Development of Single Pelletizer Unit for Modelling Flat Die Pelletizer

Pelletizing is currently one of the most frequently used method for producing agglomerates, using either a ring die or a flat die pelletizer. This process can increase bulk density, reduces storage and transportation costs and makes easy handling of biomass. Raw materials for fuel pellets production can be different types of biomasses from various resources. Also composition and structural properties of these materials are diverse. This has the consequence that different types of biomass require different processing conditions such as press channel length, moisture content, particle size and temperature. Nowadays, the process optimization is mainly based on expensive and time-consuming “trial and error” experiments and personal experience [2]. The aim of this work was modelling the pelletizing behavior of different raw materials with an experimental equipment based on piston press: single pelletizer unit (SPU). Compressibility was determined, and pellets were produced by flat die pelletizer, and results were compared with results of single pelletizer unit. During this modelling the parameters could be changed easily, and the amount of the raw material is low for the experiment. This enables a fast estimation of key process parameters such as optimal press channel length, moisture content, pressure, temperature, particle size and speed of piston.