Indeed, many seemingly inconspicuous "wastes" or natural materials can be used as raw materials for biomass pellet fuels, which is also an important manifestation of the environmental protection and renewable nature of biomass energy. The following are some common raw materials that can be used to make biomass pellet fuels, covering agriculture, forestry, industry and other fields:
1. Agricultural related raw materials
Crop straw: wheat straw, corn straw, rice straw, sorghum straw, etc., is one of the main raw materials for biomass pellets in my country, with a wide range of sources and low cost.
Grain processing waste: rice husks, wheat bran, corn cobs, peanut shells, cottonseed shells, etc., these materials have relatively high density, and the calorific value of the pellets made is also ideal.
Oil crop waste: rapeseed shells, sunflower seed shells, tea shells, etc., some of which contain a certain amount of oil and have good combustion performance.
2. Forestry-related raw materials
Wood processing waste: sawdust, wood shavings, wood chips (from furniture factories, wood processing plants). These raw materials have good fiber structure, and the pellets made are uniform in texture and high in calorific value. They are common raw materials for high-quality biomass pellets.
Forestry waste: branches, bark, fallen leaves, dead branches, etc., which can also be used for pelleting after crushing, especially suitable for areas with rich forestry resources.
Artificial board waste: discarded plywood, fiberboard, etc. (care should be taken to avoid materials with excessive glue content or harmful additives to avoid pollutants during combustion).
3. Other plant raw materials
Herbs: reeds, thatch, bagasse (waste from the sugar industry), sweet sorghum stalks, etc., among which bagasse is widely used in the south.
Energy crops: plants specially planted for the production of biomass energy, such as switchgrass and elephant grass, which grow rapidly and have high yields and are suitable for large-scale processing.
4. Some industrial/domestic organic waste (must meet environmental protection standards)
Food processing waste: fruit shells (such as walnut shells, chestnut shells), fruit residues (such as apple residues, citrus residues), wine lees, etc., need to be dried before use.
Waste clothing/cloth: waste textiles made of pure plant fibers (such as cotton and linen), after crushing and fiberization, can be used as auxiliary raw materials (need to avoid containing chemical fibers or pollutants).
The reason why these raw materials can be used to make biomass pellet fuel is that they are renewable organic biomass. Through crushing, drying, granulation and other processes, they can be converted into high-density, easy to store and transport, and high-combustion efficiency pellet fuels, replacing some fossil energy and reducing carbon emissions. However, in actual production, the collection cost, transportation radius, moisture content and whether the raw materials contain harmful substances (such as heavy metals and chemical additives) need to be considered to ensure the environmental protection and safety of pellet fuels.