Nowadays, the issue of preserving the environment is acute. First of all, this concerns fuel that is burned in furnaces in factories and in boilers for heating residential buildings. The most common type solid fuel long years coal was considered, but the extraction of such fuel is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive. Because of this, many companies are switching to the new kind fuel - pellets. But what is it?
1. What are pellets?
Pellets are new type solid biological fuel. Essentially, pellets are firewood. They are made by pressing waste from the woodworking industry:
- Slivers;
- Sawdust;
- Shavings;
- Wood dust;
- Tree barks and so on.
In addition, pellets can be made from other raw materials, such as:
- Straw;
- Sunflower husk;
- Nut shells;
- Peat;
- Reed;
- Grape cake and so on.
The production of pellets requires special equipment, which is available in Russia. At the same time, there are both mobile models of machines that can be used for private purposes, as well as entire industrial lines that are characterized by increased productivity.
It is worth noting that making pellets is not only profitable business, as well as the production of environmentally friendly biofuels. This production makes it possible to recycle waste from the agricultural and woodworking industries.
The quality of pellets, as well as their calorific value, directly depends on the raw materials from which they are made. Thus, buyers are often faced with the question, which pellets are better? To answer this question, it is necessary to examine the types of pellets in more detail.
1.1. Straw pellets
Straw is an excellent alternative to wood waste. In terms of calorific value, straw pellets are not inferior to wood pellets. At the same time, straw is a cheap and widespread raw material that is constantly renewed. In addition to straw, husks from corn and other crops can also be used to produce pellets.
The properties of straw, of course, differ from sawdust. It contains a large number of volatile substances that have low density. In addition, these substances burn for a relatively long time. It is also worth noting that straw pellets have a higher calorific value than wood pellets. This difference is not significant, however, it can still be a determining factor.
Unlike wood pellets, straw pellets are highly resistant to moisture. This means that storing such fuel does not require a dry room, as is the case with wood pellets. The only indicator by which straw pellets are inferior to wood pellets is ash content. The ash content of straw pellets is about 5.5%, while wood pellets have a value of only 1.5%.
However, despite this indicator, biofuel from straw is a promising type of energy, and the production of such pellets is today a very profitable business. In addition, unlike wood, straw is a rapidly renewable raw material.
1.2. Sunflower husk pellets
Another alternative to wood pellets is biofuel, which is made from sunflower husks. Before the advent of pellet production technology, sunflower husks were used only to produce husks, which were used in agriculture. However, today this type of raw material has found more effective use in fuel production.
Pellets made from sunflower husks are also practically not inferior to pellets made from wood. When burned, husk pellets release the same amount of energy as wood pellets. However, as with straw, producing biofuel from husks requires a rapidly renewable feedstock. In terms of ash residue, such pellets are superior to straw fuel, but are still inferior to wood pellets. The ash content of such fuel is 3.6%.
In addition to sunflower husks, pellets can also be made from pumpkin seed husks, shells walnuts, as well as grape cake and other crops. Such production also allows you to get rid of waste, turning it into valuable fuel. In turn, the manufacturer of such fuel literally makes money from garbage.
1.3. Peat pellets
Until recently, peat extraction was an unprofitable business. However, today peat deposits have again come under the attention of fuel producers. After the development of biofuels in granules, people began to use all kinds of waste from the agricultural and wood processing industries. Peat is also an excellent raw material for biofuel production.
Peat pellets have a characteristic black color. In terms of its capabilities, such fuel is considered one of best options For heating technology. Peat granules have the following indicators:
- Efficient combustion of fuel increases the efficiency level of the boiler. At the same time, the ash content is 2.2%, which is the second indicator after wood pellets;
- Peat pellets do not have hidden pores. They are not prone to spontaneous combustion even at elevated ambient temperatures;
- Like any other, peat pellets are made without the use of chemical substances, which makes them an environmentally friendly fuel that does not form hazardous compounds during combustion;
- When burning 1 ton of peat pellets, the same amount of energy is released as when burning 1.6 tons of wood, 475 m3 of gas, 0.5 tons of diesel fuel or 685 liters of fuel oil. These are quite high figures, especially considering the cost of such fuel.
2. Pellets as a new type of fuel: Video
2.1. Reed pellets
In all respects, fuel pellets made from reeds are absolutely not inferior to peat pellets, as well as compressed straw. Moreover, reed granules burn with less sulfur release, as well as carbon dioxide, which has a positive effect on the environment. This type has no fuel unpleasant odor, and can be used as a natural adsorbent.
This fuel is widely used to fire fireplaces and boilers for heating private homes. In addition, such pellets are quite successfully used in heating equipment, which provides heat to entire streets and neighborhoods. In terms of calorific value, reed pellets are inferior to wood pellets, however, the cost of such fuel is significantly lower.
Now you know what pellets are. This alternative view fuel, which is already actively used in many areas of industry today. In addition, fuel pellets are used for private purposes, for heating houses and heating fireplaces. main feature Such fuel is low cost and high calorific value. Moreover, regardless of what raw materials the pellets were made from.
Among other things, this type of biofuel emits much less smoke when burned, has virtually no odor and does not emit compounds hazardous to health. The production of pellets is a profitable business, especially considering that this is a young industry, and there is not yet fierce competition in Russia.
However, mainly pellets are an excellent alternative to all traditional types of fuel. Thanks to this, people will soon be able to completely abandon expensive coal mines.
The volume of pellet production in the Russian Federation in 2015, according to preliminary estimates, amounted to 930 thousand tons, and growth was recorded even during the crisis. Of this number, about 90% is exported, however, there are also great prospects for domestic supplies. Starting a business is easy because necessary equipment can be purchased for only 270 thousand rubles.
According to the marketing agency Maksioma, in 2015, pellet production in Russia reached its maximum value in the entire history of business development - the share of Russian pellets amounted to 3% of global production. During the study period, 5% more pellets were produced compared to 2014, and, according to the data marketing research RBC, growth for the year was 29%.
According to statistics from Rosstat, 888 thousand tons of pellets were produced in 2014, which is 30% more than the previous year. In just 5 years, their production volume has almost tripled (Fig. 1).
Russia is one of the ten largest pellet producing countries in the world (ranks 8th - Table 1). Moreover, the main sales vector for these products for Russia is export. By export volume Russian Federation ranks 4th in the world among pellet producing countries.
According to Rosstat, in 2014, 879 thousand tons of pellets were exported from Russia, which is 30% more than the previous year (Fig. 2). Despite a slight drop in the world price of pellets (by 5% to $175.8/ton), export volumes did not decrease even during the crisis years of 2015-2016. due to the rise in the dollar exchange rate.
The export volume of biogranules from Russia is 90% of all products produced. At the same time, the share of small producers of fuel pellets is 70% of the export pellet market (according to Economics magazine (No. 1, 2014).
At the end of 2004, the main volume of pellet exports fell to Denmark (43%) and Sweden (25%). Only about 7% of bioproducts are supplied to Asian countries.
Based on this, it is quite clear that the domestic pellet market in Russia is not full - this is an ideal niche in which there is practically no competition today. Pellet production is the future in Russia, so it is quite obvious that pellet production as a business today is a promising and highly profitable direction.
This is also facilitated by the fact that favorable conditions for development in this area of business are provided by the state - the state program “Energy Efficiency and Energy Development” is being implemented, approved by Government Order No. 512-r dated 04/03/2013. Within the framework of the state program, there is subprogram 6 “Development of the use of renewable energy sources” - its goal, in particular, is the use of waste (woodworking, agricultural and other) for energy production. The program is designed to be completed until 2020.
Based on the above, it is obvious that the pellet business has clearly defined prospects. Indeed, in addition to exports, the volumes of which are growing annually objective reasons, the domestic market is also expanding. That is, having started this business, you can count on the fact that the sales market will be provided.
In addition, this is the type of business that can be started on any scale - from garage production to the construction of an entire pellet plant. Let's take a closer look at this profitable type of business.
Pellet business
What are pellets
Pellets are compressed granules used as fuel for combustion in boilers to produce thermal and electrical energy. Fuel pellets have standard size, and their composition depends on the raw materials chosen for their production.
This is the most environmentally friendly fuel, the consumption of which in the world is growing annually by 10-15%.
What are pellets made from?
High-quality pellets (with the lowest ash content - less than 1.5%) contain less bark. They are considered suitable for domestic boilers. Their color is lighter than others - they are also called “white”.
And granules whose ash content exceeds 1.5% are considered industrial - their combustion will require special equipment. Comparative quality characteristics two types of pellets are clearly presented in table. 2.
The great popularity of pellets as fuel is due to the fact that, firstly, it is the most environmentally friendly and economical raw material. When burning a ton of biogranules, 3.5 thousand kWh of thermal energy is released, which is 1.5 times higher than when burning wood and practically corresponds to the calorific value coal.
Secondly, pellet production solves the problem of recycling waste from timber processing and low-quality timber. In addition, this allows you to save not only on the price of fuel, but also on logistics costs - because instead of imported coal, it is now possible to use local renewable resources.
The production of pellets has quite predictable high profitability. Thus, a plant with a production capacity of 10 tons/hour will require an investment of 5-10 million dollars. The payback period, according to Kommersant.ru, will be 3 years.
Where are pellets used?
The main purpose of pellets is to use them as raw materials for generating electrical and thermal energy. Pellets are burned in solid fuel boilers. The main area of application of energy generated from biogranules in Russia is the housing and communal services sector, incl. and heating of private households.
Due to the extremely low humidity (8-12%) and high density, granules are preferable for combustion in boilers to avoid the formation of soot and soot, which leads to rapid failure of boilers. In boilers, biogranules are not burned in the literal sense of the word, but smolder, which ensures their efficiency with a high heat transfer rate.
Pellets are easy to transport, and fuel equipment is easy to connect, because... there is no connection to the proximity of the main pipelines, as when connecting to gas networks. And most importantly, it is the cheapest fuel, the price of biogranules is 1.5 times cheaper than coal, and they are also cheaper than fuel oil.
Pellets made from agricultural raw materials are the most popular fuel for thermal power plants and private households. The fact is that they are much cheaper than other types of biogranules, and specific heat their combustion is at its limit high level.
According to Forbes, the volume of domestic consumption of biogranules in Russia is growing almost monthly. This is facilitated by the emergence of a large number of boiler houses in the regions that are adapted for the use of pellets.
Since the scope of the pellet business depends entirely on the amount of funding and the investor’s goals, different equipment can be chosen to start production. So, for a garage business, a small line with a capacity of about 100 kg of pellets per hour is suitable. The cost of this equipment is quite affordable for small businesses.
To launch a large plant, it will require not only large investments, but also an immediate solution to the issue of long-term supply of raw materials and the presence of permanent sales markets. Let's look at what equipment is needed for a pellet business, and also take a look at its cost.
Equipment for the production of pellets
The production technology is very simple and consists of the following steps:
- Grinding raw materials to flour in a crusher. At this stage, depending on the type of raw material, the following are used: rotary hammer crushers, sawdust/moisture extraction separators, chippers, roll shredders.
- Drying the processed mass in drying drums. You will also need combustion blocks, heat generators and burners.
- Granulation in a press granulator/steam generator. When compressed, the raw material is heated and, as a result, lignin is released, which binds wood flour into dense granules.
- Cooling to maintain shape in cooling columns.
- Packaging (packing and weighing devices).
- Transportation (transporters, conveyors, elevators, cyclones, etc.).
Cost of equipment for pellet production
When choosing equipment, you should take into account its performance, as well as reviews of its quality.
According to the official manufacturer of pellet boilers ROTEKS, the most expensive lines are considered to be those produced under the Kahl and Munch brands. Setting up a workshop with a capacity of 2 t/h will require an investment of 1 million euros. Pellet lines produced by " Radviliskis machine-building plant"(Lithuania). Equipment of the same power will cost about half a million dollars.
Let's take a closer look at the 3 most popular lines:
Pellet line MPL300
Pellet line Granwood PROFI-500
Equipment for the production of pellets SKJ2-150
Table 3 clearly shows that you can start a business in this area with minimal investment. The main thing is to provide production with raw materials and find a sales market.
Hello dear readers and subscribers of Andrey Noak's Blog! Today I will tell you what pellets are.
Pellets from the English “pellets” - pellets made from wood, peat, sunflower husks and other waste Agriculture. They say that the production of this innovative and very environmentally friendly fuel began, like many other products of the human mind, by accident!
One European sawmill sold sawdust from his sawmill to a neighboring farmer; it was profitable for him to sell sawdust, but delivery consumed almost all of his income. And then the farmer took a cunning route; he decided to dry the sawdust and then pass it through a large meat grinder. He took the resulting granules to his neighbor for testing. The neighbor liked the savings and then these pellets were used for heating.
Properties
Or they are often called granules and are produced without a binder or any chemical additives. The production method begins with drying sawdust and pelletizing it through a granulator press. Good article on this topic I have . Gluing sawdust is similar to passing through a meat grinder; under pressure and low temperature (90 degrees Celsius), lignin is released from sawdust and glues wood particles together.
According to its calorific properties, one ton of pellets emits 1.5 times less heat than coal and 2 times more than ordinary dry firewood.
Fuel pellets have a big advantage compared to natural gas: autonomy. Compared to coal and firewood, the opportunity automatic operation boiler
From an environmental point of view, pellets are made from waste materials that no one needs. wood waste, and this is their great advantage, they free up clogged areas and allow producers to earn additional funds. However, when wood grows, it absorbs more carbon dioxide than when it is released when burned as pellets.
During the growth process, wood absorbs a much larger amount of carbon dioxide than is then released when pellets from this wood are burned. Therefore, sawdust pellets are environmentally friendly clean look fuel...
Application
Today, wood pellets are used as fuel and litter for pets. For example, when I worked at a pellet production enterprise, we supplied about 1,500 tons of pellets per month to Novosibirsk, almost all of them were used as cat litter.
Why are pellets suitable? The thing is that they are environmentally friendly, and this is very important for animals. Second no less important aspect, is the absorption of odor from waste. The granules simply absorb liquids and odor, crumble and turn into ordinary small environmentally friendly waste, which turns into humus on the ground.
After burning pellets in boilers, ash is formed. This ash is sold in European countries in packages for summer residents and gardeners. After all, its PH increases beneficial features soil and plants grow healthier and stronger.
Fuel pellets have the ability to be used, this gives an additional advantage to their use - I poured a ton of pellets into the bunker and heat it for half the winter without looking into the stove, because it itself will regulate the fuel supply and temperature. But there are, of course, oddities when pellets are made with a small amount of sand or tree bark; when burned, the pellets leave a residue on the firebox and the boiler fails. That is why in Europe a special ENPLUS standard was made for pellets. And I wrote a book for production workers on how to pass it correctly and cheaper.
Dark and light wood pellets
As I already said, there are low-quality pellets with the presence of bark and sand. In fact, they are quite easy to distinguish from quality ones. These pellets range in color from darkish to black. The darker they are, the higher the content of mineral impurities in them. Such a granule disables home stoves and is also not suitable for pet toilets.
But they still produce it, because low-quality wood waste also needs to be processed. Dark pellets are used mainly in large industrial ovens for heating heating plants, schools, villages.
Video on the topic
Good luck and see you again! Andrey Noak was with you.
For centuries, only firewood was used as fuel, but nowadays a large number of different energy sources have appeared, but more and more people are returning to the roots and prefer to use biofuel, that is, fuel from plant or animal raw materials. Pellets are one of the types of environmentally friendly fuel. We will tell you more about what pellets are, where they are used, and how to make this miracle fuel yourself below.
Advantages of pellets, their application and production
Pellets are a type of compressed granules made from peat, wood products or agricultural waste. With a diameter of 4 to 10 millimeters and a length of 2 to 5 centimeters, depending on the size, they can be in the form of cylinders or briquettes. The most commonly used raw material is sawdust, shavings, bark, sunflower husks and more.
Advantages of fuel pellets: environmental safety
When coal burns, 60% of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, which critically affects the Earth's heat balance. And when using pellets, the emission of carbon dioxide is close to zero, that is, their combustion does not threaten our planet with the greenhouse effect.
As a rule, processed products are used as raw materials, which are usually simply thrown away. Sawdust and other wood waste in landfills begin to rot over time and can spontaneously ignite. Using this waste to make fuel pellets not only allows for waste-free production, but also eliminates the need to cut down forests. Unlike natural gas or oil, the raw material for fuel pellets is renewable.
Pellets have a very low ash content. Fuel pellets made without bark contain only 1.5% ash, maximum value this indicator does not exceed 3%.
No additional chemical additives, thickeners or adhesives are used in production. The gluing of the granule is ensured by the substance contained in the initial raw material - lignin, which heats up during pressing and holds the granule together.
Amount of heat released
When burning 100 kg of pellets, the amount of heat released is equal to the amount that is generated when burning 160 kg regular firewood. That is, to heat the same room, fuel pellets are needed one and a half times less than firewood.
Conveniently transported and stored
Due to their shape, pellets are easy to transport and package for sale and storage. As a rule, they are packaged in bags weighing up to 50 kg or in special large plastic bags with a volume of one cubic meter. High-quality pellets produce almost no dust, which can be susceptible to spontaneous combustion.
Finished heating pellets have a moisture content of no higher than 12%, which prevents the formation of mold during storage. Despite low humidity, granules do not absorb water from atmospheric air, but you should avoid direct contact with water.
Application
Most often, pellets are used for, for these purposes white or grayish granules are used. Dark color indicates that bark was used in production, which contains residual earth, which affects the color and ash content of the fuel; such pellets are cheaper and are used for industrial purposes.
The production of pellets is divided into the following main stages:
- If coarse raw materials such as peat or pulpwood are used, they are crushed to a particle size of 3-5 cm.
- The raw materials are dried to a moisture content of 15%.
- Grind the materials to flour. Maintain humidity at a level not higher than 15%.
- The crushed raw material is sent to a granulator, where it is pressed. The moisture content of the finished granules should be 12%.
- The finished products are cooled and packaged.
To make your own fuel pellets you will need:
- Coarse crusher;
- Dryer;
- Sieve;
- Granulator.
A granulator is the same machine that will grind and press pellets. You can purchase it or make it yourself.
How to make a granulator yourself
Depending on the matrix used, granulators are divided into two types: flat and cylindrical. We will talk about a flat matrix, since it is much easier to make at home.
Matrix made from a sheet of metal with a thickness of 8 to 20 mm; a thinner matrix can be deformed during operation. A circle of the desired diameter is cut out of the sheet; the performance of the granulator will depend on this size. A hole is made in the center of the circle corresponding to the diameter of the gearbox output shaft. The disk is perforated in the form of truncated cones, where the smaller hole will be equal to the diameter of the finished granule.
Installed on the matrix disk shaft with two worm rollers, it is attached perpendicular to the main shaft through a coupling. It is these gears that crush and compress the raw material, pressing it into the holes of the matrix.
Work node is installed inside a vertical cylindrical housing, the diameter of which corresponds to the size of the matrix. Nothing should interfere with the rotational movements of the mechanism, but the distance between the edge of the matrix and the walls of the case should be kept to a minimum.
The housing must have a hole at the top, where raw materials for production will be poured, and a hole at the bottom, where the finished granules will fall. A gutter is welded to the bottom, along which the pellets will roll into the placed container.
The production process is automated electric motor with a power of at least 15 kW. The motor shaft is connected to the working unit, and the whole thing is mounted on a frame made of metal profile. The finished granulator is coated with metal paint and a test run is performed.
How to make pellets yourself at home
If you want to make fuel pellets not only for yourself, but also for your neighbors on the site, then it makes sense to chip in and buy a ready-made granulator. Its cost will pay off in a few years; you won’t have to bother with tools and welding machine. But if you are confident in your abilities, then making a homemade granulator will save a significant part of the family budget.
What are pellets? How are they used? What are their pros and cons? All our knowledge about this is in this article.
| In our country, pellets are a worthy alternative to traditional types of fuel, namely diesel fuel, coal and firewood. The only competitor may be natural gas, supplied through a pipeline. If we consider only the cost of fuel, then, of course, heating with gas is 3-4 times cheaper than heating with pellets. However, if we take into account the cost of a new connection (project approval, etc.), then pellets win here too. Pellets (pellets, pellets, wood fuel pellets) are cylindrical compressed waste wood production. Abroad, pellets are widely used as fuel for automated boilers, both domestic and industrial, due to the fact that they have a significant environmental component, have a calorific value comparable to coal, and are relatively cheap. Pellets are especially popular in Denmark, Austria and Sweden. These countries are also leaders in the production of equipment for the use (combustion) of pellets. |
Pellet sizes are usually 6-8 mm in diameter and 5-70 mm long, depending on the raw materials used and the quality of pellet production, although it should be noted that pellets of other sizes are also found, for example, pellets with a diameter of 10 mm are produced in Novosibirsk. The raw materials for the production of pellets in our country are conifers, however, the best pellets are obtained from hardwood raw materials (this requires higher-class equipment).
The humidity of the pellets themselves is 7-10%, which allows them to be successfully used in pyrolysis boilers(albeit after a little modification of the latter). The density of the pellets is 1.5, so even though the pellets are made of wood, the pellets sink in water.
Calorific value 1 kg of pellets = 5 kW* hour (however, don’t forget about the efficiency of the device where you burn them, and in reality this figure is less), which is about 1.5 times more than firewood. Quite approximately, but very figuratively, we can say that the energy content in one kilogram of pellets is equal to the energy contained in half a liter of liquid fuel. And this kilogram will not spill throughout your home, polluting and leaving behind an unpleasant odor, and will not explode from an accidental spark.
Making pellets
Pellets are produced without the use of any chemical additives, which ensures the environmental purity of the fuel. In other words, this is the same firewood, formed into a form convenient for transportation, storage and use. A natural component of wood, lignin, is used as a gluing component, which glues the particles together when a certain temperature is reached.
Raw materials for production
The raw material for the production of pellets can be both industrial wood and wood waste: bark, sawdust, wood chips and other waste from logging and wood processing. Depending on the raw materials used, pellets differ in color. For example, logging waste (sawn wood, etc.) contains bark, which in turn contains sand, which ultimately reduces the quality of the product. The color of such pellets can be defined as “cappuccino”. However, the color of the pellets also depends on the granulation temperature, and in this case the color indicates that the granulation temperature is too high, the pellets simply burn. Thus, the quality of pellets can only be judged by their color in advance.
Raw materials from wood recycling (making furniture, windows, etc.) are cleaner, and the pellets have a white-yellow color, but this raises the question of the presence of impurities from chipboard or other artificial materials, used in the production of furniture, and in this case, there is no longer any need to talk about the environmental component. An indirect sign of chemical impurities may be the presence of red scale on the boiler grates after the combustion of such pellets.
Our experience shows that the only reliable way to check the quality of pellets is to burn them. Unfortunately, no certificates or other documents are proof of the quality of pellets, since you can submit an excellent batch to the laboratory, for example, purchased from another manufacturer, but we have not yet heard about the assessment or certification of our production itself, as happens in the West .
Pellet production
Raw materials (sawdust, bark, etc.) enter the crusher, where they are crushed into flour. The resulting mass enters the dryer, from which it goes into a granulator press, where wood flour is compressed into pellets. It takes about 5 cubic meters of wood waste to produce one ton of pellets. Therefore, if it occurs to you to start this “profitable” business, first of all, figure out where you will get such a volume of raw materials, i.e. To produce 10 tons of pellets per shift, you need 50 cubic meters of sawdust, preferably not collected from the ground, i.e. without impurities. In addition, given that the costs of drying raw materials (and for the production of pellets, raw materials must have a moisture content of 7% to 12%) are quite high, in order to reduce costs, it is better to look for dry shavings, i.e. so that your price is competitive. Ultimately, you need 5 cubes of dry sawdust to produce 1 ton. Some experts claim that pellet production is cost-effective at volumes of at least 300-500 tons per month, but in our opinion this estimate is overestimated.
The finished pellets are cooled, packaged in plastic bags or delivered to the consumer in bulk. By the way, this is the second delivery “ headache» manufacturer: for example, transporting pellets, for example, by road transport for 1 km increases the cost of 1 ton of pellets by approximately 1 ruble.
Ecology
Pellets are part of the natural CO2 cycle in the environment. Pellets are an environmentally friendly fuel, since during their combustion they release exactly as much CO2 as was absorbed by the tree during its growth (closed carbon exchange), unlike coal, etc. Those. When burning pellets, the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere does not exceed the amount of emissions that would be formed through the natural decomposition of wood. By using pellets, you save living forests from felling and from pollution from wood processing waste. environment. In addition, pellets are a renewable fuel source, unlike coal, oil and gas.
It is known that boilers running on diesel fuel or coal often emit an unpleasant odor. Pellets do not emit odor when burned, and, as a rule, due to the high efficiency of boiler equipment, the smoke from pellets is almost colorless. Due to the low sulfur content in pellets, emissions of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere are reduced, and this, in turn, leads to a decrease in the amount of acid rain. Pellets also outperform coal and liquid fuel in all respects in terms of other emissions. harmful substances. And if this still worries few people in industry, then having a periodic table around your private home is little pleasure. And even aesthetically - a boiler room running on pellets looks more attractive than one running on coal or diesel fuel.
Quality and standards
Today, there are no standards for pellets in the Russian Federation, so most manufacturers are guided by Western standards, which, by the way, differ from country to country. To our knowledge, a single European standard is under development. In addition, existing Western standards sometimes include not only a standard for the pellets themselves, but also standards for their production, storage and transportation.
Certificates for pellets in Russia are issued by various organizations. If you are going to sell pellets abroad (where 95% of products go today), then it would be more logical to obtain a certificate from the international accredited laboratories Incolab and SGS. However, for internal purposes, you can obtain a certificate from domestic research institutes. The price difference is more than significant. As a rule, in domestic laboratories all analyzes are done according to GOST, and in Incolab and SGS according to ISO, ASTM, SS, etc. on imported equipment.
As mentioned above, the only reliable way to check the quality of pellets is to burn a certain number, so we offer all our clients to sample a certain number of pellets before purchasing a large volume.
Pellets with excellent strength and abrasion resistance, as well as excellent appearance (smooth and shiny), can contain non-metallic inclusions (sand), which will result in the formation of slag and, ultimately, the boiler shutdown.
Pellet storage
Pellets are delivered to the end consumer, packed in plastic bags weighing 20-50 kg. Some customers prefer pellets packed in big bags - cubic plastic bags measuring approximately 1x1 meter or similar. The use of big bags can make it possible to completely dispense with the bunker; the auger is inserted directly into the bag, which is disposed of after emptying. Disadvantage this method The problem is that a big bag weighs about 700 kg and it is not very convenient to unload and move it without special equipment. In the West, there is a method of delivery in bulk in special vehicles, but in our country this method of delivery of pellets has not yet become widespread, due to the lack of such equipment, and especially a pneumatic supply system. For information, we can say that work on creating a similar feed in our country is underway, including by us.
Theoretically, pellets packed in bags can also be stored outdoors under a canopy, but we would not recommend experimenting, since when bringing pellets into a warm room from frost, condensation will form on their surface, reducing their quality (although pellets are not afraid of atmospheric humidity, but in direct contact with moisture, they readily absorb it in a mass several times larger than their own).
Pellets are fed into the boiler directly from the hopper via an auger (Archimedes screw). The hopper can be made from various materials, for example from ordinary corner and plywood, sometimes ordinary 200 liter plastic barrels. The dimensions of the bunker are limited by the user's imagination.
The length of the auger feed rarely exceeds 10 meters, since at a greater distance the pellets will be ground into powder, which is sintered in the burner itself, which in turn can lead to the boiler stopping. The auger may not be straight (flexible auger), but each bend requires additional motor power.
Compared to other types of fuel, pellets do not leave marks on surfaces and can be easily cleaned with a broom and dustpan. Unlike, for example, liquid fuel, the leakage of which is a fire hazard, scattered pellets can be used as an absorbent; pellets absorb several times their own weight. Due to high temperature When making pellets, pellets are not biologically active and for this reason they are very popular as a filler for pet litter.
Application of pellets
One of the main disadvantages is the relative high cost of pellet boilers. The cost of a 20 kW pellet boiler starts from 150 thousand rubles. If a solid fuel boiler is already installed, then it is possible to install a pellet burner and save on the cost of the boiler. However, despite the high cost of the equipment, taking into account the cost of fuel (heating with pellets is TWO times cheaper than heating with liquid fuel), in 2-3 years the money invested will be returned and in the future, you will save on heating.
Pellet burners can be of two main types: flare and volumetric combustion. Each type has its pros and cons - for example, a flare burner is less efficient, but can be easily installed in boilers with a small combustion chamber.
Today, pellets are comparable in heat cost to coal (however, the latter is difficult to automate and the main operations - loading/removing slag have to be performed manually). As for gas, as mentioned above, if there is an existing gas pipe the use of pellets is certainly unprofitable, however, when installing from scratch, we would recommend evaluating the pros and cons.
In addition, when using pellets, there are no power restrictions, in other words, you can install pellet heating equipment of unlimited power and, for example, heat several of your own (or other people’s) buildings from one heat point, while when using traditional types There are restrictions on fuel supply, including cheap gas, especially in winter.