Wood Pellets Processing
Wood Pellets Processing
Wood Pellets Processing
From wood waste to high-quality fuel – efficient, sustainable, profitable
On an agricultural farm or Joinery & Carpentry department, wood residues are continuously generated: Sawdust, branches, deadwood, cut timber, and log sections. Instead of disposing of these residues or leaving them to rot unused, they can be processed into high-quality wood pellets – a standardized, CO₂-neutral fuel with steadily growing demand.
Wood pellets are compact briquettes made from dried and shredded wood (diameter 6 mm, length 10–30 mm). The compression activates the natural lignin in the wood, which acts as a binding agent – no chemical additives are required.
Pellet production makes it possible to transform residual wood into a standardized, storable, and marketable energy source – for own use or as an additional source of income.
ADVANTAGES OF IN-HOUSE PELLET PRODUCTION
Economic Advantages
Utilization of wood waste and sawdust that would otherwise be disposed of or burned – value creation from residues
Additional income source through sales to neighbors, communities, pellet dealers, or direct customers
Significant reduction of own energie costs compared to oil, gas, or electricity
Independence from fluctuating fuel prices and supply bottlenecks
Cost-effective utilization of landscape maintenance material, storm-damaged wood, and thinning wood
Practical Advantages
No more hours of searching for wood, sawing, and splitting – pellets are ready to use immediately
Enormous space savings: pellets have a higher energy density than firewood (approx. 4.8–5.0 kWh/kg)
Simple, clean, and measurable storage in bags, big bags, or silos
Automatic feeding in pellet stoves and boilers – no manual reloading
Consistent, standardized fuel quality for optimal combustion results
Year-round production possible – regardless of weather and season
The material is conveyable, i.e., a fuel boiler can be operated automatically
Ecological Advantages
Nearly residue-free combustion: less than 0.5% ash with pure wood pellets
No particulate matter issues with modern pellet boilers equipped with particle filters
Regional cycle: short distances, no long transport chains as with fossil fuels
Sustainable use of local wood resources – contribution to the circular economy
SUITABLE RAW MATERIALS
In principle, any untreated natural wood can be processed into pellets.
The following overview shows the typical source materials on an agricultural farm:
Directly Available Wood Residues
Sawdust and wood shavings from the farm workshop
Offcuts and waste wood from construction and repair work
Reclaimed wood (untreated, natural) from demolition work
Wooden pallets and packaging wood (nails removed)
Wood from Forestry and Landscape Maintenance
Thinning wood and small-diameter timber from own forest
Branches, crown wood, and treetop sections after felling
Deadwood and storm-damaged wood (provided it is not severely decayed)
Cuttings from hedge maintenance, fruit tree pruning, and roadside maintenance
Fresh wood of any type (softwood and hardwood) – must be dried before pressing
THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS (PROCESS CHAIN)
Pellet production follows a clearly structured process in six steps.
All steps can be carried out in the department using small-scale machinery:
1. Size Reduction – Branches, trunks, and wood residues are reduced to wood chip size (3–5 cm) using a chipper or shredder. Sawdust can skip this step.
2. Fine Grinding – A hammer mill grinds the material to a uniform particle size of 1–4 mm – a prerequisite for clean pressing.
3. Drying – The wood is dried to 10–15% residual moisture (drum dryer, solar dryer, or air drying). Fresh wood often has 40–60% moisture content.
4. Conditioning (optional) – By adding steam, the wood's own lignin is activated – it serves as a natural binding agent. Particularly recommended for hardwood.
5. Pelletizing – In a pellet press (flat or ring die), the material is pressed through die holes under high pressure. The frictional heat (80–130 °C) melts the lignin and bonds the fibers. Pellet diameter: 6 mm.
6. Cooling & Screening – The hot pellets are hardened in a counterflow cooler. A screen then separates the fines, which are fed back into the process.
The finished product: Standard-compliant wood pellets (6 mm dia., 10–30 mm length) with a calorific value of approx. 4.8–5.0 kWh/kg and an ash content below 0.5%.
APPLICATION AREAS FOR WOOD PELLETS
On-Farm Use
Cooking (Pellet cookers 3–5x more efficient than traditional charcoal cooking stoves)
Power Generation – Off-Grid and Mini-Grids
- ORC Systems (Organic Rankine Cycle): 5–50 kW
- Stirling Engines: 1–10 kW
- Steam Engines / Steam Screw Engines: 10–100 kW range.
- Gasification + Gas Engine: 20 kW).
Cooling (Absorbtion cooling)
Drying of Agricultural Products
Industrial Process Heat for Small Businesses
Water Treatment and Disinfection
Biochar as a Valuable By-Product
Chick Rearing and Poultry Farming
MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT
Upon request, we will compile a complete equipment list tailored to your raw materials, throughput, and budget.
A typical process chain includes:
Size Reduction : Garden chipper, professional shredder, hammer mill
Drying : Drum dryer, pipe dryer, solar dryer
Pelletizing : Pellet press (flat or ring die), conditioner
Post-Processing : Counterflow cooler, vibrating screen
Conveying Technology : Screw conveyors, storage silos, hoppers
Measurement Technology : Wood moisture meter, digital scale, IR thermometer, calipers
Safety : Hearing protection, dust mask, safety goggles, extraction system, fire extinguisher
Electrical : Frequency converter, control cabinet, high-voltage connection
Packaging : Bagging scale, big bags, PE bags
CONTACT US for a customized quote
We are happy to advise you on plant size and machine configuration – tailored to your operation and raw material availability.
Your DMH-Team !