Woody biomass size reduction with selective material orientation. Issue 1 (January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dooley, James H; Lanning, David N; Lanning, Christopher J
• Is Part Of: Biofuels. Volume 4:Issue 1(2013)
• Page Start: 35
• Page End: 43
• Publication Date: 2013-01
• Subjects: Biomass energy -- Periodicals; 662.8805
• DOI: 10.4155/bfs.12.72
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1759-7269

Abstract

Background: Roundwood logs from forests and energy plantations must be chipped, ground, or otherwise comminuted into small particles prior to conversion to solid or liquid biofuels.Results & discussion: Rotary veneer followed by cross-grain shearing is demonstrated to be a novel and low energy consuming method for primary breakdown of logs into a raw material having high transport and storage density. Processing of high-moisture raw logs into 2.5–4.2-mm particles prior to drying or conversion consumes less than 20% of the energy required for achieving similar particle size with hammer mills, while producing a more uniform particle shape and size.Conclusion: Energy savings from the proposed method may reduce the comminution cost of woody feedstocks by more than half.