In the field of clean energy, biomass pellets have become the new favorite fuel for many companies and families due to their environmental and low-cost characteristics. However, when faced with a wide variety of biomass pellets on the market, how to select a high-quality product to ensure that the combustion efficiency is maximized, but it is difficult to overwhelm many people. Today, we will talk about how to quickly distinguish between high-quality biomass pellets, and how important these details are to the actual use of the results.
First, what is biomass pellets? Simple science popularization
Biomass pellets are fuel processed from wood chips, straw, rice husk, peanut shells and other agricultural and forestry wastes, which are crushed, dried and pressed into pellets. Its advantages are obvious: high calorific value of combustion, low pollutant emissions, suitable for a variety of boilers, known as the “clean energy sector to carry”.
However, due to different raw materials and production processes, the quality of biomass pellets on the market varies greatly. Selection is not good
Second, to determine the quality of biomass particles several key points
- Look at the color
High-quality biomass pellets are usually uniform in color, light brown or dark brown, with a smooth surface. Too dark a color may indicate the presence of excessive bark or impurities, while too light a color may be mixed with chemical additives.
Tip: Color is not the only criterion, but it can be used as a first impression reference. Don't be fooled by some particles that look particularly bright, as they may have been adulterated with bleach.
- Smell
Good biomass pellets will give off a light wood scent or the natural smell of crop stalks. If you smell a pungent chemical odor, it means that it may be mixed with industrial waste, and this kind of pellet not only has low combustion efficiency, but also may cause damage to the boiler.
Practical tips: Before buying, you can let the merchant provide a small sample, smell the flavor and then decide.
- Feel the hardness
Pick up a biomass pellet and break it with your fingers a little hard. High-quality particles are tightly structured, feel hard, and are difficult to break by hand; while poor quality particles are easy to break, indicating insufficient molding pressure in the pressing process, and easy to produce dust during combustion.
Why is it important: Hardness determines the stability of the pellet when burning, and insufficient hardness will lead to incomplete combustion and reduce the utilization of calorific value.
- Measure moisture content
Moisture is the enemy of pellet fuel! Pellets with high moisture content consume more heat to evaporate the water when burning, thus affecting the overall thermal efficiency of the boiler. Generally speaking, the moisture content of high-quality pellets is between 6% and 10%.
Test: Place a small amount of pellets in the boiler and observe if there is a distinct “crackling” sound. If the sound is too loud, it means the moisture is too high.
- Look at the ash content
The ash content after combustion directly reflects the purity of the pellets. The ash content of high-quality pellets is usually less than 1.5%, if more than this ratio, it means that the pellets may be mixed with impurities, such as sand, stones, etc., which not only reduces the combustion efficiency, but also causes wear and tear on the inside of the boiler.
Note: Pellets with high ash content are prone to slagging in the boiler, affecting the heat exchange effect and increasing the difficulty of cleaning.
Third, how to choose the right biomass pellets for different industries?
- Industrial boiler enterprises
For pulp mills, feed mills, brick factories and other enterprises that need high-power boilers, it is recommended to choose wood pellets or comprehensive straw pellets. These pellets have high calorific value, stable combustion and can meet the demand of long time high load operation.
- Small processing plant
Agricultural products processing plants, food factories on the boiler load demand is low, you can choose relatively inexpensive straw pellets. Although the calorific value of these pellets is slightly lower, but the cost is low, the fuel source is wide, cost-effective.
- Home heating users
For home heating, wood pellets are the best choice. These pellets burn cleanly, have low ash content and are more convenient and comfortable to use.
Fourth, how high is the economic benefit of high-quality biomass pellets?
As an example, a feed factory originally used coal boilers, after switching to biomass pellet boilers, the monthly fuel cost dropped from 150,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan. Although the cost per unit calorific value of pellet fuel is slightly higher, the overall thermal efficiency has been increased by more than 15% because of fuller combustion, and high environmental fines have been reduced. After switching to biomass pellets, the savings will cover the initial investment in just one year.
V. Conclusion: choose a good pellet, save heart and money
The biomass pellet market is mixed, but as long as you master the above skills, you can quickly judge the quality of the pellets and choose the right fuel for the boiler. High-quality biomass pellets are not only environmentally friendly, but also improve boiler efficiency and reduce fuel costs for businesses or homes.
With clean energy on the rise, the application of biomass pellets is rapidly expanding. Whether you are a business owner or an ordinary consumer, learning to recognize quality pellets is an important step towards “environmental protection + economic” win-win situation.
The last word: choose pellets, look at the details! Your boiler gets it, and your wallet will thank you.
