Full Wood Pellet Plant

Wood pellets are sourced from dry sawdust that has been compressed under high pressure. They may have other additives such as starch that act as a binder. Wood pellet plants are now a hot industry due to their affordable starting capital and people's awareness of using fuel that is friendly to the environment. Many pellet production plants have been established in the world, but the pellets output still does not meet its demand in the market. Wood is the principal raw material used in full wood pellet plants. It may include logs, timber, chips, or sawdust of pine, cypress, acacia, and oak among others.

Factors to consider when establishing a full wood pellet plant

Many aspects should be considered when one is planning on establishing a wood pellet plant. One needs to understand the characters of the materials and the equipment to be used for crushing, pelletizing, and cooling the wood pellets accordingly. The following aspects should be considered when making a full wood pellet plant design:
 
I. The characters of the material
The materials used in the production of wood pellets are usually difficult to compress. The machines used for the compression process should operate at a lower speed. Wood pellet mill is suitable for wood pellet production due to its distinct features. The equipment operates at a lower speed hence producing more torque and power. As a result, more heat is also produced.
 
II. The type of pellet mill used in the plant
One should select the right type of pellet mill used in the plant. Factors such as the wood density, moisture content, and the wood size should be utilized as a guide in the process. Pellet mills come in two major designs including the flat die or the ring die design. The flat die designs are used in small scale production while the ring dies design is employed in large scale pellet equipment.
 
III. Funds and Budget
The budget will determine the size of the wood pellet plant. Setting up a large wood pellet plant will require one to have a significant amount of capital. It is advisable to lower the capacity of the pellet plant or the get rid of some relatively irrelevant equipment. However, it is not desirable to replace valuable equipment with cheaper and inferior quality equipment with the intention of cutting the production cost.
 
IV. The workshop
The size of the budget will also determine the workshop size. A large workshop will require massive amounts of funds. It is advisable to build a work near the source of the raw materials saves on the transportation costs. The workshop's size will determine the design of the plant.
 
V. Moisture content of the material
The moisture content will determine whether a drying system is required or not. It is advisable to dry fresh wood before pellet mill. A huge amount of moisture wood may affect the palletization process leading to sticking together of the material like paste.
 

Wood pellets production procedure

The following is a typical wood pellet manufacturing process:

• Drum Chipper: a wood chipper is used to preprocess the fresh harvest wood. The pellets will then be reduced to the proper size which is typically 6mm.
• Screening of the wood material: the material will be screened for foreign matter.
• Drying of the wood material: the material will be put through a drying process to achieve the advisable moisture content.
• Pelletizing: the raw materials will then be passed through die holes under high pressure to produce soft pellets.
• Cooling: the hot ejected pellets be air-cooled to harden and strengthen them.
• Packaging: the wood pellets are then put into bags for protection and convenient distribution. Distribution is done by trucks or other vehicles.
• Storage: pellets should be stored in dry conditions away from moisture. The recommended storage sites include tanks, silos, and containers.

 

Benefits of the wood pellet plant

1. Clean and green: wood pellets are used as an alternative source of renewable energy to coal and natural gas. Biomass wood pellets are friendly to the environment, and they have no additives. Plants utilize the carbon dioxide produced in the process of photosynthesis.
2. Wood pellet plants are costs as well as a potential source of jobs. The increase in the global demand for wood pellets indicates a rising number of the industries. The growing wood pellet plants provide tremendous employment opportunities to people.
3. Wood pellet plants boost land upkeep: forest managers are forced to maintain their lands properly to accommodate the increasing demand for wood pellets. The conservation process includes planting more trees and harvesting through the process known as afforestation.