Heuristic Engineering Inc.

3040 West 5th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V6K 1T9  Canada

Phone: (604) 263-8005  Fax: (604) 263-0786 Email: doug@aetmail.com

Converting refuse to energy in the 21st Century

Heuristic Engineering Inc of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada supplies Waste-Disposal / Energy-Recovery systems featuring its patent-pending two-stage combustor, the Heuristic EnvirOcycler. The EnvirOcycler disposes of various solid wastes with moisture contents as high as 65%, on a wet basis.  Sensible heat in the EnvirOcycler's clean 2,000°F ± 200°F (1100°C ± 100°C) products of combustion can be recovered in a range of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems.   The CHP's typically produce between 15 to 150 Million Btu/h (4 to 40 MW_th) of process heat and/or between 5 and 15 MW_e of electrical power.  Another term for a CHP is a Waste to Energy system - a WTE.

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The EnvirOcycler is a stand-alone, two-stage combustor (first stage of updraft gasification; second stage of cyclonic combustion) which, when disposing of typical wood residues, readily meets the following particulate, CO and NO_x concentration levels: 0.05 grains/ dry standard cubic foot, 1.5 ppm_v and 15 ppm_v, respectively, all corrected to 12% CO₂ by volume, straight out of its 2,000°F ± 200°F stack. The EnvirOcycler can be used to direct fire waste heat boilers, indirectly-fire gas turbine generator sets, externally co-fire existing fossil fuel fired boilers, direct fire lumber dry kilns or rotary dryers, etc.

The initial version of this combustor was developed in the 1970's to dispose of wet sawmill or pulp mill wood waste in the Pacific Northwest.  Units have been in continuous operation in the North American forest products industry for the last 20 years. The EnvirOcycler is manufactured by Heuristic Engineering’s licensee, NORTHERN STEEL LTD. of Prince George, B.C.

SOLID RESIDUES SUITABLE FOR DISPOSAL IN THE EnvirOcycler

The EnvirOcycler can be used to dispose of:

• Typical forest products industry wood residues.
• Agricultural residues including rice husks
• Demolition, construction and land-clearing debris
• Shredded RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) from MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) processed by an MRF (Material Recycling Facility) - particularly for cities with populations of between 100,000 and 250,000 people
• Mixtures of municipal sewage sludge and RDF
• Shredded tires
• Poultry litter
• Cattle manure
• Pig manure
• Shredded industrial wastes such as
  carpet waste,  auto fluff, etc. 
• Various mixtures of any of the above.

Tipping fees can be earned for disposing of many of the above. More significantly, savings can be realized by displacing power and/or fossil fuels, or revenues can be earned from the sale of power and/or steam in today's deregulated energy market.