Wooden pellets can be used for various heating applications and are a beneficial alternative fuel source for coal or natural gas. Furthermore, the GHG intensity of a unit of electricity generated using wood pellets is significantly lower than the GHG intensity of grid electricity derived from fossil fuels. Pellets from sawmill residues showed the strongest greenhouse gas emission benefits compared to fossil fuel and propane, and wooden pellet fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The primary objective of this research was to analyze how the storage of raw biomass affects the calorific content of the wooden pellets produced, using bomb calorimetry for energy content analysis. The raw biomass material was then placed into a container with a weighted lid to simulate the natural pressure from a pile of biomass. The raw biomass material was dried to the desired moisture content and aged over the course of 8 weeks. The atmospheric conditions such as temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity were logged during the 8-week period, as well as depth measurements from the pile of biomass.

Calorific values of wooden pellets: How raw biomass storage affects their energy values

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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