Turning Rice Husks into Energy: A Case Study of Energy-saving Transformation in a Thai Rice Mill

Client Background:
A large rice processing plant in central Thailand generates a significant amount of rice husk waste daily. The plant originally used diesel boilers to provide thermal energy for its production processes, resulting in high monthly fuel costs.

Challenges:

• Fluctuating diesel prices led to excessively high fuel costs as a proportion of operating expenses.

• Accumulated rice husks occupied considerable space, incurring additional disposal costs.

• The desire to utilize renewable resources for more environmentally friendly production.

Solution:
We installed a Rice Husk Biomass Burner System for the plant, equipped with:

• A burner body specifically designed for rice husks.

• A screw conveyor pump for automatic and continuous feeding.

• An intelligent control system.

• An adaptation device for seamless integration with the existing boiler.

Operational Results:

✅ Reduced Fuel Costs: Replaced diesel with free rice husks, achieving approximately 65% monthly savings in fuel expenses.

✅ Stable Thermal Energy: The screw conveyor pump ensures continuous and uniform feeding, maintaining a stable combustion temperature of 850–950°C.

✅ Automated Operation: One-touch start and stop, enabling 24/7 unmanned operation.

✅ Environmental Benefits:

• 100% utilization of rice husks.

• Flue gas emissions comply with Thailand’s environmental standards.

• Rice husk ash produced after combustion is sold as fertilizer, generating additional revenue.

Client Testimonial:
“This system solved two major problems for us: disposing of rice husks and reducing fuel costs. The installation was straightforward, operation is stable, and the return on investment exceeded expectations.”