Make your own wood pellets!
Making your own wood pellets is the ultimate addition to your wood pellet stove or furnace. It is another step closer to economical and ecological independence. But is possible?
What do we need? Simply Two things: dry sawdust or wood shavings and a pellet press.
The basic material: sawdust or wood shavings
Sawdust or wood shavings can be found in every lumber mill, often even for free. Be sure to ask for clean sawdust of untreated wood. The sawdust or shavings must be as dry as possible, since we're not able to dry any further. Don't be fooled, the home made wood pellets will probably be not as dry as the industrial ones. Be carefull to read the technical instructions of your wood pellet stove or boiler before using them. A maximum moist content could be specified in there, so only use home made wood pellets at your own risk!Wood pellet price and availability
Wood pellets are not always that easy to find. Demand has outstripped supply since 2005 as more and more people have turned to pellet stoves but the past couple of years prodcution is catching up with demand. Being a domestic fuel, the price is not vulnerable to international conflicts like oil and gas but depending on location and distance of a pellet factory The price is not always that favorable when compared to other fuels...
Cost and availability varies seasonally and from region to region. Home Depot, Wal-mart, Lowes, Ace, Agway, etc. may sell wood pellets but not always have them in stock. Deliveries of 18 to 24 tons may sell sell out within an hour or two since the prices in these big stores tend to be lower. Call to find out when the next delivery is expected so and don't miss out.
Chemical composition of wood
1. General composition
Wood pellets are made of wood, so there chemical composition is of course the same as dry cord wood. Dry wood is build primarily out the following compounds (in % dry weight):- cellulose 40-50%
- lignin: 16-25% in hardwood - 23-33% in softwood
- hemi-cellulose: 20-30% in hardwood - 15-20% in hardwood
- other compounds (water, resins,...) 5-30%
- minerals 0,1-3%
The actual structure of wood is formed by the fiberlike structure of cellulose (and hemi-cellulose). Lignin forms the binding agent between these fiberlike structures.
It is in fact the same principle as is used in reinforced concrete.
Units of Energy
The unit of energy in the I.S.-system(Systéme International) is the Joule. Besides the 'Joule' there are some other units that are still used, like the calorie, BTU, and BOE.
A brief summary...
Wood pellets and climat change
Biomass fuels, including wood pellets (and other wood fuels, such as regular cordwood and wood chips) are generally recognized as having far lower net lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions than fossil fuel equivalents, to the order of 98% fewer emissions.
The release of CO2 from burning sawdust, when derived from forest biomass from well managed forest ecosystems, is carbon-neutral. The carbon in these ecosystems regularly cycles between standing, stored terrestrial carbon and free atmospheric carbon in the transition from regrowth to maturity, decline, decomposition/destruction and regrowth.
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