Pelletizer Equipment

One of the foremost considerations in deciding where to establish biomass pelletizer equipment is the availability of raw materials. In short, almost any sort of vegetation can be condensed into energy producing pellets although each has its own unique characteristics and behaviors in the pelletizer equipments.

Wood for Pelletizer Equipment

Wood and its derivatives are the raw materials most widely used for making pellets. Forestry operations often establish pelletizer equipment to make use of byproducts that might otherwise be discarded as waste. Debris from the harvesting of timber is collected for economic use. Cleared brush on tree farms is another source. However, the most common sources of material for the manufacture of wood pellets are the by-products of primary wood processing at sawmills and plywood plants: bark, sawdust, woodchips and shavings. Initial wood processing involves removal of the tree bark, which then becomes a by-product. Edging and trimming the lumber creates sawdust as the log is converted into boards. Whole slabs can be reduced into woodchips and mulch. Shavings are created as the lumber is then smoothed. These materials are superior for the pelletizing process in that fewer processing steps are necessary before entering the pelletizer equipments.

Flat Die Pelletizer Equipment

In locations without large-scale forestry operations the focus has been on the conversion of agricultural waste—notably straw—into biomass energy. This is due to its relative abundance and fast rate of rejuvenation. In Europe alone, it is estimated that an estimated 23 million dry tons is produced annually—double the weight of its current pellet demand. Denmark has been one of the leading countries in converting this agricultural product into energy.

However, it is less often used than wood for several reasons. First, the material is characterized by low density. This creates problems in transport, as greater volumes of straw must be shipped and processed in order to match the calorific value of more dense materials such as wood. There are also higher traces of impurities in straw than in wood, such as potassium and sodium, which lead to slagging when burned. Specially designed boilers must be used to counter the effects of these impurities. Nonetheless, a number of agricultural residues are viable for making biomass pellets.