing waste disposal.
Ranheat systems use silo level sensors and modulating feed controls to balance combustion rate with available waste. When the silo is full, the system increases the burn rate to keep pace with production. When the silo is low, it automatically reduces combustion. This ensures efficient waste disposal while minimising operator input.
When heating demand is low, the system’s energy output still needs to be managed. Ranheat systems handle this challenge automatically with several features:
Winter/Summer Diverter (WA 300): Allows the warm air system to discharge excess heat outside the building, enabling continuous waste combustion without overheating your workspace. See our WA 300 system here →
External Heat Dissipators: For hot water systems, Ranheat can supply external fan coil dissipators that safely discharge excess heat. These systems use plate heat exchangers to isolate the process fluid from the dissipator fluid, avoiding freeze risks in winter.
These features ensure that your system can continue disposing of waste efficiently—without needing constant oversight or intervention from your team.
For some larger systems, converting excess heat into electricity can be a cost-effective solution. An ORC system uses waste heat to drive a small turbine, producing electrical power. As a general guide, one tonne of wood waste can generate around £80 of electricity. This approach can add significant value, especially for sites with steady year-round waste production. We’ll explore ORCs in more detail in a future article.
Customers like Paneltech and Handcraft have successfully integrated Ranheat systems for year-round waste disposal. Each site faced unique challenges—tight footprints, existing silos, variable fuels—and Ranheat’s modular systems proved adaptable and effective.
Managing wood waste effectively—especially in the summer—requires a thoughtful approach that matches your factory’s layout, fuel type, and operational needs. Ranheat systems are designed to keep your site running efficiently—automatically managing combustion, fuel feed rates, and waste disposal, even when heating demand drops.
From diverters and dissipators to advanced ORC solutions, Ranheat’s range of systems ensures your business stays focused on what it does best—while we handle the rest.
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