Wood Pellets Guide - Home Heating Alternative

Wood pellets as a source of alternative energy over the usual non renewable fossil fuels have been gaining a lot of interest all over the world. As a matter of fact, heating systems designed specifically for the use of wood pellets are now widely available in the markets of some countries across the globe.It is believed that wood pellets as a wood fuel (a form of biofuel) is better than any other kinds of fuel. In fact, it can be compared to high quality coal and other similar goods. Below are some strong points of wood pellets as an alternative fuel.

• Environmental Friendly
Wood fuels which include fuel derived from wood pellets release lesser amount of ashes and emissions that are harmful to the environment and to human beings. The carbon dioxide that is released during the combustion of wood pellets is being used by the growing plants. Thus, it does not add up to the problem of global warming. Moreover, there would be no worries on how to dispose wood pellets which are basically waste products because they can still be utilized as an alternative fuel. This would greatly reduce problems on waste management.

• Convenient
Wood pellets are generally small – sized, highly densed and compacted unlike other biomass fuels such as wood chips. These characteristics would make a stack of wood pellets easy to store and transport. Their small, regular and uniform shapes enable them to flow like a fluid resulting on easy feeding on automated heating systems.

• Available
Availability has been always one of the concerns in the use of non renewable fuels. There may be numerous resources now, but it might create a problem on scarcity in the future. This is where the production of biomass fuels enters. Wood pellets, a biomass, are byproducts of sawmilling and other similar activity. With this in mind, instead of discarding these waste materials, these can be utilized as a useful alternative source of energy. As long as trees are continually growing and a balance between cutting and planting exists, availability would not cause a major problem.

• Effective
Wood pellets are proven effective as a wood fuel. Their low moisture content (humidity is typically 7 – 8%) does not require a lot of energy to burn it off making them highly efficient burnable material. Moreover, this feature also explains why it is easier to ignite (7-8% against 30-35% humidity of wood chips). Wood pellets generate high heat output.

• Natural
Aside from being biodegradable, chemicals or additives are not necessary in manufacturing wood pellets. A natural substance called lignin is found in wood itself that serves as a binder. A small amount of maize starch is added though sometimes. Furthermore, the wood pellets are manufactured from pure and not contaminated woods.

• Versatile
Wood pellets can be used in stoves (pellet stoves models and most traditional stoves), boilers, heating furnaces and similar heating systems. Lots of these appliances are now available in the markets.

These are the benefits that can be gained in utilizing wood pellets as biomass fuel. Such advantages make the wood pellets more popular among the manufacturers and consumers.

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With the gaining popularity of wood pellets as a wood fuel, the manufacturers need to ensure that they are producing high quality wood pellets. The consumers must also at least know the essential properties of good wood pellets.Property # 1: Check the dimension. It should be small-sized wood pellet. Most wood pellets that are utilized as fuel have a diameter of about 6 – 8mm and a length of about 2cm. Furthermore, it should be uniform, regular and highly compacted. With this property, they can be easily stored and delivered. They will not take a lot of space. Also, they can be easily fed in an automated fuel handling system.

Property # 2: Know the moisture content. Remember that the lower the moisture content, the lower the need for energy to burn it off. The humidity of good quality wood pellets should be around 6-10%.

Property # 3: Ensure that they are mechanically durable. This means that high quality wood pellets can endure numerous handlings. They should withstand any kind of operation otherwise they would easily break and wear causing an increase on the number of fines in the pellets. Also, it is generally good when wood pellets can stand shipping even in long distance and time.

Property # 4: Check the amount of fines. The amount of fines would greatly influence the smoothness and easy flow of wood pellets in the boiler’s fuel feeder. The greater the amount of fines present in the wood pellets, the greater the likelihood of obstacle in the feeding system of boilers.

Moreover, minute particles burn faster compared to wood pellets. Thus, if numerous fine particles are found in the wood pellets, there is a big probability that they would generate unnecessary intense flame. The worst case scenario is it might lead to precipitation of ash that will demand cleaning the burner after cooling it off.

Currently, the manufacturers make it sure that the amount of fines should be at most 1%. It is checked time after time in the entire manufacturing process. Furthermore, to ensure that fewer fines are present in wood pellets, the producers measure it even at the last processing phase and screen it before distributing.

Property # 5: Know if additives are added. Preferably, the whole wood pellets should be natural. The chemicals or substances added would significantly influence the wood pellets’ emissions during combustion. Wood pellets are commonly produced from sawdust. Thus, a substance that must serves as a “binding agent” is necessary to hold them together and be compacted. Lignin, a natural component found in woods, serves this purpose. In any case those additives/chemicals are used, the quantity and type should be stated.

Property # 6: Check the density of wood pellets. Wood pellets should be highly densed. The degree of compactness would likely determine the possible amount of fines that can be found on the pellets. As mentioned, preferably zero to a very small percentage of fine particles must be present in wood pellets for these minute materials would affect the quality of flame produced. The looser the wood pellets are, the higher the amount of fines.

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Wood pellets as biomass fuel is constantly gaining interests from different nations such as North America and several countries in Europe. Their production and distribution continues to grow and expand. With their popularity, there are also various issues concerning their utilization.

Issue # 1: Environmental – Friendly?
Wood pellets are said to be a type of fuel that is a carbon neutralizer. The carbon dioxide that is released during the combustion is taken by the growing trees and plants during the essential process of photosynthesis. Therefore, they do not worsen global warming. They are said to emit lesser hazardous gases and ashes which could bring harm to the environment. Moreover, by utilization of wood pellets, which are basically wastes, they would not create another problem on waste management.

However, an issue concerning deforestation which is not at all environmental friendly arises. The fact is wood pellets come from logs/woods which are cut down trees. With increasing demand for wood pellets, there might be an increasing need to cut down trees which could include those that are domicile to many animals and plants.

Issue # 2: Sustainable?
Wood pellets are derived from woods/logs that are basically renewable, therefore wood pellet fuels can be considered as a sustainable source of energy. As long as the balance between the supply and demand for trees exists and maintained, then it would not give rise to a major problem like scarcity. However, an issue about their sustainability is still being questioned. Is it really possible to maintain such balance? Deforestation has been reported in few areas. When trees are cut down without replacing them, eventually scarcity would be the consequence.

Issue # 3: Cost – effective?
It is still a question whether using wood pellet fuels is cheaper than utilizing the conventional ones. Though any nation can lessen its reliance to foreign oils/fuels by using its own resources, it does not change the fact that pellet use is a new innovation that require some complicated and different equipment/machineries that could be more expensive. In fact some models of wood pellet heating systems are quite expensive too.

Issue # 4: Convenient?
Another important issue is that: Is it really convenient and simple to use? Yes, they maybe convenient to store, deliver or transfer because of their solid distinct properties. However, the fact still remains that these are alternatives and non conventional. They are operated quite differently from the usual traditional fuel heating systems. In reality, pellet stoves have unique controls that might be unfamiliar for most of the home users. Also, once you are used to traditional heating systems, it would be a great adjustment for you once you shift to pellet heating appliances as they contain some complex components that might bring confusion to the consumers.

Issue # 5: Versatile?
It has been claimed that some conventional models of heating systems can actually allow the use of wood pellets, it is still recommended to utilize wood pellets in heating systems specifically designed for pellets.

Issue # 6: Natural?
Though wood pellets use their own natural component, lignin, to bind them together, there are still cases that a substance other than this natural component is added.

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