The Lord Ezra award 2007 for excellence in the combustion industry was awarded to Ian Roberts of Byworth Boilers. A 2 year R&D project in conjunction with Leeds University culminated in the launch of the Yorkshireman2 which has taken steam boiler suppliers efficiency to new levels, around 2.5% higher than all other boilers on the market. The new boiler range has optimum configuration of shell, industrial furnace and tube for high efficiency and low emissions, but the innovation is the use of XiD spirally augmented boiler tube. Speaking after the presentation at the House of Lords Ian commented, ”What makes this award special to me is that the voters were all from the combustion industry and so understand what little headway has previously been made on this front. This is not the end of my work though I am currently working on pushing boiler efficiency still higher with a second project, details of which can be announced in 2008.”

The Yorkshireman2 boiler is now proving efficiency claims at various sites throughout the UK and fuel savings compared to running old inefficient boilers can be as much as 30%. The boilers are available at outputs from 1000 to 18000 kgs per hour and are operating in laundries and food factories amongst other industries. The XiD technology can also be applied to high pressure heating boilers to achieve fuel savings, reduced emissions and water savings.