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Processing and equipment

Woodfuel processing can range from the straightforward cutting and drying of logs, to large scale pellet processing and bagging. It is essential to purchase equipment that will produce fuel to the correct specification for your customers' heating systems.

  • Chipping

    Chipping

    Wood chip is produced on site, using a chipper near where the woodfuel was harvested, or at a wood fuel depot. Chippers vary in size from the small hand-fed chipper for dealing with arboricultural waste to machines which can chip large diameter roundwood with outputs of over 100 tonnes an hour.

  • Pelletising

    Wood pellets are produced by forcing dried sawdust (or other sawmill and forestry by-products) through holes in a rotating dye, to form tightly sealed pellets. Friction generated during manufacture creates heat that releases the wood's natural lignins - these act as a glue to bind the pellet together. Pellet production can be a small or large scale process. The capital and energy costs of production are higher than for wood chips and logs.

  • Log preparation

    Log splitter

    Logs should be dried in stacks for one to two years before they are ready to use as fuel. If they are over 15 cm diameter, splitting will accelerate drying. The majority of log splitters are simple hydraulic devices which push the log against a sharp axe like blade which cuts the log in two.

  • Shredders and grinders

    Shredder

    These are used to reduce wood fuel material to small pieces for easier handling and volume reduction, or as a feed for conversion processes. Shredders, grinders and hammermills can be high power, high throughput units, suitable for handling low quality, mixed material, particularly if it might be contaminated with stones or soil.