In the agriculture, forestry, the primary and secondary wood working industry there are considerable resources of raw materials which can only be used in a rational manner for energetic purposes. Due to requirements from the users. one of the most retinal way of utilization is to make pellets with high density and specific energy content. Making pellets of 6-8 mm diameter, their utilization in furnaces allows an almost fully automated operation with high thermal efficiency. This book describes both the theoretical and practical aspects of pellet production including material requirements and preparation, pressing technologies, quality requirements, burning properties, investments and the overall economy of pellet production.

Biomass pellets are a suitable fuel type for a wide range of applications, from stoves and central heating systems up to large-scale plants, and with practically complete automation in all these capacities. This handbook, written and edited by experienced professionals from IEA Bioenergy Task 32 in cooperation with Bios Bioenergiesysteme GmbH, Graz, Austria, other IEA Tasks and external experts, is the first comprehensive guide in English language covering all pellet related issues, as illustrated by the following list of topics covered by the book: international overview of standards for pellets evaluation of raw materials and raw material potentials quality and properties of pellets technical evaluation of the pellet production process and logistic aspects of pellet supply safety and health aspects for pellets during storage, handling and transportation technological evaluation of pellet furnace technologies and future developments economic and ecological evaluation of the pellet production process economic and ecological evaluation of pellet use in small-scale furnaces in the residential sector overview of international pellet markets and market developments international case studies for the use of pellets for energy generation latest trends concerning research and development in the pellet sector. Extensively illustrated and packed with practical knowledge, this is the ultimate reference for anyone involved in or affected by this burgeoning industry. It addresses all the players of the pellet market, ranging from raw material producers or suppliers, pellet producers and traders, manufacturers of pellet furnaces and pelletization systems, installers, engineering companies, energy consultants and end users.

This handbook provides an overview on wood science and technology of unparalleled comprehensiveness and international validity. It describes the fundamental wood biology, chemistry and physics, as well as structure-property relations of wood and wood-based materials. The different aspects and steps of wood processing are presented in detail from both a fundamental technological perspective and their realisation in industrial contexts. The discussed industrial processes extend beyond sawmilling and the manufacturing of adhesively bonded wood products to the processing of the various wood-based materials, including pulp and paper, natural fibre materials and aspects of bio-refinery. Core concepts of wood applications, quality and life cycle assessment of this important natural resource are presented. The book concludes with a useful compilation of fundamental material parameters and data as well as a glossary of terms in accordance with the most important industry standards. Written and edited by a truly international team of experts from academia, research institutes and industry, thoroughly reviewed by external colleagues, this handbook is well-attuned to educational demands, as well as providing a summary of state-of-the-art research trends and industrial requirements. It is an invaluable resource for all professionals in research and development, and engineers in practise in the field of wood science and technology.

This book examines a topic which is an indispensable part of any production line in the wood industry: the extraction, separation, handling of dust and chips, ensuring clean air in the workrooms, and avoiding health, fire and explosion risks. All scientific backgrounds of these problems are not fully known today, and efforts should be made to fill this gap. The work contains significant new derivations and calculation methods and experimental results to support design and evaluation methods such as particle size distributions depending on wood species and machining, terminal velocity of small wood particles, aerodynamics of suction hoods, a detailed analysis of particle separation in cyclones, selection and evaluation of separation efficiency for appropriate filter selection, energy consumption and transportation efficiency of pneumatic conveying, a comprehensive theory of transport ventilators. Several new details of dust explosion are also included. The calculation methods, practical solutions and recommendations are supported by physically well-established explanations providing long-lasting knowledge.

This book takes the reader on a journey from the moment that raw wood material enters the factory to the final pellet consumption. It starts by reviewing biomass application and its role for the future development of renewable energies, discussing different biomass conversion methods as alternatives to direct utilization. The second chapter then comprehensively examines densification processes, with a focus on the pelleting process. Chapter three further elaborates on the pelleting process, including an overview of the pellet structure and properties, and the history of this process. The subsequent chapters provide a detailed account of the production process from raw material delivery to final distribution, addressing the chemical and physical quality, and presenting measurement methods and standards. In the final chapters, the authors describe in detail the pellet combustion process and emissions.