Sugarcane bagasse is a high-quality raw material for biomass pelleting, boasting advantages such as high yield, stable calorific value, and renewability. However, it also has inherent characteristics such as long fibers, high silicon content, low lignin, and large fluctuations in moisture content. Compared to sawdust and straw, it is more difficult to pelletize, causes faster equipment wear, and results in a more prone to loose and cracked finished products. To consistently produce high-density, low-pulverization, and storable sugarcane bagasse biomass pellets, strict control over every detail of the entire process—from raw material pretreatment, crushing and conditioning, pelleting technology, equipment operation and maintenance, to finished product storage—is crucial to avoid production failures and quality issues.

The high impurity content, significant moisture variations, and disordered fibers in sugarcane bagasse raw materials, coupled with inadequate pretreatment, are the core reasons for pelleting machine blockage, loose pellets, and equipment damage. Therefore, it is essential to focus on controlling the three key stages: impurity removal, moisture conditioning, and modification.

1. Strict multi-stage impurity removal to prevent hard objects from entering the machine: During the harvesting, stacking, and transportation of sugarcane bagasse, stones, silt, metal fragments, and plastic debris are easily mixed in. High-hardness silt and metal impurities will severely abrade the hammers, screens, ring dies, and pressure rollers, significantly shortening the equipment's lifespan and causing the pellet mill to jam and clog. Before production, a dual device of magnetic iron removal and screening must be installed to thoroughly remove metal and hard impurities. For sugarcane bagasse with high silt content, a simple water washing and deashing process can be added to reduce the ash and silicon content of the raw material, reducing the problem of slagging during subsequent pellet combustion.

2. Precise control of moisture content to match pelleting standards: Fresh sugarcane bagasse can have a moisture content of over 50%. Wet raw materials are prone to sticking and clumping, clogging the screens and die holes, making extrusion molding impossible. Too low a moisture content results in brittle material, loose pellets, and a high rate of pulverization. The optimal moisture content for production is strictly controlled at 9% ± 1%. This range significantly reduces equipment wear and improves pellet density. Raw materials with a moisture content of less than 15% can be directly crushed and granulated; those with a moisture content of 15%-20% can be neutralized by mixing with dry materials; those with a moisture content exceeding 20% ​​must undergo drying and sun-drying treatment, and high-moisture raw materials are strictly prohibited from being directly used in production.

3. Raw material ratio modification to compensate for molding shortcomings: Sugarcane bagasse itself has a low lignin content and poor natural binding properties, making pure sugarcane bagasse granulation prone to problems such as brittle particles, easy segregation, and insufficient strength. It is recommended to use a mixed proportioning process in production, combining 50%-70% sugarcane bagasse with 30%-50% high-lignin raw materials (wood chips, bark, sawdust), utilizing the high-temperature melting and binding properties of lignin to improve particle strength; when mixed materials are unavailable, appropriate amounts of environmentally friendly binders such as starch and molasses can be added to optimize molding effects and reduce pulverization rate.