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Wood Pellets: An Introduction To Their Production and Use

On wood pellets production - virtues, economics etc Alternative energy production from wood pellets

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121 views4 pages

Wood Pellets: An Introduction To Their Production and Use

On wood pellets production - virtues, economics etc Alternative energy production from wood pellets

Uploaded by

sabrahima
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Wood Pellets

An Introduction
to their Production and Use
David Jones
Mississippi State University
David Harper & Adam Taylor
University of Tennessee

Whats Inside
Page 2

Advantages of Wood Pellets


Green, clean,
and convenient

Page 3

How Pellets Are Made


Turning wood waste into
premium fuel

Page 4

How Pellets Are Used


From home heating to
industrial boilers

Page 4

Markets for Pellets


Heating up!

Introduction
Wood pellets are compressed wood particles that are used as
fuel. Pellets are already commonly used in some areas of the
country, and in other areas they are growing in popularity as
primary fuel costs increase and concerns about global climate
change build.
This fact sheet is a short introduction to wood pellets and will
be helpful to those who are interested in using or producing
wood pellet fuel. The advantages of wood pellets are discussed,
as well as how pellets are made and used.

Wood Pellet Stoves


Wood pellet stoves are very efficient and are capable of capturing almost 95 percent of the heat
produced from burning the pellets.

Wood Pellets: An Introduction

Advantages of Wood Pellets


Because wood pellets are made from wood, they have the same
advantages as wood: local, abundant, renewable, and low-cost.
In addition, wood pellets are

Both systems require little

when wood is burned was

very low in moisture (water) and

maintenance because the

captured from the atmosphere

ash content, so they burn hot

pellets burn so cleanly.

when the wood was grown in

and cleanly. Fuel pellets are


limited to 1 percent (premiumgrade) to 3 percent (standard)
ash. Regular firewood has more
ash because of the bark.

the tree. This is an important

Pellets have a number of

advantage, especially in some

environment-friendly
attributes. Pellets usually are
made from wood-processing
byproducts (sawdust, for

countries in Europe where


restrictions on carbon emissions
are growing.

Wood pellets also are small and

example), so they are making a

Wood also is less expensive

easy to handle. They are

valuable product from a

than most other fuel options.

generally available in 40-pound

potential waste material. More

Pellets are more expensive than

bags, but in some areas they

recently, low-quality trees from

some other forms of wood fuel

are available in bulk. There is

forest thinnings and salvage

(sawdust or firewood), but they

very little dust and no bark.

operations have been used.

usually are cheaper than oil,

Many wood pellet-burning

Pellets contain much less water

natural gas, or electricity. The

stoves have hoppers with feed

and are denser than firewood,

following table shows the

screws that feed the pellets into

so they are more efficient to

approximate fuel value of pellets

the fire when fuel is needed.

transport. Wood and wood

compared with other fuels.

Larger furnaces are available

pellets are carbon-neutral in

Currently, pellets sell for about

that have large storage silos

terms of their contribution to

$200 to $250 per ton.

that also automatically feed fuel

global climate change: all the

into the furnace when needed.

carbon dioxide that is released

1 ton of pellets is equal to


120 gallons of heating oil

16,000 ft3 of natural gas

170 gallons of propane

4,775 kilowatt hours of electricity

Wood Pellets: An Introduction

How Pellets Are Made


Raw Material

Processing Material

The production of wood pellets

Once the feedstock has been

begins with the generation of the

dried, it is fed into a hammer mill

raw material. In most cases, this

that makes the wood particles a

raw material is a byproduct of

consistent size. This helps make

some other wood processing

the pellets a consistent density so

operation. Hardwood flooring

that they provide a consistent

mills are one good example:

heating value.

they produce large quantities of


clean, dry sawdust and small

Formation of the Pellets

blocks in their operations. This

Pellets are extruded, or formed,

makes an ideal raw material for

using special dies. High pressures

pellet production; however, as

(45,000 PSI) and temperatures

the interest in pellet production

(200 F) are generated in this

grows, some mills are generating

process, which softens

pellet-making raw materials

components of the wood (the

from round wood.

lignin) and binds the material in

Large electric motors are


used to power pellet mills,
which compact wood
particles and extrude them
as pellets through small
openings in steel dies.

the pellet together. No additional

Drying
The pellet raw material must be
uniformly dried to a low

adhesives are required.

Bagging and Storage

moisture content (below 4

Once the pellets are formed and

percent on a dry-weight basis).

cooled, they can be packaged in

Because of the high

bags or stored in bulk. Most

temperatures and pressures in

people buy pellets by the ton (a

the manufacturing process,

pallet of fifty 40-pound bags), or

excess moisture can cause

they buy in bulk and a delivery

problems. However, this low

truck places them in small silos

moisture content is also one of

outside of the home. Pellets can

the reasons that wood pellets

be stored indefinitely, but they

burn so well.

must be kept dry to prevent

Pelletizing machines are


not terribly expensive
(about $50,000) and can
produce 5 to 10 tons of
pellets per hour.
However, complete
manufacturing facilities
can cost more than
$1 million and require
considerable operating
expenses and labor
inputs.

deterioration.

Wood Pellets: An Introduction

How Pellets Are Used


Wood pellets are burned for heat. The
stoves to burn pellets can range from
large commercial boilers to small
residential heaters. Many pellet-burning
stoves have hoppers (storage bins) and
thermostat-controlled augers that push
pellets into the fire automatically. These
stoves have to be loaded less frequently
than traditional firewood-burning
appliances.
Once the pellets are burned, the
remaining ash must be removed
periodically from the stoves, generally
once a week. The amount of ash is lower
than that of traditional firewood that has
bark. Well-formed pellets will create
very little dust or debris. All these factors
make burning wood pellets a clean and
convenient way to heat.

Wood pellet production flow chart.

Markets for Pellets


The Pellet Fuels Institute, an
industry association, reports
that over 80 pellet mills in North
America currently produce more
than 1 million tons of pellets
annually. Markets for wood
pellets are well-established,
especially in the northeast of the
United States.

Rising prices for fossil fuels


such as fuel oil and natural
gas are leading to increased
interest in wood pellet
heating. Concern over global
climate change is also
stimulating interest in wood
pellets and other carbonneutral energy sources.

In many European countries, wood


pellets are used in cogeneration: steam is
produced to turn turbines that produce
electricity, and the steam is then
redistributed to homes and offices,
where it is used for heating.

For more information, visit the


following Web sites:
The Pellet Fuels Institute
www.pelletheat.org/2/index/index.html
The Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue
Association
www.hpba.org/

Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran's status is a violation of federal and state
law and MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or group affiliation is a violation of MSU
policy and will not be tolerated.
E0021 (12-08)

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