Reciprocating Grate Boiler: ZOZEN’s Biomass Steam Solutions

The reciprocating grate boiler is a type of biomass-fired steam boiler widely recognized for its strong adaptability to various fuels and its ability to handle complex combustion conditions. Unlike fixed or traveling grates, the reciprocating grate uses a mechanical motion system to continuously push, stir, and advance the fuel bed. This motion prevents fuel caking, promotes better air contact, and ensures thorough combustion, making it particularly suitable for burning difficult biomass fuels with high moisture content or irregular shapes.

Industries such as textiles, paper production, food processing, and pharmaceuticals often face challenges when using raw biomass fuels like wood chips, rice husks, corn cobs, or straw. High moisture content and uneven particle sizes can reduce combustion efficiency and raise steam generation costs. In this context, the reciprocating grate boiler has emerged as a practical solution because it improves fuel flexibility, increases thermal efficiency, and stabilizes steam supply.

As global industries pursue cleaner and more economical energy systems, ZOZEN Boiler, a leading Chinese boiler manufacturer, has developed advanced reciprocating grate boiler technologies. Among its product portfolio, the DZW series biomass-fired steam boiler is designed to address industrial pain points, particularly the combustion of high-moisture biomass fuels, while delivering stable and efficient steam output.

ZOZEN’s DZW Biomass Steam Boiler: Parameters, Technology, and Advantages

The DZW series reciprocating grate boiler represents a new generation of biomass-fired steam boilers, combining advanced structural design with precise combustion control. It is particularly effective for enterprises seeking to utilize locally available biomass fuels without incurring additional drying costs.

The DZW series biomass steam boiler is available in a capacity range typically from 15 tons per hour to 35 tons per hour. It operates under working pressures from 1.25 MPa to 2.5 MPa, supplying saturated steam at temperatures between 194°C and 225°C. These parameters meet the needs of industries that require large and continuous steam supply, including paper drying, textile dyeing, and food sterilization.

The boiler adopts a three-drum, water-tube structure, which sets it apart from conventional two-drum biomass boilers. The three-drum arrangement improves circulation and heat exchange efficiency, ensuring more uniform temperature distribution and reducing the risk of localized overheating. Its furnace is large and deep, designed to accommodate bulky biomass fuels and ensure sufficient combustion time.

The heart of the DZW boiler is its reciprocating grate system. Unlike traditional grates, this design employs mechanical movement to push and stir the fuel bed continuously. For high-moisture biomass fuels, which tend to form clumps and cause incomplete combustion, the reciprocating grate effectively breaks up agglomerations. It prevents clinker formation and ensures that fuel progresses evenly through drying, combustion, and burnout stages.

By turning and loosening the fuel bed, the grate enhances contact between the biomass and the combustion air, promoting complete burning. This innovation directly translates into higher fuel utilization and reduced unburned carbon content in the ash.

The DZW reciprocating grate boiler incorporates independent wind chambers along the length of the grate. This design allows for precise sectional air distribution, supplying the correct volume and temperature of air to different combustion stages. For example, high-moisture biomass requires more air during drying and ignition, while complete combustion at later stages needs a steady supply of secondary air.

This fine-tuned air control greatly improves combustion stability, reduces smoke, and enhances the ignition of challenging fuels such as wet wood chips or rice husks. For industries that previously had to pre-dry biomass fuels before feeding them into conventional boilers, the DZW reciprocating grate boiler eliminates this costly step.

Through these technical advantages, the DZW series has become a flagship reciprocating grate boiler solution for enterprises aiming to cut fuel costs while maintaining reliable steam output.

Biomass Steam Boiler for a Paper Manufacturing Enterprise

A regional paper company, known for its high-volume paper product manufacturing, faced growing challenges in its steam supply system.The main issues included incomplete combustion, excessive unburned residues, and low boiler efficiency. Since the biomass fuels available locally had high moisture content, the company had to pre-dry the material before using it, which added extra costs and limited production flexibility.

To resolve these issues, the company partnered with ZOZEN Boiler, which designed and supplied a DZW series reciprocating grate boiler tailored to their needs.

The reciprocating grate boiler applied at the paper mill featured a mechanical motion system that continuously stirred and advanced the biomass fuel. This prevented fuel clumping and ensured even combustion throughout the grate. For the high-moisture raw materials used by the paper company, this design eliminated the need for costly pre-drying.

In addition, the boiler’s independent wind chamber system provided segmented air distribution. Different air volumes and temperatures were delivered to specific combustion zones, improving ignition and burnout efficiency. This solution addressed the long-standing issue of incomplete combustion and reduced both fuel consumption and ash residues.

With the installation of the DZW reciprocating grate boiler, the paper manufacturer experienced significant improvements. Steam supply became more stable, ensuring consistent drying and forming of paper sheets. Fuel costs decreased due to more complete combustion, and operational efficiency increased thanks to reduced downtime for cleaning and maintenance.

ZOZEN’s technical team also provided commissioning and training support, ensuring smooth integration of the new system into the company’s production processes. This collaboration underscored how advanced reciprocating grate technology can directly impact industrial productivity and cost control.

Why Choose ZOZEN’s Reciprocating Grate Boiler

The reciprocating grate boiler is more than a combustion system; it is a comprehensive energy solution that allows enterprises to maximize the potential of biomass fuels. By overcoming the difficulties of high-moisture and irregular fuels, this technology ensures efficient energy use, stable steam supply, and lower operational costs.

ZOZEN Boiler’s DZW series biomass steam boiler integrates a three-drum water-tube structure, reciprocating grate technology, and independent wind chamber design to address real-world industrial challenges. Its strong adaptability and reliable performance make it a suitable choice for industries such as paper manufacturing, textiles, and food processing, where steam is central to production quality.

For enterprises seeking a sustainable and cost-effective steam solution, ZOZEN Boiler demonstrates how modern engineering and practical design can transform biomass into a reliable energy resource.