Improving Woody Biomass Feedstock Logistics by Reducing Ash and Moisture Content

Greene, W. Dale; Cutshall, Jason B.; Dukes, C. Cory; Baker, Shawn A.

doi:10.1007/s12155-013-9404-6

Cited by 23 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Soil contamination is known to be a major contributor to the total ash content in typical forest residue samples [26], and some of this contamination can be concentrated in the smallest size fractions of the biomass [26,27]. Effective ash reduction methods in forest residue samples include improved harvest and collection systems [28], and fine particle removal after initial size reduction using sieving [25] or trommel screens [26,28,29]. The removal of fine particles from the biomass can lead to improved ash concentrations; however the high-ash biomass that is removed must either be disposed of and replaced with on-spec feedstock, or treated to remove the ash forming elements so it can be used in the conversion processes [29].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Removal of introduced inorganic content from chipped forest residues via air classification

Lacey

Aston

Westover

et al. 2015

Fuel

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Removal of introduced inorganic content from chipped forest residues via air classification

Lacey

Aston

Westover

et al. 2015

Fuel

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“…In contrast, fine particles reduce the air circulation within the woodchip piles, which decreases drying speed and increases the risk of self-combustion and spore formation due to microbial activity and fungal infestation [21]. Previous studies on screening machines already have shown that it is possible to remove fine and/or oversize particles [14,[20][21][22][23]. However, the machines tested within these studies differed in terms of throughput capacity and working principle: trommel screens and vibrating desks are only able to remove fine particles from the material stream, whereas star screens are able to separate woodchips into three fractions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance of a Mobile Star Screen to Improve Woodchip Quality of Forest Residues

Huber

Kroisleitner

Stampfer

2017

Forests

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Low harvesting costs and increasing demand for forest-derived biomass led to an increased use of full-tree (FT) harvesting in steep terrain areas in Austria. Logging residues, as a by-product of FT harvesting, present an easily accessible bioenergy resource, but high portions of fine particles and contaminants like earth particles and stones make them a complex and difficult fuel, as they affect storage capability, conversion efficiency, or emission rates adversely. The present research focuses on the productivity and performance of a star screen, which was used to remove fine and oversize particles from previously chipped, fresh Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) logging residue woodchips. Three screen settings, which differed in terms of different rotation speeds of the fine star elements (1861 rpm, 2239 rpm, 2624 rpm) were analyzed. Time studies of the star screen were carried out to estimate screening productivity and costs. Furthermore, 115 samples were collected from all material streams, which were assessed for particle size distribution, calorific value, ash content, and component and elemental composition. Average productivity was 20.6 tonnes (t) per productive system hour (PSH 15 ), corresponding to screening costs of 9.02 €/t. The results indicated that the screening of chipped logging residues with a star screen influenced material characteristics of the medium fraction, as it decreased the ash content, the incidence of fine particles, and the nutrient content. The different screen settings had a noticeable influence on the quality characteristics of the screening products. An increase of the rotation speed of the fine stars reduced screening costs per unit of screened material in the medium fraction, but also lowered screening quality.

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“…Others have also shown ash to be concentrated in the smallest size fractions (Smith et al, 2012;Zhang et al, 2012). Using both sieving (Liu and Bi, 2011;Lacey et al, 2016;Thompson et al, 2016) and trommel screens (Smith et al, 2012;Dukes et al, 2013;Greene et al, 2014), concentrations of introduced ash could be effectively reduced from biomass feedstocks.…”

Section: Wear Minimization Through Mechanical Separationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wear Properties of Ash Minerals in Biomass

2018

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Ash in biomass is believed to damage biorefinery equipment due to its abrasive properties. All biomass contains at least some ash, or inorganic content, as a result of normal physiological processes. The concentration of biogenic ash in biomass is largely species dependent; however it can also be affected by weather patterns, irrigation, soil type, and fertilizer applications. Ash concentrations in harvested biomass can also be elevated due to the incorporation of soil and dust during the harvest and collection processes. While ash concentration in biomass is important, so also is the mineral form of the ash. Certain mineral forms of ash can be much harder than the steels used to construct biorefinery equipment and cause excessive wear. In this perspective, the relative concentrations of ash elements, mineral forms of ash, and the hardness of these minerals are considered to identify ash components of concern to biorefinery operators. Strategies are suggested to remove ash from harvested biomass to reduce the risk of excessive wear on biomass processing equipment.

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Improving Woody Biomass Feedstock Logistics by Reducing Ash and Moisture Content

Cited by 23 publications

References 11 publications

Removal of introduced inorganic content from chipped forest residues via air classification

Removal of introduced inorganic content from chipped forest residues via air classification

Performance of a Mobile Star Screen to Improve Woodchip Quality of Forest Residues

Wear Properties of Ash Minerals in Biomass

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