INTRODUCTION
Pellet falls under the category of fuels produced from biomass. Pellet is produced by automatic pressing of damp sawdust and wood chips, which are converted into pellets of uniform shape and size. Quality pellet has a diameter of 6 to 8 mm and length of 3 to 40 mm. Unlike other fuels that can be obtained from biomass, wood pellet is easier to use and requires less storage space. It is also less dangerous for delivery than other fossil fuels and more favourable because of its large share of energy. Humidity content ranges from four to six percent. These properties and plant lignin help to maintain a compact structure, making wood pellets an efficient fuel.
Pellet is classified according to its basic characteristics – dimensions, humidity content, physical endurance and ash content. Of all the characteristics, ash content is the one according to which we determine the quality of wood pellets. The highest quality pellet contains less than 1% ash. Ash content at standard quality ranges from 1% to 2%. Industrial pellet has the largest ash content and can contain more than 3% ash.
Thanks to market developments and demands, since the 1990s the need for pellet quality standardization with the aim of protecting costumers has emerged. Many national standards have been set in various countries, particularly in Europe and North America. For the largest pellet market, Europe, the European Commission has established EU standards (CEN TC335-EN 14961) for solid fuel, based on Australian standards (ÖNORM M1735).
Today’s pellet quality is defined by many European Union standards, based on EN 14961-2 or ISO 17225-2. ENPlus is the best-known standard for the European market.
Pellets production has been the integral part of the company’s overall business since the beginning of the 2000s. This is a logical business sequence considering the development of the basic sawmill industry and a rich source of high quality raw material for the production of energy-rich pellets. More than 90% of raw material for the pellet production we obtain from our own sawmill production. We purchase the remaining quantities necessary for continuous production on the market controlling the quality.
Pellet production is a continuous process.
