Structural and Mechanical Stability of Wood Pellets along the Supply Chain: From Pelletization and Handling to Pyrolysis (Volume 34) (English shop)

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The microstructure of wood pellets is characterized by various features that are influenced not only by the composition and properties of the raw material but also by the process design and operating conditions during pelletization. For example, longer press channels generate higher and more uniform backpressure during pelletization, resulting in pellets with higher density and a more homogeneous structure. These characteristics improve the resilience of wood pellets to damaging conditions, such as high relative humidity as well as mechanical and thermal stresses during storage, transport, and pyrolysis, respectively. As a result, the formation of unwanted fines and associated material losses can be reduced, allowing a greater fraction of the energy contained in the pellets to be utilized. This book presents scientific findings on how different types of stress affect the structure and quality of wood pellets throughout their life cycle. It also demonstrates how the pelletization history, and therefore the initial pellet quality, influences the extent of these changes and determines the macroscopic structure of the pellets at the end of their life cycle.